Process for preparing dry sodium aluminum hydride

A process for recovering storable and shippable dry sodium aluminum hydride solids from a slurry comprised of sodium aluminum hydride, aluminum, sodium aluminum hexahydride, sodium aluminum diethyldihydride and toluene, the process comprising:

• a. feeding the slurry to a nutsche filter;
• b. pressurizing the nutsche filter with an inert gas so as to obtain a pressure differential over the filter septum within the range of from about 30 to about 50 psi;
• c. filtering the fed slurry in the absence of agitation to yield a first filter cake;
• d. feeding a sufficient amount of toluene to the nutsche filter to form a wash slurry to effect a washing of the first filter cake;
• e. filtering the fed slurry in the absence of agitation to yield a second filter cake;
• f. heating the second filter cake to a temperature within the range of from about 35.degree. C. to about 75.degree. C. until the second filter cake reaches the desired degree of dryness;
• and
• g. recovering the dried filter cake from the nutsche filter.