Process and unit for preparing alloyed and non-alloyed reactive metals by reduction
AssigneeCockerill
InventorRene Winand
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A process for preparing alloyed or non-alloyed, reactive metals by reaction of halides thereof, in particular chlorides, with a reducing agent at a temperature higher than the melting temperature of the metal to be developed, comprises solidifying the developed metal while maintaining in the reaction zone wherein the reduction proceeds, a layer of this metal in the liquid state, at a temperature higher than the boiling or sublimation temperature of the other reaction products at the pressure at which the reduction develops, these other reaction products being substantially continuously discharged in the gaseous state.
Claims21
A process for preparing alloyed or non-alloyed reactive materials selected from the group consisting of titanium, zirconium, thorium, vanadium, chromium, cobalt, aluminum, silicon, magnesium, and uranium, by reaction of a halide thereof with a reducing agent at a temperature higher than the melting temperature of the metal to be developed, the metal being developed forming into an ingot in an ingot mold, the metal first forming a layer in the liquid state on top of said ingot and then continuously solidifying into the ingot, comprising:
- introducing the halide and the reducing agent directly into a reaction zone at the top of the ingot in a swirling motion so as to cause said gaseous reactants to be mixed together in a turbulence in a small area centralized at the top of the ingot and to react according to an exothermic reaction with as little heat loss as possible, while forming a coalescence of liquid droplets of the developed metal which are then collected directly on the liquid metal layer on the top of the ingot;
- maintaining in the reaction zone, mainly by means of the calories produced by the exothermic reaction occurring in the small centralized reaction area, a temperature which is higher than the melting point of the metal being developed so as to maintain the top of the ingot in the liquid state, and wherein said temperature is also higher than the boiling or sublimation temperature of the other reaction products developed by said reaction;
- and
- substantially continuously discharging said other reaction products in the gaseous state.
A unit for preparing alloyed or non-alloyed reactive metals by reacting a halide of the reactive metal with a reducing agent at a temperature higher than the melting temperature of the metal to be developed, comprising:
- a cooled ingot mold;
- charging means for introducing the reactants in the gaseous state in a direction sloped with respect to the vertical into a reaction zone within and at the top of said cooled ingot mold, so as to form at the top of said ingot mold a substantially swirling stream of the gaseous reactants, which swirling stream allows the projection of coalesced droplets of the metal being developed out of the stream due to the centrifugal force created in the stream;
- and
- discharge means for substantially continuously discharging gases issuing from the reaction.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.