PROCEDURE FOR PRODUCTION OF HAFNIUM BY ELECTROLYSIS OF MELTED SALTS AND INSTALLATION FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS PROCEDURE Russian patent published in 2010 - IPC C25C3/26 C22B34/14 

FIELD: metallurgy.

SUBSTANCE: procedure consists in production of electrolyte and in electrolysis of melted salts containing chlorides, fluorides of potassium and sodium and hexafluorhafnate with correction of electrolyte composition. Correction is performed with gaseous tetrachloride of hafnium by supplying it into electrolyser to depth not less, than half of height of electrolyte melt. Electrolysis is carried out from electrolyte at mole ratio of fluoride to hafnium from 5 to 7. Cathode sediment is grown, cut and cooled. The installation consists of a sealed electrolytic cell with a water cooled cathode and two anodes. Also the cathode can travel vertically along central axis of a working chamber. A water cooled plate is mounted on the case; the plate is equipped with a cavity with receiver in form of a ladle with removable mould performing horizontal travels inside the plate cavity. Above the plate cavity there is installed a cartridge inside of which there is mounted a vertically moving rod with a knife; a protecting hood is secured on the knife. A mechanism for transfer of cathode and rod with the knife, a feeder and branches are arranged inside the protecting hood. Device for correction of electrolyte composition consists of a loading hopper with a heated screw equipped with an evaporator and a branch coupled via a pipeline; the branch is heated before its insertion into the electrolyser.

EFFECT: increased output and quality of produced hafnium powder.

2 cl, 2 dwg