Titanium Dioxide

The production of titanium dioxide pigments involves reaction between sulfuric acid and the ore which contains iron, titanium sulfate and other compounds. After pretreatment, which includes the crystallization of iron as ferrous sulfate, the liquor is heated and hydrolyzed to precipitate Titanium dioxide. Prior to this operation, the concentration of liquor has to be adjusted by the evaporation of water. It is essential that this process takes place in an evaporator with short heat contact times in order to avoid the premature hydrolysis that occurs with prolonged heating, which subsequently causes fouling of the heat surface and blockage of the tubes. Although the liquor contains a high proportion of sulfuric acid, the presence of other ions in solution may inhibit corrosion, so that copper often can be used for heat transfer surfaces. Titanium is another material used for this application. Generally, single or multiple effect rising film evaporators are used for this duty, the number of effects being determined by throughput and by assessing the cost of operation against the increase in capital required for additional equipment. In some cases, it is economically attractive to operate the evaporator as a single effect unit at atmospheric pressure using the vapor given off for preheating. The liquor is discharged at a temperature in excess of 212°F (100°C), reducing the subsequent thermal load at the hydrolysis stage.