US2952604A - Electrolysis apparatus - Google Patents

Electrolysis apparatus Download PDF

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US2952604A
US2952604A US510415A US51041555A US2952604A US 2952604 A US2952604 A US 2952604A US 510415 A US510415 A US 510415A US 51041555 A US51041555 A US 51041555A US 2952604 A US2952604 A US 2952604A
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cathode
anode
amalgam
cell
mercury
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Nora Vittorio De
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De Nora SpA
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Oronzio de Nora Impianti Elettrochimici SpA
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Priority to US510415A priority patent/US2952604A/en
Priority to CH352660D priority patent/CH352660A/it
Priority to FR1153516D priority patent/FR1153516A/fr
Priority to GB15821/56A priority patent/GB834005A/en
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    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C05—FERTILISERS; MANUFACTURE THEREOF
    • C05B—PHOSPHATIC FERTILISERS
    • C05B19/00—Granulation or pelletisation of phosphatic fertilisers, other than slag
    • 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
    • C25B9/00—Cells or assemblies of cells; Constructional parts of cells; Assemblies of constructional parts, e.g. electrode-diaphragm assemblies; Process-related cell features
    • C25B9/70—Assemblies comprising two or more cells
    • 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
    • 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
    • C25B11/00—Electrodes; Manufacture thereof not otherwise provided for
    • C25B11/02—Electrodes; Manufacture thereof not otherwise provided for characterised by shape or form
    • C25B11/033—Liquid electrodes
    • 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
    • C25B9/00—Cells or assemblies of cells; Constructional parts of cells; Assemblies of constructional parts, e.g. electrode-diaphragm assemblies; Process-related cell features
    • C25B9/30—Cells comprising movable electrodes, e.g. rotary electrodes; Assemblies of constructional parts thereof
    • C25B9/305—Cells comprising movable electrodes, e.g. rotary electrodes; Assemblies of constructional parts thereof comprising vertical-type liquid electrode

Definitions

  • This invention relates to an apparatus for carrying out the electrolysis of solutions from which cations can be discharged onto a mercury cathode by forming an amalgam therewith.
  • Typical examples of such metals are sodium, potassium, lithium, zinc, lead, and cadmium.
  • mercury cathode type electrolytic cell up to the present time is in the alkali chlorine industry where mercury cells are used in the decomposition of sodium chloride solutions to release chlorine at the anode and form an amalgam of sodium at the cathode which amalgam is later decomposed to release the sodium in the form of sodium hydroxide, or other sodium compounds, and the mercury returned to the cell for further use in the electrolysis process.
  • the mercury cells most commonly employed up to the present time consist of an elongated trough in which the film of mercury flows along the sloping bottom of the trough forming a continuous layer.
  • a set of anode plates which are usually of graphite are suspended a small fraction of an inch above the flowing mercury layer and a stream of brine is electrolyzed by applying a proper voltage between the graphite anode and the mercury cathode.
  • Another object of the invention is to provide a vertical fluent amalgam cell which will be compact in floor arrangement and will have a high capacity for the floor area and cost of the cell.
  • Another object of the invention is to provide a vertical fluent amalgam cell in which the amount of mercury in circulation can be materially reduced below the amount of mercury required in horizontal mercury cells of equivalent capacity.
  • Another object of the invention is to provide a vertical mercury or fluent amalgam cell with a cathode surface on which the mercury tends to spread and adhere in the operation of the cell, whereby thinning of the mercury or amalgam film and exposure of the underlying surface is avoided.
  • Another object of the invention is to provide a fluent amalgam cell in which a diaphragm separates the anode compartment from the cathode compartment to reduce mixing of the products produced therein and the electrolytes in said compartments and increase the current efliciency of the electrolysis.
  • Another object of the invention is to provide a vertical fluent amalgam cell in which an amalgam of sodium or of other metals may be recirculated over the cathode base surface to promote better adherence of the mercury or amalgam film to the supporting cathode base, without reducing the output of the cell or the purity of the products produced therein.
  • a more specific object of the invention is to provide a cathode base in the form of a metal surface provided With open spaces therethrough, such as a net, screen or perforated plate, over both sides of which the mercury amalgam flows and which has the property of forming perfectly continuous films over the whole surface, including the holes, even when the open fraction of the total area is large.
  • the vertical fluent amalgam cell of this invention has many advantages over horizontal mercury cells as they have been used up to the present time.
  • the horizontal mercury cell requires a large floor space as the capacity of the cell is proportional to the surface area of the electrodes and in a horizontal mercury cell, the floor space required for each cell depends upon the capacity of the cell unless the cells are located one on top of the other. This makes the cost of horizontal mercury cells very high, not only because of the floor space involved, but because of the lengths of piping, bus bar connections, as well as the amount of mercury involved.
  • Mercury because of its high inward tension, is one of the most difiicult of liquids to cause to spread uniformly in a thin layer over a flat surface Whether the flat surface is in horizontal or vertical plane or intermediate between a horizontal and vertical plane.
  • the mercury instead of stripping the mercury Substantially free of sodium, or other metal being deposited.
  • the range of sodium content of the recirculated amalgam may,.however, vary between substantially and 0.1% of sodium or other metal being deposited as the amalgam quickly picks up additional sodium when it starts its flow through the cell. While the sodium amalgamated in the mercury may thus be varied, for example between .002% to .2%, a substantial amount of sodium amalgamated in the mercury substantially improves the performance of the cells. This provides a.
  • the operation of the cells, for, as the decomposition of the amalgam formed in the cell can be compared to a first order reaction, Where complete decomposition is not required, the size of the decomposer for a cell of given capacity may be substantially reduced.
  • amalgams of other metals than sodium the same advantages are present to a greater or lesser degree, dependent upon the particular amalgamating metal.
  • the cathode supports when in the form of plates, should preferably be of such construction that the amalgam can be caused to flow over both sides of the plates and through perforations in the plates so that the amalgam layer communicates from one side of the plate to the other, which also provides better adherence of the amalgam to the supporting base plates.
  • the cathode plates should also be provided with means to hold back and retard the flow of the amalgam so that the amalgam tends to gather in pools along the surfaces of the vertical cathode plate which pools are constantly replenished from above and overflow down the surface of the cathode plate to maintain fresh amalgam surfaces and yet prevent rapid flow of the amalgam over the cathode plate, since rapid flow tends to thin the amalgam column and cause it to lose adherence with the surface of the cathode plate so as to expose parts of the base surface of the cathode plate to the electrolyte and the electrolysis action.
  • a perforated net or wire screen which has preferably been rolled under heavy rolls to flatten the same and which provides many open spaces between the meshes, forms a very satisfactory cathode plate on which a perfectly continuous film of amalgam may be maintained throughout the whole surface, including the spaces between the metal as well as the metal itself even when the open spaces between the wires are large with reference to the diameter of the wires used. While the size of mesh of such a screen may be varied within wide limits, I have found that a rolled steel wire screen having 4 wires per linear centimeter and a wire diameter of 2 millimeters provides a very satisfactory surface. Such a cathode surface is not only highly dependable as regards the capability of forming a'continuous amalgam layer thereon, but is also easy to produce and of sturdy construction and easy to assemble.
  • a vertical mercury cell embodying a plurality of vertical anodes, having cathodes assembled therebetween in the form' of a filter press construction with diaphragms between the anodes and cathodes, provides a cell of large capacity in a relatively small floor space which has the additional advantage of reducing the piping to the cell and the length of the connections by which chlorine is conducted from the cells.
  • Theme of diaphragrns separating the anodes from the cathodes prevents flow of chlorine into the cathode 4 compartments and of hydrogen into the anode compartments and promotes better operation of the cell in various ways.
  • secondary reactions between chlorine and the products of the electrolysis at the cathode will not take place, hydrogen cannot form an explosive mixture with chlorine and the pH values in the cathode and anode compartments can be maintained at different levels.
  • Fig. 1 is a perspective' view with parts broken away to show the assembled construction of the improved vertical mercury cell.
  • Fig. 2 is a part vertical sectional .view approximately through the center of Fig. 1, with some parts shown in elevation.
  • Fig. 3 is a sectional view along the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.
  • Fig. 4 is a sectional view substantially along the line 44 of Fig. 2.
  • Fig. 5 is a sectional view along the line 5-5 of Fig. 2.
  • Fig. 6 is a perspective view of one of the spacing elements forming the cathode compartment.
  • Fig. 7 is a detailed view of one of the electrolyte distributors.
  • Fig. 8 is a section view partially broken away of one of the anode compartments taken approximately on the line 88 of Fig. 3.
  • Fig. 9 is an enlarged detail section of one of the cathode plates showing the mercury distributor.
  • Fig. 10 is adetailed view showing the gasket connection between two of the anode frames and the spacing element.
  • Fig. 11 is an enlarged detail showing the preferred construction of the rolled wire cathode plate.
  • Fig. 12 is a diagrammatic view of a cell and decomposer unit.
  • Fig. 13 is a diagrammatic sectional view and Fig. 14 is a diagrammatic plan view of a modified type of vertical mercury cell construction. 7
  • Fig. 15 is a diagrammatic section view
  • Fig. 16 is a plan view
  • Fig. 17 is a sectional view approximately on the line 17-17 of Fig. 15,
  • Fig. 18 is a detail of a further modification of a vertical mercury cell construction
  • Figs. 19, 20 and 21 are sectional views of a further modified form of vertical fluent amalgam cell.
  • the mercury cell of this invention may be built and used as a single cell consisting of an anode and a cathode or of two anodes and one cathode, to combine the advantages of reduced floor space and reduced cost with high output, it is preferable to embody the invention in a multiple unit cell or cell bank of the filter press type as illustrated in Figs. 1 to 12.
  • the cell will be described herein as used for the electrolysis of sodium chloride brine to produce chlorine and caustic soda, but it will be understood that other electrolytes maybe used and other products produced.
  • the cell consists of a plurality of anode compartments 1 and cathode compartments 2, there being one more anode compartment than there are cathode compartments.
  • the anode compartments 1 and cathode compartments 2 are assembled together between end plates 3 and 4 which are held in assembled fluid tight relationship by the rods 5 which may be provided with nuts 5a and spring washers 6. 7
  • Each anode compartment consists of a rectangular frame'10 shown in greater detail in Figs. 3 and 4, having a passage 11 in one lower corner for the flow of the electrolyte solution (brine) therethrough and a passage 12 at the diagonallyopposite corner for the flow of spent brine and chlorine, or other product gas, from the anode compartments.
  • the passages 11 and 12 are in alignment with corresponding passages in the other anode frames and in the separators forming the cathode compartments, and when assembled together will conduct the incoming fresh electrolyte and the outgoing spent electrolyte and product gas along the entire banks of frames from end to end of the cell.
  • the frames may be made of any suitable insulating or insulated material resistant to attack by the electrolyte and the electrolysis products.
  • the frames may be rubber lined steel, hard rubber, or any chlorine proof plastic material.
  • the tops of the anode frames are provided with a plurality of holes for receiving graphite bars 14, the tops of which are connected in parallel by connectors 15 and 16 with the positive bus bar A.
  • the anode frames are provided with rabbets 10a around each inner edge (Figs. 9 and 10), into which diaphragms 17 of the type used in diaphragm chlorine cells are fitted and held when the cell is assembled.
  • the diaphragms 17 preferably consist of a permeable asbestos layer 17:: suspended against a net or screen 17b of chlorine resistant plastic material.
  • a passage or duct 18 is provided at approximately the center of the bottom of each of the anode frames 10, except the end frames, through which duct the mercury amalgam from the cathode compartments flows to the center of the cell bank and is discharged to the decomposer.
  • Each anode frame 19 is also provided with a slot 10b (Figs. 9 and 10) across the top thereof to receive a plastic gasket or cover, of Plexiglas or the like, which forms the seal of the top of cathode compartment.
  • the center anode frame is also provided with a discharge outlet 19 at the bottom thereof through which the mercury amalgam from the cathode compartments flows to the decomposer.
  • the cathode compartments are formed between the anode frames by U-shaped spacers 29 (Fig. 6) provided with passages 21 for the fresh electrolyte and passages 22 for the spent electrolyte and product gas, and a slot 23 which registers with the ducts 18 in the bottom of the anode frames to permit the amalgam to flow from the cathode compartments to the center discharge outlet 19 for the cell bank.
  • the bottom of the U-shaped spacers 20 slopes toward the center slot 23 so that the amalgam dripping from the ctahode surfaces will flow into the center discharge slots 23.
  • the spacer 21 ⁇ in Fig. 6 is shown as it appears when viewed from the right-hand side of Fig. l.
  • the cathode plates 25 may be formed of any perforated material which is wetted by mercury and will withstand the electrolysis conditions. It is preferable, however, to use a rolled Wire screen such as illustrated in Fig. ll. 1 have found that a rolled steel wire screen, having 4 wires per linear centimeter and a wire size of 2 mm., forms a cathode surface which is highly dependable in its capability for amalgamation and is of sturdy construction and easy to assemble. Obviously other forms of cathode supports and cathode plates, such as described later herein, and other sizes of wire or flat perforated plates, or other mesh characteristics may be used. In the form of construction illustrated in Fig.
  • the mercury amalgam flowing over the screen 25 gathers in pockets along the tops of the horizontal wires 25a, and particularly at 25c, where the vertical Wires 25b cross the horizontal wires.
  • the horizontal wires thus constitute hold-back means while the holes in the screen provide through communication between the amalgam films on each side of the cathode base plate which tend to hold or rivet the mercury films on the cathode base plates.
  • the bottom of the cathode plates 25 is sloped similar to the slope of the bottom of the spacers 20, and the plates 25 extend substantially to the bottom of the spacers 20, so that the bottom of the cathode plates extend into and make electrical contact with the amalgam flowing above the sloping bottom of the spacers 20 at all times.
  • the amalgam is distributed to the cathode plates 25 from a manifold 26 running along one side of the cell bank.
  • Headers 27 which may be copper clad steel pipes slitted along their center line, spread the amalgam from side to side of the plates 25 and it trickles through slots 27a in the bottoms of the headers 27.
  • the plates 25 extend above the headers 27 and into a machined slot 29 (Fig. 9) in connectors 30 which connect the cathode plates to the negative bus bar B.
  • the covers 32 seal the tops of the cathode compartments. When a cathode assembly is removed from a cell bank for inspection or repair the cover 32 moves with the cathode assembly. When in place, the covers 32 may be sealed around the edges by any suitable sealing compound. By this arrangement, the cathode plates are freely suspended in the cathode compartments and may be removed and reinserted therein without disassembling the anode frames or the filter press assembly.
  • the space between the graphite anode bars 14 and the diaphragms 17 may be filled with small lumps of graphite 35, which may be introduced through holes 36 in the top of the anode frames 10, suitable plugs being provided to close the holes 37 when the cell is in operation.
  • the chlorine ions migrating toward the anode bars will discharge on these loose graphite lumps before reaching the anode bars, which will thus be saved from oxidation side reactions, While the loose graphite lumps consumed by such oxidation may be easily replaced by adding more granular graphite lumps 35 through the holes 36.
  • granular graphite lumps 35 In place of granular graphite lumps 35 other loose granular conducting material such as magnetite or the like may be used. In this way, the gap between the anode and cathode may be kept substantially constant. It will be obvious, however, that the granular packing 35 may be omitted and the chlorine ions discharged directly on the anode bars 14, or that block graphite anodes of the type normally used in horizontal mercury cells may be used in the anode compartments.
  • fresh brine flows into the passages 11 from the line 40 and is distributed to the anode compartments through the openings 11a, passages 13 and openings 13a.
  • Spent brine and chlorine or other product gas flow from the passages 12 into the discharge conduit 41 to the chlorine or product gas recovery system.
  • Mercury amalgam flows through the manifold 26 and into the various headers 27 from which it flows beneath the plastic sheaths 28 and down the cathode plates 25, drips into the amalgam pool on the sloping bottom of the spacers 20 and flows into the slots 23, through the ducts 18 in the anode frames and out of the opening 19 in the center anode frame to the conduit 42 leading to the decomposer.
  • the amalgam flows from the center discharge outlet 19 through the conduit 42 to a reservoir 4212 which discharges into the well of pump 43 (Fig. 12) driven by a suitable motor 44.
  • the reservoir 42a is locatedsufliciently above the level of the bottom of the cells 1 to maintain a layer of amalgam at the desired level in the cell to maintain contact with the bottoms of the cathode plates 25 and prevent brine from flowing out of the amalgam outlet.
  • the pump 43 pumps the mercury amalgam, received from the reservoir 42a, through the conduit 45 to a header 46 from which part of it flows through the line 47 to the amalgam reservoir 48, which feeds amalgam to the manifold 26, and another part flows into the decomposer 49 where it is decomposed by water in contact with a suitable catalytic mass in a manner well known in the industry to produce sodium hydroxide, and the sodium-depleted amalgam flows from the line 50 back into a reservoir 50a and then into the well of the pump 43.
  • the depleted amalgam which is fed back to the well of pump 43 dilutes the concentrated amalgam flowing from the cell bank.
  • the amount of the amalgam passed to the cell banks is controlled so as to keep the content of the amalgamating metal within the range which promotes wetting and adherence to the cathode plates on first coming in contact therewith.
  • the amount of sodium in the amalgam returned to the cells is preferably .0l% or more but may vary between .002 and .2%.
  • amalgam flowing out of the cell bank through the conduit 42 with the depleted amalgam flowing from the decomposer 49 provides a sufliciently rich amalgam for operation of the cell bank, and in the operation of the cell, amalgam adheres better to the cathode plates 25 than pure mercury would adhere.
  • the fact that the amalgam does not need to be as completely decomposed, as in the operation of a horizontal type mercury cell, in order to provide relatively pure mercury for the cathode permits the use of smaller decomposer units and greater efliciency in the decomposition.
  • the amalgam discharged through the conduit 42 from a cell bank used for the electrolysis of sodium chloride, to produce chlorine and caustic soda normally contains between .1% and 2% of sodium and the amalgam fed to the cell bank may contain from 002% to .2% of sodium.
  • a minimum sodium content of about .Ol% in the mercury amalgam fed to the cells is desirable in order to promote adherence of the mercury layer to the cathode plates 25, whereas in the operation of a horizontal mercury cell it is considered undesirable to feed mercury containing over .00l% of sodium to the cells.
  • Figs. 13 and 14 illustrate somewhat diagrammatically the application of my invention to a Hooker-type electrolytic cell.
  • the cell is enclosed in a housing 51, mounted in a suitable base 52 ,and the anodes 53 are embedded in a conducting base 54 of lead, or the like, which is connected to the positive side of bus bar at 55.
  • Mercury amalgam flows into the housing 51 through the manifolds 56, and is distributed by the headers 57 to the cathode plates 58 in a manner similar to that illustrated in Fig. 9.
  • Diaphragms 58a which extend over the top of headers 57- and down the sides of cathode plates 58, separate the anode compartments from the cathode compartments in the manner described in connection with Figs.
  • the cell which is similar to the Nelson diaphragm cell, is enclosed in a housing 70 formed of side members 71 and U-shaped member '72 suitably secured together.
  • the connectors 74 which are preferably made of graphite, are fixed to the tops of the graphite anodes 73 as illustrated in Figs. 17 and 18.
  • Cathodes 75 of perforated wire screen or other perforated metal construction, receive amalgam from a header 76.
  • Fresh brine enters the cell through the pipe 77 and spent brine flows from outlet 78.
  • Chlorine flows out through inverted U-shaped outlets 79 and the mercury amalgam flows out through outlet 80.
  • a suitable mercury level is maintained in the cell as previously described. The operation of this cell is the same in principle as the operation of the cell described in greater detail in connection with Figs. 1 to 12.
  • the cathode compartment consists of a rectangular frame 81 having a passage 82 in one lower corner for the flow of the diluted amalgam therethrough. From the passage 82 the diluted amalgam flows into each cathode compartment through a distributor 83 in the 5 bottom of eachcathode compartment which is provided with a plurality of holes 83a for distributing the diluted 'j amalgam to a series of vertical metal pipes 84 constituting the cathode support of which only some are shown in Fig. 119.
  • the amalgam overflows through openings 85 of pipes 84 and flows downwardly along said pipes to the bottom of the cathode frame which is provided with a slot 86 which registers with the ducts 1 8 in the bottom of the anode frames (Fig. 3) to permit the amalgam to flow from the cathode compartments to the center discharge outlet 19 for the cell bank.
  • the bottom of the cathode frames 81 slopes towards the .center slot 86 as in the case of cathode frames illustrated in Fig. 6.
  • the pipes 84 may be located sufliciently close 9 together so that the amalgam will spread from one pipe to another to maintain a substantially unbroken sheet or film of amalgam between the pipes, although this is not necessary for the operation of this embodiment of my invention.
  • the cathode compartments are provided with passages 87 for the fresh electrolyte, passages 88 for the spent electrolyte and product anode gas and passages 89 for the product cathode gas.
  • the anode frames are provided with passages for the diluted amalgam and the product cathode gas which register with the ducts 82 and 89 of the cathode frames.
  • the cathode frames are made of steel or other metal and protected against corrosion on the surfaces exposed to corrosive conditions by rubber lining or the like.
  • Connectors 90 are provided to connect the cathode supports and the amalgam to the negative bus bar in a similar way as illustrated in Fig. l.
  • the cathode frames 81 are provided with rabbets 91 around each inner edge to fit with the corresponding rabbets 10a provided around each inner edge of the anode frames 10, as illustrated in Figs. 9 and 10, and to hold the diaphragms l? in place when the cell is assembled.
  • a substantially vertical perforated metal plate cathode support a flowing film of mercury amalgam on said support forming a cathode, an anode parallel therewith, a diaphragm between the anode and the cathode, surrounding fluid-tight walls enclosing said cathode and anode
  • means to flow a mercury amalgam downwardly over said cathode support comprising an amalgam distribution header spaced on each side of said perforated metal plate cathode support and extending from side to side of said plate and means to protect said amalgam from contact with all gases between the point Where it leaves said header and enters the electrolyte, means to flow an electrolyte through said cell, means to maintain a substantially constant level of electrolyte in said cell means to vent gases therefrom, and means to impress an electrolysis current between said anode and said cathode.
  • a plurality of substantially vertical perforated metal plate cathode supports an anode on each side of each cathode support, a diaphragm between each anode and each cathode support, means forming a fluid-tight enclosure around said anodes and the operative surface of said cathode supports, means to maintain a substantially constant electrolyte level in said cell, means to flow a mercury amalgam downwardly over each side of each of said cathode supports comprising an upwardly extending portion of said metal plate cathode supports, an amalgam distributing header spaced on each side of said upwardly extending portion of said cathode supports, a plastic covering surrounding said header and extending in close adjacency to said cathode support to below the electrolyte level, means to how an electrolyte through said cell, means to vent gas therefrom, and means to impress an electrolysis current between each of said anodes and its adjacent cathode.
  • a vertical mercury electrolysis cell of the filterpress type a plurality of substantially rectangular open anode frames, a brine inlet conduit adjacent one corner of each frame, a brine outlet conduit adjacent the diagonally opposite corner of each frame, anodes in the rectangular opening of said frames, a diaphragm on each side of each anode, a U-shaped cathode spacer element between each of two adjacent anode frames, conduits in said cathode spacer elements corresponding with said brine inlet and outlet conduits in said anode frames, a perforated fiat metal plate cathode support in each cathode spacer element and extending above the top thereof, means to secure said anode frames and cathode spacer elements together in fluid-tight relationship with said conduits in registry to form brine inflow and outflow passages along the entire cell, means to flow mercury amalgam downward over each cathode plate comprising 11 a slotted metal header pipe above each cathode spacer through which each cathode plate extends and
  • a vertical mercury electrolysis cell of the filterpress type a plurality of substantially rectangular open anode frames, a brine inlet opening adjacent one corner of each frame, a brine outlet opening adjacent the diagonally opposite corner of each frame, and passages through said anode frames communicating with said inlet and outlet openings, a plurality of cylindrical anode rods in the rectangular opening of said frames, means to support a diaphragm on each side of each anode frame, granular electrical conductive packing between said anode rods and said diaphragms, a cathode spacer element between each of two adjacent anode frames, passages in said cathode spacer elements registering with the passages through said anode frames, metal cathode supports in each cathode spacer element, means to secure said anode frames and cathode spacer elements together in fluid-tight relationship with said passages in registry, means to flow mercury amalgam downwardly over each cathode support to form a cathode, means to flow mercury amalgam downward
  • a vertical mercury electrolysis cell of the filterpress type a plurality of substantially rectangular open anode frames, a brine inlet opening adjacent one corner of each frame, a brine outlet opening adjacent the diagonally opposite corner of each frame and passages through said frames communicating with said inlet and outlet openings, a plurality of cylindrical anode rods in the rectangular opening of said frames, means to support a diaphragm on each side of each anode frame, granular electrical conductive packing between said anode rods and said diaphragms, a U-shaped cathode spacer element between each of two adjacent anode frames, passages in said cathode spacer elements registering with the passages through said anode frames, a perforated flat rolled metal screen cathode plate in each cathode spacer element and extending above the top thereof, means to secure said anode frames and cathode spacer elements together in fluid-tight relationship with said passages in registry, means to flow mercury amalgam downwardly over each catho
  • a vertical mercury electrolysis cell of the filter press type a plurality of substantially rectangular open anode frames, a brine inlet opening adjacent one corner of each frame, a brine outlet opening adjacent the diagonally opposite corner of each frame and passages through said frames communicating with said inlet and outlet openings, a plurality of cylindrical anode rods in the rectangular opening of said frames, a brine distributor along the bottom of each anode frame and openings in said brine distributors between each anode rod, means to support a diaphragm on each side of each anode frame, granular electrical conductive packing between said anode rods and said diaphragms, a U-shaped cathode spacer element between each of two adjacent anode frames, passages in said cathode spacer elements registering with the passages through said anode frames, a perforated flat rolled metal screen cathode plate in each cathode spacer element and extending above the top thereof, means to secure said anode frames and catho
  • a mercury cell for the manufacture of chlorine and other purposes comprising two anodic end sections each having an anode compartment and means to seal said end sections with intermediate cathode sections having a cathode compartment, a plurality of intermediate anode sections each carrying an anode and each having means at each side to seal with a cathode section having a cathode compartment, a cathode section between each of said anode sections and a middle cathode section having an outlet for mercury therein, means to secure said sections together and to form a liquid-tight seal therebetween a diaphragm between each of said section, means to circulate mercury amalgam through the cathode sections, comprising a slotted metal header pipe, a flat metal plate cathode support having its upper end within said slotted header pipe and its lower portion within said cathode compartment, and a plastic covering surrounding said header pipe and extending downward adjacent to each side of said cathode support into said cathode compartment means to circulate an electro
  • a mercury cell for the manufacture of chlorine and other purposes comprising two anode sections each having an anode compartment and a cathode section having a cathode compartment, means to sealsaid anode sections with said cathode section therebetween, means to secure said sections together and to form a liquid-tight seal therebetween, a diaphragm between each anode and cathode, means to circulate mercury amalgam'through the cathode sections, comprising a slotted metal header pipe, a flat metal plate cathode support having its upper end within said slotted header pipe and its lower portion within said cathode compartment, and a plastic'covering surrounding said header pipe and extending downward adjacent to each side of 'said cathode supportinto said cathode compartment means to circulate an electrolyte through said anode sections, means to maintain a substantially constant level of 'an electrolyte in said cell means to cause an electrolysis current to flow through said electrolyte from said anodes
  • a rectangular open anode frame a rabbet around each inside edge of said frame, a diaphragm held in each rabbet, passages through diagonally opposite corners of said frame for the flow of electrolyte from one anode frame to the adjacent anode frame, said frame having an opening from each passage into the rectangular open portion of said anode frame, vertical openings through the top of said frame, anode connections extending through said openings and anodes in the hollow central section of said anode frame.
  • a rectangular open anode frame In a vertical mercury electrolysis cell, a rectangular open anode frame, a rabbet around each inside edge of said frame, a diaphragm held in each rabbet and extending across the open center of said frame, passages 1 through diagonally opposite corners of said frame, for the flow of electrolyte from one anode frame to the adjacent anode frame, said frame having an opening from each passage into the rectangular open portion of said anode frame vertical openings through the top of said frame, anode rods extending into said frame through said openings and a loose granular conductive packing between said anode rods and said diaphragms.
  • an amalgam distributor comprising a rolled metal screen cathode support plate extending above the top of said sides of said cell, a slotted metal header pipe through which said cathode support plate extends with approximately one half of said pipe on each side of said cathode plate support, an opening between the bottom of each one half of said pipe and said cathode plate support for the flow of amalgam therethrough and a plastic covering around said pipe adjacent to each side of said plate and extending down the plate into said cell.
  • a substantially vertical metal cathode support a flowing film of mercury amalgam on said support forming a substantially vertical mercury cathode sheet, an anode parallel therewith, a diaphragm between the anode and the cathode, surrounding fluid tight walls enclosing said cathode and anode, means to flow a mercury amalgam downwardly over said cathode support, comprising an amalgam distributing header having a slot on the underside through which said cathode support extends forming slits on either side thereof to feed mercury amalgam to each side of said cathode support along the entire Width of said cathode support, means to protect said amalgam from contact with all gases between the point where it leaves said header and enters the electrolyte, means to flow an electrolyte through said cell, means to maintain a substantially constant level of electrolyte in said cell, means to vent gases therefrom and means to impress an electrolysis current between said anode and cathode.

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  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Organic Chemistry (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
  • Electrochemistry (AREA)
  • Materials Engineering (AREA)
  • Metallurgy (AREA)
  • Inorganic Chemistry (AREA)
  • Water Treatment By Electricity Or Magnetism (AREA)
  • Electrolytic Production Of Non-Metals, Compounds, Apparatuses Therefor (AREA)
US510415A 1955-05-23 1955-05-23 Electrolysis apparatus Expired - Lifetime US2952604A (en)

Priority Applications (5)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
BE548036D BE548036A (xx) 1955-05-23
US510415A US2952604A (en) 1955-05-23 1955-05-23 Electrolysis apparatus
CH352660D CH352660A (it) 1955-05-23 1956-05-15 Cella elettrolitica a mercurio
FR1153516D FR1153516A (fr) 1955-05-23 1956-05-22 Appareil pour électrolyse
GB15821/56A GB834005A (en) 1955-05-23 1956-05-22 Electrolysis apparatus

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

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US510415A US2952604A (en) 1955-05-23 1955-05-23 Electrolysis apparatus

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US2952604A true US2952604A (en) 1960-09-13

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US510415A Expired - Lifetime US2952604A (en) 1955-05-23 1955-05-23 Electrolysis apparatus

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BE (1) BE548036A (xx)
CH (1) CH352660A (xx)
FR (1) FR1153516A (xx)
GB (1) GB834005A (xx)

Cited By (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3065163A (en) * 1958-08-26 1962-11-20 Basf Ag Electrolytic cells for the decomposition of alkali chlorides
DE1172239B (de) * 1962-08-11 1964-06-18 Metallgesellschaft Ag Elektrolyseur
US3375074A (en) * 1961-01-19 1968-03-26 Hooker Chemical Corp Manufacture of phosphine
US3398080A (en) * 1965-03-22 1968-08-20 Dow Chemical Co Mercury vertical cathode electrolytic cell
US3421994A (en) * 1962-03-01 1969-01-14 Pullman Inc Electrochemical apparatus
US4828667A (en) * 1987-03-18 1989-05-09 Giuseppe Silvestri Electrolytic cells with continuously renewable sacrificial electrodes

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
ES452238A1 (es) * 1976-10-08 1977-11-01 Diaz Nogueira Eduardo Un procedimiento de electrolisis de salmuera por catodo de mercurio.

Citations (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB190216358A (en) * 1902-07-23 1903-06-11 Leo Gurwitsch Improvements in Electrolytic Processes and in Apparatus therefor.
US835329A (en) * 1906-01-03 1906-11-06 James Snodgrass Means for precipitating gold and silver.
US1738372A (en) * 1927-11-04 1929-12-03 Edgeworth-Johnstone Robert Electrolytic cell
US1970975A (en) * 1931-05-08 1934-08-21 Palmaer Method in the electrodeposition of metals, and cathode suited for such purpose
CH204518A (de) * 1937-03-21 1939-05-15 Ig Farbenindustrie Ag Verfahren und Vorrichtung zur elektrolytischen Zersetzung von Salzlösungen nach dem Amalgamverfahren.
US2226784A (en) * 1938-10-26 1940-12-31 Oxford Paper Co Electrolytic cell
US2544138A (en) * 1941-06-16 1951-03-06 Nora Oronzio De Electrolytic cell with mobile mercury cathode
US2597545A (en) * 1950-11-15 1952-05-20 Maurice C Taylor Electrolytic method
US2669542A (en) * 1950-03-30 1954-02-16 American Viscose Corp Electrolysis of sodium sulfate

Patent Citations (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB190216358A (en) * 1902-07-23 1903-06-11 Leo Gurwitsch Improvements in Electrolytic Processes and in Apparatus therefor.
US835329A (en) * 1906-01-03 1906-11-06 James Snodgrass Means for precipitating gold and silver.
US1738372A (en) * 1927-11-04 1929-12-03 Edgeworth-Johnstone Robert Electrolytic cell
US1970975A (en) * 1931-05-08 1934-08-21 Palmaer Method in the electrodeposition of metals, and cathode suited for such purpose
CH204518A (de) * 1937-03-21 1939-05-15 Ig Farbenindustrie Ag Verfahren und Vorrichtung zur elektrolytischen Zersetzung von Salzlösungen nach dem Amalgamverfahren.
US2226784A (en) * 1938-10-26 1940-12-31 Oxford Paper Co Electrolytic cell
US2544138A (en) * 1941-06-16 1951-03-06 Nora Oronzio De Electrolytic cell with mobile mercury cathode
US2669542A (en) * 1950-03-30 1954-02-16 American Viscose Corp Electrolysis of sodium sulfate
US2597545A (en) * 1950-11-15 1952-05-20 Maurice C Taylor Electrolytic method

Cited By (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3065163A (en) * 1958-08-26 1962-11-20 Basf Ag Electrolytic cells for the decomposition of alkali chlorides
US3375074A (en) * 1961-01-19 1968-03-26 Hooker Chemical Corp Manufacture of phosphine
US3421994A (en) * 1962-03-01 1969-01-14 Pullman Inc Electrochemical apparatus
DE1172239B (de) * 1962-08-11 1964-06-18 Metallgesellschaft Ag Elektrolyseur
US3398080A (en) * 1965-03-22 1968-08-20 Dow Chemical Co Mercury vertical cathode electrolytic cell
US4828667A (en) * 1987-03-18 1989-05-09 Giuseppe Silvestri Electrolytic cells with continuously renewable sacrificial electrodes

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
BE548036A (xx)
CH352660A (it) 1961-03-15
GB834005A (en) 1960-05-04
FR1153516A (fr) 1958-03-12

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