US2551248A - Apparatus for the decomposition of alkali amalgams - Google Patents

Apparatus for the decomposition of alkali amalgams Download PDF

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Publication number
US2551248A
US2551248A US732571A US73257147A US2551248A US 2551248 A US2551248 A US 2551248A US 732571 A US732571 A US 732571A US 73257147 A US73257147 A US 73257147A US 2551248 A US2551248 A US 2551248A
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United States
Prior art keywords
plates
amalgamable
amalgam
decomposition
alkali
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Expired - Lifetime
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US732571A
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English (en)
Inventor
Deprez Charles
Basilewsky Alexis
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Solvay SA
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Solvay SA
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    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C25—ELECTROLYTIC OR ELECTROPHORETIC PROCESSES; APPARATUS THEREFOR
    • C25B—ELECTROLYTIC OR ELECTROPHORETIC PROCESSES FOR THE PRODUCTION OF COMPOUNDS OR NON-METALS; APPARATUS THEREFOR
    • C25B1/00—Electrolytic production of inorganic compounds or non-metals
    • C25B1/01—Products
    • C25B1/34—Simultaneous production of alkali metal hydroxides and chlorine, oxyacids or salts of chlorine, e.g. by chlor-alkali electrolysis
    • C25B1/36—Simultaneous production of alkali metal hydroxides and chlorine, oxyacids or salts of chlorine, e.g. by chlor-alkali electrolysis in mercury cathode cells
    • C25B1/42—Decomposition of amalgams

Definitions

  • the invention concerns the manufacture of caustic alkali lyes starting from alkali amalgams obtained by electrolysis in a cell with a mercury cathode.
  • Decomposition of the alkali amalgam is usually elfected in an elongated vessel termed a pile, in the presence of catalysts in contact with the said amalgam and with the aqueous solution of alkali hydroxide. It is known that the decomposition reaction is more rapid when the resistance of the pile is weaker; for this reason the catalysts are immersed in the amalgam in such a manner as to secure as great a surface contact as possible. It is also known to cause a stirring up of the amalgam in order to renew constantlythis surface in such a manner as to assist decomposition, this, result being secured by the circulation of the amalgam whose layer is separated to flow in streamlets along the catalyst. As practised hitherto, the process is really only efiective in presence of thick layers necessitating the immobilization of relatively large quantities of'mercury.
  • the process and apparatus of the invention have for their object to avoid this disadvantage whilst ensuring a better electrical contact between the amalgam and the decomposition catalyst. They make use of the property that flat amalgamable surfaces present of being easily wetted by the mercury, which spreads and runs in a very thin layer.
  • the surface on which the amalgam flows is constituted by a metal plate against which is applied, over all its surface, a catalytic body in the form of a grid, the Whole being arranged in an enclosure containing the solution of alkali hydroxide.
  • the lower surface of the grid is preferably mounted and clamped by mechanical means against the plate. According to the capacity of the installation several elements formed of plates and grids may be grouped in series, in parallel or in series parallel.
  • the bottom surface of the cell as the amalgamable surface in which mercury is caused to flow in contact with the catalyst
  • the latter is preferably made of separate parts, for example in the shape of bars, which are fitted in crosspieces and pressed against the bottom of the cell by a screw bearing on its cover or top.
  • Fig. 1 shows in transverse section and Fig. 2 in side elevation a decomposition element formed of a plate and a grid.
  • Figs. 3, 4, 5 and 6 show different methods of grouping similar elements in a common container.
  • Fig. 7 is a longitudinal section of a part of a cell with an amalgamable bottom and Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional View of the same.
  • the arrangement represented in Figs. 1 and 2 comprises a rectangular flatplate a, whose three edges b are slightly raised, the fourth 0 being bent downwardly in such a manner as to form a shallow flow trough.
  • This plate can be of pure iron, copper, steel, or any other conducting and amalgamable material.
  • the plate a is fixed the grid of non-amalgamable material d, such as graphite, the vertical portions of the grid d which rest upon the plate a being joined by transverse ribs d.
  • Fixing rigid for preference, is effected by bolts e, or by screws, straps or by other suitable mechanical means.
  • the said apparatus can take various forms, some of which being less cumbersome than the horizontal vessel of current use.
  • elements such as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 can easily be mounted in such a manner that with respect to the circulation of the amalgam they are arranged in series, in parallel or in series parallel.
  • Fig. 6 for example
  • the walls of the container follow the general form of the battery.
  • the catalysts represented are presented in the form of an integral grid; these grids may beconstructed as an assembly of separate elements as will now be described with reference to'Figs. '1 and 8.
  • bars h of graphite or other conducting, nonamalgamable material In direct contact with the bottom 9 of atrough made of iron, steel, or other amalgamable metal, are bars h of graphite or other conducting, nonamalgamable material. These bars of upwardly flaring cross-section are placed at a small distance from each other and provided on their top faces with notches i adapted to fit in corresponding notches provided in' cross-pieces It. On these cross-pieces bears a metal armature k on which presses a vertical screw l adjustable in a nut m secured to the top wall or cover n of the apparatus.
  • This apparatus is very simple and convenient and permits of readily providing, and if necessary restoring, the requisite intimate contact between the bottom surface g and the grid elements h.
  • an apparatus for the decomposition of alkali amalgams the combination with a receptacle for containing an aqueous solution of alkali hydroxide, of a plurality of inclined plates of amalgamable metal arranged in superposed spaced relationship in said receptacle, catalytic non-amalgamable grids having a smooth surface in intimate contact with a portion of the surface of each of said plates, said plates being arranged in a plurality of parallel series, with the lower edge of each plate overlying the higher edge of the next subjacent plate, the inclined plates in each of said series being spatially disposed in such manner that amalgam will flow in a thin layer successively over the upper surfaces of said plates in downward progression.
  • each plate is simultaneously in contact with a catalytic non-amalgamable body, said plates being spatially disposed in said receptacle in such manner that the amalgamable surface of each plate is in downwardly-inclined, vertically-spaced noncoplanar relationship with the amalgamable surfaces of. the other plates, with the lower edge of each plate overlying the higher edge of the next subjacent plate, whereby amalgam will flow in a thinlayer successively over the amalgamable surfacesof each of said plates in downward progression.
  • each of said plates is rectangular in shape and has. three edges slightly raised and a fourth bent downwardly thereby to form a shallow flow channel for the amalgam.

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  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Inorganic Chemistry (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
  • Electrochemistry (AREA)
  • Materials Engineering (AREA)
  • Metallurgy (AREA)
  • Organic Chemistry (AREA)
  • Catalysts (AREA)
US732571A 1944-02-09 1947-03-05 Apparatus for the decomposition of alkali amalgams Expired - Lifetime US2551248A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
BE250366X 1944-02-09

Publications (1)

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US2551248A true US2551248A (en) 1951-05-01

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US732571A Expired - Lifetime US2551248A (en) 1944-02-09 1947-03-05 Apparatus for the decomposition of alkali amalgams

Country Status (6)

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US (1) US2551248A (en])
BE (1) BE454340A (en])
CH (1) CH250366A (en])
FR (1) FR902792A (en])
GB (1) GB605339A (en])
NL (1) NL62346C (en])

Cited By (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2700650A (en) * 1950-03-13 1955-01-25 Oronzio De Nora Impianti Alkali metal amalgam decomposer
US2748072A (en) * 1952-07-02 1956-05-29 Rumianca Spa Apparatus for producing alkali metal hydroxide
US2815318A (en) * 1952-07-30 1957-12-03 Ici Ltd Production of caustic soda
US2824054A (en) * 1954-01-06 1958-02-18 Solvay Process and apparatus for the manufacture of solutions of alkali metal hydroxides
US2895894A (en) * 1955-11-25 1959-07-21 Pintsch Bamag Ag Electrolytic cell arrangement

Citations (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US627193A (en) * 1899-06-20 Amalgam-wash ing chamber
US733643A (en) * 1902-11-10 1903-07-14 Leo Gurwitsch Electrolytic apparatus.
US908545A (en) * 1909-01-05 Courtland F Carrier Jr Apparatus for decomposing alkali-metal amalgams.
US2226784A (en) * 1938-10-26 1940-12-31 Oxford Paper Co Electrolytic cell
US2232128A (en) * 1937-04-13 1941-02-18 Th Goldschmidt Corp Electrolysis of alkaline metal chlorides and apparatus therefor
US2316685A (en) * 1939-10-09 1943-04-13 Mathieson Alkali Works Inc Operation of mercury cells
US2334354A (en) * 1939-11-02 1943-11-16 Mathieson Alkali Works Inc Mercury cathode cell

Patent Citations (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US627193A (en) * 1899-06-20 Amalgam-wash ing chamber
US908545A (en) * 1909-01-05 Courtland F Carrier Jr Apparatus for decomposing alkali-metal amalgams.
US733643A (en) * 1902-11-10 1903-07-14 Leo Gurwitsch Electrolytic apparatus.
US2232128A (en) * 1937-04-13 1941-02-18 Th Goldschmidt Corp Electrolysis of alkaline metal chlorides and apparatus therefor
US2226784A (en) * 1938-10-26 1940-12-31 Oxford Paper Co Electrolytic cell
US2316685A (en) * 1939-10-09 1943-04-13 Mathieson Alkali Works Inc Operation of mercury cells
US2334354A (en) * 1939-11-02 1943-11-16 Mathieson Alkali Works Inc Mercury cathode cell

Cited By (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2700650A (en) * 1950-03-13 1955-01-25 Oronzio De Nora Impianti Alkali metal amalgam decomposer
US2748072A (en) * 1952-07-02 1956-05-29 Rumianca Spa Apparatus for producing alkali metal hydroxide
US2815318A (en) * 1952-07-30 1957-12-03 Ici Ltd Production of caustic soda
US2824054A (en) * 1954-01-06 1958-02-18 Solvay Process and apparatus for the manufacture of solutions of alkali metal hydroxides
US2895894A (en) * 1955-11-25 1959-07-21 Pintsch Bamag Ag Electrolytic cell arrangement

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
BE454340A (en])
FR902792A (fr) 1945-09-12
GB605339A (en) 1948-07-21
NL62346C (en])
CH250366A (fr) 1947-08-31

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