IL23337A - Electrolytic cells - Google Patents

Description

PATENT ATTORNEYS PATENTS AND DESIGNS ORDINANCE SPECIFICATION Improvements electrolytic cells an Italian company of Bonaparte do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement invention relates to cells d to their regulation during The invention has particular application to electrolytic cello having as a cathode a layer of or amalgam and as an anode one or or metal Such a cell is the for the production of sodium amalgam and chlorine from For efficient operation of an installation a of electrolytic cells it is important to regulate the electrical parameters of the such for example as potential drop across the current the density the mercury amalgam the concentration and temperature of the By correct regulation it is possible to prevent or reduce the effects of short She occurrence and duration short circuits reduces the of the electrolytic process through changes in the concentration of the amalgam and through changes in the surface condition of the electrodes this latter being particularly disadvantageous in the case of platinum plated titanium Accordingly it is an object of the invention to provide a method of regulating an electrolytic cell which overcomes or at least reduces the occurrence and duration of short circuits and also an cell which can operate in this According to the invention there is provided a method of regulating the working of an electrolytic cell comprising automatically adjusting the distance between the anode and cathode electrodes in accordance with in the electrical chemical parameters of the According to the invention there is also provided an electrolytic cell having one or more movable electrodes are one or more driving units so as to adjust the between the cathode and anode the units controlled in response the changes in the electrical chemical parameters of the driving units may work in a continuous or intermittent manner depending upon whether the units are arranged to be controlled by means which continuously monitor the potential drop across the electrodes or the ourrent density or whether the units are arranged to be controlled by an alarm device which is only switched into circuit on the occurrence of a short the alarm device being arranged to cause the units to move the electrodes further The driving units are pre operated by pressurized fluid such as hydraulic oil or a compressed units are driven continuously or intermittently dependin upon how the fluid is supplied to the this purpose use may be of one of the many well known systems distribution of pressurised fluid suoh as a veil known pneumatic or oleodynamic The will now be by way of with reference the accompanying in Figure 1 is of an electrolytic cell and a flow diagram illustrating its Figure 2 is an enlarged of one form of hydraulic actuating device for use with the cell shown in and Figure 3 a section similar to Figure 2 of a modified The electrolytic cell shown in Pigure 1 which may for be a cell comprises a 22 in which electrodes are electrodes are mounted on a frame 2 is in turn mounted at its ends on hydraulic actuating devices 1 carried by supports hydraulic actuating devices 1 which are shown in Pigure comprise a casing 8 of two parts between which a flexible diaphragm 9 is This diaphragm is for rubber and on its upper surface rests a disc movable withi the casing 8 and carrying the frame casing 8 has stops 16 preventing excessive movement of the disc fluid inlet is provided in the casing 8 for the application of excess fluid pressure to the lower surface of the diaphragm Pressurised which may be hydraulic oil or a led to the inlets of the devices 1 via conduits from a compressor or feed tank control regulating valve 5 interposed in the conduits this of the cell 20 the devices 1 are actuated by fluid pressure so as to support the electrodes at a desired above the base of the trough In order to achieve this the fluid pressure is supplied the control of the 5 so as to cause the diaphragm 9 to raise the disc 10 by a desired of the valve 5 is controlled by known systems for the current density the potential drop across the electrodes and the height the above the trough 22 is then continuously and automatically adjusted so as to maintain these values desired ranges and prevent or stop actuating device is shown in Figure this device has a split ring or an ring seal in place of a Other actuating possible and it will be readily appreciated that the devices in Figures 2 and 3 will work equally well when attached between the frame 2 and supports An example of such a device is schematically illustrated by Figures 4 and 5 attached to this by reference to Figure a magnetic core excited by the cell voltage applied to the terminals of the winding A magnetic keeper 25 pivoted on its own axis tends to align itself with core the action of the A spring 26 acts in an elastic in the opposite direction with the tendency of turning away the keeper from ita A pneumatic fed with compressed air through a choke is placed on the trail of the keeper and communicates through with servomotors schematically represented in the cell voltage prevails electromagnetic action and the keeper moves away the air thus allowing it to blow off thereupon the eounterpressure existing inside the nozzle decreases the servomotors go down thus bringing the anodic plates nearer to the the cell voltage prevails the action of the spring and the is plugged eounterpressure increases and the servomotors rise thereby the anodic plates away from the by reference to similar device is excited by a fraction of the anodic current which runs the winding She position of the nozzle is inverted with respect to 4 and when the anodic current prevails the electromagnetic the is plugged up and the servomotors insufficientOCRQuality

Claims (12)

- 7 - 2333772 ^ OLAIKS.

1. A method of regulating the working of an electrolytic cell comprising automatically adjusting the distance between the anode and cathode electrodes in accordance with changes in the electrical and/or chemical parameters of the cell*

2. Δ method as claimed In C¾,aim 1, in which the vertical distance between the anode and cathode electrodes is adjusted, the cathode electrode being a horizontal layer of mercury and/or mercury amalgam and the anode electrodes being spaced above the said layer and being vertically movable for adjusting the distance between e anode and cathode electrodes.

3. A method as claimed in Claims 1 or 2, In which the distance between -fee anodu and cathode electrodes is adjusted in accordance with the abode electrode current density and/or the potential drop between the anode and cathode eleotrodes*

4. A method of regulating the working of an electrolytic cell substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawing.

5. An electrolytic cell having one or more movable electrodes which are dlsplaceable by one or more driving units so as to adjust the distance between the cathode and anode electrodes, the driving units being controlled in response to changes in the electrical and/or chemical parameters of the cell.

6. A cell as claimed in Claim 5, in which one or more movable electrodes are carried by a frame which is movable by the driving units.

7. A cell as claimed in Claim 6, in which the electrodes - 8 - 23337/2* φ are composed of graphite or platinum plated titanium.

8. A cell as claimed in any of Claims 5 to 7, in which the driving units are operable by pressurised fluid.

9. A cell as claimed in Claim 8 which includes a regulating valve for automatically controlling the supply of pressurised fluid to the driving units in response to the changes in the electrical and/or chemical parameters of the cell.

10. A cell as claimed in Claim 8 or Claim 9» in which the or each driving unit comprises a casing having two parts between which a diaphragm is mounted, pressurised fluid being arranged to be applied to one side of the diaphragm and a disc movable within the casing resting on the other side of the disphragm, the disc being connected to the movable electrodes so that fluid pressure applied to the diaphragm is arranged to move the movable electrodes.

11. A cell as claimed in any of Claims 5 to 10 in which the cathode is a layer of mercury and/or mercury amalgam and the anode electrode or electrodes are spaced above this layer and are substantially vertically movable for adjusting the distance between the cathode and anode electrodes.

12. An electrolytic cell substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawing. For the Applicants