Process and apparatus for selective condensation of metals

Claim 1

A METHOD FOR SEPARATING A MIXTURE OF METALS HAVING DIFFERENT MELTING POINTS AND VOLATILITIES BY VACUUM DISTILLATION AND SELECTIVE CONDENSATION WHICH COMPRISES; PLACING THE MIXTURE INTO AN EAPORATION ZONE, HEATING THE MIXTURE TO A TEMPERATURE AT WHICH AT LEAST SOME OF THE METALS HAVE VAPOR PRESSURES SUFFICIENT TO CAUSE EVAPORATION AT A RELATIVELY RAPID RATE, PASSING THE EVOLVED VAPORS TO A CONDENSATION ZONE, SAID VAPOR TRACING A PATH HAVING AN INITIAL, INTERMEDIATE AND FINAL SECTION, EACH OF SAID SECTIONS HAVING AN ENTRANCE AND A REARWARD PORTION, SAID EVAPORATING AND CONDENSATION ZONES BEING UNDER A REDUCED PRESSURE, COOLING THE ENTRANCE OF THE INITIAL SECTION SUFFICIENTLY TO CONDENSE AT LEAST ONE OF THE LESS VOLATILE METALS, PASSING THE VAPORS THROUGH THE INITIAL SECTION OF THE VAPOR PATH WITH ONLY SLIGHT COOLING, IMPINGING SAID VAPORS AT THE EXIT OF SAID INITIAL ZONE ONTO A SURFACE COOLED TO JUST BELOW THE CONDENSING POINT OF SAID LESS VOLATILE METAL, PASSING THE UNCONDENSED VAPORS THROUGH THE INTERMEDIATE SECTION, INCREASING THE TEMPERATURE GRADIENT ALONG THE VAPOR PATH OF THE INTERMEDIATE SECTION SUFFICIENTLY FOR HEATING THE VAPORS TO PREVENT THE CONDENSATION OF THE MORE VOLATILE METALS, PASSING THE VAPORS THROUGHT THE FINAL PATH SECTION, AND DECREASING THE TEMPERATURE GRADIENT ALONG THE VAPOR PATH OF SAID FINAL SECTION FOR COOLING THE VAPORS WHEREBY AT LEAST ONE OF THE MORE VOLATILE SUBSTANCES IS CONDENSED.

Claim 2

A METHOD FOR SEPARATING A MIXTURE OF METALS HAVING DIFFERENT MELTING POINTS AND VOLATILITIES BY VACUUM DISTILLATION AND SELECTIVE CONDENSATION WHICH COMPRISES; PLACING THE MIXTURE INTO AN EAPORATION ZONE, HEATING THE MIXTURE TO A TEMPERATURE AT WHICH AT LEAST SOME OF THE METALS HAVE VAPOR PRESSURES SUFFICIENT TO CAUSE EVAPORATION AT A RELATIVELY RAPID RATE, PASSING THE EVOLVED VAPORS TO A CONDENSATION ZONE, SAID VAPOR TRACING A PATH HAVING AN INITIAL, INTERMEDIATE AND FINAL SECTION, EACH OF SAID SECTIONS HAVING AN ENTRANCE AND A REARWARD PORTION, SAID EVAPORATING AND CONDENSATION ZONES BEING UNDER A REDUCED PRESSURE, COOLING THE ENTRANCE OF THE INITIAL SECTION SUFFICIENTLY TO CONDENSE AT LEAST ONE OF THE LESS VOLATILE METALS, PASSING THE VAPORS THROUGH THE INITIAL SECTION OF THE VAPOR PATH WITH ONLY SLIGHT COOLING, IMPINGING SAID VAPORS AT THE EXIT OF SAID INITIAL ZONE ONTO A SURFACE COOLED TO JUST BELOW THE CONDENSING POINT OF SAID LESS VOLATILE METAL, PASSING THE UNCONDENSED VAPORS THROUGH THE INTERMEDIATE SECTION, INCREASING THE TEMPERATURE GRADIENT ALONG THE VAPOR PATH OF THE INTERMEDIATE SECTION SUFFICIENTLY FOR HEATING THE VAPORS TO PREVENT THE CONDENSATION OF THE MORE VOLATILE METALS, PASSING THE VAPORS THROUGHT THE FINAL PATH SECTION, AND DECREASING THE TEMPERATURE GRADIENT ALONG THE VAPOR PATH OF SAID FINAL SECTION FOR COOLING THE VAPORS WHEREBY AT LEAST ONE OF THE MORE VOLATILE SUBSTANCES IS CONDENSED.