Process and apparatus for the manufacture of anhydrous magnesium chloride which is substantially free from magnesium oxide

Claim 1

IN THE PROCESS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF ANHYDROUS MAGNESIUM CHLORIDE SUBSTANTIALLY FREE FROM MAGNESIUM OXIDE BY CHLORINATING A SALT WHICH CONSISTS ESSENTIALLY OF MAGNESIUM CHLORIDE CONTAINING FROM ABOUT 1-5% BY WEIGHT WATER AND FROM ABOUT 2-6% BY WEIGHT MAGNESIUM OXIDE, THE SALT BEING INTRODUCED INTO A MAGNESIUM CHLORIDE MELT THAT IS CONVEYED TO A HEATED CHLORINATOR IN WHICH THE FINELY DISTRIBUTED MELT TRICKLING DOWN OVER CARBONACEOUS MATERIAL IS CHLORINATED WITH THE AID OF OF AT LEAST ONE SUBSTANCE SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF CHLORINE, PHOSEGENE, A MIXTURE OF CARBON MONOXIDE AND CHLORINE, A CHLORINATED HYDROCARBONAND HYDROGEN CHLORIDE, THE HYROGEN CHLORIDE EVOLVED BY HYDROLYSIS WHEN THE SALT IS MELTED BEING USED AS ADDITIONAL CHLORINATING AGENT, THE IMPROVEMENT WHICH COMPRISES INTRODUCING THE MAGNESIUM CHLORIDE MELT TO A CLOSED MELTING BATH DISPOSED AT A POSITION ABOVE THE CHLORINATOR, INTENSELY STIRRING SAID MELT IN SAID MELTING BATH, INTRODUCING SAID MELT CONTINUOUSLY AND STEADLY THROUGH A CENTRAL OVERFLOW INTO THE HEAD OF SAID CHLORINATOR, INTERCEPTING ANY UNMOLTEN SALT TO PREVENT THE SAME FROM BEING ENTRAINED AS THE MELT IS INTRODUCED INTO SAID CHLORINATOR, AND DISCHARGING AN ANHYDROUS MAGNESIUM CHLORIDE MELT WHICH IS SUBSTANTIALLY FREE FROM MAGNESIUM OXIDE AT THE BOTTOM OF SAID CHLORINATOR.