TANTALUM-BASE ALLOY REFINING METHOD Russian patent published in 2013 - IPC C22B34/24 C22B9/22 

FIELD: metallurgy.

SUBSTANCE: tantalum-base alloy refining method involves vacuum electronic beam remelting in a horizontal crystalliser of the charge placed into it so that fumes of its metallic impurities are released on the surface that condenses them, and fumes of gas-containing impurities and production of a tantalum ingot by movement of an electronic beam from the beginning to the end of the crystalliser throughout the charge surface with its further switch-off. The charge contains metallic impurities of high-melting metals with the melting temperature close to that of tantalum. Vacuum electronic beam remelting is performed in two stages. The tantalum ingot produced at the first stage and containing impurities of high-melting metals is subject to electrochemical processing with release of tantalum-containing cathode residue that is subject to the second remelting stage so that an ingot of conditioned tantalum and fumes containing tantalum, which are returned to electrochemical processing, are obtained. From the first stage of the remelting process to the second one the specific power of an electronic beam is increased from 0.024-0.035 to 0.040-0.045 kW/mm², and beam travel speed is decreased from 40-60 to 4-6 mm/min.

EFFECT: improving degree of extraction and purity of tantalum.

6 cl, 1 dwg, 2 tbl, 2 ex