US1879842A

US1879842A - Electrolytic cell and in anodes used in such cells

Info

Publication number: US1879842A
Application number: US518234A
Authority: US
Inventors: Conradty Ottmar
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1930-07-23
Filing date: 1931-02-25
Publication date: 1932-09-27
Anticipated expiration: 1949-09-27
Also published as: FR711024A; GB362755A

Description

ELECTROLYTIC CELL AND IN ANODES USED IN SUCH CELLS Sept. 27, 1932. o. CONRADTY Filed Feb. 25, -1951 I H r ,2 p

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Patented Sept. 27, 1932 UNITED STATES OTTMAR CONRADTY, F NUREMIBERG, GERMANY ELECTROLYTIC CELL AND IN ANODES USED IN SUCH CELLS Application filed February 25, 1931, Serial No. 518,234, and in Germany' July 23, 1930.

My invention relates to improvements in electrolytic cells and in anodes used in such cells. In electrolytic processes now in use the diaphragm and the cathode are rapidly destroyed by acid action thereon, and particularly such diaphragms are subject to injury which are made from asbestos, asbestos paper and the like. Particularly those parts of the diaphragm and the cathode are subject to injury by acid action where the surface of the cathode has no anode surface cipposite thereto, and where therefore there is no direct transmission of ions and no formation of lye. Experiments have shown that in vertical electrodes the diaphragm is injured more rapidly than in cells having horizontal electrodes. The alkali hydroxide formed on the cathode sinks by reason of its high specific gravity, and therefore in the upper parts of the cell the cathode is protected by the hydroxide being formed at such parts only which are opposed to an anode surface, while between the anodes, where there is not transmission of ions, there are zones which are poor in lye and which therefore are subject to acid action. The diaphragm and the cathode are destroyed, and the cell must be thrown out of operation.

' The object of the improvements is to provide an electrolytic cell and an anode in which this objection is obviated, and with this object in view my invention consists in constructing the adjacent sections of the anode so that the whole surface of the cathode, or at least the top parts'thereof are opposed by anode surfaces, so that there is a transmission of ions from ,the anode to all the parts of the cathode. With this object in view,my invention consists in constructing the anodes 40 so that the adjacent surfaces of' adjacent anodes cover each other, at least at their top parts, transversely of the cathode.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention the sections of the anode are rhomboid or trapezoidal in cross-section and arranged relatively t0,each other so that the adjacent sides of thesections are substantially parallel to each other and at acute angles to the surface of the cathode.

For the purpose of explaining the invention several examples embodying the same have been shown in the accompanying drawing in which the same reference characters have been used in all the views to indicate corresponding parts. In said drawing,

Fig. 1 is'a diagrammatical sectional elevation showing the electrolytic cell,

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatical sectional elevation taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a diagrammaticalsectional plan View taken on the'line 3--3 of Fig. 1 and showing the construction of the anode now in use,

Figs. 4 and 5 are similar sectional plan views showing my improvedanodes,

Fig. 6 is a detail plan view on an enlarged' scale showin a portion. of the electrode illustrated in ig. 3, and

Fig. 7 is a similar plan view showing a portion of the electrodes shown in Figs. 1 7 and 5. I

In Fig. 1, I'have illustrated an electrolytic cell having vertical electrodes, the said cell comprising an anode a made for example from graphite, a diaphragm b and a cathode 0. As is shown in Fig.3 the anode a comprises several sections which are spaced from each other. In the cell certain parts of the diaphragm are subject to injury by acid action, and the said parts have been illustrated in Fig. 1 by the letter d. The alkali hydroxide which is formed-at the top parts (i sinks to the bottom, and therefore only such parts of the surface of the diaphragm and the cathode are protected where hydroxide is being formed, while the lower portions of the diaphragm and the cathode are protected by the hydroxide spreading on the surface thereof. In the'construction shown in Fig. 3 the spaced sectional electrodes (1 are rectanis subject at such parts to injury by acid action. In Fig. 2 the said portions of the diaphragm have been indicated by the letters In Fig. 4 I have shown the new construction of the anode a As is shown in the said figure the sectional anodes cover each other at their spaces, the sectional anodes a being rhomboid in cross-section and the spaces between the same being disposed angularly of the diaphragm. By thus constructing the sectional anodes the total surface thereof is enlarged, and on the whole surface of the cathode'migration of ions and formation of the hydroxide taker place, so that also the upper part of the cell is not injured by acid action on the diaphragm and the cathode caused by the hydroxide sinking to the bottom. Thus the operation is made more reliable. Further the active surface, of the anode is reduced in aless degree by wear because the spaces between the anodes are increased by'we'ar in a less degree as is shown in Figs. 6 and 7 In Fig. 6 the original distance between the electrodes is e and after wear the said space is increased to 6". In'a similar way the distance is increased in Fig. 7 from c to e. But the sectional electrodes still cover each other in transverse direction, even if the wear proceeds very far, so that the active surface of the anode is not changed.

Thereby also thedensity of the current remains constant for a comparatively long time, which is of high practical importance,

because the more uniform the density of the current is the longer is the life of the graphite anode. Further by providing a uniform and large anode surface the tension of the bath may be reduced, -while is desirable in view of the reduced consumption of current.

In Fig. 5 I have shown a modification in which the sections a of the anodes are trapezoidal in cross-section.

I claim:

1. An electrolytic cell, comprising spaced anodes, a diaphragm, and a cathode in position for cooperating with said anodes, the anodes covering one another transversely of the cathode, and presenting thereto a subtion for cooperatlng with said anodes, the.

adjacent spaced surfaces of the anodes being disposed at acute angles relatively to the cathode and so as to cover one another transversely of the cathode, and presenting thereto a substantially unbroken surface, spaced substantially uniformly from the cathode.

3. An electrolytic cell, comprising spaced anodes rhomboid in section, a diaphragm, and a cathode in position for cooperating with said anodes, the anodes covering each other transversely of the cathode, and presenting thereto a substantially unbroken surface, spaced substantially uniformly from the cathode.

4. An electrolytic cell, comprising spaced anodes trapezoidal in section, a diaphragm, and a cathode in position for cooperating with said anodes, the anodes covering each other transversely of the cathode, and presenting thereto a substantially unbroken surface, spaced substantially uniformly from the cathode.

5. An electrolytic cell, comprising spaced vertical anodes, a diaphragm, and a cathode in position for cooperating with said anodes, the anodes covering one another at their top parts transversely of the cathode, and pre-.v senting thereto a substantially unbroken surface, spaced substantially uniformly from the cathode. Y

6. An electrolytic cell, comprising spaced vertical anodes, a. diaphragm, and a cathode in position for cooperating with said anodes, the adjacent spaced surfaces of the anodes being disposed at their top parts at acute angles relatively to the cathode and so as to cover one another transversely of the cathode,

and presenting thereto a substantially unbroken surface, spaced substantially uniforml from the cathode.

7. n electrolytic cell, comprising spaced 'vertical anodes rhomboid in section, a diaphragm, and a cathode in position for cooper ating with said anode, the anodes covering each other transversely of the cathode, and

;presenting thereto a substantially unbroken surface, spaced substantially uniformly from the cathode.

8. An electrolytic cell, comprising spaced vertical anodes trapezoidal in section, a diaphragm, and a cathode in position for cooperating with said anode, the anodes covering each other transversely of the cathode, and presenting thereto a substantially unbroken surface, spaced substantially uniformly from the cathode.,

9. An anode for electrolytic cells for the composition of aqueous alkaline solutions composed of sections which are trapezoidal in cross-section.

10. An anode for electrolytic cells for the decomposition of aqueous alkaline solutions, composed of sections which are rhomboidal in section.

11. An electrolytic cell comprising spaced anodes, a diaphragm and a cathode in position for cooperating with said anodes, current being delivered, during the operation of the cell, to all parts of the cathode, the anodes covering each other transversely of the cathode, and presenting thereto a substantiall unbroken surface, spaced substantially un formly from the cathode.

12. An electrolytic cell comgrising spaced anodes formed of graphite, a a cathode in position for cooperatin' with said anodes, current being, dehvered, bring the operation of the cell, to all parts of the cathode, the anodes covering each other transversely of the cathode, and presenting thereto a substantially unbroken surface, spaced subi stantially uniformly from the cathode.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature. OTTMAR CONRADTY.

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