The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
May. 26, 1987
Filed:
Jun. 17, 1985
Joseph A Megy, Corvallis, OR (US);
Occidental Research Corporation, Los Angeles, CA (US);
Abstract
The instant invention relates to a continuous, countercurrent process for reducing an alakli metal fluotitanate salt, e.g. Na.sub.2 TiF.sub.6, comprising +4 valent titanium, to zero valent titanium, in a two-step reduction process, wherein said reduction process is carried out in an adiabatic mode, and which comprises: (a) contacting said alkali metal fluotitanate, as a crystalline salt, with a first molten alloy at a reaction temperature, comprising titanium, aluminum and zinc, to reduce a portion of said +4 valent titanium to +3 valent titanium and at least 60% of the remainder to zero valent titanium and thereby melting and heating said crystalline salt to said reaction temperature, and to form a first molten salt phase comprising +3 valent titanium and an alkali metal aluminum fluoride salts, and a second molten alloy phase comprising titanium and zinc, said second molten alloy phase being immiscible with said first molten salt phase; (b) separating said first molten salt phase from said second molten alloy phase; (c) reducing said +3 valent titanium from said first molten salt phase by contacting said first molten salt phase at said reaction temperature with a third molten alloy phase at a temperature below said reaction temperature, comprising aluminum and zinc, to reduce said +3 valent titanium to zero valent titanium and thereby heating said third molten alloy phase to said reaction temperature, and to form said first molten alloy phase and a second molten salt phase, said first molten alloy phase being immiscible with said second molten salt phase; (d) separating said second molten salt phase from said first molten alloy phase; and (e) recycling said first molten alloy phase to step (a).