US2331402A

US2331402A - Method for obtaining chlorine

Info

Publication number: US2331402A
Application number: US306522A
Authority: US
Inventors: William C Leete
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1939-11-28
Filing date: 1939-11-28
Publication date: 1943-10-12
Anticipated expiration: 1960-10-12

Description

- Oct. 12, 1943. w. c. LEETE 2,331,402

w, METHOD 0F OBTAINING cHLoRINB Filed Nov. 28, 1939 ft-gz INVENTOR H//LL/AM C. .5575 BY cva. 7'

ATTO NEYS Patented Oct. 12, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 5 Claims.

This invention relates to a method for obtaining chlorine from an aqueous solu common salts, sucl'i as sodium chloride, calcium cli ori An object of the invention is to provide a method for this purpose, which may be carried out by the employment of apparatus of simple, relatively cheap, construction, and which may be of portable character so as to be easily transported from place to place for functioning as a chlorinating apparatus. In this manner it may be used for treating contaminated water supplies, flooded areas, Washing water for dairies, etc.

The principle underlying the present process is derived from the fact that a solution of chloride salt when suspended in air in a highly divided will upon passing through the state, as in a qdisgtive spar of a high tension electrical disc arg become decom o 'ssociate or liberatinthe chlorine therefrom as The chlorine t used directly for chlorinating purposes or led into containers for storage,

Referring to the drawing, which show a. preferred arrangement of the apparatus,

Fig. 1 is a view of the entire apparatus in somewhat diagrammatic form so as to display all parts of the apparatus clearly; and

Fig, 2 is a detailed and somewhat enlarged view, and in section, of the electric discharge device.

Referring to the drawing in detail; I indicates a supporting frame upon which all parts of the apparatus may be suitably mounted. On a lower partition 2 of this frame is mounted a power unit which may be an electric motor 3. an air receiver tank 4, and an electrical transformer 5 from which the high tension current is obtained for the electrical discharge device hereinafter described. In the embodiment shown the primary current for the transformer 5 and the current gior operating the motor 3, is obtainedfromany Isuitable outside source. For situations where such c'minb'tavailable the apparatus may comprise an internal combustion engine power unit and magneto or other suitable appurtenances for generating the high tension current for the electric discharge device.

Mounted on the upper shelf 6 of the supporting frame is a suitable air compressor l, atomizing tank 3 closed on all sides except for the pipe connections thereto as Shown, and an electric discharge device 9. A belt I with pulleys II and I2 serve as driving connections between motor 3 and air compressor 1.

An air conducting pipe I3 leads from the air compressor 'I to one end of the air receiver tank 4 as shown. This tank will also be suitably provided with an air pressure indicator thereon as at I 4, the pressure therein during operation being normally maintained within the range of 5 to 10 pounds above atmosphere. The atomizing chamber 8 has screwed into its top wall a four-branch pipe-fitting I5 and also screwed into its bottom wall a four-branch pipe-fitting I6. A gauge glass tube I'I is provided to show the level of liquid within the atomizing chamber 8 and the upper branch I8 of said gauge glass tube is connected to the left side of the pipe-fitting I5 and the lower branch I9 of said gauge glass tube is connected to the left side of the pipe-fitting 6. A filling cap is provided on the upper branch I8 whereby liquid may be introduced therethrough and into said atomizing chamber 8.

The upper end of the pipe-fitting I5 is closed by a plug 2l through which two holes are bored, one to receive a relatively small diameter air tube 22 and the other to receive a similarly smallsized liquid tube 23, said tubes 22 and 23 being extended down through the pipe-fitting I5 in spaced relation from the sides thereof and joined together in an atomizing nozzle 24 at the lower end thereof. As shown, the atomizing nozzle 24 is positioned in the upper part of the chamber 8 so as to be above the level of liquid contained therein, said level being indicated by dotted line 42. An air conducting pipe 25 leads from one end of the air chamber 4 upwardly for connection with said atomizing air pipe 22. A safety air valve 26 is connected in said pipe 25 and is preferably adjusted to release air therefrom at about fteen pounds pressure. The right hand side of the lower pipe-fitting I6 connects with a liquid conducting pipe 21 which leads through a sediment collecting chamber or cleaner 29 and upwardly for connection with the liquid conducting atomizing pipe 23. A drain valve 28 is provided in the lower part of said pipe 21, to drain liquid from the system when desired. The right hand side of the upper pipe-fitting I5 is connected to a mist conducting pipe 30 which leads into the electric discharge device 9.

As shown in Fig. 2, the casing for the electric discharge device 9 has upper and lower vertical openings 3| and 32 and right and left side horizontal openings 33 and 34. In said horizontal openings 33 and 34 are mounted spark plugs 35 and 3B, each having a single electrode 31 and 38 respectively which are suitably insulated and spaced apart to provide a spark gap across which a flaming electrical discharge is created by the high tension current of the transformer 5. The high tension current wires from the transformer to the separated electrodes 31 and 38 are indicated at 42 and 43. for said high tension current is 10,000 volts. The upper opening 3l of the casing 9 is closed by a bushing 39 through which extends the aforesaid pipe 30 and the lower end of said pipe 30 is preferably flattened into elongated shape with its longer axis parallel to that of the electrodes 31 and 3B. In this manner themist of salt solutiQn is. blown across the disruptivelsparkoithe electrcaldischarge with a maximum of contact therebetween.

The lower-opening 32 of said electrical discharge device 5 is connected with a T-pipe-iitting 40 mounted on the upper shelf 6 of the supporting frame l. The lower branch of said pipefitting 40 serves as collegtipg chamber for the solid residues which result fr'maic'eltrical ewchlorinvgas' which is liberated byt'-lctrical discharge passes out the lateral branch 4| of said pipe-fitting 40, to which may be connected any suitable dispensing hose for leading the chlorine gas to storage containers or for use in chlorinating.

The operation of the apparatus is as follows: There is first introduced through the lling cap 20 and into the atomizing chamber 8 an aqueous solution of the chloride salt (salt water for instance), and the chamber 8 is only partially filled therewith, as indicated by dotted line 42. The transformer 5 is switched on to create an electrical discharge across the electrodes 31 and 38 of said electrical discharge device. The motor 3 having been set in operation, drives the compressor 1 to create pressure of air within the tank 4 and air under pressure is led therefrom up pipe 25 and through the air tube 22 and out the atomizer nozzle 24. This entrance of air under pressure into the atomizer chamber 8 forces liquid solution therefrom out the bottom of the chamber through pipe 21, cleaner 29, and upwardly to the liquid tube 23 for introducing liquid solution to said atomizer nozzle 24 within the upper portion of said chamber 8, this action being completed by the suction effect of air passing through the nozzle 24. The nozzle 24 combines the air in tube 22 with liquid solution coming through tube 23 and atomizes the liquid from the latter into a mist which collects in the upper portion of said chamber 8. This mist is under pressure due to the incoming air from air tube 22 and consequently passes ourl from the chamber 8, through the space surrounding the pipes 22 and 23 through pipe 30 and down through the electrical discharge device 9. As the mist leaves the end of pipe 30 it is spread out into a wide thin sheet by the flattened end of said pipe and ows through the discharge across said electrodes 31 and 38, the action of which Ais to decompose the mist and liberate the chlorine therefrom. 'Ihe liberated chlorine passes A suitable working voltage out as a. gas mixed with air, through the pipe 4l and the solid products of said decomposition will collect in the bottom of said T-pipe-ttlng 40 as above described.

The action of the electrical discharge upon said mist not only liberates the chlorine as described but also ozonizes the air in which said mist is suspended, whereby the gas obtained at the outlet 4I will have sterilizing properties of very high degree.

I claim:

1. The method of obtaining chlorine which consists in taking an aqueous solution of a chloride salt, converting the same into a vapor or mist, blowing said vapor or mist in a confined passage through the gap between the spaced terminals of a sparking device while producing a disruptive spark across said terminals from a high tension alternating current supply whereby chlorine gas is separated from said vapor or mist.

2. The method of obtaining chlorine which consists in taking an aqueous solution of a chloride salt, converting the same into a vapor or mist, blowing said vapor or mist in a confined passage through the gap between the spaced terminals of a sparking device while producing a disruptive spark between said terminals from a high tension alternating current supply whereby chlorine gas is separated from said vapor or mist, and conducting said separately recovered chlorine gas away from said conned passage.

3. The method of obtaining chlorine which consists in taking an aqueous solution of a chloride salt, atomizing the same with compressed air into a vapor or mist, discharging said vapor or mist under pressure in a confined passage through the gap betwen the spaced terminals of a sparking device while producing a disruptive spark across said terminals from a high tension alternating current supply whereby chlorine gas is separated from said vapor or mist.

4. The method of obtaining chlorine which consists in taking an aqueous solution of a chloride salt, atomizing the same with compressed air into a vapor or mist, discharging said vapor or mist under pressure in a coniined passage through the gap between the spaced terminals ofx a sparking device while producing a disruptive spark across said terminals from a high tension alternating current supply whereby chlorine gas is separated from said vapor or mist, and conducting said separately recovered chlorine gas away from said confined passage.

5. The method of obtaining chlorine which consists in taking an aqueous solution of a chloride salt, converting the same into a vapor or mist, blowing said vapor or mist in the form of a thin flat sheet extended across the gap between the spaced terminals of a sparking device while producing a disruptive spark across said terminals from a high tension alternating current sup ply whereby chlorine gas is separated from said vapor or mist.

WDJLIAM C. LEETE.