Method for producing titanium and zirconium

Claim 1

IN A PROCESS FOR PRODUCING A GROUP IV METAL FROM THE CLASS CONSISTING OF TITANIUM AND ZIRCONIUM BY REDUCTION OF A GROUP IV METAL TETRAHALIDE WITH A METALLIC REDUCING AGENT FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF THE ALKALI METALS AND THE ALKALINE EARTH METALS, THE IMPROVEMENT WHICH COMPRISES MIXING VAPORS OF THE TETRAHALIDE AND VAPORS OF THE REDUCING AGENT IN A REACTION ZONE IN A REACTION CHAMBER SO THAT THE VAPORS REACT WITH INTENSE HEAT TO FORM A HIGHLY HEATED REACTION FLAME WHICH IS AT A TEMPERATURE ABOVE THE MELTING POINT OF THE GROUP IV METAL AND ABOVE THE VAPORIZATION TEMPERATURE OF THE BY-PRODUCT HALIDE, DIRECTING SAID REACTION FLAME AGAINST THE SURFACE OF THE GROUP IV METAL BODY TO MAINTAIN SAID SURFACE MOLTED BY TRANSFER OF HEAT FROM THE FLAME TO THE SURFACE AND TO COLLECT ON THE MOLTEN GROUP IV METAL SURFACE LIQUID GROUP IV METAL CARRIED IN THE FLAME, SIMULTANEOUSLY REMOVING HEAT FROM THE GROUP IV METAL BODY TO SOLIDIFY LIQUID GROUP IV METAL AT THE SOLID-LIQUID INTERFACE, SEPARATELY WITHDRAWING THE PRODUCT GROUP IV METAL AND THE BY-PRODUCT HALIDE FROM THE REACTION ZONE, AND CONTROLLING THE REMOVAL OF HEAT FROM SAID REACTION CHAMBER BY REGULATING THE PRESSURE OG THE VAPOR OF A HEATEXCHANGE LIQUID CONFINED IN HEAT-EXCHANGE RELATIONSHIP WITH THE OUTSIDE OF THE REACTION CHAMBER.