Chlorination apparatus and process

Claim 1

THE METHOD OF CHLORINATING A METAL OXIDE-BEARING MATERIAL IN AN UPSTANDING FURNACE SHELL, PENETRATED BY GAS INLETS SPACED THEREABOUT ADJACENT ITS BASE, A MATERIALS FEED INLET DISPOSED ABOVE SAID GAS INLETS AND A GAS TAKEOFF OUTLET ADJACENT THE TOP, WHICH COMPRISES: PROGRSSIVELY FEEDING A COMMINUTED ADMIXTURE OF SAID MATERIAL AND A SOLID CARBONACEOUS REDUCTANT THROUGH SAID MATERIALS FEEDS INLET INTO SAID FURNACE SHELL TO FORM THEREIN A BED OF SAID ADMIXTURE OF SUBSTANTIAL DEPTH, SUPPLYING CHLORINE GAS TO SAID BED THROUGH SAID GAS INLETS IN A DIRECTION INITIALLY GENERALLY DOWNWARDLY AND INWARDLY WITH RESPECT TO SAID BED AND ADJACENT THE BASE THEREOF, WHILE MAINTAINING SAID BED AT ELEVATED TEMPERATURE AT WHICH SAID COMPONENTS REACT TO EVOLVE SAID METAL CHLORIDE IN GASEOUS FORM, AND WHILE WITHDRAWING PRODUCT GASES FROM THE INTERIOR OF SAID FURNACE SHELL THROUGH SAID OUTLET, AND SO REGULATING THE FEED RATE OF SAID ADMIXTURE AS TO MAINTAIN SAID BED AT SUBSTANTIALLY CONSTANT DEPTH, AND ALSO SO REGULATING THE SUPPLY OF SAID CHLORINE GAS AS TO FORM INDIVIDUAL COLUMNS IN SAID BED OF UPWARDLY RISING PARTICLES OF SAID ADMIXTURE SUSPENEDED IN UPWARDLY FLOWING CHLORINE AND PRODUCT GASES, THE ERUPTIONS OF WHICH COLUMNS FROM THE UPPER SURFACE OF SAID BED ARE SPACED APART FROM THE SIDEWALL OF SAID FURNANCE SHELL AND FROM EACH OTHER.

Claim 2

THE METHOD OF CHLORINATING A METAL OXIDE-BEARING MATERIAL IN AN UPSTANDING FURNACE SHELL, PENETRATED BY GAS INLETS SPACED THEREABOUT ADJACENT ITS BASE, A MATERIALS FEED INLET DISPOSED ABOVE SAID GAS INLETS AND A GAS TAKEOFF OUTLET ADJACENT THE TOP, WHICH COMPRISES: PROGRSSIVELY FEEDING A COMMINUTED ADMIXTURE OF SAID MATERIAL AND A SOLID CARBONACEOUS REDUCTANT THROUGH SAID MATERIALS FEEDS INLET INTO SAID FURNACE SHELL TO FORM THEREIN A BED OF SAID ADMIXTURE OF SUBSTANTIAL DEPTH, SUPPLYING CHLORINE GAS TO SAID BED THROUGH SAID GAS INLETS IN A DIRECTION INITIALLY GENERALLY DOWNWARDLY AND INWARDLY WITH RESPECT TO SAID BED AND ADJACENT THE BASE THEREOF, WHILE MAINTAINING SAID BED AT ELEVATED TEMPERATURE AT WHICH SAID COMPONENTS REACT TO EVOLVE SAID METAL CHLORIDE IN GASEOUS FORM, AND WHILE WITHDRAWING PRODUCT GASES FROM THE INTERIOR OF SAID FURNACE SHELL THROUGH SAID OUTLET, AND SO REGULATING THE FEED RATE OF SAID ADMIXTURE AS TO MAINTAIN SAID BED AT SUBSTANTIALLY CONSTANT DEPTH, AND ALSO SO REGULATING THE SUPPLY OF SAID CHLORINE GAS AS TO FORM INDIVIDUAL COLUMNS IN SAID BED OF UPWARDLY RISING PARTICLES OF SAID ADMIXTURE SUSPENEDED IN UPWARDLY FLOWING CHLORINE AND PRODUCT GASES, THE ERUPTIONS OF WHICH COLUMNS FROM THE UPPER SURFACE OF SAID BED ARE SPACED APART FROM THE SIDEWALL OF SAID FURNANCE SHELL AND FROM EACH OTHER.