Continuous reflux refining of metals

摘要

A method is provided for the continuous purification of an impure metal in a column consisting of a slurry of metal crystals in liquid metal, said column having a relatively hot zone and a continuous temperature gradient between said zones; the temperature of the cool zone being such as to permit coexistence of liquid and crystalline metal, and said hot zone being at a temperature sufficient to melt the crystals. A portion of the column in the said cool zone is chilled to form a coherent mass of crystals of the metal; then incipient melting in the mass is allowed to occur to release crystals from the mass into the column of the crystals in the liquid metal in the cool zone of said column. The crystals are transported through the temperature gradient and into the hot zone, wherein melting of the crystals occurs and the hot zone thereby becomes enriched with the pure liquid metal.