GB500509A - Improvements in or relating to processes and apparatus for the production of aluminium, beryllium, magnesium, alkali earth or alkali metals by electrolysis of fused starting materials - Google Patents

Abstract

500,509. Electrolytic productionof aluminium &c. GES. ZUR VERWERTUNG CHEMISCH TECHNISCHER VERFAHREN, VADUZ. March 16, 1938, No. 8105. Convention date, March 16, 1937. [Class 41] In a process for the production of auminium, beryllium, magnesium, alkali earth or alkali metals by electrolysis of fused starting materials wherein there is employed a cathode formed by a metal in fusion heavier than the electrolyte and capable of absorbing the metal to be prepared as an alloy, and on the other hand, in a second electrolysis, in which this alloy acts as anode, of releasing the metal by electrolytic decomposition, continuous circulation is set up between the parts of the absorbing metal which serve as anode and cathode respectively by us - ing the convection currents caused by the thermal actions that accompany the pass. age of the electric current through the metal in fusion in pipes connecting these two parts of the absorbing metal. In one embodiment, halogen is produced at the anode 3 by electrolysis of the molten electrolyte in vat 1, and the metal produced is absorbed in'the molten metal cathode in the lower vat 4. Owing to the heating up produced in two pipes connecting the lower vats 4 and 5 (which are inclined in opposite directions and one only (10) of which is shown) by the passage of the current, the overheated metal rises in the said tubes, and the alloy containing the metal produced in vat 1 is thereby transferred from vat 4 to vat 5 through the tube not shown, and replaced by molten metal rising from vat 5 through the tube 10. The alloy then operates as anode and loses the metal produced by electrolysis in vat 1, which collects round the hollow cathode 8 at the surface of the electrolyte in vat 6. The cathode 8 has lateral openings 11 slightly above the surface of the electrolyte, but is occasionally lowered to immerse these openings slightly and permit influx of mixed electrolyte and metal, after which it is again raised to allow the said mixture to separate. The vats, cathode, and tubes may be cylindrical or of any other shape, the vats may be separate or formed by dividing a single chamber by a partition, and more than two tubes may be used.