Investigation of chlorination process in aluminum production by carbothermic-chlorination reduction of Al 2O 3 under vacuum

The chlorination process in aluminum production by carbothermic-chlorination reduction of Al2O3 under vacuum has been investigated by XRD, SEM and thermodynamic analysis. The results of thermodynamic calculations indicated that the chlorination of Al4C3 or Al4O4C possibly proceeded at temperature 1300 °C under 5–50 Pa. The experiment results showed that aluminum could be produced by the chlorination of Al4C3 or Al4O4C and the decomposition of AlCl(g). According to the analysis of experiment results, Al4C3 and Al4O4C were the main reactants participated in chlorination process in aluminum production by carbothermic-chlorination reduction of Al2O3 under vacuum. AlCl(g) generated in chlorination of Al4C3 or Al4O4C would decompose into Al and AlCl3(g), and then aluminum product would condense in condensation tower.