Continuous process for the manufacture of metal salt solutions from water-insoluble metal compounds and mineral acids
OwnerCarl J. Fabryinventor
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Abstract
A continuous process for the manufacture of a metal salt solution is described which provides more economical products with higher quality than current processes. The process is safer, both to operating personnel and to the environment, than currently used processes. The process comprises feeding an aqueous metal compound slurry, e.g., a metal oxide/hydroxide slurry and a mineral acid, e.g., nitric acid, and water to a reactor which includes a zone of extreme mixing and agitation, most preferably a cross-pipe reactor provided with an optional static in-line mixer. A cross-pipe reactor provides complete and efficient reaction by providing greater surface area, high agitation and a long reaction time.
Claims17
A continuous process for manufacture of an aqueous metal salt solution wherein the metal salt is a salt of a metal selected from the group consisting of magnesium, calcium, zinc, manganese, copper, potassium and mixtures thereof with an acid selected from the group consisting of concentrated sulfuric acid and concentrated nitric acid, which comprises continuously injecting at least one aqueous slurry of particles of a water-insoluble metal compound selected from the group consisting of a magnesium oxide, magnesium hydroxide, calcium oxide, calcium hydroxide, zinc oxide, zinc hydroxide, manganese oxide, manganese hydroxide, copper oxide, copper hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, magnesium carbonate, calcium carbonate, zinc carbonate, manganese carbonate, copper carbonate, potassium carbonate and mixtures thereof and a mineral acid selected from the group consisting of concentrated sulfuric acid and concentrated nitric acid into a zone of extreme mixing and agitation to form a mixture thereof and react the same to said metal at a temperature of at least about 150.degree. C., and thereafter continuously removing the resulting mixture from the zone, wherein the extreme mixing and agitation is to a degree such that when metal salt is formed on a particle of the water-insoluble metal compound, it is removed so that fresh water-insoluble metal compound is exposed so that reaction can be completed to said metal salt, wherein the extreme mixing and agitation is accomplished by means of a cross-pipe reactor wherein the aqueous slurry of the particles of the water-insoluble metal compound and the concentrated nitric acid or concentrated sulfuric acid are introduced into a zone perpendicular to each other to thereby obtain the zone of extreme mixing and agitation.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.