Method for separating a mixture of molten oxidized ferrophosphorus and refined ferrophosphorus

Claim 1

Method for separating a molten mixture of oxidized ferrophosphorus and refined ferrophosphorus which comprises (i) providing a free-falling stream of a molten mixture of oxidized ferrophosphorus and refined ferrophosphorus, said stream falling from a height of about 1 up to five feet toward an elongated trough inclined to the horizontal at an angle of between about 25° and 45° and (ii) passing said free-falling molten mixture stream through an array of a plurality of jets of water which is substantially in alignment with the longitudinal axis of said trough such that the full width of the falling stream transverse to said longitudinal axis is exposed to said array to solidify and granulate said mixture and provide a mixture of individual solid particles of essentially oxidized ferrophosphorus with individual solid particles of essentially refined ferrophosphorus, at least 80% by weight of said particles being sized from 1/4 inch to 100 mesh, each of said jets of water having a velocity of from about 20 to 40 feet per second, the ratio by weight of water to said molten stream being from about 10:1 to 20:1 and (iii) subsequently separating said particles of oxidized ferrophosphorus from said particles of refined ferrophosphorus.