JP2010117297A - Differential pressure type flowmeter and flow measuring method using the same - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a differential pressure type flowmeter and a flow measuring method using it for stably measuring a flow rate of non-electric conductive and high melting point fused salt. <P>SOLUTION: The differential pressure type flowmeter 1 includes: a throttling part 3 provided in main piping 2; pressure detection piping 5 connected to a pressure hole 4 provided in each of an upstream side and a downstream side of the throttling part 3 of the side face of the main piping 2 to a flow direction of the fused salt; and a pressure detector 6 connected to the pressure detection piping 5 and for detecting a difference between pressures applied on each of the pressure detection piping 5. The flowmeter measures a flow rate of the fused salt flowing in the main piping 2 on the basis of the difference between the pressures applied on the pressure detection piping 5 and has an opening and closing mechanism 8 for opening and closing the pressure hole 4. When measuring a flow rate by using it, the flowmeter closes the pressure hole 4 at a time point when the fused salt starts flow, and opens the pressure hole 4 when measuring the flow rate of the fused salt. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a differential pressure type flow meter capable of stably measuring the flow rate of a high-temperature molten salt flowing in a pipe and a flow rate measuring method using the same, and more specifically, excessive flow of molten salt into a pressure detection pipe. The present invention relates to a differential pressure type flow meter that can suppress the flow and a flow rate measuring method using the same.

  Liquid transport using pumps is carried out in many fields of industry, including water and sewage water supply and drainage facilities. In many cases, the liquid to be transferred is water, oil, etc., and its temperature is normal temperature (outside temperature), which is often below 100 ° C. at the highest, and its flow rate is measured using various flow meters. ing. In addition, a high-temperature liquid such as a molten metal or a molten salt may be transferred. In this case, the usable flow meters are limited due to problems such as heat resistance of the flow rate detection means.

When the high-temperature liquid to be transferred is a molten metal, the electrical resistivity is on the order of 10 ⁻⁶ to 10 ⁻⁷ Ωcm, and since it has electrical conductivity, an electromagnetic flow meter can be used. It is also considered that a vortex flowmeter that measures the flow rate by immersing the sensor in the liquid to be transferred can be used.

As an example of transferring a high-temperature molten salt, a method for producing Ti by Ca reduction described in Patent Document 1 can be mentioned. This method includes a reduction step of causing TiCl ₄ to react with metallic Ca dissolved in molten CaCl ₂ having a melting point of 780 ° C. and a high temperature to generate Ti particles, a separation step of separating the generated Ti particles from molten CaCl ₂ , An electrolysis step of increasing the Ca concentration in the molten CaCl ₂ by electrolyzing the molten CaCl ₂ having a reduced Ca concentration as the Ti grains are generated. Then, in this method, for using the Ca generated in the electrolytic process for the reduction of TiCl ₄ in the reduction step, and recycling the metal Ca as a reducing agent, it is possible to perform operations continuously.

In the method described in Patent Document 1, molten CaCl ₂ in which metal Ca is dissolved is transferred between the steps. And in each process, for example, the amount of TiCl ₄ supplied into molten CaCl ₂ in the reduction process, the operating state is adjusted according to the amount of molten CaCl ₂ to be transferred. The measurement of the flow rate of ₂ is very important.

As described above, when the high-temperature liquid to be transferred is a molten metal, an electromagnetic flow meter can be used for measuring the flow rate. However, a molten salt such as molten CaCl ₂ has an electrical resistivity on the order of 10 ⁻¹ Ωcm and does not have electrical conductivity, so an electromagnetic flow meter cannot be used for measuring the flow rate. In the case of molten CaCl ₂ in which the above-described metal Ca is dissolved, the metal Ca has electrical conductivity, but the content is not so high that the flow rate can be measured with an electromagnetic flow meter in the molten CaCl ₂ .

Further, in the vortex flowmeter, the protective device of the sensor immersed in the liquid is made of ceramics, and when the molten salt is molten CaCl ₂ in which the metallic Ca is dissolved, the protective device is eroded by the metallic Ca. Cannot be used.

  As a result of examining the measurement of the flow rate of the molten salt, the present inventors have come to the idea of using a differential pressure type flow meter. Since the differential pressure type flow meter measures the flow rate based on the pressure difference between the upstream side and the downstream side of the throttle part by providing a throttle part in the pipe, the structure is relatively simple and uses a material that is not eroded by metallic Ca. Can be configured. As an example of the differential pressure type flow meter, there is an orifice flow meter described in Patent Document 2 using an orifice plate as a throttle mechanism.

However, when the present inventors used a differential pressure type flow meter to measure the flow rate of the molten CaCl ₂ , the two pressure detection pipes provided on the upstream side and the downstream side of the throttling mechanism are intruded into the molten CaCl 2. The clot was clogged with ₂ and the flow rate could not be measured. Although the solidification of the molten salt can be prevented by maintaining the pressure detection pipe above the melting point of CaCl ₂ , it must be at a high temperature of about 800 ° C., and the flow rate measurement is actually carried out with such heating. It is difficult.

Patent Document 3 also discloses an orifice flow meter made of ceramic or the like and considered to be able to measure the flow rate even with molten CaCl ₂ in which metallic Ca is dissolved. In this orifice flow meter, a cylindrical orifice pipe in which a plurality of orifice holes are provided in the vertical direction on the outer wall is arranged inside a cylindrical container.

  The fluid introduced from the fluid introduction hole provided on the bottom surface of the container flows out from the lower orifice hole when the flow rate is small, and also flows out from the lower and upper orifice holes when the flow rate increases. The flow rate can be measured based on the difference between the height of the surface and the height of the orifice hole, that is, the water head difference. Therefore, this orifice flow meter does not measure the flow rate based on the differential pressure between the upstream side and the downstream side of the throttle mechanism, and cannot measure the flow rate when the fluid is completely filled in the orifice pipe. Therefore, it cannot be used when transporting the pipe in a state filled with liquid, such as using a pump.

JP 2007-63585 A JP-A-61-270616 JP-A-4-116422

As described above, when the molten CaCl ₂ in which the metal Ca is dissolved is transferred in a state where the inside of the pipe is filled, the flow rate cannot be measured by the conventional technique. However, the present inventors thought that the flow rate of the molten salt could be measured if the drawbacks of the differential pressure type flow meter were solved.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a method for stably measuring the flow rate of a high-temperature molten salt such as CaCl ₂ containing metal Ca, which flows in a state filled with piping, using a differential pressure type flow meter, and its An object of the present invention is to provide such a differential pressure type flow meter.

  In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present inventors have examined the reason and the situation where the pressure detection pipe of the differential pressure type flow meter arranged in the main pipe through which the molten salt flows is blocked by the solidified substance of the molten salt. As a result, immediately after starting the fluid injection with the main pipe empty, the pressure fluctuation in the main pipe and the pressure detection pipe is large, and a maximum pressure of 1.5 atm is applied as the gauge pressure. It was found that the molten salt entered the deep part of the pipe and solidified as it was.

  The present invention has been made on the basis of such knowledge, and the gist of the present invention resides in the following (1) flow measurement method, the following (2) differential pressure flow meter, and the following (3) Ti production method. .

(1) Provided on the upstream side and downstream side of the throttle part with respect to the flow direction of the molten salt on the side surface of the main pipe and the throttle part provided on the main pipe through which the molten salt can flow A pressure detection pipe connected to the pressure hole; and a pressure detector connected to the pressure detection pipe for detecting a pressure difference applied to each of the pressure detection pipes. And a flow rate measuring method using a differential pressure type flow meter for measuring a flow rate of the molten salt flowing in the main pipe, wherein the molten salt flows by using an opening / closing means capable of opening and closing the pressure hole. The flow rate measuring method, wherein the pressure hole is closed at a start time, and the pressure hole is opened when the flow rate of the molten salt is measured.

(2) Provided on the upstream side and downstream side of the throttle part with respect to the flow direction of the molten salt on the side surface of the main pipe and the throttle part provided on the main pipe through which the molten salt can flow A pressure detection pipe connected to the pressure hole; and a pressure detector connected to the pressure detection pipe for detecting a pressure difference applied to each of the pressure detection pipes. A differential pressure type flow meter for measuring the flow rate of the molten salt flowing in the main pipe based on the pressure hole opening and closing mechanism.

(3) A reduction step of reducing TiCl ₄ with Ca in molten salt containing CaCl ₂ and dissolving Ca to generate Ti particles in the molten salt; and Ti particles generated in the molten salt A separation step for separating from the molten salt, and an electrolysis step for increasing the Ca concentration by electrolyzing the molten salt having a reduced Ca concentration as the Ti particles are produced. A method for producing Ti used for reducing TiCl _{4 in} a reduction step, wherein the flow rate measurement method described in (1) above is used to measure the flow rate of the molten salt transferred from the electrolysis step to the reduction step, and from the electrolysis step A method for producing Ti, comprising: determining a supply amount of TiCl ₄ in a reduction step based on a Ca concentration in a supplied molten salt and a flow rate of the molten salt measured using the differential pressure type flow meter .

  In the flow rate measuring method according to (1) and the differential pressure type flow meter according to (2), a rod-shaped closing member disposed in the pressure detection pipe is used as an opening / closing means or an opening / closing mechanism for the pressure hole. The pressure hole can be easily opened and closed by allowing the closing member to advance and retract within the pressure detection pipe. The outer diameter of the closing member is larger than the inner diameter of the pressure hole in the main body, and gradually decreases as it moves to the end on the pressure hole side, and is smaller than the inner diameter of the pressure hole at the tip. By doing so, the pressure hole can be firmly closed.

In addition, it is possible to apply a pressure higher than the pressure of the molten salt flowing through the main pipe to the pressure detection pipe by the inert gas, and the flow rate of the molten salt in the main pipe is not measured, In other words, in a state where the pressure hole is closed by the opening / closing means, a pressure higher than the pressure caused by the molten salt flowing through the main pipe between the pressure hole in the pressure detection pipe and the pressure detector. It is desirable to add. Thereby, even if the pressure hole is not sufficiently closed by the opening / closing means, the molten salt can be prevented from entering the pressure detection pipe. As the inert gas, a rare gas such as He, Ar, Ne, or N ₂ gas can be used. However, when the molten salt flowing through the main pipe contains Ti particles, it is desirable to use a rare gas because the Ti particles may be nitrided.

  According to the flow rate measuring method and the differential pressure type flow meter of the present invention, it is possible to suppress the penetration of the molten salt into the depth of the pressure detection pipe and the blockage of the pressure detection pipe due to the intruded molten salt coagulum. It is possible to stably measure the flow rate even with a high-melting-point molten salt that easily solidifies when entering a pipe. And since a flowmeter is a differential pressure type, even if it is a molten salt which does not have electrical conductivity, a flow volume can be measured.

Further, according to the Ti production method of the present invention, the reduction process corresponding to the fluctuation in the amount of Ca supplied together with the molten salt while sequentially detecting the fluctuation in the flow rate of the molten salt supplied from the electrolysis process. Since an appropriate amount of TiCl ₄ can be supplied, the waste of raw materials can be reduced and metal Ti can be produced efficiently.

  First, the flow rate measuring method of the present invention described in (1) and the differential pressure type flow meter of the present invention described in (2) will be described.

  FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of a differential pressure type flow meter used in a flow rate measuring method according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, an orifice 3 a constituting the throttle portion 3 is arranged in the middle of the main pipe 2 through which the molten salt can flow, and the flow direction of the molten salt on the peripheral surface of the main pipe 2 Pressure holes 4a and 4b are provided on the upstream side and the downstream side of the throttle part 3, respectively. The arrows marked in the main pipe 2 in FIG. 1 indicate the flow direction of the molten salt. The throttle unit 3 may be constituted by a venturi or a V cone.

  Pressure detection pipes 5a and 5b are connected to the pressure holes 4a and 4b, respectively. A pressure detector 6 is connected to the peripheral surfaces of the pressure detection pipes 5a and 5b via branch pipes 7. Hereinafter, the pressure holes 4a and 4b are collectively referred to as the pressure hole 4, and the pressure detection pipes 5a and 5b are collectively referred to as the pressure detection pipe 5.

  The differential pressure type flow meter 1 includes the throttle portion 3, the pressure hole 4, the pressure detection pipe 5 and the pressure detector 6, and the difference in pressure applied to the pressure detection pipes 5 a and 5 b detected by the pressure detector 6. Based on the above, the flow rate of the molten salt flowing through the main pipe 2 can be calculated.

  In the differential pressure type flow meter 1 according to the present embodiment, an opening / closing mechanism 8 is provided in the pressure hole 4, and the pressure hole 4 can be opened / closed. In the present embodiment, the opening / closing mechanism 8 includes a rod-shaped closing member 9 disposed inside the pressure detection pipes 5 a and 5 b so as to be able to advance and retreat, and the end of the closing member 9 is brought into contact with the pressure hole 4 to make the pressure hole 4 is closed. The closing member 9 may be advanced or retracted manually or automatically using a motor or the like. A sealing member 10 such as an O-ring on which the closing member 9 is slidable is provided at the end of the pressure detection pipe 5 opposite to the pressure hole 4, and the main pipe 2 is filled with molten salt. In this state, even if the closing member 9 advances and retracts, the airtightness in the pressure detection pipe 5 is maintained.

  The opening / closing mechanism 8 has an outer diameter of the closing member 9 that is larger than the inner diameter of the pressure hole 4 in the main body and gradually decreases as it moves to the end on the pressure hole 4 side, and is smaller than the inner diameter of the pressure hole 4 at the tip. In addition, the inner diameter of the pressure hole 4 is gradually decreased from the outer side to the inner side of the main pipe 2, so that the peripheral surface of the tip of the closing member 9 and the inner surface of the pressure hole 4 slide against each other. The pressure holes 4 can be firmly closed by contacting them.

  Further, the inner diameter of the pressure detection pipe 5 is constant in the main body, gradually decreases as it moves to the end on the pressure hole 4 side, and coincides with the inner diameter of the pressure hole 4 at the tip, thereby allowing the pressure detection pipe 5 It is possible to increase the proportion of the portion occupied by the closing member 9 and reduce the molten salt that enters the pressure detection pipe 5.

  Examples of the shape of the closing member 9, the pressure hole 4, and the pressure detection pipe 5 include a tapered shape as shown in FIG. 1. If the taper angle of the closing member 9 is made smaller than that of the pressure hole 4 and the pressure detection pipe 5, the contact area between the inner surface of the pressure hole 4 and the front peripheral surface of the closing member 9 can be increased. Is more preferable.

  Further, the inner diameter of the pressure detection pipe 5 may be constant, and the inner diameter of the pressure hole 4 may be smaller than the inner diameter of the pressure detection pipe 5. In this case, the pressure hole 4 can be closed by making the outer diameter of the closing member 9 larger than the inner diameter of the pressure hole 4. Furthermore, the outer diameter of the closing member 9 is larger than the inner diameter of the pressure hole 4 in the main body, gradually decreases as it moves to the end on the pressure hole 4 side, and smaller than the inner diameter of the pressure hole 4 at the tip. Thus, by allowing the distal end portion of the closing member 9 to be inserted into the pressure hole 4, the pressure hole 4 can be closed more firmly.

  As described above, the opening / closing mechanism 8 is provided so that the pressure hole 4 can be opened and closed, so that when the pressure fluctuation in the pressure detection pipe 5 is large immediately after the start of the flow of the molten salt, the pressure detection pipe 5 is melted to the deep part. It is possible to easily prevent the salt from entering and solidifying, and the pressure detection pipe 5 from being blocked, making it impossible to measure the flow rate.

  Further, the differential pressure type flow meter 1 according to the present embodiment can supply Ar gas into the pressure detection pipe 5. As shown in FIG. 1, the Ar gas is supplied from a gas supply pipe 11 connected in the middle of a branch pipe 7 that connects the pressure detection pipe 5 and the pressure detector 6. Since 10 is provided, the inside of the pressure detection pipe 5 and the branch pipe 7 can be pressurized. Since the closure member 9 occupies most of the space inside the pressure detection pipe 5 with the pressure hole 4 closed, the pressure can be sufficiently pressurized even if the supply amount of Ar is small.

  Even if there is a gap between the pressure hole 4 and the closing member 9 of the opening / closing mechanism 8 by pressurizing the insides of the pressure detection pipe 5 and the branch pipe 7, Intrusion of the molten salt into the can be suppressed.

  FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating another configuration example of the differential pressure type flow meter according to the present embodiment. As shown in FIG. 2, the pressure detection pipe 5 may be arranged in a state in which an end is inserted from the insertion hole 12 provided on the peripheral surface of the main pipe 2 by a certain length. In this case, the hole provided at the tip of the pressure detection pipe 5 functions as the pressure hole 4.

  The flow rate measuring method according to the present invention (2) will be described. In the flow rate measuring method according to the present invention, the differential pressure type flow meter having the above configuration can be used.

  After starting the injection of molten salt with the main pipe 2 empty, when the molten salt fills the main pipe 2 and enters a stable flow state, the flow rate of the molten salt can be measured using a differential pressure flow meter. It becomes a state. In the flow rate measuring method according to the present invention, at least from the state in which the main pipe 2 is empty until the molten salt is filled in the main pipe 2 and becomes a stable flow state, the pressure hole 4 is used by using the opening / closing mechanism 8. Close. Then, after the molten salt is in a stable flow state, the pressure hole 4 is opened, and the pressure due to the flowing molten salt is applied to the pressure detection pipe 5 and melted using the differential pressure flow meter 1. Measure the salt flow rate.

  In this way, at the start of the flow of the molten salt in which the pressure in the main pipe 2 greatly fluctuates, by closing the pressure hole 4, the molten salt penetrates deep into the pressure detection pipe 5 and the molten salt that has entered It can suppress that the pressure detection piping 5 is obstruct | occluded with a solidified substance. Therefore, the flow rate of the molten salt can be reliably measured using a differential pressure type flow meter.

  Further, while the pressure hole 4 is closed, the pressure detection pipe 5 may be pressurized with Ar gas. As a result, even if a gap is generated between the pressure hole 4 and the closing member 9 of the opening / closing mechanism 8 due to distortion or the like, the intrusion of the molten salt into the pressure detection pipe 5 and the molten salt The blockage of the pressure detection pipe 5 due to the solidified product can be suppressed, and the flow rate of the molten salt can be measured more reliably using a differential pressure type flow meter.

  The method for producing Ti according to the present invention (3) will be described. The manufacturing method of Ti concerning this invention can be performed using the above-mentioned flow measuring method.

  FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a process example when the Ti manufacturing method described in Patent Document 1 described above is performed. In the figure, a Ti manufacturing process including a reduction process, a separation process, and an electrolysis process is described.

The reduction step is a step of causing TiCl ₄ to react with Ca in molten salt Y ₁ containing CaCl ₂ and dissolving Ca to produce Ti particles in molten salt Y ₁ . The separation step is a step of separating Ti particles from the molten salt Y ₂ containing Ti particles transferred from the reduction step. Ti particles separated in the separation step are recovered as a Ti ingot 20. The electrolytic process was transferred from the separation step, by which the Ca concentration in association with formation of Ti particles electrolysis of the molten salt Y ₃ was reduced, a process to increase the Ca concentration.

The molten salt Y ₁ whose Ca concentration has been increased in the electrolysis process is transferred to the reduction process. Thus, in this Ti manufacturing process, molten CaCl ₂ is transferred between processes and circulated throughout the process. The processes are connected by piping, and a pump is used to transfer molten CaCl ₂ through the piping.

In the electrolysis process, an electrolytic cell 17 described in Patent Document 2 is incorporated. That is, the electrolytic bath 17, a long electrolyzer container 17a in one direction, has an anode 18 and a cathode 19 disposed along the longitudinal direction of the electrolytic cell container 17a, the molten salt Y ₃ of the cathode 19 While flowing in one direction (in this example, from the top to the bottom) in the vicinity of the surface, the molten salt Y ₁ having an increased Ca concentration by electrolysis can be obtained.

The molten salt Y ₁ transferred to the reduction step, the molten salt Y ₂ transferred to the separation step, and the molten salt Y ₃ transferred to the electrolysis step all contain metal Ca, although their contents vary. A flowmeter that is molten CaCl ₂ and has no durability against metallic Ca cannot be used to measure the flow rate. Therefore, in this embodiment, the measurement of the flow rate of the molten salt Y ₁ , Y ₂ and Y ₃ to be transferred can be configured using a material having durability against the metal Ca, the differential pressure type according to the present invention. A flow meter and a flow rate measuring method can be preferably used. And based on the measured flow volume of molten salt, the operation in each process can be controlled efficiently.

In the manufacturing method shown in FIG. 3, among the molten salts Y ₁ , Y _2, and Y ₃ , at least the flow rate of the molten salt Y ₁ supplied from the electrolysis step to the reduction step is changed to the differential pressure type flow meter and the flow rate according to the present invention. Measure using the measuring method. Thereby, the supply amount of TiCl ₄ can be appropriately determined according to the amount of metallic Ca supplied to the reduction step together with the molten salt Y ₁ from the measured flow rate of the molten salt Y ₁ and the Ca concentration in the molten salt separately measured. Therefore, Ti grains can be generated efficiently and a Ti ingot can be manufactured.

  In order to confirm the effects of the differential pressure type flow meter and the flow rate measuring method of the present invention, the following flow rate measurement experiment was performed and the results were evaluated.

1. Experimental conditions An experiment was conducted by flowing molten CaCl ₂ through a main pipe having a differential pressure type flow meter having a pressure hole opening and closing mechanism shown in FIG. Once molten CaCl ₂ is injected into the empty main pipe, the flow rate is measured in a state where the molten CaCl ₂ fills the main pipe and is in a stable flow state, and then the injection of molten CaCl ₂ is stopped once. The measurement was performed 10 times under each condition.

In Example 1 of the present invention, the pressure hole is closed by the opening / closing mechanism from the time when the injection of molten CaCl ₂ into the empty main pipe is started to immediately before the flow rate is measured, and the pressure detection pipe is pressurized by Ar. There wasn't. In Example 2 of the present invention, the pressure hole is closed by the closing member from the time when the injection of molten CaCl ₂ into the empty main pipe is started to immediately before the flow rate is measured, and the pressure detection pipe is also pressurized by Ar. It was.

In the comparative example, the flow rate of the molten CaCl ₂ in the main pipe was measured using a differential pressure flow meter having no pressure hole opening / closing mechanism. No pressure was applied in the pressure detection pipe with Ar.

2. Experimental Results As shown in Table 1, the measurement of the flow rate of molten CaCl ₂ performed under the above conditions was evaluated using the number of times of clogging with solidified solids of the pressure detection pipe as an index.

As shown in Table 1, in the comparative example, the pressure detection pipe was blocked by the molten salt coagulum in 10 times out of 10 flow rate measurements, and the flow rate of molten CaCl ₂ could not be measured. On the other hand, in Example 1 of the present invention, by closing the pressure hole, the number of times the pressure detection pipe is closed can be greatly reduced to 2 out of 10 times, and the flow rate of molten CaCl ₂ can be measured stably. did it. In the second aspect of the present invention, since pressure is applied with Ar gas in addition to closing the pressure hole, the pressure detection pipe can be completely blocked, and the flow rate of molten CaCl ₂ can be reliably measured.

  According to the flow rate measuring method of the present invention, it is possible to suppress the penetration of the molten salt into the depth of the pressure detection pipe and the clogging of the pressure detection pipe due to the intruded molten salt coagulum. Even with a high melting point molten salt that easily solidifies, the flow rate can be measured stably. Since the differential pressure type flow meter of the present invention is a differential pressure type, the flow rate can be measured even with a molten salt having no electrical conductivity.

Further, according to the Ti production method of the present invention, the reduction process corresponding to the fluctuation in the amount of Ca supplied together with the molten salt while sequentially detecting the fluctuation in the flow rate of the molten salt supplied from the electrolysis process. Since an appropriate amount of TiCl ₄ can be supplied, the waste of raw materials can be reduced and metal Ti can be produced efficiently. Therefore, the present invention is a useful technique in the field of metal refining performed using a high-temperature molten salt.

It is a figure which shows the structural example of the differential pressure type flow meter concerning embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the other structural example of the differential pressure type flow meter concerning embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the example of a process at the time of implementing the manufacturing method of Ti described in patent document 1. FIG.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Differential pressure type flow meter 2 Main piping 3 Restriction part 3a Orifice 4 (a, b) Pressure hole 5 (a, b) Pressure detection piping 6 Pressure detector 7 Branch pipe 8 Opening / closing mechanism 9 Closing member 10 Sealing member 11 Gas supply Tube 12 Insertion hole 17 Electrolysis tank 17a Electrolysis tank container 18 Anode 19 Cathode 20 Ti ingot

Claims (11)

In the pressure holes provided in the upstream side and the downstream side of the throttle part with respect to the flow direction of the molten salt on the side surface of the main pipe, the throttle part provided in the main pipe through which the molten salt can flow A pressure detection pipe connected to the pressure detection pipe and a pressure detector for detecting a pressure difference applied to each of the pressure detection pipes, and based on the pressure difference applied to the pressure detection pipe, A flow rate measuring method using a differential pressure type flow meter for measuring a flow rate of molten salt flowing in the main pipe,
Using the opening / closing means capable of opening and closing the pressure hole, the pressure hole is closed when the molten salt starts to flow, and the pressure hole is opened when the flow rate of the molten salt is measured. The flow measurement method.   The flow rate measuring method according to claim 1, wherein a rod-shaped closing member disposed in the pressure detection pipe is used as the opening / closing means for the pressure hole.   The flow rate measuring method according to claim 2, wherein the closing member is capable of moving back and forth in the pressure detection pipe.   The outer diameter of the closing member is larger than the inner diameter of the pressure hole in the main body, and gradually decreases as it moves to the end on the pressure hole side, and the outer diameter of the closing member is smaller than the inner diameter of the pressure hole. The flow rate measuring method according to claim 4, wherein the flow rate is measured.   In a state where the flow rate of the molten salt in the main pipe is not measured, the pressure of the molten salt flowing through the main pipe between the pressure hole in the pressure detection pipe and the pressure detector by an inert gas. The flow rate measuring method according to claim 1, wherein a higher pressure is applied. In the pressure holes provided in the upstream side and the downstream side of the throttle part with respect to the flow direction of the molten salt on the side surface of the main pipe, the throttle part provided in the main pipe through which the molten salt can flow A pressure detection pipe connected to the pressure detection pipe and a pressure detector for detecting a pressure difference applied to each of the pressure detection pipes, and based on the pressure difference applied to the pressure detection pipe, A differential pressure type flow meter for measuring the flow rate of the molten salt flowing in the main pipe,
A differential pressure type flow meter comprising an opening / closing mechanism for the pressure hole.   The differential pressure type flow meter according to claim 6, wherein the pressure hole opening / closing mechanism includes a rod-shaped closing member disposed in the pressure detection pipe.   The differential pressure type flow meter according to claim 7, wherein the closing member is capable of moving back and forth in the pressure detection pipe.   The outer diameter of the closing member is larger than the inner diameter of the pressure hole in the main body, and gradually decreases as it moves to the end on the pressure hole side, and the outer diameter of the closing member is smaller than the inner diameter of the pressure hole. The differential pressure type flow meter according to claim 7 or 8, wherein   The inert gas can apply a pressure higher than the pressure caused by the molten salt flowing through the main pipe between the pressure hole in the pressure detection pipe and the pressure detector. The differential pressure type flow meter according to any one of claims 6 to 9. A reduction step of reducing TiCl ₄ with Ca in the molten salt containing CaCl ₂ and dissolving Ca to generate Ti particles in the molten salt; and Ti particles generated in the molten salt from the molten salt A separation step of separating, and an electrolysis step of increasing the Ca concentration by electrolyzing the molten salt having a reduced Ca concentration as the Ti particles are produced, and the molten salt having an increased Ca concentration in the electrolysis step is reduced in the reduction step A method for producing Ti used for the reduction of TiCl ₄ , comprising:
The flow rate measurement method according to any one of claims 1 to 5 is used to measure the flow rate of the molten salt transferred from the electrolysis step to the reduction step, and the Ca concentration in the molten salt supplied from the electrolysis step and the difference A method for producing Ti, comprising determining a supply amount of TiCl ₄ in a reduction step based on a flow rate of the molten salt measured using a pressure flow meter.

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