JPS6033196B2 - Electrolysis equipment for the production and refining of non-ferrous metals and their alloys - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to the production and purification of metals by electrolysis from metal melts, and in particular to an electrolytic apparatus for the production and purification of non-ferrous heavy metals and their alloys.

The present invention can provide many benefits in nonferrous metallurgy plants that produce metals such as bismuth, indium, antimony, lead, etc. from the melt.

Prior art electrolyzers generally have an electrolytic cell, a cathode chamber, an anode chamber and corresponding electrodes that are either liquid or solid (USSR Inventor's Certificate No. 389164, No. 2).
(See Nos. 25457 and 42069). The production and purification of metals in salt melts allows the use of liquid metal electrodes, thus giving the possibility of a more effective separation into the individual components of metal alloys, as well as obtaining the final product on the anode. enable. In prior art designs of electrolyzers with liquid metal electrodes, there is a non-uniform distribution of current density on the electrode surface, which leads to local overheating of the melt in the active electrolytic area and structural parts of the electrolyzer ( The wall of the anode chamber, the wall of the cathode chamber,
localized overheating of the feeder, electrolyzer housing, etc.). This also results in premature failure of the electrolyzer.

In addition, predetermined process parameters (current density,
temperature) is distorted, resulting in a deterioration of the properties of the purification process. That is, current efficiency, purity of the final product, etc. are reduced. In prior art, Soviet Union Inventor's Certificate No. 276
No. 437, an electrolytic device for the extraction and purification of metals and their alloys is known.

This electrolysis device has an electrolytic cell made of a dielectric material, and a cathode chamber and an anode chamber arranged in the electrolytic cell and each provided with a liquid metal electrode. The anode chamber is placed on the bottom of the rice cake and is equipped with a cooled feeder. The liquid cathode metal is contained within a container consisting of a dielectric frame covered with furnace cloth. The cathode vessel is suspended from a placket above the anode chamber. A metal rod, made of tungsten, for example, is fixed inside the lid of the pot and acts as a cathode feeder. This electrolysis process is carried out continuously with repeated charging of starting materials.

Fill the cathode vessel with the first batch of cathode metal. As pure metal accumulates, the cathode vessels are alternately removed from the electrolytic cell to flush out the metal. The arrangement of the electrodes in this given structure does not guarantee a uniform current density distribution on the electrodes, leading to a reduction in the parameters of the purification process as described above.

Additionally, because the anode chamber for the anode metal is located below the cathode vessel, there is no direct and convenient access to the anode chamber for reloading the process alloy. In order to drain the anode metal, the electrolysis process must be stopped and the container containing the cathode metal must be removed. The above factors complicate the operation of the electrolyzer and reduce the efficiency of the electrolytic process. Moreover, the location of the anode chamber described above does not allow the integration of the necessary mixing devices into the anode chamber to eliminate concentration deviations that occur during melting of the anode alloy. The present invention is an electrolyzer for the production and purification of non-ferrous heavy metals and their alloys from the melt, which improves the parameters of the refining process and improves the electrolyzer due to a more uniform distribution of current power throughout the volume of the electrolyzer. liquids that increase the reliability of the electrolyzer by eliminating local overheating of the structural parts of the electrolyzer and facilitate the access of auxiliary equipment to the anode chamber, improving operating conditions and increasing the production capacity of the electrolyzer. The present invention relates to providing an electrolytic device having an array of metal electrodes.

The object of the present invention is to provide an electrolytic cell having a lid, and a cathode chamber and an anode chamber arranged in the electrolytic cell and each having a liquid metal electrode. In an electrolytic apparatus for the production and refining of non-ferrous metals and their alloys, each anode chamber is constituted by a bottom and a wall adjacent to the bottom along the entire periphery of the bottom, the anode chamber is connected to the cathode. a channel mounted on the insulating member above the chamber, the bottom of the anode chamber being made of porous dielectric material, and connecting the cathode chamber and the anode chamber between the wall of the anode chamber and the insulating member; This is achieved by an electrolytic device characterized in that it is provided with.

The above arrangement of both chambers with liquid metal electrodes and the fact that the bottom of the anode is made of porous dielectric material ensure a uniform current distribution over the entire electrolysis area, thereby preventing local overheating of the structural parts of the electrolyzer and Eliminate local overheating of the melt,
This improves the parameters of the purification process, increases the reliability of the electrolyzer, and also facilitates the access of auxiliary equipment to the anode chamber, which improves the operating conditions and increases the efficiency of the electrolyzer. In order to remove the cathode metal, the cathode chamber is equipped with evacuation means.

When producing and refining the final metals (bismuth, antimony) on the anode, in order to improve the parameters of the refining process, the electrolyzer is equipped with mixing means for mixing the metals or alloys in the anode chamber, said mixing means is fixed to the lid of the electrolyzer.

The cathode chamber and the anode chamber are provided with support flanges on their top for mounting the anode chamber, thus providing easy access to the anode chamber when reloading the anode alloy and, if necessary, providing access to the anode chamber. Guarantees quick replacement.

The invention will now be explained by means of particular embodiments thereof with reference to the accompanying drawings.

The electrolytic apparatus for the production and purification of non-ferrous heavy metals and their alloys according to the invention has an electrolytic cell 1 lined with a refractory material and equipped with a lid 2 (FIG. 1).

A cathode chamber 3 for receiving the cathode metal 4 is disposed within the vessel and consists of a bottom 5 and a wall 6 adjoining the bottom along its entire circumference. Mounted above the cathode chamber 3 is a removable anode chamber 8 for receiving the anode metal or alloy 9, which is insulated from the cathode chamber by an insulation village 101. Anode chamber 8
a bottom 11 and a wall 12 adjacent to the bottom along the entire circumference of the bottom;
It is composed of. The bottom 11 of the anode chamber 8 is made of a porous dielectric material such as porous corundum or fireclay, ceramic cloth, etc. A channel 20 is arranged between the side wall 12 of the anode chamber and the insulating member 10 for checking the level of the electrolyte 14, which channel is connected to the cathode chamber 3 and the anode chamber 8.
are connected. In order to melt the electrolytic solution 14, the electrolyzer is equipped with a heater 15. Voltage is feeder 1
6 and I7 to the electrolytic cell. Channel 20', as described above, serves to remove excess electrolyte found during electrolysis.

As the electrolysis progresses, the cathode metal 4 accumulates in the electrolytic cell,
This increases the level of electrolytic dissolution. Excess melt flows over the channel 20 into the anode chamber 8. Therefore, the channel 201 prevents the cathode chamber from overflowing with the molten electrolyte. This channel also serves to remove gaseous electrolysis products and to charge special electrolyte into the vessel. The walls 12 of the cathode chamber 3 and anode chamber 8 are made of electrically conductive material and are provided with feeders 16 and 17, respectively.

Such an arrangement facilitates the supply of voltage to each chamber and allows the feeder to be removed from the electrolysis area. By constructing the side wall 12 of the anode chamber 8 from a solid conductive material, the following effects can be obtained.

Contact between the electrolyte on the anode metal (alloy) 9 and the electrolyte 14 in the cathode chamber part during operation of the electrolyzer is prevented,
Metals or ions in the anode chamber are prevented from diffusing into the cathode chamber and reducing the purity of the cathode metal (cathode product). Also, a more complete contact between the supply current and the anode metal (alloy) is obtained, which reduces voltage losses in the bath and thus the specific power consumption during purification. It also prevents the formation of slime that impairs the mechanical durability of the anode chamber and causes loss of metal and electrolyte. The design of the electrolyzer according to the invention, due to the arrangement of the cathode and anode chambers with liquid metal electrodes, allows an improvement in the parameters of the purification process, such as the purity of the final product and its yield in terms of current. and in such an arrangement the current is distributed more uniformly over the volume of the electrolytic cell,
The reliability of the electrolyzer can thus be increased since the possibility of localized overheating of the melt and of the structural parts of the electrolyzer is eliminated.

Furthermore, the anode chamber is easily accessible;
It is possible to use mixing means to mix the anode alloy to improve the parameters of the electrolysis (FIG. 2). This mixing means 18 is fixed to the lid 2 of the electrolytic cell 1. Such an arrangement of electrolyzers is used for the production of final products on the anode, for example for the separation of lead bismuthate heads.

If the final product is obtained on the cathode (indium,
In the design of the electrolyzer, evacuation means 19 (FIG. 3), which operate according to the principle of a carrying vessel, are provided in order to continuously remove the cathode metal from the cathode chamber.

Such designs have been used in the production of indium and their alloys with tin or lead. Conveniently, the cathode chamber 3 and the anode chamber 8 are provided with flanges 7 and 13, respectively (FIG. 1).

This allows mounting the anode chamber 8 on top of the cathode chamber and allows rapid replacement of the anode chamber if required. In order to produce and purify non-ferrous heavy metals and their alloys from melts, in the design of the electrolyzer of the invention, process conditions for carrying out the electrolytic process and special electrolytes for each metal or alloy are developed. be done.

The electrolyte is a molten salt mixture based on alkali metal halides containing the substances to be subjected to electrolysis (salts of the basic constituents of the alloy) and various stabilizing additives. The electrolyzer is prepared for operation as follows.

A predetermined electrolytic solution 14 is heated by a heater 15 on the bottom 5 in the cathode chamber 3 (FIG. 1). Thereafter, the anode chamber 8 is mounted on the flange 7 of the cathode chamber 3. The anode chamber 8 is charged with a metal or alloy 9 to be treated. The electrolyzer is sealed with a lid 2 to which a mixing means 18 is attached. Anode feeder 1
6 and cathode feeder 17 to apply voltage to the electrolytic cell. The electrolyzer is now ready for operation. When an electric current is passed in an electrolytic process, ionization of the more electronegative components on the anode occurs. The ions produced under the action of the haze field diffuse through the bottom 11 of the anode chamber and move towards the cathode, where they are discharged and become metal. The cathode metal 4 collects at the bottom of the cathode chamber 3 and as this cathode metal accumulates, it is evacuated by gravity through the evacuation means 19. Repacking of the starting alloy into the anode is generally automatic. 87.6% Pb and 1% by weight to produce the final product on the anode.
A Pb-Bi alloy containing 2.3% Bi was processed.

This starting alloy 130k9 was processed on the anode. Yield on anode is Bi15.68k9 containing 99% base metal
Met. Power consumption is 1.0 per Pblk9. The ship's ship was Wh. In another case, the same design was used to purify bismuth. 0.75% Pb and 0.15% C by weight%
An amount of 15k9 of Bi containing u and 0.1% Ag was treated on the anode. 99.999% purity Bi13 on the anode
I got k9. Power consumption is 0.0 per Bilk9. It was a chick Wh. 1.% by weight to obtain the final product on the cathode.
An indium-based alloy 34.7k9 containing 8% Pb, 0.12% Su, 0.007% Ni, 0.003% Cu, and 0.001% Cd was processed.

The yield on the cathode is 0.08% Pb and 0.0% by weight.
0.06% Sn, 0.0002% Ni and 0.00028
ln21k9 containing % Cu and 0.0006% Cd
Met. Power consumption was 1.8 KWh per lnlkg.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram generally showing a vertical cross-sectional view of an electrolytic apparatus for producing and refining non-ferrous metals and alloys thereof according to the present invention, and FIG. FIG. 3 is a variant of the electrolytic apparatus for the production and purification of non-ferrous metals and their alloys according to the invention, in which the mixing means for mixing are fixed; FIG. 1 of the electrolytic apparatus for manufacturing and refining non-ferrous metals and their alloys of the present invention, which is equipped with a discharge means according to the present invention.
There are two variants. In the figure, 1 is an electrolytic cell, 2 is a lid, 3 is a cathode chamber, 4 is a cathode metal, 5 and 11 are bottoms, 6 and 12 are walls, 7 and 13 are flanges, 8 is an anode chamber, 9 is anode metal, 10 is an insulating member, 1
4 is an electrolytic solution, 15 is a heater, 16 and 17 are feeders, 18 is a mixing means, 19 is a discharge means, and two channels. Fence 7

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. An electrolytic cell 1 having a lid 2, and a cathode chamber 3 and an anode chamber 8 each having a liquid metal electrode inside the electrolytic cell 1.
are arranged, each of the cathode chamber and the anode chamber being bound by a bottom and a wall adjacent to the bottom along the entire circumference of the bottom. - An electrolysis device for purification, in which the side wall 12 of the anode chamber 8 is made of a solid conductive material, the bottom 11 of the anode chamber 8 is made of a porous dielectric, and the side wall 12 of the anode chamber 8 is made of a porous dielectric material. The electrolysis device is characterized in that a channel 20 connecting the cathode chamber 3 and the anode chamber 8 is provided between the side wall 12 and the insulating member 10. 2. The electrolysis device according to claim 1, wherein the cathode chamber 3 is equipped with a discharge means 19. 3. The electrolytic device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that a device 18 for stirring the anode alloy in the anode chamber 8 is fixed to the lid 2 of the electrolytic cell 1. .