Process and apparatus for vacuum distillation of high-purity magnesium

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9677151-B2
Application number	US-201314370186-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 17, 2013
Priority date	Jan 19, 2012
Publication date	Jun 13, 2017
Grant date	Jun 13, 2017

Abstract

A process for producing high-purity magnesium by distillation at reduced pressure, which includes providing an apparatus having a retort formed from a material inert with respect to magnesium and an upper region defined by two vertically spaced level lines, a condensation vessel having a lower region and an upper region extending into the upper region of the retort, wherein the retort and condensation vessel are coupled to one another by an opening arranged in the upper region of the condensation vessel; providing a magnesium-containing metal melt to the retort at a level below the gap; and heating and maintaining the upper region of the retort at a temperature above the boiling point of magnesium to fill the retort with steam, thereby delivering a high purity melt into the condensation vessel via the opening.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A process for producing high-purity magnesium by distillation at reduced pressure, the process comprising:
providing an apparatus comprising:
a retort formed from a material inert with respect to magnesium and comprising an upper region positioned between two vertically spaced level lines,
a condensation vessel comprising a lower region and an upper region extending into the upper region of the retort, wherein the upper region of the retort and condensation vessel are coupled to one another by an opening arranged in the upper region of the condensation vessel,

providing a magnesium-containing metal melt to the retort at a level below the opening; and
heating and maintaining the upper region of the retort at a temperature above the boiling point of magnesium to fill the retort with steam, thereby delivering a high purity melt into the condensation vessel via the opening.

2. The process of claim 1 , wherein the upper region of the retort is heated by a heating element that surrounds the upper region.

3. The process of claim 1 , further comprising pressurizing the retort to increase the boiling temperature of the magnesium above a temperature in the lower region of the condensation vessel.

4. The process of claim 1 , further comprising evacuating the retort via a supply chamber and adjusting the temperature of the retort to a distillation temperature.

5. The process of claim 4 , further comprising monitoring the pressure of the supply chamber.

Assignees

• Eth Zuerich

Inventors

• Wegmann Christian
• Löffler Jörg
• Uggowitzer Peter
• Becker Minh
• Feichtinger Heinrich

Classifications

• B01D5/00

  Condensation of vapours; Recovering volatile solvents by condensation (B01D8/00 takes precedence; condensers F28B) · CPC title

• F27B5/04

  adapted for treating the charge in vacuum or special atmosphere · CPC title

• C22B9/04 Primary

  Refining by applying a vacuum · CPC title

• F27B5/14

  Arrangements of heating devices · CPC title

• F27B5/18 Primary

  Arrangement of controlling, monitoring, alarm or like devices · CPC title