Patent ID: 7501089

Claim:
An apparatus for injecting a halide vapor subsurface of a liquid metal, comprising inner and outer conduits forming an annulus there between, said inner conduit having an end forming a supersonic nozzle terminating within said outer conduit, a valve in communication with said inner conduit movable between an open position in which said inner conduit is in fluid communication with said outer conduit and a closed position in which said inner conduit is sealed from said outer conduit, a supply of halide vapor in fluid communication with said inner conduit, a supply of liquid metal in fluid communication with said outer conduit, and an actuator assembly connected to said valve for moving said valve between the open and sealed positions thereof, whereby introduction of halide vapor into liquid alkali or alkaline earth metal or mixtures thereof present in said annulus through said supersonic nozzle results in an exothermic reaction controlled at least in part by the position of said needle valve.