摘要 |
Metallic titanium is continuously produced in an electric-arc furnace under a vacuum by the metallothermic reduction of titanium tetrachloride by a reducing agent such as magnesium. The nanoparticles of titanium obtained from the reduction are simultaneously melted in a bath of molten titanium formed by the heat of an electric arc between a consumable titanium electrode and the molten titanium. A voltage applied across the electrode and the molten titanium is adjusted so that molten titanium is maintained in a cooled crystallizer during the entire process. The molten titanium solidifies on the top of a dummy bar that is drawn down as additional titanium is produced. Upon completion of each iterative reduction reaction, the vaporized reducing agent chloride is pumped out of the electric-arc furnace into a condenser using a vacuum pump. Then, additional reducing agent and titanium tetrachloride are added into the furnace, and the process is repeated.
|