US2016808A - Electric current rectifier - Google Patents

Description

(kit, 8, 1935. 0. sm-z ELECTRIC CURRENT RECTIFIER Filed Oct. 29, 1929 Patented Dot. 8, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ELECTRIC CURRENT RECTIFIER zerland Application October 29, 1929, Serial No. 403,280

In Germany November 8, 1928 4 Claims. (01. 250-215) This invention relates to improvements in electric current rectifiers of the metallic vapor type and, more particularly, to the construction about the inlets through the top plate of such rectifiers adapted to receive the anodes thereof.

Heretofore, it has been considered necessary to separate the operative space about the anodes of an electric power rectifier from the inoperative space as completely as possible by sealing the are guides against the insulators surrounding the anode conductor. Such sealing or closure, however, requires a complicated construction in order to equalize the action of the heat on the various portions and various materials and the insulator for the anode supply conductor is likewise complicated thereby. It hasusually been considered necessary to interpose a packing of heat-resistive material between the anode proper and the lower surface of the insulator for the purpose of obtaining uniform contact between the two portions and of sealing the operative space against the exterior inoperative space. Such packing was necessarily compressed with considerable force between the anode and the insulator so that, due to such pressure the insulator was severely stressed mechanically in addition to the thermal stresses produced by the temperatures encountered within such rec- It is, accordingly, among the objects of the present invention to provide an anode inlet structure for electric power rectifiers in which a closure of the operative space from the inoperative space of the rectifier will be unnecessary.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an anode inlet structure in which the operative portion about the anode of an electric power rectifier will be indirectly connected with the inoperative portion thereof.

A further object of the invention is to provide for an indirect connection between the operative space about the anodes of a metallic arc rectifier with the inoperative space in such manner that a constant upward flow of metallic fluid is maintained in the operative space and that it will be impossible for condensed metallic fluid, dropping from the upper portions of the connection structure, to contact with the anode or with the enclosure thereabout.

Objects and advantages, other than those above set forth, will be apparent from the following description and the drawing in which,

Figure 1 is a partial cross sectional view of an electric power rectifier showing an embodiment of the improved inlet structure for an anode.

Fig. 2 is a modified form of the embodiment shown in Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a further modification of the embodiment shown in Fig. 1, s

Fig. 4 is an embodiment, shown partially in sec- 5 tion, of an anode inlet for a metallic vapor rectifier in which the enclosure surrounding the anode is insulated from the rectifier structure, and

Fig. 5 is a partial cross-sectional view similar to those previously described, but showing a modi- 10 fled form of the embodiment shown in Fig. 4.

Referring more particularly to the drawing by characters of reference, the reference numeral 6 indicates a portion of the usual top or cover member for an electric power rectifier of the metallic 15 vapor type. The top portion 6 is usually pierced by a plurality of apertures through which anodes l are arranged to extend. The anodes l are retained in a flanged closure member 8 which is supported in insulated relation from the top 0 by 20 an insulating member 9. The joints between the closure member 8 and the insulating member 3 and between the insulating member 9 and the top 6 are sealed by sealing rings I 0, l l which may be of any suitable construction but are preferably formed of heat-resistive material.

7 Each of the anodes I is enclosed by an arc guide I3. In the embodiment shown in Fig. 1, the arc guide I3 is maintained in position and connected with the top plate 6 by means of an intermediate 30 member H5 in the form of a flanged cylinder having a substantially conical inwardly extending flange H. The connection member 16 is also provided with a plurality of apertures 18 through the circumferential portion thereof for a purpose which will appear hereinafter. A shield or deflecting member having a sleeve portion i9 is fitted about the upper portion of the anode in contact with the closure member 8, the deflector member being at the bottom portion thereof in the form of an outwardly extending cone 20 having its truncated apex portion connected with the sleeve l9. During operation of the rectifier, a continuous current of metallic fluid flows through the arc guide l3 in an upwardly direction and discharges into the inoperative spaces of the rectifier through apertures It. Any of the metallic vapor condensed in the upper portions of the structure will drop on the conical flange 20 and the conical flange l1 and will be discharged through the apertures l8 from which the condensed material will return to its sources.

The embodiment shown in Fig. 2 is similar to that above described with the exception that the connection member I6 is formed with a plurality of inwardly extending conical flanges l'l arranged one above the other and a plurality of discharge apertures or ports l8. The sleeve portion l9 likewise diifers from that above described relative to Fig. 1 in that a plurality of conical flanges 2B are provided thereon. The several conical flanges ll of the connection member and the several conical flanges 20 are arranged in an interleaved relation so that a type of labyrinth gland is formed which entirely precludes the possibility of condensed metallic vapor falling or dropping upon the anode 1 or upon the interior surfaces of the arc guide l3.

Fig. 3 shows an embodiment similar to that shown in Fig. 1, with the difference, however, that the sleeve I9 is arranged to enclose an annular space about the upper portion of the anode itself and the discharge ports l8 are each provided with a discharge spout 2i for the purpose of conducting the condensed metallic materialfarther beyond the exterior surface of the arc guide than was possible in the embodiments previously described, thereby safe-guarding against the contacting of condensed metallic material with the exterior surfaces of the are guides.

It may be desirable to form the member intermediate the arc guide l3 and the top 6 of insulating material rather than of conductive material, in which case the structure will assume the form shown in Fig. 4. The substitution of an insulating shield for the metallic shield I9, 20 may also be desirable, in which case the insulating shield is formed as an insulating sleeve 22, having an outwardly extending conical flange 23 arranged above the inwardly extending flange l'ia of the connection member. The connection member may likewise be provided with a conical flange 24 formed below ports l.8a therethrough, exteriorly of the connection member, for the purpose of discharging the metallic condensate collected on the flange Ila at a point away from the exterior surface of the are guides, to prevent the formation of so-called cathode spots thereon which would permit back-firing in the rectifier.

Although but a few embodiments of this inven tion have been illustrated and described, it will be understood that various other embodiments are possible and that various changes may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

The invention claimed is:

1. In metallic vapor current-rectifying apparatus, an anode, a structure disposed about said anode for receiving the vapor particles and permitting free flow of the same about and in contacting relation with said anode, and means disposed within said structure and above said anode for receiving the vapor particles after the same have passed beyond said anode, said means being shaped and disposed to conduct the received vapor and any condensate thereof laterally outwardly from said anode and to discharge such Vapor and condensate exteriorly of said structure.

2. In metallic vapor current-rectifying apparatus, an anode, structure disposed about said anode for receiving the vapor particles and permitting of free flow of the same about and in contacting relation with said anode, and means disposed between said' anode and said structure forming a free and unobstructed passage for flow of vapor particles thereinto after the same have passed beyond said anode, the said means providing a trap for condensate of the vapor formed therein and having a passage for discharging such condensate laterally outwardly from said anode exteriorly of said structure.

3. In metallic vapor current-rectifying apparatus, an anode, a structure disposed about said anode for receiving the vapor particles and permitting free flow of the same about and in contacting relation with said anode, said structure provided with a discharge opening permitting free and unobstructed flow of said vapor therefrom after passage beyond said anode, and means for receiving said vapor comprising complementary members extending laterally outwardly from said opening and inwardly from said structure and forming a tortuous path for conducting such vapor and any condensate thereof therethrough for discharge exteriorly of said structure.

4. In an electric power rectifier of the metallic fluid type having a metallic tank, anodes extending through apertures through the tank, means supporting said anodes and sealing the apertures, are guides surrounding said anodes and formed to produce an upward flow of metallic fluid therethrough, said guides having a plurality of apertures to form escape ports for fluid condensed therein, means for preventing the return of condensed fluid through the are guides and having a portion thereof so formed as to cause condensed fluid to be discharged through said ports beyond the outer surfaces of said guides.

OSKAR SEITZ.

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