Patent ID: 7361325

Claim:
A method of making a substantially dried compound having the general formula XF•nH 2 O 2 wherein X is K + , Na + or NH 4+ and n is an integer from 1 to 3, said method comprising: (1) preparing a feed solution comprised of: (i) a fluid carrier component, (ii) a XF composition wherein X is K, Na + or NH 4+ , (iii) hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ), and (iv) potassium bifluoride (KHF 2 ); (2) atomizing a portion of the feed solution as it enters a desiccation/evaporation chamber; (3) creating a fluid-bed of individual particles in the desiccation/evaporation chamber in order that the atomized portion of the feed solution entering said chamber coats outside surface areas of said individual particles; (4) passing a pre-heated gas stream through the desiccation/evaporation chamber such that said pre-heated gas stream: (i) entrains feed solution-coated individual particles of the fluid-bed; (ii) drives off the fluid carrier component of the feed solution and thereby producing individual fluid-bed particles that are coated with a layer of dried XF•nH 2 O 2 ; and (iii) delivers said individual fluid-bed particles to a separation zone where such particles are subjected to disintegration forces sufficient to break substantial portions of the layer of dried XF•nH 2 O 2 from outer surfaces of the individual fluid-bed particles, but insufficient to substantially break said individual fluid-bed particles themselves; (5) separating a resulting, substantially dried XF•nH 2 O 2 product from the individual fluid-bed particles; and (6) collecting the substantially dried XF•nH 2 O 2 product.