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US 4,584,054 AGranted
Solids refining process
AssigneeResearch Corporation
InventorLawrence R. Holland
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A process and an apparatus provide a purified material by employing a rate of condensation of the material which is substantially greater than the rate of solidification of the material. Tellurium and cadmium are effectively purified by the process.
Claims13
A vapor-liquid-solid (VLS) solids refining process which comprises:
- (a) establishing and maintaining in a closed VLS system having an evaporation zone and a condensing-solidifying zone an ambient gas pressure which is substantially below the vapor pressure at its melting point of a solid material located in the evaporation zone, said solid material being the material to be purified and having gases dissolved therein,
- (b) evaporating the material in the evaporation zone to provide vapors of the material, said material having a vapor pressure in the evaporation zone greater than the vapor pressure of said material at its melting point,
- (c) maintaining a temperature in the condensing-solidifying zone effective to condense the vapors of said material to a liquid and to solidify said material at a rate substantially less than the rate of condensation of said material, whereby the liquid material continuously washes the surface of the solid material in the condensing-solidifying zone, and
- (d) transporting the unsolidified portion of the liquid material from the condensing-solidifying zone to the evaporation zone.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.