Preparation of complexes of zirconium and hafnium tetrachlorides with phosphorus oxychloride

Patent · Tue Sep 12 04:00:00 UTC 1989

OSTI ID:5306552

McLaughlin, D F

This patent describes an improvement in a method for separating hafnium tetrachloride from zirconium tetrachloride where a complex of zirconium-hafnium tetrachlorides and phosphorus oxychloride is prepared from zirconium-hafnium tetrachlorides and the complex of zirconium-hafnium tetrachlorides and phosphorus oxychloride is introduced into a distillation column, which distillation column has a reboiler connected at the bottom and a reflux condenser connected at the top and where a hafnium tetrachloride enriched stream is taken from the top of the column and a zirconium enriched tetrachloride stream is taken from the bottom of the column. The improvement comprising: prepurifying the zirconium-hafnium tetrachlorides, prior to preparation of the complex and introduction of the complex into a distillation column, to substantially eliminate iron chloride from the zirconium hafnium tetrachlorides, whereby buildup or iron chloride in the distillation column and in the reboiler is substantially eliminated and the column can be operated in a continuous, stable and efficient manner.

• Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corp., Pittsburgh, PA
• Patent Number(s): US 4865693
• Application Number: PPN: US 7242574A
• OSTI ID: 5306552
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
360601* -- Other Materials-- Preparation & Manufacture
CHEMICAL PREPARATION
CHLORIDES
CHLORINE COMPOUNDS
COMPLEXES
DISTILLATION
HAFNIUM CHLORIDES
HAFNIUM COMPLEXES
HAFNIUM COMPOUNDS
HALIDES
HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
PHOSPHORUS CHLORIDES
PHOSPHORUS COMPOUNDS
REFRACTORY METAL COMPOUNDS
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SYNTHESIS
TRANSITION ELEMENT COMPLEXES
TRANSITION ELEMENT COMPOUNDS
ZIRCONIUM CHLORIDES
ZIRCONIUM COMPLEXES
ZIRCONIUM COMPOUNDS