Patent ID: 6932853

Claim:
A method for removing a desired metal oxide from a hot gas stream that comprises the desired metal oxide and at least one of an additional volatile metal/metal oxide and a metal halide, said method comprising the steps of: a) receiving a hot gas stream from a, metal or metal waste processing system, said hot gas stream comprising a desired metal oxide and at least one of an additional volatile metal/metal oxide and a metal halide and being at a temperature at which the desired metal oxide, and each of the at least one of an additional volatile metal/metal oxide and metal halide are all in the form of vapors; b) providing a mechanical separation device for separating any solids from said hot gas stream; c) feeding the hot gas stream into the mechanical separation device at a temperature that is less than the boiling temperature of the desired metal oxide and greater than the boiling temperature of remaining components of the gas stream so as to separate the desired metal oxide from the remaining components of the gas stream as a product having relatively few impurities; and d) collecting the separated desired metal oxide.