JPH055196A - Electrolytic cell and production thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain the electrolytic cell having excellent performance by providing a electrolyte dispersing and supplying chamber formed of members integral with partition walls in the upper part of an electrolytic cell unit. CONSTITUTION:Rugged parts 5, 6, 7, 8 fitting to each other are formed on the partition wall 2 on the anode side and partition wall 3 on the cathode side of the vertical type electrolytic cell unit 1. Electrode plates 9, 10 are coupled to the projecting parts 6, 8 of the partition wall plate integrated by superposing the two partition walls 2, 3 on each other. The electrolyte dispersing and separating chamber 11 formed of the members integral with the partition walls 2, 3 is provided in the lower part of the electrolytic cell unit 1. The outer surface of the electrolyte dispersing and supplying chamber 11 forms a flange surface for lamination of the electrolytic cell unit 1. The concn. distribution and temp. distribution of the electrolyte are uniformized in this way.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a filter press type electrolytic cell, and more particularly to an electrolytic cell having a partition wall for separating an electrolytic solution between adjacent electrode chambers.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A filter press type electrolytic cell is widely used for production of chlorine and caustic soda by electrolysis of salt, electrolysis production of organic substances, electrolysis of seawater and the like.

A typical salt electrolysis method using a filter-press type electrolytic cell is a salt-type filter-press type electrolytic cell in which a plurality of adjacent anode and cathode chambers are electrically and mechanically connected via a partition wall. A multi-pole type in which a large number of polar electrolytic cell units are stacked with a cation exchange membrane, and end electrode chamber units with either an anode or a cathode on one side are stacked at both ends and fixed with a hydraulic press, etc. A filter press type electrolytic cell and a large number of anode chamber units and cathode chamber units having the same electrodes on both sides of a frame-shaped electrode chamber frame are laminated with a cation exchange membrane, and the anode or cathode is on one side at both ends. There is a single-pole filter press type electrolytic cell in which the electrode chamber units are stacked. The electrode chamber unit of a monopolar electrolytic cell is equipped with downcomers and ribs that reinforce the frame-shaped electrode chamber frame and promote the circulation of the electrolytic solution, and the electrodes are attached to these ribs. Does not have a partition for separating the electrolyte.

On the other hand, the unit of the bipolar electrode type electrolytic cell is provided with a partition for separating the anode chamber and the cathode chamber and for transmitting the electrolytic current. An anode and a cathode are attached to the partition that separates the anode chamber and the cathode chamber, respectively. One of the anode chamber and the cathode chamber is in an oxidizing environment and the other is in a reducing environment depending on the target electrolytic reaction. Particularly, in salt electrolysis, which is an electrolysis method using a typical ion exchange membrane, chlorine is generated at the anode and high-concentration sodium hydroxide and hydrogen are generated at the cathode. Titanium, tantalum,
A thin film forming metal such as zirconium or its alloy is used. Further, in the atmosphere of the cathode chamber, titanium absorbs hydrogen and becomes brittle, so that titanium having a large corrosion resistance cannot be used in the cathode chamber. For this reason, iron-based metals such as iron, nickel and stainless steel or alloys thereof are used in the cathode chamber. Electrical connection can be formed by forming each electrode chamber with a partition wall made of a metal material and joining them together, but by directly welding titanium on the anode chamber side and iron, nickel, stainless steel, etc. on the cathode chamber side. When joining was attempted, a joined body having practical strength could not be obtained because titanium and the iron-based metal on the cathode chamber side formed an intermetallic compound.

Therefore, many proposals have been made for a bipolar electrode type electrolytic cell. For example, Japanese Patent Publication No. 53-5880 describes that a member on the anode chamber side and a member on the cathode chamber side are connected by a bolt penetrating a partition wall made of a synthetic resin material.

Further, in Japanese Patent Publication No. 52-32866, a plate-shaped body in which an iron-based metal and titanium are joined by explosive welding is used as partition walls, ribs are welded to each surface, and an anode and a cathode are welded to the ribs. ing. In Japanese Examined Patent Publication No. 56-36231, a composite material is used in which titanium and iron are sandwiched between copper and three members are joined, and titanium of the composite material and titanium of the partition wall on the anode side of the bipolar electrode unit are welded, Similarly, the iron of the composite material and the iron-based metal partition wall on the cathode side are joined by welding.

[0007]

Although there are various types of partition walls of a bipolar electrode electrolytic cell, in any electrolytic cell, ribs can be joined to the partition walls and electrodes can be attached to the ribs by a method such as welding. However, the voltage drop due to the rib is unavoidable. Further, it is necessary to use a special method for joining the metal on the cathode side and the metal on the anode side.

In order to solve such a problem, a partition plate having concave and convex portions to be fitted to each other is manufactured by press working, and a structure having an electrolytic cell unit in which an electrode is bonded to the convex portion and a manufacturing method are simple. Japanese Patent Application No. 2-4
Proposed as No. 5855. In an electrolytic cell with a large electrode area, such as electrolysis of salt by the ion-exchange membrane method, if the current distribution in the electrode chamber becomes uneven, partial wear of the electrode will proceed or the ion-exchange membrane will partially As it causes unfavorable phenomena such as deterioration of the electrolytic cell performance,
It has been attempted to make the current distribution in the electrode chamber uniform by devising the attachment positions of the electrode and the current collecting member so that the current passages of the anode-partition wall-cathode-anode are almost equal.

Further, it has been attempted that the electrolytic cell has a structure in which the current distribution is uniform and the concentration and temperature distribution of the electrolytic solution in the electrode chamber are reduced. In order to reduce the concentration and temperature distribution of the electrolytic solution, it has been attempted to increase the circulation rate or the circulation rate of the electrolytic solution that is supplied from the outside into the electrode chamber and taken out to the outside. To do so requires a large circulation device,
In terms of making the concentration or temperature of the electrolytic solution uniform, a sufficient effect cannot always be obtained.

It is also an effective method to uniformly supply the electrolytic solution to the electrode chamber in order to make the concentration or temperature of the electrolytic solution uniform, but in the electrolytic cell unit in which a flat plate is press-molded, the electrolytic solution is No means is provided to disperse.

FIG. 6 shows a sectional view of the lower portion of the electrolytic cell unit obtained by press-molding a flat plate. An electrolytic cell frame 32 is provided below the electrolytic cell unit 31, and an electrode chamber 33 is provided. The partition wall 34 to be formed is attached to the electrolytic cell frame. Further, the electrode 35 is connected to the partition. As described above, since the lower part of the electrode chamber is constituted by the electrolytic cell frame body 32 made of a rigid body, it is structurally difficult to provide a means for uniformly dispersing the electrolytic solution.

[0012]

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention, a partition plate is formed by forming recesses and projections which are fitted to the partition wall on the anode side and the partition wall on the cathode side of a vertical type electrolytic cell unit, and both partition walls are superposed and integrated. In the electrolytic cell in which the electrode plate is connected to the convex portion of the partition wall, the lower part of the partition wall is bent, and a passage having a small cross-sectional area which is made of a member integrated with the partition wall and supplies the electrolyte solution into the electrode chamber uniformly and at high speed is arranged uniformly. To form the electrolyte dispersion supply chamber,
Further, the outside of the electrolytic solution dispersion supply chamber is a flange surface between adjacent electrolytic cells when the electrolytic cell units are stacked.

[0013]

Operation: Electrolysis in which an electrode plate is connected to the protrusion of a partition plate in which the partition wall on the anode side and the partition wall on the cathode side of the vertical electrolytic cell unit are formed to fit with each other, and both partition walls are superposed and integrated. This is an electrolytic cell in which the lower part of the partition wall on the anode side and the lower part of the partition wall on the cathode side are molded to form an electrolytic solution dispersion supply chamber integrated with the partition wall.The manufacturing method is simple and the supply of the electrolytic solution is uniform. Therefore, since the concentration distribution and temperature distribution of the electrolytic solution are made uniform, high electrolytic performance can be obtained.

[0014]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1A is a plan view showing one embodiment of the electrolytic cell of the present invention as seen from the partially cut-away anode side,
FIG. 1B shows a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA of FIG.
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing a cross section of a lower portion in the vertical direction cut along the line BB in FIG.

The partition wall 2 on the anode side of the electrolytic cell unit 1 is formed by laminating a thin plate selected from thin film forming metals such as titanium, zirconium and tantalum and alloys thereof into a pot shape.
The partition wall 3 on the cathode side is a thin plate of iron, nickel, stainless steel or the like processed in the same manner. Each partition wall is attached to the electrolytic cell frame body 4. Both the partition walls are formed with concave and convex portions that fit with each other, and the partition walls on the anode side are provided with groove-shaped concave portions 5 and convex portions 6, and the partition walls on the cathode side are also fitted with the concave and convex portions on the anode side. Similarly, groove-shaped concave portions 7 and convex portions 8 are provided at the positions.

In each of the electrode chambers, it is preferable that no concavo-convex portion is provided in the portions adjacent to the upper, lower, left and right wall surfaces of the electrode chamber so that a circulation path for the electrolytic solution is formed. Further, an anode 9 in which an anode active coating made of an oxide of a platinum group metal is formed on an expanded metal, a porous plate or the like is provided on the convex portion of the partition wall on the anode side by welding or the like. A cathode 10 in which a cathode active coating made of a nickel-based material or a platinum-based metal-based material is formed on an expanded metal, a porous plate, or the like is joined to the convex portion of the side partition wall by welding or the like.

An electrolytic solution dispersion supply chamber 11 for uniformly supplying the electrolytic solution into the electrode chamber is formed below the electrolytic cell unit. In the electrolyte dispersion supply chamber, a partition wall extending vertically so as to enclose the frame body 4 of the electrolysis tank is bent at a right angle to the electrode mounting surface side along a horizontal straight line, and the outer surface of the electrolyte dispersion supply chamber is an electrolytic tank. It is bent at a right angle with a length corresponding to the thickness of the electrode chamber so as to form the flange 12. Then, the tip portion 13 of the partition wall is partially coupled to the electrode to fix the electrode.

A passage 14 having a small cross-sectional area is provided between the electrolytic solution dispersion supply chamber and the electrode chamber so that the electrolytic solution can be rapidly supplied into the electrode chamber between the electrolytic solution dispersion supply chamber and the electrode chamber.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view in which a part of the electrolytic solution dispersion supply chamber is cut away. A partition wall is formed to provide a passage 14 and is joined to the back side of the flange 12 of the electrolytic cell unit. A joint surface 15 is provided that maintains the mechanical strength of the electrolytic cell unit. Further, the partition wall is provided with a recess 16 for mounting the frame body of the electrolytic cell.

The uneven portions provided on the partition walls on the anode side and the cathode side are formed one by one by an ordinary press machine. However, since the partition walls on the anode side and the cathode side can have the same shape, they are formed on the anode side and the cathode side. All that is required is to prepare the same press mold. Also, by pressing the materials of the partition walls on the anode side and the partition walls on the cathode side one by one, it is possible to form concavities and convexities on both partition walls and at the same time to integrate both partition walls, which simplifies the manufacturing process. Is possible.

The partition wall on the anode side and the partition wall on the cathode side may be directly joined by spot welding, or a conductive grease may be interposed between the partition wall on the cathode side and the partition wall on the anode side for permanent welding. It is also possible to form an electrical and mechanical joint by fitting the concave and convex portions without using any connecting means.

Further, the electrolytic cell unit is laminated to assemble the electrolytic cell to pressurize the inside of the electrode chamber to form a pressure difference between the both partition walls and the outside to enhance the contact between the partition wall on the anode side and the partition wall on the cathode side. Alternatively, the space formed by both partition walls and the electrode chamber frame may be made airtight, and this space may be decompressed to form a pressure difference between the space inside the electrode chamber and the contact property between both partition walls.

Further, FIG. 4 (A) shows a plan view of an electrolytic cell with a part cut away, and FIG. 4 (B) shows a cross-sectional view taken along the line C--C. Instead of the groove-shaped unevenness as shown in 2, a bowl-shaped unevenness 21 may be formed.

FIG. 5 shows a cross section of adjacent electrolytic cell units when the electrolytic cell units are stacked to assemble the electrolytic cell. The convex portions of one polarity are arranged in the same straight line,
It is preferable that the adjacent electrolytic cell units are arranged such that the convex portions and the concave portions face each other via the ion exchange membrane 22 to make the current distribution uniform.

[0026]

As a result, in the electrolytic cell unit in which the thin plate for the partition wall of the electrolytic cell is pressed to form the electrode chamber and the flange surface, the electrolytic solution supplied to the electrolytic cell is uniformly introduced into the electrode chamber under the electrode chamber unit. Since the electrolytic solution dispersion supply chamber to be dispersed and supplied is formed by pressing the thin plate integrated with the partition wall, an electrolytic cell having excellent electrolytic performance can be obtained by a simple manufacturing method.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view and a sectional view of an electrolytic cell showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an upper portion of a vertical cross section as indicated by a line BB in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view in which a part of an electrolyte solution supply chamber is cut away.

FIG. 4 is a plan view and a sectional view of an electrolytic cell showing another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view in which the electrolytic cell units of the present invention are stacked.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of a lower portion of a conventional electrolytic cell unit in which a flat plate is press-molded.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Electrolytic cell unit, 2 ... Anode side partition, 3 ... Cathode side partition, 4 ... Electrolyte cell frame, 5 ... Recessed part (anode side), 6 ... Convex part (anode side), 7 ... Recessed part (cathode side) ), 8 ... Convex part (cathode side), 9 ... Anode, 10 ... Cathode, 11 ... Electrolyte dispersion supply chamber, 12 ... Flange, 13 ... Tip part, 14 ... Passage, 15
... Joining surface, 16 ... Recess, 21 ... Bowl-shaped unevenness, 22 ... Ion exchange membrane, 31 ... Electrolytic cell unit, 32 ... Electrolytic cell frame,
33 ... Electrode chamber, 34 ... Partition wall, 35 ... Electrode

Claims (1)

Claim: What is claimed is: 1. A projection of a partition plate, in which projections and recesses are formed on the anode-side partition and the cathode-side partition of a vertical electrolytic cell unit so as to fit with each other, and both partitions are superposed and integrated. An electrolyzer in which an electrode plate is coupled to a portion, wherein an electrolytic solution dispersion supply chamber formed of a member integrated with a partition is provided in a lower portion of the electrolyzer unit. 2. The electrolytic cell according to claim 1, wherein an outer surface of the electrolytic solution dispersion supply chamber forms a flange surface for laminating the electrolytic cell unit. 3. A method for producing an electrolytic cell having a partition plate in which projections and recesses are formed on the anode-side partition and the cathode-side partition of the electrolytic cell unit so as to be fitted to each other, and both partition walls are superposed and integrated. The method of manufacturing an electrolytic cell, wherein the lower part of the partition wall is bent to form the electrolytic solution dispersion supply chamber by a member integrated with the partition plate.