GB553056A - Chlorination of titanium bearing materials - Google Patents

Abstract

553,056. Chlorination of titanium -bearing materials. CLEVELAND, F. J. (Pittsburgh Plate Glass Co.). March 7, 1941, No. 3143. Drawings to Specification. [Class 1 (iii)] Titanium-bearing materials containing 15 per cent. and upwards of titanium and generally from 10 to 50 per cent. iron, including ilmenite, titano-magnetite or titanium-bearing residues such as titanium oxide, such materials not containing carbonaceous matter such as coke, charcoal or peat or other non-gaseous reducing agents other than such as may be employed as a binder, are chlorinated by a process in which, after initiation of the chlorination, the material and chlorine are introduced into the reaction zone with a gaseous reducing agent provided from an external source at such a rate that the heat evolved maintains a temperature above 600‹ C. in at least a portion of the reaction zone, without introducing from an external source either an oxygen-containing gas or a non-gaseous reducing agent other than such as may be employed as a binder. Carbon monoxide, phosgene, hydrogen, sulphur chloride, carbon tetrachloride and sulphur vapour are mentioned as gaseous reducing agents. Varying the amount of reducing agent renders it possible to produce a titanium residue containing only a minor quantity of iron, or to form and volatilize iron and titanium chlorides in substantial amount and equimolecular proportions of chlorine and gaseous reducing agent may be used. To remove iron without removing titanium a slight excess of reducing agent over that necessary to reduce the iron present to the metallic state is used. To chlorinate both iron and titanium the quantity of reducing agent may be increased up to the quantity theoretically necessary to reduce both to the metallic state. The furnace may be of firebrick and may be preheated by burning coke, and the reaction may be started by burning coke in air or oxygen. Binding agents mentioned are molasses, tar, stillresidue from distillation of oils, asphalt, bitumen, sodium silicate and hydrated titanium oxide. Specification 535,179 is referred to.