RU2081946C1 - Device for interrupting electrolyte jet - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: electrolytic processes and equipment. SUBSTANCE: device contains vertical casing separated with partitions along its height into separate chambers electrically insulated from each other and interconnected through bellows joint made in the form of vertical tube passed through partitions and having a bell mounted on its top in spaced relation to it. Bellows joint may contain additional tube installed e.g. coaxially in the main one. Bellows joint may as well have several additional tubes passed through partitions either being under a common bell together with main tube or each being covered with its own bell. In the last case, tubes may be positioned on different levels. It is also possible bellows joint to have a solid rod inside the main tube. EFFECT: simplified structure of device and widened range of permissible electrolyte intake. 8 cl, 4 dwg

Description

 The invention relates to the design of electrolyzers for refining metals by electrolysis of solutions.

 The preferred field of application of the invention: input and output of electrolyte from electrolysis baths in the processes of electrolytic refining of metallic copper and nickel.

Known devices designed to interrupt the jet of electrolyte, which by design features can be divided into three groups. The first group includes mechanical devices containing a flip element (trough, bucket, etc.), controlled by a float or acting as a generator of mechanical vibrations [1,4] The second group of devices has a mechanical barrier in the path of the vertical electrolyte flow, dividing the flow into individual drops, for example, a cone with longitudinal grooves [2] or a disk with holes having conical ring-shaped protrusions [3] on the lower side around the perimeter and around each hole. A feature of the third group of devices is I Corps, divided by height into separate chambers. The transfer of electrolyte from one chamber to another is carried out in separate portions as a result of siphon overflow devices [5]
The first group of devices contains movable elements (float and cross over elements), the presence of which reduces the reliability of the device and increases the complexity of its design, and isolated containers increase the overall dimensions of the entire device.

 Due to the large evaporation surface, the second group of devices increases the humidity and content of harmful aerosols in the atmosphere of industrial premises.

 Of all the considered analogues, a device for interrupting an electrolyte stream [4] was adopted as a prototype. in terms of technical nature and the achieved effect, it is closest to the proposed one.

The device for interrupting the electrolyte stream contains a vertical housing divided by height partitions into separate chambers electrically isolated from each other, interconnected by means of a siphon device in the form of a pipe [5]
The above device has the following disadvantages:
a small range of changes in the flow rate of the electrolyte, in which the device remains operational;
low electrolyte performance;
design complexity.

 This invention solves the following problems expanding the operating range of changes in electrolyte consumption and simplifying the design of the device.

 This object is achieved by the fact that in the device for interrupting the electrolyte stream containing a vertical casing, divided by height partitions into separate chambers electrically isolated from each other, interconnected by means of a siphon device in the form of a pipe, the siphon device has a cap with slots in the lower part, mounted above the pipe with a gap between its upper end and the cap, also in the implementation of the siphon device with at least one additional pipe placed inside main pipe; in the implementation of the siphon device with several additional pipes passing through the partition under a common cap; in the implementation of the siphon device with a solid rod placed inside the main pipe; in the installation of an additional pipe coaxially in the main pipe; in the formation of slots of the cap by means of its placement with a gap relative to the partition; in the implementation of the siphon device with several additional pipes passing through the partition, covered with separate caps; the location of the upper ends of the pipes passing through the partition at different levels.

 Fig. 1 shows a general view of the device; Fig. 2 to 4 show embodiments of a siphon device.

 The device for interrupting the electrolyte stream contains a vertical housing 1, divided by means of partitions 5 and 10 into chambers, interconnected by a bellows device in the form of pipes 3 and 8 with caps 2 and 7 mounted on them, having 4 and 9 slots in their lower part. Caps are installed with a gap between the upper end of the pipes and the cap itself. Under each partition there is an opening 6 in the housing for venting air into the atmosphere.

 The siphon device may have several pipes passing through the partition, covered with both a common cap and each pipe with a separate cap. The slots of the cap can be formed by the arrangement of the cap with a gap relative to the partition.

 In the siphon device, the upper ends of the pipes can be located at different levels.

 The siphon device may have an additional pipe 11 installed inside the main pipe. Additional pipe 11 is installed in the main coaxial.

 The siphon device may have a solid rod installed in the main pipe (not shown in the drawing).

 The device operates as follows.

 A continuous stream of electrolyte enters the upper chamber above the partition 5. As the chamber is filled, the electrolyte level increases both in the chamber and inside the cap 2. In the inner space of the cap 2, the electrolyte enters through the window 4 in its lower part. As soon as the electrolyte level reaches the upper end of the pipe 3, the electrolyte will begin to overflow into the lower chamber above the baffle 10, and a siphon is formed in the cap system 2 of the cell pipe 3. The capacity of the siphon device is greater than the continuous flow of electrolyte entering the upper chamber, therefore, after a certain time, the upper chamber will be emptied, since the siphon operates under a pressure drop determined by the height of the pipe 3. As soon as a portion of the electrolyte from the upper chamber (above partition 5) arrives in the lower chamber (above the partition 10), the electrolyte from it begins to flow into the pipe 8. The pipe 8 and the cap 7 also form a siphon, so after a certain time and the lower chamber will be emptied and the flow of electricity The control of the device will stop. Thus, a continuous stream of electrolyte entering the input of the device is broken twice. According to the flow rate, the electrolyte flows at the outlet of pipes 3 and 8 are in antiphase, therefore, there is a constant gap of the stream between the input and output of the device.

 Using a different number of pipes passing through the partition, the presence or absence of additional pipes or a rod inside the main pipes coaxially installed allows you to change the internal section of the siphon device. With these options, it is possible to control the rate of flow of fluid (electrolyte) from one electrically isolated chamber to another while maintaining the operability of the device.

 The use of this invention allows to simplify the design of the device and to expand the range of electrolyte flow rate at which the device remains operational, which expands its application. When using the device, for example, to break the stream of electrolyte entering and / or leaving the bath for electrolytic refining of metals, the leakage currents are reduced and the service safety of the baths is increased.

Claims (8)

 1. Device for interrupting an electrolyte stream, comprising a vertical casing, divided by height partitions into separate, electrically isolated chambers connected to each other by means of a siphon device in the form of a pipe passing through a partition, characterized in that each siphon device has a cap with slots in the lower part, mounted above the pipe with a gap between the upper end and the cap.  2. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the siphon device has at least one additional pipe placed inside the main pipe.  3. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the siphon device is made with several additional pipes passing through the partition under a common cap.  4. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that each siphon device has a solid rod placed inside the main pipe.  5. The device according to p. 1, characterized in that the slots of the cap are formed by placing it with a gap relative to the partition.  6. The device according to p. 2, characterized in that the additional pipe in the main pipe is installed coaxially.  7. The device according to p. 1, characterized in that the siphon device is made with additional pipes passing through the partition, covered with separate caps.  8. The device according to claim 7, characterized in that the upper ends of the pipes passing through the partition are located at different levels.

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