US2307531A - Electric discharge apparatus - Google Patents

Description

Jan. s, 1943.

Inventor* Lysle W Mortn, bg J His Attorney.

Patented Jan. 5, 1943 @FECE- i ELECTRIC DISCHARGE APPARATUS Lysle W. Morton, Schenectady, N. Y., assigner to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York My invention relates to electric discharge apparatus, and more particularly to an improved exhaust and liquid return system 4for a plurality of electric discharge devices each .employing a liquid electrode.

There has been a marked trend towards the use of electric discharge devices of the type comprising a, single anode and a liquid cathode mounted within a single container. t is readily appreciated that with the increased number of containers employed in installations utilizing devices of the above type it is desirable to employ a single exhaust system for a plurality oi discharge devices. However, simply connecting the units to a common exhaust header has had some disadvantages from an operating standpoint. For example, in some cases there is a tendency for more of the liquid, forming the cathodes, to collect in one of these devices than in the others so that satisfactory operation of all the units is not obtained. In accordance with the teachings of my invention I provide an improved system in which aplurality of electric discharge devices are maintained exhausted and the cathodes are maintained at a uniform level by a, simple and inexpensive exhaust and liquid return system. l

It is an object ofmy invention to providevnew and improved electric discharge apparatus.

3 It is `another, object of my invention to provide an improved exhaust and mercury return system for a plurality'o'f electric discharge devices.

It is still another` object of my invention to provide an improved systemembodying a plurality of electric discharge devices having a common exhaust system which insures a uniform level of the liquid electrodes employed in the discharge devices.

In accordance with the illustrated embodiment of my invention a plurality o f electric discharge devices, each comprising aV vessel within which are mounted an anode and a mercury pool type cathode, are interconnected by a ccnduit system communicating with each of the vessels below the level of the liquid cathodes and by a second conduit system communicating with each of the vessels preferably near the upper ends thereof. The second conduit system is connected to the low pressure side of a mercury condensation pump which is provided with a liquid return for returning condensed mercury to the last mentioned conduit system. The high pressure side of the mercury condensation pump is connected through a vacuum tight valve and receiver tank to the low pressure side of a second pump of any-desired type which maintains alow My invention will be better understood by reference to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing and its scope will be pointed out in the appended claims. In the drawing, Figs. l, 2 and 3 are respectively a front elevational view, a plan view and an end elevational view of one embodiment of my invention.

Referring to the drawing, I have shown my invention applied to a system for exhausting the vesselsand maintaining the levelof the cathodes `of a system comprising electric discharge dej vide a conduit rsystem communicating with each vices lil to i5, inclusive.V As illustrated, each of the discharge devices is of the type comprising a vessel which may be in the form of a metal container and within which are mounted the electrodes of thedevice. As illustrated in Fig. 3, each device includes an anode i6 and a cathode H comprising a pool of conductive liquid such as mercury.A Av suitable .starting electrode (not shown) is mounted in insulated relation with respect to the container of the device by means of suitable electrode support and seal I8. 'Ihe devices l@ to I5, inclusive, are mounted on a suitable supporting frame iS made up of la plurality yof channel irons. yThe containers of the devices lu to l5 lare, supported on the frame I9 by suitable metal feet 2G which are secured to the containers and to the channel iron framework. In devices of this character the containers are usually at' the potential of the cathodes, and as illustratedl in the drawing, a cathode bus 2| is connected with the cathodes by conducting bars 22 which interconnect the containers and the cathode bus. The external electrical connections with the anode I6 are made with the anode studs 23 which extend through and are supported in insulated relation with respect to a sleeve 24 o-n the cover of the container.

In order that all of the vessels may be kept exhausted by `a single evacuating system'I proof the vessels above the level of the liquid cathcdes and preferably communicating with the vessels near the tops thereof. As illustrated, the conduit system comprises a manifold 25 and a plurality of individual conduits 26 each cornmunicating at one end with the manifold and at the other end with the interior of the oontainer of one of the electric discharge devices. A mercury condensationpump illustrated generally by the numeral 2 provides means for evacuating the manifold 25. The low pressure side of the pump is connected with the manifold 25 through a conduit 28. The upper portion of the mercury condensation pump 21 is preferably water-jacketed and supplied with a cooling liquid, such as water, through suitable pipe connections 29. The lower portion 30 of the pump provides a liquid receiver for condensed mercury which is returned to the manifold when it rises above a predetermined level by the conduit 3|. The high pressure side of the mercury condensation pump discharges into a receiver tank 32 through a conduit 33 including a vacuum tight valve 34. The receiver tank 32 is maintained at a relatively low pressure compared with atmospheric by means of a pump 35 which has the intakey line 36 thereof communicating with the interior-of the receiver tank. The pump 35may be of any suitable type which will maintain a rough vacuum to relieve the load on the mercury condensation pump which maintains a good vacuum. The pump 35 exhausts to the atmosphere through an exhaust port (not shown).

The vessels or containers of all the discharge devices lil to I5 are also connected together beloW the level of the mercury surface of the cathodes thereof by a conduit system. As illustrated, this conduit system comprises a header or manifold 3l and a plurality of connecting conduits 38 each having one end communicating with the header 31 and at the other end With a centrally located Well 39`formed in the bottom of each of the containers of devices Ill to I5. It is apparent that this conduit system will maintain the liquid level in all of the containers equal.

t is believed that'the operation of the system described above Will be readily understood. The pump 35 and the mercury condensation pump 21 operate toA maintain the vesselsevacuated. In the process of evacuationv some mercury vapor is drawn from the vessels of the discharge devices ID to l5. This mercury is condensed in a portion of the pump and returned to the manifold 25 by the conduit 3l. iVith this return connection the mercury may drip back into any one of the discharge devices. However, the conduit system communicating with each of the Vessels below the level of the mercury maintains the distribution of cathode liquid among the various discharge devices. It is apparent that if the mercury condensation pump Were mounted at a lower level the exhaust manifold. This simplifies and reduces the cost of the equipment.

While I have described what I at present consider the preferred embodiment of my invention, it Will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes and modiiications may be made Without departing from my invention, and I, therefore, aim in the appended claims to cover all such changes and modifications as fall Within the true spirit and scope of my invention,

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In combination, a plurality of electric discharge devices each comprising a container and a pair of principal electrodes positioned in the container, one of said electrodes comprising a body of conducting liquid, a conduit system communicating with each of said containers below the normal level of the liquid electrode therein, a second conduit system communicating With each of saidj containers above the level of said' liquid electrodes, pumping means having a connection communicating with said last mentioned conduit system for exhausting said containers, and means for returning to said containers cen-ducting. liquid removed from said containers by said pumping. means, said iirst mentioned conduit system serving to maintain uniform level of the liquid electrodes in all of said discharge devices.

2. In combination, a plurality of electric. discharge devices each comprising a container and a plurality of principal electrodes. one of Which is. a body of mercury, means for mounting said containers so that the normal level of the mercury electrode is the same in all of said containers, a conduit system communicating with each of said containers near the upper end thereof, pumping means. connected with saidV conduit system for maintaining the interior of said containers at alow pressure, means for returning toY said containers mercury that is withdrawn therefrom by the operation of said pumping means, and means p for maintaining the surface of all of said mercury municating with each of said containers above the normal level of the liquid electrodes, pumping means connected with said conduit system for evacuating said discharge devices, means associated with said pumping means forl returning conducting liquid which is removed from said containers by operation of said pumping means

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