US1599701A - Electrolytic apparatus - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 14,1926. T I 1,

- H. P. EWE LL ELECTROLYTIC APPARATUS Filed Oct. 19 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 a'nwmm I Ear/ 06 FEWZ Sept. 14 1926.

H. P. EWELL ELECTROLYTIC APPARATUS Filed Oct. 19 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 -Ill. L

minim] l ll nuhllll Patented Sept. lei, ii-926.

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ELECTROLYTIC APPARATUEi.

Application filed. Gotober 19, 1925. serial, No. 68,369.

This invention relates to, electrolytic apparatuses and relates particularly to apparatuses utilizing the electrolyticdecomposition of a salt in the production of an amalgam.

This application is a continuation in part of my co-pending; application, Serial Number 82 323, filed May 23, 1925.

lit is an object of the invention to. provide electrolytic apparatus having its elec- T1; trodes arranged within a tortuous channel through which a continuous flow of the electrolyte is maintained; whereby large quantitles of the electrolyte may be continuously treated within a tank of compact form.

Another object is to constantly maintain conditions most favorable to the formation an amalgam-byflowing mercury through the aforesaid channel in a direction reverse tothe flow of the electrolyte.

.13.; Still another object isto associate with electrolytic tank an auxiliary tank in communication with the electrolytic tank. and containing a novel driven. unit functioning to maintain a circulation of. the electrolyte Li-Ti through the two tanks.. and to churn the andthus-forn1 a tortuous or zigzag passage.

electrolyte in its flow through the auxiliary rul to expedite the original. dissolutionof a salt and to re-dissolve any portion of such salt that may precipitate out..

24* A further object is to conveniently. mount a multiplicity of electrodes upon a frame which adapts them to be removed as a unit from an electrolytic tank and further functions as a conductor for the current energiza ing said electrodes.

the same in front ele- 5 upon the line 83 of Fig. 1.

Fig. is a vertical cross sectional View on the line 1-4 of Fig. 1.

In theseviews thereference character 1 designates a tank; which. in. its preferred form isrectangularandof sheet. metal construction,. its-- bottom 2* being of copper or some other highly conductive; metal. Battle plates 3, rising from the bottom ofsaid tank extend alternately. from. its; opposite walls Resting; freely upon the; plates 3 in a. transverse relation thereto are spaced bars t and secured to said bars, above the latter, are a plurality of bars 5 parallel to said plates and extending centrally above the passage formed by said plates. It is preferred to form. the bars 3 and 4t of copper or some other highly conductive metal. Each bar 5 supports the upper ends of two spaced rows of spaced carbon electrodes 6, the preferred form of which is cylindrical, said electrodes depending into said tank and terminating in a suitable spaced relation to the bottom 7 designates ring-shaped clamping); brackets which are secured to the bars- 5 by rivets 8 (or other suitable means) and which individually receive said electrodes. Each of said brackets is engaged by a bolt 9 serving to normally close its ring firmly upon an electrode. Upon loosening of. any of said bolts, the rings are sufliciently e21- pansive to free the corresponding electrodes so that the latter may readily be adjusted vertically to properly regulate the spacingof their lower ends from the copper bottom 2.

To one end of the tank 1 there is attached anauxiliary tank 10 which has at one end an inlet 11 to the tank 1 and an outlet 12 from the latter at its other end. Within said auxiliary tank is mounted a driven unit combin ing the functions of an agitator for expediting dissolution of a sodium salt as-for example sodium chloride with, which said tank is replenished at suitable intervals and of a circulating the electrolyte at a suitable velocity through both tanks. This unit com prises a shaft 18 extending lengthwise through the auxiliary tank and ournaled in blind bearings 14 upon the ends of said tank. A plurality of agitator arms 15 are radially carried by said shaft and are suitably spaced both longitudinally and circumferentially of said shaft and upon an end portion of the shaft is mounted fast an impeller 16 having the nature of a paddle wheel. Said impeller is opposite to the inlet 11, and when the shaft is, driven, serves to force the electrolyte through said inlet from the tank 10 to the tank 1, thus establishing the circulation indicated by the fullline arrows: in ig. 1. Said agitator arms, churn the electrolyte thoroughly in its flow through the tank 10 and expedite dissolution of the replenished salt and rerdissolve any precipitated portion ofthe salt. It is preferred to give the bottom. 17 or; thetank; 10 a. $II1i:Cylindrical form so that the blades 15 may rotate in close proximity to said bottom and thus act more effectively upon the entire contents of said tank. It is also preferred to provide a battle plate 17 extending some distance from the wall formed with the opening 1]. so that the impeller may be more effective in pro ducing a flow through said opening.

The drive connection to the shaft 13 is established within the tank 10 thus eliminating any necessity for ext-ending said shatt through a wall oi said tank, with consequent risk of leakage. As shown, this drive connection is established by a chain 18 engaging sprocket wheels 19 and 20, the former upon the shaft 13 within said tank and the latter upon a shaft 21. projecting above said tank. Power may be applied. to the shaft 2 t. through a pulley 22 or other suitable drive element thereon.

23 designates a generator from which an anode cable at leads to the bars 5 and. 1S

electrically connected through said bars to the electrodes 6, and 25 is a cathode cable leading from the generator to the copper bottom 2 or the tank 1.. A pipe 26, opening into said tank through its bottom, leads from arotary pump 27 which is continuously driven from the shaft 21 by a chain 28. From any suitable source said pump is supplied with mercury, the intake pipe of said pumpbeing indicated. at 29.

8t) designates a discharge pipe "tor liquid sodium amalgam and tree mercury. said pipe connecting with the tank 1 through the bottom 2 in prox mity to the opening 11 into said tank and leading to any suitable point of discharge. Pre'lerably the pipe 26 discharges into the tank 1 above the normal level of the electrolyte to avoid siphoning out oi. the mercury and sodium amal n when the pump 27 is idle. and for a sin' tar purpose, a trap 34 and a vent. are providcd in the pipe 30. (See Fig. 41).

In the operation of the described apparatus, suflicient water is initially supplied to the tanks 1 and lO to insure an adequate immersion of the electrodes 6, and a suilicient amount of sodium chloride (or s01 .e other sodium salt) is lied into the tank 10 to form with such water a concentrated solution. Provision is made in any desired. manner for establishing a continuous supply of mercury to the pump 29.

A drive is now established in any suit able manner to the generator 23 and to the shaft 21. The unit 3, 5, 6 being thus driven. a circulation of the water through the two tanks is set up and the agitator 15 throws the salt intosuspension in the flowing water and effects a rapid dissolution oi": the salt. The flow of current between the electrodes 6 and the copper bottom of the tank 1 accomplishes a decomposition of the conducting portion of the solutiom and the sodium thusu eleased immediately unites with the free mercury to form liquid sodium amalgam which travels together with the tree mercury through the tortuous passage, discharging eventually with the surplus tree mercury through the pipe 30. v

The advantage of establishing opposing circulations otthe'electrolyte and the mercury lies in the fact that the electrolyte is continuously losing concentration in flowing through the tortuous passage, while the mencury increasingly takes the form of sodium amalgam in its flow through said passage. By opposing the two circulations, that portion of the flowing electrolyte which has the greatest concentration acts upon that portion of the mercury current which has the max1- mum content of sodium amalgam, and the concentration of the salt compensates more or less for the contamination of the mercury in maintaining an effective electrolytic action. Similarly the weakened portion of the electrolytic solution encounters relatively pure mercury and compensation is thus made for the weakening of the solution in its flow through the tortuous passage.

The provision for removing all of the elec trodes 6 as a unit,illustrated in dash lines in Fig. 3, facilitates inspection and cleaning of said electrodes.

The described apparatus is productive of sodium amalgam at a high rate in view of the size of the complete apparatus. Thus the apparatus is peculiarly adapted for use in locations where it is necessary to conserve space, and furthermore the cost is reduced by obtaining a maximum'output from an apparatus of given size.

By use of the described apparatus, an excess of water in the electrolyte may be avoided, and interference with the electrolytic action by crystals of the salt may be substantially eliminated.

Beneath the tank 10, there may be provided the illustrated heating chamber 35, having suitable inlet and outlet fittings 35 whereby a suitable heating medium may be flowed through said chamber.

hat I claim is:

1. In an electrolytic apparatusfa tank, means for circulating mercury through said tank, means for circulating a metallic salt. in solution through said tank, counter to the flow of the mercury, and means within said tank for electrolytically decomposing said salt.

2. In an electrolytic apparatus, a tank, battle members within said tank, projecting alternately from opposite walls thereof, and forming a tortuous passage, means for circulating mercury through said passage, means for circulating a metallic salt in solution through said passage counter to the flow of mercury, and means within said tank for electrolytically decomposing said salt.

3. In an electrolytic apparatus, a tank, baifle members Within said tank, projecting alternately from opposite Walls thereof, and forming a tortuous passage, means for circulating mercury through said passage, means for forming a. metallic salt solution and circulating said solution through said passage, and means Within said tank for electrolytically decomposing said salt.

4. In an electrolytic apparatus, a tank, means for circulating mercury Within said tank, and means for forming a metallic salt solution, and means for circulating said solution through said tank, counter to the flow of mercury.

5. In an electrolytic apparatus, a tank, means for circulating mercury Within said tank, means for forming a metallic salt solution, and for circulating said solution Within the tank, and means for maintaining automatically a relatively constant density of said solution.

6. in an electrolytic apparatus, an electrolytic tank, electrodes operativcly disposed. in said tank, an auxiliary tank having a spaced inlet and an outlet in communication with said electrolytic tank. an agitator in said auxiliary tank, a propeller in said auxiliary tank and a common drive means for said agitator and propeller.

7. ln an electrolytic apparatus, an electrolytic tank, a plurality of electrodes operatively disposed in said tank, an auxiliary.

tank having a spaced inlet to and an outlet from the electrolytic tank, shaft mounted in the auxiliary tank, a propeller upon said shaft disposed oppositely to the said inlet, an agitator upon said shaft, and drive means for said shaft.

8, All electrolytic apparatus comprising a tank, a plurality of electrodes depending into said tank, the bottom of the tank forming a co-acting electrode, and a frame carrying said depending electrodes and forming a conductor leading to said electrodes, said frame v respect to said frame to vary their relation 7 to the tank bottom.

10. In an electrolytic apparatus, a tank for receiidng the salt solution, battle members Within said tank projecting alternately from opposite Walls thereof and forming tortuous passage, means for circulating mercury through said passage, and means carried by the tank Within said passage for electrolytically decomposing said salt.

11. in an electrolytic apparatus, a tank adapted to contain a quantity of mercury in its bottom portion, baffle members Within said tank projecting alternately from opposite Walls thereof and forming a tortuous passage, means for forming a metallic salt solution and circulating said solution through said passage, and means carried by said tank Within said passage for electrolytically decomposing said salt.

12. In an electrolytic apparatus, an electrolytic tank, an auxiliary tank for receiving a salt solution, having a spaced inlet and an outlet in communication with said electrolytic tank, means Within said auxiliary tank for effecting the circulation of a salt solution in said tank through the electrolytic tank by Way of said. inlet and outlet, means Within the electrolytic tank for accomplishing electrolysis of said salt solution, and means for heating said auxiliary tank.

In testimony whereof I sign this application.

HERBERT rfEWnLL.

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