US 5,667,757 A · Apparatus for safely reacting active metals

Abstract

Disclosed is a method for conversion in a container of reactive material comprising at least one selected from the group consisting of sodium, potassium and lithium into its respective metal hydroxide. First the container is purged of essentially all oxygen with an essentially dry gas that is inert with respect to the reactive material. Next, a carrier gas is introduced into the container that is inert with respect to the reactive material. The humidity of the carrier gas, the temperatures of the reactive material, condensing surfaces inside the container, and the carrier gas are all suitable to allow water to condense out of the carrier gas once the carrier gas contacts the condensing surfaces and the reactive material. The condensed water will then react with the reactive material thereby forming the respective metal hydroxide and hydrogen.

Claims10

Dependent claims

An apparatus for converting a reactive metal material into its respective metal hydroxide, by reacting the reactive metal material with water condensing from a humid carrier gas, the apparatus comprising:

(a) a container for holding a reactive metal material;
(b) a condensing surface inside of the container positioned to contact a circulating humid carrier gas, and condense water from the gas and into reactive contact with the reactive metal material to form a metal hydroxide, which metal hydroxide if allowed to accumulate will cover the surface of the reactive metal;
(c) a humid gas circulation system adapted to circulate the humid carrier gas into the container and into contact with the condensing surfaces to condense water from the humid carrier gas;
(d) a cooling system adapted to cool the condensing surface sufficiently to condense water from the humid carrier gas;
and
(e) metal hydroxide recovery system suitable to remove the reactive metal hydroxide formed step (b) to allow for direct reaction of the reactive metal material with the condensed water.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Apparatus for safely reacting active metals

Life of this patent

Apparatus for safely reacting active metals

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims10