Purification process of phosphoric acid by vertical zone‐melting technique

The efficiency of vertical zone‐melting technique as a function of molten‐zone length, number of zone passes, molten‐zone velocity and phosphoric acid concentration on the purification process of phosphoric acid is studied. The results showed that adopting a relatively long molten‐zone length in the initial passes to effect a rapid movement of impurities and a short molten‐zone length in the later passes to obtain greater purification; additional zone‐passes cannot be made as impurities redistribution approaches limiting distribution; for stirring mechanism is not adopted in the present study and as diffusion is the only mixing process, slow molten‐zone velocity 3–6 mm h −1 is better; the purification efficiency increases with phosphoric acid concentration, and 94–99.8% concentration of phosphoric acid is better. © 2012 Canadian Society for Chemical Engineering