MAGNESIUM AND CHLORINE IN-LINE PRODUCTION PROCESS Russian patent published in 1997 - IPC

FIELD: electrolytic metal production. SUBSTANCE: process includes providing magnesium chloride raw material, transporting and loading it into in- line units, circulation of return electrolyte in closed circuit, withdrawing produced magnesium, and removing sludge. According to invention, solid magnesium chloride raw material is loaded into separate electrolyzers of closed circuit and temperature of electrolyte in these electrolyzers is maintained by varying raw material loading rate. Average rate of loading raw material into single closed-circuit electrolyzer (P_s) is found from formula: P_s = [PP_mg-P_mC_m+(C₂-C₁)M]/C_sEt where P is regulatory magnesium chloride intake per unit weight of produced metal; P_mg amount of produced magnesium on entire flow line for specified period of time; P_m amount of raw material loaded into in-line units in molten state for specified period of time; C_m average magnesium chloride content in loaded molten raw material; C_s the same in solid state; C₁ and C₂ are average magnesium chloride contents in system within specified and preceding periods of time, respectively; M weight of melt in all units of flow line; E number of in-line electrolyzers receiving raw material; and T duration of specified period of time. Criteria are proposed according to which necessity to vary temperature is determined. In order to maintain desired temperature within 650-730 C, rate of loading raw material is varied. Raw material when transported is proposed to be cooled to a temperature which by 5-50 C exceeds temperature at which raw material begins interacting with air humidity. EFFECT: increased yield of magnesium and chlorine; reduced raw material and power consumption. 8 cl, 4 tbl