Metallurgical process and apparatus

Claim 1

A METALLURGICAL PROCESS FOR ALTERING TITANIUM DIOXIDE WHICH COMPRISES INTRODUCING INTO A ROTARY REACTION CHAMBER A SOLID CHARGE COMPRISING TITANIUM DIOXIDE-BEARING MATERIAL AND REDUCING MATERIAL CAPABLE OF REACTING AT AN ELEVATED TEMPERATURE WITH THE PRODUCTION OF A PRODUCT COMPRISING TITANIUM IN A LOWER STATE OF OXIDATION, ROTATING THE REACTION CHAMBER AT A SPEED SUFFICIENTLY HIGH THAT CENTRIFUGAL FORCE GREATER THA N THE FORCE OF GRAVITY IS EXERTED ON ALL PORTIONS OF THE CHARGE, WHEREBY CHARGE MATERIAL IS MAINTAINED IN PRESSURE CONTACT WITH THE INNER PERIPHERAL SURFACE OF THE REACTION CHAMBER AND A CHARGE TUBULAR IN SHAPE AND HAVING AN INNER SUBSTANTIALLY CYLINDRICAL SUFACE IS FORMED, INSERTING A SOURCE OF HEAT ENERGY INTO THE TUBULAR OPENING DEFINED BY THE INNER SURFACE OF SAID CHARGE WHILE SIMULTANEOUSLY SEALING SAID ROTATING REACTION CHAMBER AGAINST THE INGRESS OF AIR AND PROVIDING A LIMITED OPENING FOR EGRESS OF GASEOUS REACTION PRODUCTS THEREFORM, HEATING THE CHARGE BY DIRECT APPLICATION OF HEAT TO ITS INNER SURFACE FROM SAID SOURCE OF HEAT ENERGY TO A TEMPERATURE SUFFICIENTLY HIGH TO EFFECT REACTION BETWEEN ITS COMPONENTS WITH THE PRODUCTION OF TITANIUM IN THE FORM OF TITANIUM MONOXIDE, AND RECOVERING A PRODUCT COMPRISING TITANIUM MONOXIDE.