US4288414A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Process for chlorinating clays and bauxite
Assignee: Public Service Company of New Mexico
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Filing: 1979-06-20
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Granted: 1981-09-08
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Expires: 1999-06-20
Abstract
Abstract A process for recovering aluminum from clays associated with coal or bauxite containing iron, siliceous material and titanium which comprises: (a) chlorinating the clay or bauxite in an oxidizing atmosphere to selectively chlorinate and vaporize iron chloride from the remaining chlorides, (b) chlorinating the residue from step (a) in a reducing atmosphere or carbon monoxide and vaporizing the chlorides of aluminum, silicon, titanium, and the residual iron, (c) separating and recovering the formed vaporized chlorides by selective condensation. Silicon tetrachloride may be added to step (b) to suppress the chlorination of silicon. If the clay contains alkali or alkaline earth metals, then the residue of step (b) is treated with sulfuric acid to convert the soluble chlorides, e.g., gypsum, to sulfates and to regenerate a chloridizing and binder solution for pelletizing the clay or bauxite.
Inventors
- 👤 James E. Reynolds
- 👤 Alan R. Williams
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 16:08
CPC Classifications
C; C01; C01F; C01F7/00; C01F7/48; C01F7/56; B; B01; B01D; B01D49/00; B01D53/00; B01D53/34; B01D53/46; B01D53/68; C01B; C01B33/00; C01B33/08; C01B33/107; C01B33/1071; C01B33/10715; C01B33/10721; C01G; C01G23/00; C01G23/02; C01G23/022; C01G49/00; C01G49/10; C22; C22B; C22B21/00; C22B21/0007; C22B21/0038; C22B21/0046; Y; Y02; Y02P; Y02P10/00; Y02P10/20
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
113 words
A process for recovering aluminum from material selected from the group consisting of clays associated with coal and bauxite wherein the material contains aluminum, iron and siliceous materials comprising: (a) chlorinating the material in an oxidizing atmosphere containing oxygen in an amount of from about 20 to about 60 percent by volume of the total gas composition at a temperature of about 650° C.-900° C. to selectively vaporize iron as iron chloride; (b) chlorinating the residue of step (a) in a reducing atmosphere at a temperature of about 600° C.-850° C. to vaporize the chlorides of aluminum and silicon; and (c) separating and recovering the formed chlorides from the vapors by selective condensing.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
113 words
A process for recovering aluminum from material selected from the group consisting of clays associated with coal and bauxite wherein the material contains aluminum, iron and siliceous materials comprising: (a) chlorinating the material in an oxidizing atmosphere containing oxygen in an amount of from about 20 to about 60 percent by volume of the total gas composition at a temperature of about 650° C.-900° C. to selectively vaporize iron as iron chloride; (b) chlorinating the residue of step (a) in a reducing atmosphere at a temperature of about 600° C.-850° C. to vaporize the chlorides of aluminum and silicon; and (c) separating and recovering the formed chlorides from the vapors by selective condensing.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
24 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the reductive chlorination of step (b) is performed in the presence of carbon monoxide as a reducing agent.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
39 words
The process of claim 1 or claim 2 wherein silicon tetrachloride is added to the residue from step (a) in an amount of from about 3 to about 20 volume percent to suppress the chlorination of the siliceous materials.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
19 words
The process of claim 3 wherein the silicon tetrachloride is mixed with chlorine and used as the chlorinating agent.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
36 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the clay associated with coal contains alkali or alkaline earth minerals and wherein the material from step (b) remaining after vaporization is reacted with sulfuric acid to produce disposable gypsum.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
39 words
The process of claim 5 wherein hydrochloric acid which is formed from the interaction of the sulfuric acid with the material from step (b) is used to prechloridize metals contained in the feed clay prior to its selective chlorination.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
17 words
The process of claim 1 wherein chlorine and oxygen are mixed for the chlorination of step (a).
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
31 words
The process of claim 2 wherein the carbon monoxide is introduced at a volume of about 30 to about 70 percent by volume of the total gas composition of step (b).
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
35 words
The process of claim 1 wherein titantium is present in the bauxite or clay associated with coal and it is chlorinated in accordance with step (b) and separated and recovered in accordance with step (c).
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
59 words
The process of claim 1 wherein when the clay associated with coal is subjected to the selective chlorination, sulfuric acid is added to the residue from the chlorination to precipitate alkaline earth metal sulfates and to form hydrochloric acid and wherein the hydrochloric acid is used to prechloridize metals contained in the feed clay prior to its selective chlorination.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
157 words
A process for recovering aluminum from material selected from the group consisting of clays associated with coal and bauxite wherein the material contains aluminum, iron and siliceous materials comprising: (a) chlorinating the material by subjecting it to the action of chlorine at a temperature of from about 650° C. to 900° C. in an oxidizing atmosphere in the presence of added oxygen in an amount of from about 20-60 percent by volume of the total gas composition to selectively vaporize the iron as iron chloride; (b) chlorinating the residue of step (a) by subjecting it to the action of chlorine at a temperature of from about 600° C. to 850° C. in a reducing atmosphere of carbon monoxide in an amount of from about 30 to 70 percent by volume of the total gas composition to vaporize the chlorides of aluminum and silicon; and (c) separating and recovering the formed chlorides from the vapors by selective condensing.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
157 words
A process for recovering aluminum from material selected from the group consisting of clays associated with coal and bauxite wherein the material contains aluminum, iron and siliceous materials comprising: (a) chlorinating the material by subjecting it to the action of chlorine at a temperature of from about 650° C. to 900° C. in an oxidizing atmosphere in the presence of added oxygen in an amount of from about 20-60 percent by volume of the total gas composition to selectively vaporize the iron as iron chloride; (b) chlorinating the residue of step (a) by subjecting it to the action of chlorine at a temperature of from about 600° C. to 850° C. in a reducing atmosphere of carbon monoxide in an amount of from about 30 to 70 percent by volume of the total gas composition to vaporize the chlorides of aluminum and silicon; and (c) separating and recovering the formed chlorides from the vapors by selective condensing.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
18 words
The process of claim 11 wherein the temperature of step (a) is from about 750° to 800° C.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
18 words
The process of claim 11 wherein the temperature of step (b) is from about 650° to 750° C.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
62 words
The process of claim 11 wherein the oxygen of step (a) is added in an amount of from about 30 to 50 percent by volume of the total gas composition of step (a) and the carbon monoxide of step (b) is added in an amount of from about 40 to 60 percent by volume of the total gas composition of step (b).
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
39 words
The process of claim 11 or claim 13 wherein silicon tetrachloride is added to the residue of step (a) in an amount of from about 5 to 15 percent by volume of the total gas composition of step (b).
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1984-09-07 | 1985-03-09 | 1985-09-08 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1988-09-07 | 1989-03-09 | 1989-09-08 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1992-09-07 | 1993-03-09 | 1993-09-08 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |