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David Steyn Van Vuuren

Jaco Johannes Swanepoel

Andrew Kenneth Stone

Salomon Johannes Oosthuizen

Alexander McClaren Morrison

Kevin Frans Pieter Cilliers

Dewald Terblanche

Eugene Swanepoel

The invention provides a process for the production of crystalline titanium powder containing single crystals or agglomerates of single crystals having an average crystal size (by volume) greater than 1 &#x3bc;m, said process including reacting a titanium chloride species, preferably titanium dichloride, and reducing metal in a continuous back-mix reactor to produce a free flowing suspension of titanium powder in molten chloride salt wherein: i. both the titanium chloride species and the reducing metal are dissolved in a molten chloride salt and fed to the reactor containing a chloride salt of the reducing metal; ii. the average feed ratio of the titanium chloride species and reducing metal to the continuous back-mix reactor is within 1%, preferably within 0.1%, of the stoichiometric ratio required to fully reduce the titanium chloride salt to titanium metal; iii. the concentration of titanium powder in the fluid suspension of titanium powder in molten salt in the continuous back-mix reactor is between 2 and 23 mass %; and iv. The reducing metal is lithium, sodium, magnesium, or calcium.

Process for the production of crystalline titanium powder

A method of upgrading a titaniferous material includes nitriding and reducing a titaniferous material which includes TiOand Fe oxides in the presence of nitrogen and carbon to convert the TiOto TiN and to reduce most of the Fe oxides to Fe. The Fe is oxidized in preference to the TiN to form Feions, whereafter the Feions are removed to produce an upgraded low-Fe TiN bearing material.

Upgrading of titaniferous material

The invention provides a crystalline Ti powder produced in a molten salt medium, said powder comprising predominantly particles of single &#x3b1;-Ti crystals that are directly applicable in powder metallurgy. The invention extends to continuous process for the production of titanium powder in a molten salt medium by known reaction mechanisms, said process including the steps of reacting in a first reaction zone in a molten salt TiCl4 with reactants selected from Ti particles, a substoichiometric quantity of reducing agent, and a mixture of titanium metal and a substoichiometric amount of reducing agent, to form Ti sub-chloride, transferring Ti sub-chloride containing salts from the first reaction zone into a second reaction zone, which is electrically, ionically, or both electrically and ionically isolated from the first reaction zone, reacting in the second reaction zone the Ti sub-chloride with molten reducing metal to form dispersed Ti powder and molten salt, and withdrawing a portion of a suspension of Ti powder in molten salt from the second reaction zone to downstream processing units to separate the Ti powder from the salt and optionally recycle a portion of said Ti powder in molten salt to the first reaction zone. The invention further extends to an apparatus for the process of the invention.

Titanium powder production process

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

David Steyn Van Vuuren