Titanium Sponge Production and Processing for Aerospace Applications

Titanium sponge is widely produced employing the Kroll process of high-temperature reduction of titanium tetrachloride by magnesium. The technological developments over the last few decades have focused on cost/energy savings in addition to introducing sophisticated systems in the manufacturing technology. This chapter concerns Indian efforts to develop 'state-of-the-art' Kroll technology for producing titanium sponge in industrial scale batches. While covering various features of the combined process technology developed at DMRL, the chapter also discusses advanced quality evaluation and sponge processing practice as developed at DMRL and implemented at the KMML sponge plant (which was established with the DMRL technology). Extensive measures that have been implemented to obtain high purity metal and assured quality of the product are discussed.