Canadian Liquid Air Limited

Olivier Francois

Robert G Lee

Guillermo F Garrido

The invention is concerned with a substantially nitrogen-free process for chloride-route TiO.sub.2 pigment manufacture in which a TiO.sub.2 -containing feedstock is subjected to a fluidized-bed, high temperature carbochlorination in a chlorinator to produce TiCl.sub.4 which is thereafter converted to TiO.sub.2 by oxidation. The TiO.sub.2 -containing feedstock and a solid carbonaceous reducing agent are fed to the chlorinator under a CO.sub.2 blanketing atmosphere such that the carbochlorination is carried out in a substantially nitrogen-free atmosphere containing CO.sub.2 and a CO.sub.2 -rich flue gas is generated, the CO.sub.2 in the chlorinator assisting in controlling thermal balance of the carbochlorination reaction. The absence of significant concentrations of nitrogen in the flue gas results in a favorable condition enabling either or both the CO and CO.sub.2 contained in the flue gas to be readily recovered, purified and sold as by-products.

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Paris, France

Olivier Francois