5. Zirconium tetrachloride production

5.1 Carbochlorination of zirconium silicate

Zirconium tetrachloride is obtained by carbochlorination of zircon ZrSiO ₄ .

• Old process

  Initially, carbochlorination was carried out in a fixed bed. Pellets consisting of zircon, graphite powder and pitch were prepared. After coking in a furnace, these pellets were red-charged into a briquetted reactor. The temperature of 800 to 900°C was maintained thanks to the enthalpy of the reaction and the thermal energy of combustion following the addition of oxygen to the excess coal.

• New process

  The carbochlorination technique soon evolved by using...