| CPC C04B 2/08 (2013.01) | 19 Claims |
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1. A chemical processing method comprising;
providing a metal carbonate to a first tube, and water to a second tube concentric with the first tube;
exposing the metal carbonate to a first quantity of heat in the first tube, such that a decomposition reaction occurs at a first temperature, decomposing the metal carbonate to provide a first output of carbon dioxide and a second output of a metal oxide;
transferring the metal oxide output from the first tube into a second tube, concentric with the first tube; and
exposing the transferred metal oxide to steam generated by the water in the second tube, such that a hydration reaction occurs at a second temperature, hydrating the transferred metal oxide to produce a metal hydroxide as a second process output and a second quantity of heat;
wherein at least one of a steam partial pressure characterizing the steam and a carbon dioxide partial pressure characterizing the carbon dioxide is controlled, so that the second temperature at which the hydration reaction occurs is greater that the first temperature at which the decomposition reaction occurs;
wherein one of the first and second concentric tubes is an inner tube having an inner tube wall, the inner tube being housed within the other of the first and second concentric tubes, and the other of the first and second concentric tubes is an outer tube; and
wherein at least some of the second quantity of heat flows from the second tube through the inner tube wall to the first tube, to provide at least a part of the first quantity of heat used in the decomposition reaction.
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