Process for decomposing chlorinated hydrocarbon compounds
AssigneeAluminum Company of America
InventorsCharles J. Culleiton, Alfred F. LaCamera, Thomas J. Robare
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Abstract
A process for decomposing chlorinated hydrocarbon compounds wherein the compounds are heated to an elevated temperature of about 800.degree. to 1200.degree. C. and reacted with alumina and a reactive carbon source. A preferred operating temperature is about 800.degree. to 900.degree. C. and preferred carbon sources are activated carbon and coked alumina. The process is particularly useful for disposing of chlorinated organic compounds that are generated in the production of metal chlorides by chlorination of a metal oxide in the presence of carbon.
Claims11
A process for production of aluminum wherein chlorine contaminated with chlorinated hydrocarbons is formed as a by-product, said process comprising
- (a) electrolyzing in a molten salt bath and at an elevated temperature aluminum chloride contaminated with chlorinated hydrocarbons, thereby to form
- (1) aluminum, and
- (2) chlorine gas contaminated with a mixture of chlorinated hydrocarbons comprising principally hexachlorobenzene,
- (b) collecting said mixture together with salts from the bath and separately from the chlorine gas,
- (c) separating the salts from the mixture by dissolving said salts in a molten NaAlCl.sub.4 bath,
- (d) heating the mixture to an elevated temperature of about 800.degree. to 1200.degree. C., and
- (e) reacting the mixture with alumina and a reactive carbon source at said elevated temperature, said reactive carbon source being selected from the group consisting of activated carbon, coked alumina and mixtures thereof, thereby to form aluminum chloride and other products.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.