Method of forming porous nodules

Claim 1

THE METHOD OF IMPARTING POROSITY TO NODULES OF PHOSPHATIC MATERIALS SUITABLE FOR SUBSEQUENT DEFLUORINATION WHICH COMPRISES NODULIZING A MIXTURE OF THE MATERIAL AND AT LEAST 10% BY WEIGHT OF A CARBONACEOUS MATERIAL FROM THE CLASS CONSISTING OF COAL AND COKE, SUBJECTING THE RESULTANT NODULES TO THE ACTION OF WATER VPAOR AT A TEMPERATURE OF AT LEAST 2000* F., THE TEMPERATURE BEING SUFFICIENTLY HIGH TO BRING ABOUT INCIPIENT SINTERING OF THE PARTICLES OF PHOSPHATIC MATERIAL WHICH WILL BOND THEM TOGETHER AND STRENGTHEN THE NODULES AS THE CARBONACEOUS MATERIAL IS REMOVED, BUT NOT SO HIGH AS TO CAUSE FUSION OF THE PARTICLES OF PHOSPHATIC MATERIAL, THE AMOUNT OF WATER VAPOR PRESENT DURING THE REACTION BEING SUFFICIENT TO PREVENT REDUCTION OF PHOSPHATIC MATERIAL BY REACTION WITH CARBON, AND CONTINUING THE TREATMENT OF THE NODULES WITH THE WATER VAPOR AT SAID TEMPERATURE UNTIL SUBSTANTIALLY ALL OF THE CARBON OF THE CARBONACEOUS MATERIAL IS ELIMINATED BY REACTION WITH THE WATER VAPOR AND EVOLUTION OF THE RESULTING GASEOUS PRODUCTS, WHEREBY THE NODULES HAVE A DESIRED DEGREE OF POROSITY AND SUFFICIENT STRENGTH TO WITHSTAND SUBSEQUENT CALCINATION WITHOUT DISINTEGRATION.

Claim 2

THE METHOD OF IMPARTING POROSITY TO NODULES OF PHOSPHATIC MATERIALS SUITABLE FOR SUBSEQUENT DEFLUORINATION WHICH COMPRISES NODULIZING A MIXTURE OF THE MATERIAL AND AT LEAST 10% BY WEIGHT OF A CARBONACEOUS MATERIAL FROM THE CLASS CONSISTING OF COAL AND COKE, SUBJECTING THE RESULTANT NODULES TO THE ACTION OF WATER VPAOR AT A TEMPERATURE OF AT LEAST 2000* F., THE TEMPERATURE BEING SUFFICIENTLY HIGH TO BRING ABOUT INCIPIENT SINTERING OF THE PARTICLES OF PHOSPHATIC MATERIAL WHICH WILL BOND THEM TOGETHER AND STRENGTHEN THE NODULES AS THE CARBONACEOUS MATERIAL IS REMOVED, BUT NOT SO HIGH AS TO CAUSE FUSION OF THE PARTICLES OF PHOSPHATIC MATERIAL, THE AMOUNT OF WATER VAPOR PRESENT DURING THE REACTION BEING SUFFICIENT TO PREVENT REDUCTION OF PHOSPHATIC MATERIAL BY REACTION WITH CARBON, AND CONTINUING THE TREATMENT OF THE NODULES WITH THE WATER VAPOR AT SAID TEMPERATURE UNTIL SUBSTANTIALLY ALL OF THE CARBON OF THE CARBONACEOUS MATERIAL IS ELIMINATED BY REACTION WITH THE WATER VAPOR AND EVOLUTION OF THE RESULTING GASEOUS PRODUCTS, WHEREBY THE NODULES HAVE A DESIRED DEGREE OF POROSITY AND SUFFICIENT STRENGTH TO WITHSTAND SUBSEQUENT CALCINATION WITHOUT DISINTEGRATION.