ZIRCONIUM HAFNIUM SEPARATION BY EXTRACTIVE DISTILLATION WITH MOLTEN ZINC CHLORIDE LEAD CHLORIDE SOLVENT

摘要

This is a molten salt extractive distillation process for separating hafnium from zirconium. It utilizes at least principally a ZnCl2-PbCl2 molten salt solvent, and preferably ZnCl2-PbCl2 in a near eutectic or eutectic mixture. The extraction column is preferably run about 370 DEG -390 DEG C. at about one atomosphere and stripping is preferably done at 375 DEG -400 DEG C. utilizing an inert gas carrier.