METHOD OF PRODUCING ZIRCONIUM THROUGH MOLTEN ELECTROLYTE ELECTROLYSIS (VERSIONS) Russian patent published in 2010 - IPC C25C3/26 

FIELD: chemistry.

SUBSTANCE: method of producing zirconium through electrolysis of a molten electrolyte using initial salts in form of potassium fluorozirconate, potassium chloride and zirconium tetrafluoride involves controlling amount of electricity, control of temperature of the electrolyte and maintaining composition of the electrolyte. Composition of the electrolyte is maintained by taking samples of the electrolyte in order to determine its composition from concentration of zirconium and chlorine and determination of calculated mass for loading potassium fluorozirconate and potassium chloride and feeding them into the electrolysis cell. In the second version of the method, the initial salts used are potassium fluorozirconate, potassium chloride, sodium chloride and zirconium tetrafluoride, and in the third version the initial salts are potassium fluorozirconate, potassium chloride, sodium chloride, magnesium chloride and zirconium tetrafluoride. Calculated mass of loading potassium fluorozirconate and potassium chloride, as well as sodium chloride and magnesium chloride is determined using design formulae.

EFFECT: more accurate maintenance of electrolyte composition and increased extraction of zirconium, and reduction of frequency of analysing chemical composition of the electrolyte to once a day.

3 cl, 2 tbl, 1 ex