Lunar Titanium Production - Revision history

Miros1: Replaced non-existing CO with C and O

2018-11-29T13:34:52Z

Replaced non-existing CO with C and O

Silverwurm: /* Hydrogen Reduction */

2011-09-02T19:10:01Z

Hydrogen Reduction

205.208.203.59: /* Terrestrial Production */ added link to carbon monoxide reduction techniques

2011-08-20T20:19:11Z

Terrestrial Production: added link to carbon monoxide reduction techniques

Farred: /* Terrestrial Production */ fixing typo

2011-08-15T16:52:36Z

Terrestrial Production: fixing typo

Silverwurm: /* FFC Cambridge Process */ adding links to simplify

2011-08-13T22:57:15Z

FFC Cambridge Process: adding links to simplify

Silverwurm: /* Hydrogen Reduction */ removing redundancy betweeen linked articles

2011-08-13T22:48:13Z

Hydrogen Reduction: removing redundancy betweeen linked articles

Silverwurm: changed carbonyl link to main FFC page

2011-08-10T04:27:35Z

changed carbonyl link to main FFC page

Silverwurm: Changed external links to inline references

2011-08-10T01:21:43Z

Changed external links to inline references

Silverwurm: added link to carbonyl process for titanium/iron seperation

2011-08-10T00:20:17Z

added link to carbonyl process for titanium/iron seperation

Silverwurm: added link

2011-08-08T22:49:12Z

added link

@@ Line 8: / Line 8: @@
 On earth, Ilmenite is subjected to the Chloride Process<ref>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chloride_process</ref>, where it is reacted with [[carbon]] and [[chlorine]] to produce titanium and iron chlorides according to the formula:
-:2 [[Ilmenite|FeTiO<sub>3</sub>]]  +  7 [[Cl]]<sub>2</sub>  +  6 [[C]] → 2 [[Ti]][[Cl]]<sub>4</sub> + 2 [[Fe]][[Cl]]<sub>3</sub> + 6 [[Carbon Monoxide | CO]]
+:2 [[Ilmenite|FeTiO<sub>3</sub>]]  +  7 [[Cl]]<sub>2</sub>  +  6 [[C]] → 2 [[Ti]][[Cl]]<sub>4</sub> + 2 [[Fe]][[Cl]]<sub>3</sub> + 6 [[C]][[O]]
 The titanium tetrachloride is separated from the other reaction products by distillation. Once separated, it is reacted with liquid [[magnesium]] in the Kroll process<ref>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kroll_process</ref>, producing [[titanium]] metal and [[magnesium]] chloride:

@@ Line 22: / Line 22: @@
 see also: [[Ilmenite_Reduction#Hydrogen Reduction|Hydrogen Reduction]]
-Ilmenite could be reacted with [[hydrogen]], producing [[iron]] and [[rutile|titanium dioxide]]. The iron could then be separated by [[Carbonyl process|carbonyl extraction]], distillation, or by grinding and removing the iron particles with a magnet. The [[rutile|titanium dioxide]] would then be refined by other means.
+Ilmenite could be reacted with [[hydrogen]], producing [[iron]] and [[rutile|titanium dioxide]]. The iron could then be separated by [[Carbonyl process|carbonyl extraction]], distillation, grinding and removing the iron particles with a magnet, or melting and then allowing the products to separate. The [[rutile|titanium dioxide]] would then be refined by other means.
 == FFC Cambridge Process ==

← Older revision		Revision as of 20:19, 20 August 2011
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−	It is possible to adapt this process to a lunar environment, though it presents some challenges. The [[chlorine]] and [[carbon]] required in the process would have to be stringently recycled, as they are rare (and hence likely to be quite expensive) in a lunar environment. The [[magnesium]] and [[iron]] chlorides ~~could~~ be electrolyzed to their respective metals, recovering the [[chlorine]]~~, and~~ the [[carbon ~~monoxide]] can be reacted with [[hydrogen]] to produce [[methane~~]] and [[~~water~~]]~~. The methane can then be split through [[pyrolysis]] back into [[hydrogen]] and~~ [[carbon]], ~~and the [[water]] electrolyzed to recover the [[hydrogen]] as well as [[oxygen]] stripped from the~~ [[~~Ilmenite~~]].	+	It is possible to adapt this process to a lunar environment, though it presents some challenges. The [[chlorine]] and [[carbon]] required in the process would have to be stringently recycled, as they are rare (and hence likely to be quite expensive) in a lunar environment. The [[magnesium]] and [[iron]] chlorides would need to be electrolyzed to their respective metals, recovering the [[chlorine]]. Recovering the [[carbon]] and [[oxygen]] from the [[carbon monoxide]] is a bit less straightforward, [[Lunar Carbon Production\|though several methods exist]].

	== Hydrogen Reduction ==		== Hydrogen Reduction ==

@@ Line 10: / Line 10: @@
 :2 [[Ilmenite|FeTiO<sub>3</sub>]]  +  7 [[Cl]]<sub>2</sub>  +  6 [[C]] → 2 [[Ti]][[Cl]]<sub>4</sub> + 2 [[Fe]][[Cl]]<sub>3</sub> + 6 [[Carbon Monoxide | CO]]
-The titanium tetrachloride is separated from the other reaction products by distillation. Once separated, is is reacted with liquid [[magnesium]] in the Kroll process<ref>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kroll_process</ref>, producing [[titanium]] metal and [[magnesium]] chloride:
+The titanium tetrachloride is separated from the other reaction products by distillation. Once separated, it is reacted with liquid [[magnesium]] in the Kroll process<ref>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kroll_process</ref>, producing [[titanium]] metal and [[magnesium]] chloride:
 :[[Ti]][[Cl]]<sub>4</sub> + 2[[Mg]] → Ti + 2 [[Mg]][[Cl]]<sub>2</sub>
@@ Line 18: / Line 18: @@
 It is possible to adapt this process to a lunar environment, though it presents some challenges. The [[chlorine]] and [[carbon]] required in the process would have to be stringently recycled, as they are rare (and hence likely to be quite expensive) in a lunar environment. The [[magnesium]] and [[iron]] chlorides could be electrolyzed to their respective metals, recovering the [[chlorine]], and the [[carbon monoxide]] can be reacted with [[hydrogen]] to produce [[methane]] and [[water]]. The methane can then be split through [[pyrolysis]] back into [[hydrogen]] and [[carbon]], and the [[water]] electrolyzed to recover the [[hydrogen]] as well as [[oxygen]] stripped from the [[Ilmenite]].
 == Hydrogen Reduction ==

@@ Line 26: / Line 26: @@
 == FFC Cambridge Process ==
-Main Article: [[FFC Cambridge Process]].
+Main Article: [[FFC Cambridge Process#Iron/Titanium Production from Ilmenite|FFC Cambridge Process]].
-The FFC Cambridge Process is a method of performing electrolysis on solid metal oxides. The developers believe it has potential to replace the Kroll Process for terrestrial titanium production, due to its greater simplicity.
+The FFC Cambridge Process is a method of performing electrolysis on solid metal oxides. The oxide to be reduced is formed into a cathode and subjected to electrolysis in a molten calcium chloride bath. Oxygen is stripped off and bubbles off at the anode, leaving behind a metallic sponge.
-In this process, the oxide to be reduced is formed into a cathode and subjected to electrolysis in a molten calcium chloride bath. Oxygen is stripped off and bubbles off at the anode, leaving behind a metallic sponge.
+The FFC Cambridge process could be used on the titanium dioxide produced from hydrogen reduction of Ilmenite, or the [[Ilmenite]] could be directly reduced, producing an [[Iron]]-[[Titanium]] alloy, which is then separated by [[Carbonyl process|carbonyl extraction]] or distillation.
 == References ==

@@ Line 33: / Line 33: @@
 In this process, the oxide to be reduced is formed into a cathode and subjected to electrolysis in a molten calcium chloride bath. Oxygen is stripped off and bubbles off at the anode, leaving behind a metallic sponge.
-The FFC Cambridge process could be used on the titanium dioxide produced from hydrogen reduction of Ilmenite, or the [[Ilmenite]] could be directly reduced, producing an [[Iron]]-[[Titanium]] alloy, which could then be subjected to either distillation or a [[Carbonyl Metals Plant|carbonyl process]] to remove the iron.
+The FFC Cambridge process could be used on the titanium dioxide produced from hydrogen reduction of Ilmenite, or the [[Ilmenite]] could be directly reduced, producing an [[Iron]]-[[Titanium]] alloy, which could then be subjected to either distillation or a [[FFC Cambridge Process#Iron/Titanium Production from Ilmenite|carbonyl process]] to remove the iron.
 Recovery of the [[chlorine]] is greatly simplified by the FFC Cambridge process compared to the Kroll Process, as the [[chlorine]] remains chemically bound to the [[calcium]] throughout the whole procedure. Furthermore, calcium chloride is not soluble in most metals, and is highly soluble in water, enabling separation by washing and/or melting.

@@ Line 6: / Line 6: @@
 == Terrestrial Production ==
-On earth, Ilmenite is subjected to the Chloride Process, where it is reacted with [[carbon]] and [[chlorine]] to produce titanium and iron chlorides according to the formula:
+On earth, Ilmenite is subjected to the Chloride Process<ref>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chloride_process</ref>, where it is reacted with [[carbon]] and [[chlorine]] to produce titanium and iron chlorides according to the formula:
 :2 [[Ilmenite|FeTiO<sub>3</sub>]]  +  7 [[Cl]]<sub>2</sub>  +  6 [[C]] → 2 [[Ti]][[Cl]]<sub>4</sub> + 2 [[Fe]][[Cl]]<sub>3</sub> + 6 [[Carbon Monoxide | CO]]
-The titanium tetrachloride is separated from the other reaction products by distillation. Once separated, is is reacted with liquid [[magnesium]] in the Kroll process, producing [[titanium]] metal and [[magnesium]] chloride:
+The titanium tetrachloride is separated from the other reaction products by distillation. Once separated, is is reacted with liquid [[magnesium]] in the Kroll process<ref>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kroll_process</ref>, producing [[titanium]] metal and [[magnesium]] chloride:
 :[[Ti]][[Cl]]<sub>4</sub> + 2[[Mg]] → Ti + 2 [[Mg]][[Cl]]<sub>2</sub>
@@ Line 37: / Line 37: @@
 Recovery of the [[chlorine]] is greatly simplified by the FFC Cambridge process compared to the Kroll Process, as the [[chlorine]] remains chemically bound to the [[calcium]] throughout the whole procedure. Furthermore, calcium chloride is not soluble in most metals, and is highly soluble in water, enabling separation by washing and/or melting.
+== References ==
+<references/>
 [[Category:Industrial Production]]

← Older revision		Revision as of 22:49, 8 August 2011
Line 23:		Line 23:
	see also: [[Ilmenite_Reduction#Hydrogen Reduction\|Hydrogen Reduction]]		see also: [[Ilmenite_Reduction#Hydrogen Reduction\|Hydrogen Reduction]]

−	Ilmenite could be reacted with hydrogen directly, producing [[iron]], [[rutile\|titanium dioxide]], and [[water]]. The resulting product could then be finely ground and passed over a magnet to remove the iron, leaving [[rutile\|titanium dioxide]], which would then be refined by other means. The water would be split to recover the hydrogen and produce oxygen.	+	Ilmenite could be reacted with [[hydrogen]] directly, producing [[iron]], [[rutile\|titanium dioxide]], and [[water]]. The resulting product could then be finely ground and passed over a magnet to remove the iron, leaving [[rutile\|titanium dioxide]], which would then be refined by other means. The water would be split to recover the hydrogen and produce oxygen.