Patent ID: 6221310
Filing Date: 2001-04-24
Classification: C22B

Abstract:
A system for extracting sodium metal from a reaction of sodium hydroxide and methane gas at high heat comprising, a reactor vessel; separate sources of sodium hydroxide and methane; means for heating each of said separate sources of sodium hydroxide and methane; a reactor nozzle; means for passing said heated sodium hydroxide and methane into first and second passages that are formed in a housing of said reactor nozzle that is fitted into said reactor vessel; a source of oxygen and means for passing said oxygen into said reactor vessel, and which said first and second passages each include an exhaust port that is fitted into a nozzle face and mounts an orifice end therein, and which individual ports receive separate flow of said sodium hydroxide and methane that are transported as separate flows and are sprayed through the orifice ends, which said orifices are formed to individually direct said flows of sodium hydroxide and methane gas against one another, spaced from said reactor nozzle end so as to mix and form sodium hydroxide and methane flows that mix with the oxygen flow passed into said reactor vessel, providing fine particulates; means for providing a heat area within a reaction portion of said reactor vessel where the temperature is from two thousand to twenty eight hundred degrees F, to raise the temperature of the mixture of sodium hydroxide, methane and oxygen particles to where a reaction takes place that produces sodium metal vapors, carbon monoxide and hydrogen gases; means for venting said sodium vapors, carbon monoxide and hydrogen gases to a quench assembly means for cooling said vapor and gaseous mix below the condensation temperature of sodium metal, liquefying sodium metal; means for passing said liquid sodium metal to a sodium metal storage tank; and means for venting said carbon monoxide and hydrogen gases through an exhaust.