EP0242337B1 - Apparatus for the continuous purification of electrolytes - Google Patents

Apparatus for the continuous purification of electrolytes Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0242337B1
EP0242337B1 EP87830101A EP87830101A EP0242337B1 EP 0242337 B1 EP0242337 B1 EP 0242337B1 EP 87830101 A EP87830101 A EP 87830101A EP 87830101 A EP87830101 A EP 87830101A EP 0242337 B1 EP0242337 B1 EP 0242337B1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
purification
bowl
solution
anodes
cover
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
EP87830101A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP0242337A1 (en
Inventor
Claudio Cortesi
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Cortesi Claudio
Original Assignee
Individual
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Individual filed Critical Individual
Priority to AT87830101T priority Critical patent/ATE71992T1/de
Publication of EP0242337A1 publication Critical patent/EP0242337A1/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0242337B1 publication Critical patent/EP0242337B1/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C25—ELECTROLYTIC OR ELECTROPHORETIC PROCESSES; APPARATUS THEREFOR
    • C25D—PROCESSES FOR THE ELECTROLYTIC OR ELECTROPHORETIC PRODUCTION OF COATINGS; ELECTROFORMING; APPARATUS THEREFOR
    • C25D21/00—Processes for servicing or operating cells for electrolytic coating
    • C25D21/16—Regeneration of process solutions
    • C25D21/18—Regeneration of process solutions of electrolytes

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to apparatus for the continuous electrolytic purification of electrolytes, namely solutions utilised in electro-deposition processes and the like.
  • One known type of purification apparatus currently in use is essentially constituted by a cylindrical chamber or cell at the centre of which is positioned an insoluble cylindrical positive electrode (anode). At a certain distance from and concentric with the anode is a negative electrode (cathode).
  • a current rectifier which may or may not be connected with the said chamber provides the d.c. current necessary for electrolysing the solution to be purified, which latter is caused to flow continuously through the chamber by a pump which withdraws it from and returns it to the working vessel.
  • the solution to be purified is free, within the cell, to move in all directions in a non-ordered manner, allowing preferential flow paths to develop which, in general, do not pass uniformly over all regions of the surface of the electrodes.
  • the inter-electrode distances are rather large and, in any case, greater than 20 millimetres, whilst the surface areas of the two electrodes are different from one another and, largely, in the ratio of 2 to 1 (cathod to anode). Consequently, the purification of the solutions is not performed as well as it could be in that a large part of the solution can flow through the cell at a distance from the electrodes too great to allow a satisfactory electrolysis in the dwell time available.
  • the different dimensions of the electrodes themselves do not permit a uniform distribution of the current in the solution and, therefor, do not allow a sufficient selectively of the purification operation.
  • an electrolytic purification apparatus substantially corresponding to the preamble of Claim 1.
  • this known apparatus in particular, there are provided a plurality of anodes and cathodes arranged with a stocked arrangement in which each pair of electrodes communicate with the following pair so as to cause the solution flow exiting the first pair to enter the following pair and so on, with a Simple serpentine flow pattern.
  • the object of the present invention is that of eliminating the disadvantages outlined above, by providing apparatus for the electrolytic purification of solutions utilised in electro--deposition treatments and the like, which forces the solution to flow through narrow passages in such a way as to subject it uniformly to the purification treatment.
  • this object is achieved by an apparatus for the continuous electrolytic purification of solutions utilised in electro-deposition treatment having the features of Claim 1.
  • a particular advantage of the apparatus of the present invention is that it can perform electrolytic purification with a uniform distribution of current within the solution to be treated so as to ensure that all parts of the solution experience substantially the same conditions.
  • Another advantage of the present invention is that it provides electrolytic purification apparatus which is structurally simple and of great reliability.
  • the elecrolytic purification apparatus forming the subject of the invention is constituted essentially by a chamber 1 resistant to acids, in which are housed assemblies of positive electrodes 2 and negative electrodes 3.
  • these negative and positive electrode assemblies have an identical surface area and are counterposed and parallel to one another in such a way as to create narrow interspaces 4, at a distance from one another of between 1 and 20 millimetres, preferably between 1 and 5 millimetres, through which the solution to be purified is forced to pass by the action of a pump 5.
  • the apparatus may be provided with its own pump or may be connected by a bypass to another pump such as the same pump already provided in the treatment apparatus for filtering the solution.
  • the apparatus illustrated is provided with its own current rectifier 6, although it will be appreciated that this is not critical and other embodiments may draw d.c. current from another source.
  • each individual purification cell is constituted by a lower bowl 8 of rectangular plan form, having an inclined floor and communicating with the outside through an elbow bend connector 9.
  • a first gasket 14 Between the edges of this bowl 8 and the cover are arranged, in series from the bottom upwardly, a first gasket 14, a first anode 2, a cathode 3 provided with transverse projections 3′, interchangeable in dependence on the distance which it is desired to create between the cathode and the anodes, a second anode 2′, and a second gasket 14′.
  • the edges of these superimposed elements are provided with corresponding through holes 15 in which are inserted a corresponding number of bolts 16 operable to join them all together; however opposite edges of the anode 2, the cathode 3 and the annode 2′ are spaced from the edges of the cell to define a sinuous path through the cell.
  • the anodes 2,2′ are preferably of insoluble type (graphite, platinised titanium, etc), although the use, in particular applications, of soluble anodes can be arranged if desired.
  • the cathodes 3, on the other hand, are constituted by simple sheet metal pieces of steel or, of other suitable material; these are regenerable or replaceable by way of interchangeable cartridges, after a certain number of hours in service or when a certain quantity of "contaminated" deposit has accumulated thereon.
  • the structure, thus obtained has close electrodes of large area between which the solution to be purified passes substantially in laminar layers, and this permits electrolysis to take place at a predeterminable and almost constant current density over all points of the surface of the cathode. Consequently, the electrolytic purification apparatus forming the subject of the invention is capable of a greater selectivity in that it makes it possible to choose the most convenient working conditions and, therefore, to establish the flow rate and accuracy of performance as a function of the type of contamination present in the solution and to be eliminated, thereby avoiding the contemporaneous and unwanted deposition of the useful metal, that is to say of the metal of which the solution is rich by its proper formulation.
  • the electrolytic purification apparatus forming the subject of the invention can be utilised both for prophylactic purification (to remove the small and continuous contaminations gradually as they form) and for exceptional interventions, for example in a case in which a massive and unexpected contamination of the bath should occur.
  • the apparatus can also function as a discontinuous purifier and is able to ensure the maximum purification with the smallest possible number of "passes".
  • this apparatus thanks to its high selectivity, is advantageously usable also for removing metallic contaminations from solutions for degreasing, pickling, activation, passivation etc used in the galvanic industry.
  • the same apparatus when utilised for baths which deposit alloys composed of two or more metals, permits two objectives to be achieved: first, removing a contamination caused by extraneous metal ions from those of the alloy, without compromising the concentration and the ratio of those provided for the deposition of the alloy itself; and second, re-establishing the ratio between the different ions provided for the deposition of the alloy by selectively depositing, those which are in excess. This is obtained thanks to the possibility of operating with a predetermined and very narrow range of current density, which permits the deposition predominantly of one species of metallic ions present in solution to be effected.
  • the present apparatus further allows the recovery of metals, particularly precious metals from exhausted solutions or from washing water; in such cases it functions, in practice, as an effluent purifier.

Landscapes

  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
  • Electrochemistry (AREA)
  • Materials Engineering (AREA)
  • Metallurgy (AREA)
  • Organic Chemistry (AREA)
  • Electrolytic Production Of Metals (AREA)
  • Water Treatment By Electricity Or Magnetism (AREA)
  • Electrodes For Compound Or Non-Metal Manufacture (AREA)
  • Electrolytic Production Of Non-Metals, Compounds, Apparatuses Therefor (AREA)
EP87830101A 1986-03-20 1987-03-18 Apparatus for the continuous purification of electrolytes Expired - Lifetime EP0242337B1 (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
AT87830101T ATE71992T1 (de) 1986-03-20 1987-03-18 Vorrichtung zur kontinuierlichen reinigung von galvanischen baedern.

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
IT2128786U 1986-03-20
IT8621287U IT208589Z2 (it) 1986-03-20 1986-03-20 Apparecchiatura per la depurazione elettrolitica in continuo delle soluzioni utilizzate in procedimenti di elettrodeposizione e simili.

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0242337A1 EP0242337A1 (en) 1987-10-21
EP0242337B1 true EP0242337B1 (en) 1992-01-22

Family

ID=11179577

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP87830101A Expired - Lifetime EP0242337B1 (en) 1986-03-20 1987-03-18 Apparatus for the continuous purification of electrolytes

Country Status (4)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0242337B1 (it)
AT (1) ATE71992T1 (it)
DE (1) DE3776184D1 (it)
IT (1) IT208589Z2 (it)

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE4419683C2 (de) * 1994-06-06 2000-05-04 Eilenburger Elektrolyse & Umwelttechnik Gmbh Bipolare Filterpressenzelle für anodische Oxidationen an Platin

Family Cites Families (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB1066213A (en) * 1963-08-07 1967-04-26 Carves Simon Ltd Improvements in treating electro-plating waste liquors
US3926754A (en) * 1972-02-11 1975-12-16 Andco Inc Electrochemical contaminant removal from aqueous media

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
ATE71992T1 (de) 1992-02-15
IT208589Z2 (it) 1988-05-28
EP0242337A1 (en) 1987-10-21
DE3776184D1 (en) 1992-03-05

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