Other

Andrew Kenneth Stone

David Steyn Van Vuuren

Alexander McClaren Morrison

Kevin Frans Pieter Cilliers

The invention provides a process and installation for the treatment of a solid. The process includes passing the solid along a kiln having a hollow interior, while supporting the solid on supports moved successively along the kiln and heating the solid, by radiant heat, to a temperature at which it undergoes an endothermic chemical reaction. The installation includes a kiln having a hollow interior with an inlet end and an outlet end, a roof, a floor and a pair of opposed side walls, and a path for supports loaded with the solid to pass successively along in the interior, from the inlet end to the outlet end, the path extending along the floor. The installation includes heating surfaces for radiating heat towards the solid on supports passing along the path, and a plurality of supports, movable in succession along the path.

Endothermic heat treatment of solids loaded on trolleys moving in a kiln

The invention provides a process for the production of titanium tetrachloride (TiCl ) by the chlorination of titanium values in a titanium-containing starting material. The process includes exposing the starting material to a chlorinating agent and contacting the starting material with an inert liquid while the starting material is exposed to the chlorinating agent. The inert liquid is at a temperature of 200-350&deg; C. and is at a pressure of 5-100 atmospheres (1 atmosphere&equals;101.325 kN/m ). This causes the starting material to react with the chlorinating agent to form TiCl . The invention also extends to TiCl whenever made in accordance with the method.

Growing community of inventors

Pretoria, South Africa

Andrew Kenneth Stone