Abstract

MAHARAJH, S.; MULLER, J.  and  ZIETSMAN, J.H.. Value-in-use model for chlorination of titania feedstocks. J. S. Afr. Inst. Min. Metall. [online]. 2015, vol.115, n.5, pp.385-394. ISSN 2411-9717.

In the chlorination process for TiO₂ pigment production, blends of titania feedstocks such as ilmenite, synthetic rutile (sr), natural rutile, upgraded slag, and chloride-grade slag are reacted with coke and chlorine at a temperature of around 1000°C to form TiCl₄ (the main product) and other waste metal chlorides. The TiCl₄ is the main feed material for the TiO₂ pigment-making process. Feeding different titania materials to the chlorinator affects the amount of coke and chlorine required for the process, the amount of waste generated, waste disposal costs, the amount of TiCl4 produced, and bed build-up rates. These factors influence the value of the feedstock. Generally, a higher TiO2 feedstock is more valued since less waste is generated and less reagents are consumed. To quantify the impact of different feedstocks on the chlorinator, a techno-economic model was developed to describe the chlorination process and estimate process variables at steady state. This paper describes the development of the model and studies in which the model has been used to quantify effects of using different feedstocks.

Keywords : titania feedstock; chlorination; process modelling TiCl₄; value-in-use.

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