GB894250A - Chlorination of metal bearing material and apparatus therefor - Google Patents

Abstract

<PICT:0894250/III/1> <PICT:0894250/III/2> Metal bearing materials containing alkaline-earth metal compounds as impurities are chlorinated by passing an upwardly moving stream of chlorine through a fluidized bed, comprising said material, in a chlorination chamber, at least a portion of the fluidizing chlorine being introduced into the chamber at a level above the bottom of the chamber, and a portion of the bed solids being withdrawn from the chamber below the level at which said chlorine is introduced into said chamber. The metal-bearing material may be one containing titanium oxide, for example a titanium bearing slag, which may have been obtained by reducing ilmenite with carbon and removing a portion of the metallic iron thus formed. The material may be mixed with carbonaceous material before being introduced into the bed. Fig. 1 shows a suitable chlorination chamber, comprising a shaft 14 lined with refractory brick, having a conical base 39. Chlorine is introduced via orifices 35, and a portion of the bed solids via exit 43. The reaction gases which may comprise titanium and ferric chlorides, leave via exit 18. Inlets 24, 26, 28, serve to introduce raw materials, and, if required, coolants, for example titanium tetrachloride. Fig. 3 illustrates another suitable chamber, similar to Fig. 1, but having a base comprising several conical sections. The bottoms of the chambers may have configuration other than conical so long as one or more tapering sections are provided. Specification 754,915 is referred to.