Method of producing sub-oxides with a substantially moisture free gas

摘要

A method of continuously producing a predetermined suboxide comprises continuously feeding an oxide starting material into a reaction chamber and contacting the so-fed oxide with a substantially moisture-free gas and collecting the pre-determined sub-oxide. Also a method of continuously producing reduced compounds comprises continuously feeding an oxidised compound into a reaction chamber and contacting the so-fed compound with a substantially moisture-free reductant gas heated to a temperature in excess of 1200{C and continuously collecting the reduced compound. The oxidised compound may be titanium dioxide and the reduced compound may be titanium suboxide. Also disclosed is apparatus for the reaction of compounds in excess of 1200{C in which reactant compounds move relative to one another and comprises heating means to supply a source of heat which is substantially water free and is arranged to heat the reaction chamber to a temperature in excess of 1200{C. The reaction chamber may be a rotating tube kiln, a vertical static tube kiln or a fluidised bed.