Ernest T Lee

US Patent:

50098667, Apr 23, 1991

Filed:

Nov 16, 1989

Appl. No.:

7/437152

Inventors:

Ernest D. Lee - Ogden UT

Assignee:

Westinghouse Electric Corp. - Pittsburgh PA

International Classification:

C01G 2504
C01G 2704

US Classification:

423 73

Abstract:

Continuous production of zirconium and/or hafnium metal from a fused salt bath in which one of the salts is zirconium and/or hafnium tetrachloride is carried out by feeding additional, make-up zirconium and/or hafnium tetrachloride powder into a zirconium and/or hafnium dissolution area of the bath maintained at a dissolution temperature below which the tetrachloride will vaporize, by circulating portions of the bath into and through a separate but contiguous area maintained at a temperature at which the tetrachloride will vaporize, and by recovering the vaporized tetrachloride. It is preferred that the vaporization area of the bath be wholly surrounded by and insulated from the dissolution area of the bath.

US Patent:

50986783, Mar 24, 1992

Filed:

Apr 27, 1990

Appl. No.:

7/515965

Inventors:

Ernest D. Lee - Ogden UT
Thomas S. Snyder - Oakmont PA
Edward J. Lahoda - Edgewood Borough PA

Assignee:

Westinghouse Electric Corp. - Pittsburgh PA

International Classification:

C22B 3410

US Classification:

423 70

Abstract:

The isotopes of zirconium can be partially or completely separated by loading an aqueous solution of an ionic compound of zirconium onto a cationic exchange resin which serves as the stationary phase of a chromatograph, eluting the compound with an aqueous acid and collecting distinct elution volumes representative of each isotope. In a preferred embodiment, the eluant is a strong mineral acid, such as hydrochloric acid and the chromatograph is of a type, such as a continuous annular chromatograph that it can be operated in a continuous, steady state manner.

US Patent:

49137786, Apr 3, 1990

Filed:

Jan 2, 1989

Appl. No.:

7/305125

Inventors:

Ernest D. Lee - Ogden UT
David F. McLaughlin - Oakmont PA

Assignee:

Westinghouse Electric Corp. - Pittsburgh PA

International Classification:

C01G 2504
C01G 2704

US Classification:

203 29

Abstract:

Removal of aluminum and iron impurities is accomplished using an absorbing column containing potassium or sodium chloride, producing an aluminum and iron chloride-rich bottoms product and purified Zr(Hf)Cl. sub. 4 vapor at the top of the column. This invention is a continuous process for removing impurities of iron or aluminum chloride or both from vaporous zirconium chloride (or hafnium chloride or a mixture thereof). When iron is being removed from zirconium tetrachloride using potassium chloride, the process comprises: introducing impure zirconium chloride vapor into a middle portion of an absorbing column containing a potassium chloride-containing molten salt phase, the molten salt phase absorbing the iron chloride impurity to produce a zirconium chloride vapor stripped of iron chloride in the top portion of the column; introducing potassium chloride into a top portion of the column; controlling the top portion of the column to between 300. degree. -375. degree. C. ; heating a bottom portion of the column to 450. degree. -550. degree. C. to vaporize zirconium chloride from the molten salt; withdrawing molten salt substantially free of zirconium and hafnium chloride from the bottom portion of the column; and withdrawing zirconium chloride vapor substantially free of iron chloride impurity from the top of the column.