Abstract: A process for recovering metal from a process material comprising the metal and a component that is more volatile than the metal, which process comprises: transporting the process material in a retort provided in a furnace, the retort being operated under vacuum and at a temperature sufficient to cause sublimation of the component from the process material thereby producing purified metal; depositing the component that has been sublimed on a cool surface; removing purified metal from the retort; and removing deposited component from the cool surface.

Abstract: A process for producing high-purity magnesium by distillation at reduced pressure, which includes providing an apparatus having a retort formed from a material inert with respect to magnesium and an upper region defined by two vertically spaced level lines, a condensation vessel having a lower region and an upper region extending into the upper region of the retort, wherein the retort and condensation vessel are coupled to one another by an opening arranged in the upper region of the condensation vessel; providing a magnesium-containing metal melt to the retort at a level below the gap; and heating and maintaining the upper region of the retort at a temperature above the boiling point of magnesium to fill the retort with steam, thereby delivering a high purity melt into the condensation vessel via the opening.

Abstract: A device for making nano-scale particles of titanium dioxide includes a vacuum chamber; an evaporator, a gas supplier, a vacuum pump assembly, and a product collecting device. The evaporator is mounted in the vacuum chamber. The gas supplier communicates with the vacuum chamber. The vacuum pump assembly communicates with the vacuum chamber. The product collecting device includes a pump, a guide pipe connected with the pump, and a powder collector communicating with the guide pipe. The pump communicates with the vacuum chamber. The guide pipe is inserted in the powder collector, the powder collector is filled with organic solvents. A method of making nano-scale particles of titanium dioxide using the device is also provided.

Abstract: A starting material 2 in the form of a magnesium-containing metal melt is present together with the upper region 32 of a condensation vessel 3 in the upper region 11 of a retort 1 heated by the external heating element 5, wherein the steam produced according to the arrows 91, according to arrow 92, enters the upper region 32 of the condensation vessel 3 through the opening 31 below the cover 4 which provides protection from unwanted ingress of contaminated magnesium melt, wherein said steam condenses in the lower region 12 of the retort which is heated by a second heating element 51, below the line 8 corresponding to the melting point isotherm of magnesium, to give the high-purity magnesium melt 21 in the lower region 33 of the condensation vessel 3.

Abstract: A nitrocarburized crankshaft member made of a steel that includes C in an amount by weight of 0.25 to 0.32% as a required element and an optional element that may be included, and Fe and inevitable impurities in a remaining portion. The steel-made crankshaft member mainly includes ferrite and perlite, wherein at least a portion of the steel surface thereof having a ferrite surface area of 50% or greater is imparted with a nitrocarburized hard layer. The nitrocarburized hard layer includes a surface compound layer suppressed to a thickness of 10 to 35 ?m, and a nitrogen diffusion zone below the surface compound layer having a diffusion depth of 700 ?m or greater. The steel includes C, Si, Mn, Cu, Ni, and Cr as the required elements and Mo, N, s-Al, and Ti as the optional elements.

Abstract: Magnesium-copper compositions are used for the evaporation of magnesium and container up to 43.34% by weight magnesium.

Abstract: The present invention concerns a high vacuum in-situ refining method for high-purity and superhigh-purity materials and the apparatus thereof, characterized in heating the upper part and lower part of crucible separately using double-heating-wires diffusion furnace under vacuum, thereby forming the temperature profile which is high at upper part and low at lower part of crucible, or in reverse during different stages; then heating the crucible in two steps to remove impurities with high saturation vapor pressure and low saturation vapor pressure respectively in efficiency; and obtaining high-purity materials eventually. The whole procedure is isolated from atmosphere, reducing contamination upon stuff remarkably. The present invention could provide products with high-quality and high production capacity, which are stable in performance, therefore is reliable and free from contamination.

Abstract: Liquid metal is continuously recovered by condensing metal vapour in a sealed system, more or less at atmospheric pressure, and collecting liquid metal in a crucible. The contents of the crucible are agitated and the temperature is controlled to prevent the liquid metal from solidifying. Liquid metal and dross are tapped from the crucible.

Abstract: Liquid metal is continuously recovered by condensing metal vapour in a sealed system, more or less at atmospheric pressure, and collecting liquid metal in a crucible. The contents of the crucible are agitated and the temperature is controlled to prevent the liquid metal from solidifying. Liquid metal and dross are tapped from the crucible.

Abstract: A process for metal purification comprising a first step for heating a feed metal in a feed crucible to generate a vapor of the metal, a second step for directing the vapor into a condensation passageway for vapors, where part of the vapor is condensed to generate a molten condensate, a third step for directing the vapor through the condensation passageway for vapors into a solidification crucible so that the vapor is cooled to solidify said metal in a high-purity form, and a fourth step for returning the molten condensate into the feed crucible.

Abstract: A 99.99% pure indium feed is charged into a crucible and heated to 1250 ° C. by an upper heater in a vacuum atmosphere at 1×10−4 Torr, whereupon indium evaporates, condenses on the inner surfaces of an inner tube and drips to be recovered into a liquid reservoir in the lower part of a tubular member, whereas impurity elements having a lower vapor pressure than indium stay within the crucible. The recovered indium mass in the liquid reservoir is heated to 1100° C. by a lower heater and the resulting vapors of impurity elements having a higher vapor pressure than indium pass through diffuser plates in an upper part of the tubular member to be discharged from the system, whereas the indium vapor recondenses upon contact with the diffuser plates and returns to the liquid reservoir, yielding 99.9999% pure indium, while preventing the loss of indium.

Abstract: A 99.99% pure indium feed is charged into crucible 8 and heated to 1250° C. by upper heater 6 in a vacuum atmosphere at 1×10−4 Torr, whereupon indium evaporates, condenses on the inner surfaces of inner tube 3 and drips to be recovered into liquid reservoir 9 in the lower part of tubular member 11 whereas impurity elements having lower vapor pressure than indium stay within crucible 8. The recovered indium mass in liquid reservoir 9 is heated to 1100° C. by lower heater 7 and the resulting vapors of impurity elements having higher vapor pressure than indium pass through diffuser plates 12 in the upper part of tubular member 11 to be discharged from the system whereas the indium vapor recondenses upon contact with diffuser plates 12 and returns to liquid reservoir 9, yielding 99.9999% pure indium while preventing the loss of indium.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for producing a metal vapor that includes the steps of combining a metal and graphite in a vessel to form a mixture; heating the mixture to a first temperature in an argon gas atmosphere to form a metal carbide; maintaining the first temperature for a period of time; heating the metal carbide to a second temperature to form a metal vapor; withdrawing the metal vapor and the argon gas from the vessel; and separating the metal vapor from the argon gas. Metal vapors made using this method can be used to produce uniform powders of the metal oxide that have narrow size distribution and high purity.

Abstract: Ultra high purity materials, particularly metallic materials such as magnesium and similarly high volatility materials, are produced by a vacuum distillation method and apparatus to increase purity by approximately five hundred times in a single step. For example, magnesium purity, exclusive of zinc content, is increased from 99.95% to greater than 99.9999%. A distillation column is formed of a high purity (less than 10 ppm ash) graphite, and includes a crucible, a vertical condenser in which horizontal high purity graphite baffles are selectively located at a plurality of levels, for example at nine levels. The column is contained in a three-zone resistance furnace that is controlled to heat the crucible to evaporate the material, maintain the condenser immediately above the crucible to above the boiling point of the material, and maintain the portion of the column thereabove at below the boiling point of the material, preferably with the temperature gradually decreasing with the height of the column.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for condensing to the liquid state vapors of a metal having a melting point of between 500.degree. and 850.degree. C. in a double envelope container. The pressures between the two faces of the inner envelope of the container are adjusted to be in equilibrium, and the outer face of the inner envelope is cooled in such a way as to keep the inner face temperature substantially constant in the vicinity of the solidification temperature of the metal. The invention is applicable in particular to condensing magnesium vapors.

Abstract: A plant for separating substances from a gas flow, especially environmentally harmful heavy metals in gas form released in connection with incinerating batteries, the plant including in series connection in a gas flow circuit, a chamber for initially collecting the gas flow containing the substances to be separated; a compressor which pressurizes the gas flow; an expansion device through which the pressurized gas flow passes while rapidly lowering the pressure and temperature of the gas flow so that at least a part of the substances to be separated condense and are separated in solid or fluid state in a separation chamber, the inlet of which is connected to the outlet of the expansion device and which is provided with an outlet for the remaining gas flow which communicates with the inlet of the collecting chamber to form a closed gas-circulation circuit.

Abstract: Metal vapor, for example zinc fume in the offgas of a smelting furnace, is captured by bringing the stream into direct contact with a fluidized bed of solid particles having a particulate loading of greater than 10 kg/m.sup.3 and preferably greater than 400 kg/m.sup.3. The thermal mass and temperature of the bed is such as to rapidly quench the vapor in the case of zinc from above 960.degree. C. to below 419.degree. C. in less than 100 milliseconds, whereby the vapor condenses in the bed and is recovered as zinc metal in acceptable yield.

Abstract: A and apparatus for melting and refining of magnesium and magnesium alloys is used both for melting of ingots and remelting of return metal. Metal is melted by pumping an overheated salt melt from a heating zone in a salt melt furnace and distributing it over the metal, which is placed in a basket above the liquid level in the furnace. The metal melts and is immediately removed from the basket without being further heated. A melt composition rich in calcium chloride with a content of calcium fluoride is preferably used.

Abstract: A cooling apparatus that comprises a first elongated metal tube, a second elongated metal tube longitudinally disposed within the first elongated metal tube having a substantial portion of its outer surfaces out of contact with the inner surface of the first elongated metal tube, with the inner metal tube being adapted to provide passage through it of a hot fluid, and means for cooling the outer surface of the first elongated metal tube, whereby at ambient temperatures the tubes can be easily separated for inspection and at operating temperatures the tubes are substantially in contact with each other.