Apparatus for producing titanium crystal and titanium
AssigneeThe Alta Group, Inc.
InventorsHarry Rosenberg, Nigel Winters, Yun Xu
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Described is a method and apparatus for producing high purity titanium and high purity titanium so produced. The process contemplates producing titanium sponge in a container and performing titanium fused salt electrolysis in situ in the same container to produce high purity titanium crystal, and where especially low oxygen content is desired, to treat the high purity titanium crystal as produced with iodine.
Claims42
An apparatus capable of producing titanium sponge and performing titanium fused salt electrolysis in situ in the same container comprising
- an outer shell comprised of an oxidation resistant material;
- an inner shell disposed within the outer shell, said inner shell having a reactant-container surface of a metal more noble than titanium on the chloride electromotive series;
- a container and lid for the outer and innner containers;
- a feeding port to charge reactants comprising TiCl.sub.4 and a reducing agent comprising alkali or alkaline earth metal or a combination thereof into the inner shell to produce titanium sponge and salt;
- pressure and temperature control systems that control the pressure and temperature in the inner shell;
- and
- an electrolysis system that is able to electrolyze said titanium sponge and said salt in situ in the inner shell.
An apparatus capable of producing titanium sponge and performing titanium fused salt electrolysis in situ in the same container comprising
- a cell container;
- a system to charge reactants comprising TiCl.sub.4 and a reducing agent comprising alkali or alkaline earth metal or a combination thereof into the container,
- a superstructure adapted to be disposed above the cell container;
- pressure and temperature control systems;
- and
- an electrolysis system that is able to electrolyze said titanium sponge and said salt in situ in the container.
An apparatus comprising
- an outer shell comprised of an oxidation resistant material;
- an inner shell disposed within the outer shell, said inner shell having a reactant-container surface of a metal more noble than titanium on the chloride electromotive series;
- a container and lid for the outer and inner containers;
- a feeding port to charge reactants into the inner shell;
- pressure and temperature control systems that control the pressure and temperature in the inner shell;
- an electrolysis system that is able to electrolyze reaction products in situ in the inner shell;
- and
- a gettering system that is able to circulate gases generated within the inner shell through a heated gettering material before, during and after electrolysis to remove oxygen.
A system for producing high purity titanium comprising an apparatus comprising
- an outer shell comprised of an oxidation resistant material;
- an inner shell disposed within the outer shell, said inner shell having a reactant-container surface of a metal more noble than titanium on the chloride electromotive series;
- a container and lid for the outer and inner containers;
- a feeding port to charge reactants into the inner shell;
- pressure and temperature control systems that control the pressure and temperature in the inner shell;
- an electrolysis system that is able to electrolyze reaction products in situ in the inner shell;
- and
- a thermal iodide decomposition system wherein titanium produced in the apparatus reacts with iodine.
An apparatus comprising
- a cell container;
- a system to charge reactants into the container;
- a superstructure adapted to be disposed above the cell container;
- pressure and temperature control systems;
- an electrolysis system that is able to electrolyze reaction products in situ in the container;
- and
- a gettering system that is able to circulate gases generated within said container through a heated gettering material before, during and after electrolysis to remove oxygen.
A system for producing high purity titanium comprising an apparatus comprising
- a cell container;
- a system to charge reactants into the container,
- a superstructure adapted to be disposed above the cell container;
- pressure and temperature control systems;
- an electrolysis system that is able to electrolyze reaction products in situ in the container;
- and
- a thermal iodide decomposition system wherein titanium produced in the apparatus reacts with iodine.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.