Comalco Aluminium Limited

Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation

Comalco Aluminum Limited

Grant Ashley Wellwood

Christopher Geoffrey Goodes

Anthony Rudland Kjar

Martin A Groszek

Howard W Hayden, Jr

Robert Francis Still

Matthew Ion Liddy

Christian Doblin

Darren Paul Rodda

Ian Lewis Kidd

This invention relates to a method for producing titanium by reaction of titanium tetrachloride with magnesium in a reactor, wherein the temperature in the reactor is above the melting point of magnesium and below the melting point of magnesium chloride, wherein the reaction results in formation of particles comprising titanium, and wherein the particles are removed from the reactor and processed in order to recover the titanium.

Low temperature industrial process

Treatment of solid material containing fluoride and sodium including

Countercurrent gas-solid contacting

A process for removing a carbon dioxide, HF or sulfur dioxide contaminant from an exhaust gas stream containing that contaminant comprising providing a gas stream to a reaction zone, the gas stream entering the reaction zone from underneath and being caused to flow through the reaction zone with components of velocity in substantially upwards and circumferential directions; contacting the gas stream in the reaction zone with particulate material to adsorb the contaminant on the particulate material, wherein the flow of gas in the reaction zone causes a dispersed toroidal bed of particulate material to be formed in the reaction zone; the slip velocity of the gas stream relative to the particulate material in the toroidal bed is greater than 1 m/s; and entraining a fine fraction of the particulate material in the gas stream whereby the fine fraction is removed from the toroidal bed by the gas stream exiting the bed; and separately recovering a coarse fraction of the particulate material from the reaction zone.

Gas-solid contacting method

A process for the treatment of waste materials such as spent cathode liners involving combustion of the contained carbonaceous material, decomposition of the contained cyanides, sulphides and nitrides, and recovery of fluoride values by a sulpholysis reaction, is characterized in that the sulpholysis reaction is carried out in a separate stage. The process enables a recovgery of fluoride values from smelter wastes which is especially favourable environmentally. A further advantage of the invention is that recovery of the contained fluoride values, initially in the form of gaseous fluoride species, may subsequently be treated with alumina to produce aluminium trifluoride, which is of significant economic importance.

Recovery of fluoride values from waste materials

Growing community of inventors

Mill Park, Australia

Grant Ashley Wellwood