US2872291A - Process and apparatus for the decomposition of alkali metal amalgams - Google Patents

Process and apparatus for the decomposition of alkali metal amalgams Download PDF

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Publication number
US2872291A
US2872291A US554332A US55433255A US2872291A US 2872291 A US2872291 A US 2872291A US 554332 A US554332 A US 554332A US 55433255 A US55433255 A US 55433255A US 2872291 A US2872291 A US 2872291A
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United States
Prior art keywords
zone
amalgam
alkali metal
zones
last
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Expired - Lifetime
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US554332A
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English (en)
Inventor
Crabbe Rene
Clement Jean
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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 relates to the manufacture of caustic lyes of high concentration in alkali metal hydroxides by decomposition of the corresponding metal amalgams in the presence of water. It is an object of the invention to provide a particular process for the decomposition of these I amalgams.
  • the alkali metal concentration required may easily be attained in a modern cell or, as has been proposed (in German patent application W 9092), by deriving from the outlet of the cell an aliquot part of the amalgam and introducing it through the inlet of the cell together with the mercury stripped of its alkali metal after passage through the decomposer.
  • the decomposition apparatus or denuders of the horizontal type commonly used effect a counter-current or equi-current circulation of the amalgam and of the lye produced.
  • these vertical denuders are formed by scrubbers of a more or less developed type containing a contact mass capable of accelerating the, decomposition of the amalgam, and completely filled with the electrolyte.
  • vvan intimate mixing is produced which has the tendency of rendering uniform the concentration of the said lye.
  • the mixing action of the gas is further augmented by the fact that the concentrated lye, i. e. having the highest specific gravity, is drawn oif towards the top of the apparatus.
  • the process according to the invention consists in dividing the mercury feed containing the amalgam to be decomposed into several fractions and in simultaneously introducing these fractions into the denuder at points arranged at a distance apart along the passage of the caustic lye being formed, this introduction being effected in such a manner that at no instant is the amalgam to be decomposed mixed with amalgam already partially or wholly decomposed.
  • the amalgam is thus distributed among several compartments which constitute together the decomposition denuder; the caustic lye being formed circulates consecutively through each of these compartments and is periodicallyput in contact with fresh amalgam during its travel until the required alkali metal hydroxide concentration is obtained and the said lye leaves the denuder.
  • a collector which according to whether or not the amalgam is completely decomposed conducts the said mercury either to the manufacture of rich amalgam or towards a'denuder. which may be called a second step denuder where the incompletely decomposed amalgam gives up the alkali metal.
  • the caustic lye of relatively low concentration formed in the second step denuder constitutes the electrolyte to be introduced into the main denuder viz. the first step denuder.
  • the second step denuder may also comprise several compartments among whichthe amalgam not sufiiciently stripped of alkali metal in the first step denuder is distributed.
  • Figure 1 shows by Way of example a device comprising the compartments of a denuder as well as the flow ofthe electrolyte, of *rich amalgam, of partially decomposed amalgam, and of amalgam at the end of the decomposition.
  • Figure 2 is similar to Figure 1 but completed by some modifications which ensure a greater flexibility of regulation in the working of the denuder.”
  • i a .As shown in the drawings the various compartments of the first step denuder 'l receive the dilute lye formed in the compartmentsi of the second step denuder; the source of rich amalgam is represented by 3, the partially decomposed amalgam is taken up by a pump 5, Whilst the mercury containing no amalgam is taken up by a pump 6'and led via 4 to the manufacture of alkali metal amalgam.
  • the Water required for the manufacture of the lyes is taken from a tank 7 and the alkaline solution is concentrated as it passes from one compartment to the next one to the outlet 13.
  • the rich amalgam withdrawn from 3 is distributed among the compartments 1 of the first step denuder by the pipes 8. There, it is rapidly decomposed in the presence of the relatively dilute lye coming from the second step denuder. After decomposition of the amalgam, the mercury flows through the pipes 9 and is takenfup by the pump 6 which delivers it to the apparatus producing rich amalgam 3-4.
  • the amalgam penetrating the last compartments of the first step denuder meets there concentrated caustic lyes. When leaving these compartments it may not yet be sufliciently stripped of the alkali metal and in this case it flows through the pipes which deliver it to the pump 5. It is then returned to the second step denuder and distributed by the pipes 11 among the various compartments 2.
  • the exhaustion in alkali metal is practically complete and the mercury leaving through the pipes 12 re- 3 joins the pump 6 which returns it, together with the mercury flowing through the pipes 9, to the device 34 producing amalgam.
  • Figure 2 shows a combination of the circulation circuits of electrolyte and amalgam; the references 1 to 13 designate the elements already mentioned in the description of Figure 1.
  • a recycling circuit According to the working conditions of the plants it may be useful to provide for the electrolyte of the second step denuder a recycling circuit. This would be useful, for example, when the amalgam delivered by the pump 5 is very poor in alkali metal, or when the lye produced in this denuder is still too dilute, or also in other cases.
  • the lye leaving the said denuder may be taken up by the pump 14 and the flow of the recycled electrolyte is then regulated by the valve 15 whereas the total supply to be fed to the first step denuder is regulated by the valve 16.
  • An apparatus for the manufacture of an alkali metal hydroxide solution of high alkali metal hydroxide concentration by decomposing a corresponding alkali metal amalgam in the presence of water comprising means defining a plurality of confined vertically-spaced-apart decomposition compartments including a first compartment, a last compartment, and a plurality of intermediate comparments, said compartments being inter-connected for continuous unidirectional flow of an aqueous medium from said first compartment to said last compartment by passing seriatim through all of said intermediate compartments, means for continuously introducing Water into said first compartment and causing said water to flow from said first compartment through said intermediate compartments into said last compartment, conduit means for simultaneously supplying the amalgam to be decomposed in a plurality of independent streams corresponding in number to the number of said compartments into each of said compartments, with no two streams of amalgam entering the same compartment, whereby the path of the amalgam through the apparatus is subdivided, means for withdrawing each stream of amalgam by isolating it from the water after it has passed through its respective compartment,

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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)
  • Electrolytic Production Of Non-Metals, Compounds, Apparatuses Therefor (AREA)
US554332A 1955-03-24 1955-12-20 Process and apparatus for the decomposition of alkali metal amalgams Expired - Lifetime US2872291A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
BE335509X 1955-03-24

Publications (1)

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US2872291A true US2872291A (en) 1959-02-03

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US554332A Expired - Lifetime US2872291A (en) 1955-03-24 1955-12-20 Process and apparatus for the decomposition of alkali metal amalgams

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US (1) US2872291A (en(2012))
BE (1) BE536779A (en(2012))
CH (1) CH335509A (en(2012))
DE (1) DE1002298B (en(2012))
FR (1) FR1145692A (en(2012))
NL (2) NL203048A (en(2012))

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3104949A (en) * 1958-01-15 1963-09-24 Ici Ltd Process for the production of caustic alkali solutions from alkali metal amalgams and to apparatus therefor

Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US586635A (en) * 1897-07-20 Henrik christian fredrik stormer
US2083648A (en) * 1932-02-25 1937-06-15 Ig Farbenindustrie Ag Preparation of alkali metal hydroxide solutions
US2588469A (en) * 1944-02-18 1952-03-11 Solvay Process for the production of high concentration alkaline lyes
US2610908A (en) * 1946-03-09 1952-09-16 Solvay Process of and apparatus for producing caustic solutions of high concentration
US2732284A (en) * 1956-01-24 sakowski

Family Cites Families (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
AT167834B (de) * 1947-05-14 1951-03-10 Vittorio De Nora Verfahren und Vorrichtung zur kontinuierlichen Zersetzung von Alkali-Amalgam
CH295991A (it) * 1950-03-13 1954-01-31 Nora Vittorio Prof De Catodo multiplo per pile.

Patent Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US586635A (en) * 1897-07-20 Henrik christian fredrik stormer
US2732284A (en) * 1956-01-24 sakowski
US2083648A (en) * 1932-02-25 1937-06-15 Ig Farbenindustrie Ag Preparation of alkali metal hydroxide solutions
US2588469A (en) * 1944-02-18 1952-03-11 Solvay Process for the production of high concentration alkaline lyes
US2610908A (en) * 1946-03-09 1952-09-16 Solvay Process of and apparatus for producing caustic solutions of high concentration

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3104949A (en) * 1958-01-15 1963-09-24 Ici Ltd Process for the production of caustic alkali solutions from alkali metal amalgams and to apparatus therefor

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
BE536779A (en(2012))
DE1002298B (de) 1957-02-14
NL92956C (en(2012))
NL203048A (en(2012))
FR1145692A (fr) 1957-10-29
CH335509A (fr) 1959-01-15

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