US665064A - Electrolytic cell. - Google Patents

Description

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWIN D. OHAPLIN, OF WIN CHESTER, AND HENRY HALLORAN, OF BOSTON,

' MASSACHUSETTS.

ELECTROLYTIC CELL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 665,064, dated January 1 1901. Application filedMay 29, 1899- Serial No, 718,630. (No model.)

T at whom it may concern:

Be it. known that we, EDWIN D. OHAPLIN, residing at'Winchester, in the county of MiddleseX, and HENRY G. HALLORAN, residing at Boston, in the county of Suffolk, State of Massachusetts, citizens of the United States, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electrolytic Cells, of which the following is a specification, reference being had- :o therein to the accompanying drawings.

The invention consists in an electrolytic cell of novelandimproved character and construction for use in the production of chlorin and caustic alkali. v

x 5 The invention will be described first with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which latter we have illustrated the best embodiment thereof that we have yet contrived, after which the distinguishing andcharacterzo istic features of our cell will also be particularly pointed out, and distinctly defined in the claims at the close of this specification.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a sectional representation of an electrolytic apparatus containing the said embodiment of ourinvention. Fig. 2 is a view in plan of a positive element. Fig. 3 is a detail view, partly in section, on an enlarged scale, chiefly intended to illustrate the adjustable nozzle in connection with the outflow-pipe. Fig. 4 is a sectional view, on an enlarged scale, of the means for feeding salt hereinafter described.

Having reference to the said drawings, 1 designates a containing vessel or tank, the same in practice usually being built of wood and receiving within it both electrodes, the accessories of the anode, and also the electrolyte, the latter being, for example, a solution of chlorid of sodium.

2 designates a suitable supply pipe by means of which to provide for a flow of solution into the tank.

5 designates an outflow-pipe for tank 1,leading from adjacent the cathode and intended 4.5 to'provide for the gradual discharge of the cation. Thevsaid outflow-pipe 5 is furnished with a discharge-nozzle 6 at its outer end, which is conveniently made capable of a vertical adj ustment-as, for instance, by being arranged to slide on said outer end of outflowpipe 5in order to secure the desired normal height of the liquid-level within the said tank 1. The nozzle 6 may be held in place on pipe 5 at the required height by friction or by any approved means for the purpose. I The cathode 7 is constituted in the drawings by the metallic bottom Within tank 1, which is shown in Fig. l, the wiring being indicated at 8. Preferably the said cathode is in t-hewform of a lining for the bottom and sides of the negative compartment, it being made in practice as a shallow pan, which is set in place at the bottom of the tank, it constituting a receptacle for the cation. The use of this pan-like cathode renders it unneces- 65 sary to take any precaution to render the tank (which usually is made of wood) proof against the action of the caustic which is produced at the cathode. The anode 9 in-the illustrated embodiment of the invention is disposed in tank 1 verticallyabove the cathode 7. Preferably the said anode is in the form of a continuous cylindrical ring standing vertically, as shown in the drawings, the said ring being represented in section on a vertical diametrical plane in Fig. 1. The lower edge of the said ring preferably is made V- shaped, as shown in Fig. 1, to facilitate the lateral escape of gas at such edge, although this is not indispensable. The ring is formed of suitable materialsuch, for instance, as carbon or brown oxid of lead. The anode' 9 isinclosed in a chamber 10, of suitable material eapable of retaining the chlorin which is set free, and it is supported within the said chamberin suitable manner--as, for example, by means of projections 100 100, extending inwardly from the chamber, the said projections being received in notches in the lower edge of the anode, as shown. The anode and cathode are contained, respectively, in distinct spaces or compartments, which are divided off from the general electrolyte-containing space of tank 1 by means of diaphragms 12 and 13, which may be formed of cotton cloth or other material suitable for the purpose. The diaphragm 12 for the cathode 7 extends horizontally across the interior of tank 1 in the illustrated embodiment of the invention just above the cathode and is at-.

tached in suitable and convenient manner at the sides of the tank. The diaphragm 13 for the anode 9 is attached to the lower edge of a ring, as 14, of wood or the like, surrounding the chamber 10, as shown in Fig. 1. The posi tive element, comprising the ring 14, diaphragm l3, chamber 10, and anode 9, is immersed in the general electrolyte-containing space of the tank 1. Between the two diaphragms 12 and 13 intervenes a portion of the general interior space of tank 1, the same being occupied by a portion of the electrolyte.

15 designates a pipe communicating with the interior of chamber 10 and also with a main, as 16, and serving for conducting away the chlorin as fast as it is set free.

17 17 designate beams extending across the top of tank 1. The wooden ring 14 is suspended from these beams, as by means of wires 18 18, and the chamber 10 is furnished with outwardly-extending projections 19 19, resting on the upper edge of the ring 14, the said chamber being thus supported. A plurality of positive elements is shown contained Within the tank 1 in Fig. 1, and it will be understood that in practice any convenient number of the same may be employed Within a single tank and with a single cathode.

The cation which collects adjacent the cathode passes out through the outflow-pipe 5 and is discharged through the nozzle 6, the caustic being led into any suitable receiver. A pipe 21 is connected with the top of said nozzle, if desired, for the purpose of leading the hydrogen from the said outflow-pipe to any suitable receiver.

The diaphragm 13 adjacent to the anode is of such a texture and material as to preclude flow either inwardly into the anode-compartment from the general electrolyte-containing space of the tank, or outwardly from the said compartment into the said space. It permits osmose, however, and we therefore term it an osmotic diaphragm. We have secured the required density in some cases by the employment of cotton cloth of proper texture. In other cases we have employed in connection with a diaphragm of cotton cloth a sheet of asbestos in contact with and resting upon the said cloth. By this means we confine the chlorin and prevent it from passing out into the solution in the general electrolyte-containing space of the tank and finding its way thence into the cathode-compartment. The diaphragm 12 adjacent the cathode serves the purpose of preventing difiusion of the caustic into the said general electrolyte-containing space of the tank. It permits flow of the electrolyte toward the cathode, however, and we therefore term ita pervious diaphragm. The confinement of the caustic within the cathode-compartment is assisted by the fact that the outflow for the caustic occurs adjacent to the cathode. The presence between the diaphragms of an intervening portion of the solution that is fed into the general electrolyte-containing space of the tank operates eeaoea to prevent such proximity of the chlorin and caustic to each other as would enable their chemical affinity to cause them to become joined. Thereby the ad mixture of chlorin and caustic within the cell is prevented and the formation of chlorates and hypochlorites is avoided. If the ad mixture were permitted to take place, not only would the purity of the products of decomposition be depreciated, but the efliciency of the apparatus would be affected injuriously in consequence of the fact that a portion of the energy of the electric current would be expended unprofitably in decomposing the secondary products instead of the entire energy being expended in decomposing the brine proper.

For the purpose of keeping within the anode-compartment a properquantity of salt in solution we provideaporous bag 22, which is suspended within the solution inside the chamber 10 by means of a pipe 23, passing through the top of the said chamber. \Vitlb in the tube we provide a feed-screw 2a or other means of forcing the salt down through the tube into the bag. This enables a supply of salt to be introduced from time to time into the chamber from the exterior of the latter in a convenient manner. For the purpose of preventing the escape of chlorin the enlarged or hopper-like upper end of pipe 23 is furnished with a removable cover 25. Through a central. hole in the said cover the stem of the feed-screw 24 passes, the said hole being suitably packed in practice to prevent the chlorin from passing out through the same around the said stem. A suitable packing or gasket, as at 26, isinterposed between the cover 25 and the upper end of pipe 23. The cover is held down in place by means of a clamping-bolt 27 and thumb-nut 28.

The ring It enables us to produce conveniently a liquid-pressure upon the gas within the chamber 10 by means of which to force the said gas out through the pipe 15 and main 16. As the chlorin accumulates within the said chamber it will operate at first to expel from the mouth of the same the liquid which is contained therein, the said liquid finding its way into the space between the exterior of the chamber and the ring 14 and rising in the said space until its height producesaback pressure sufficient to occasion the outflow of the chlorin. The pressure upon the chlorin produced in this manner is altogether independent of the height of the liquid contents of the tank outside the anode-compartment. We introduce liquid into the chamber 10 by pouring the same into the space between the said chamber and the inclosing ring 14:. In this way loss of evaporation is compensated for.

We claim as our invention- 1. In an electrolytic cell, in combination, the containing-tank, the cathode, a pervious diaphragm adjacent the cathode of texture to permit liquid flow, the anode, the chamber inclosing the anode, means for suspending izo said chamber within the general electrolytecontaining space of the tank, means to con vey gas away from the said chamber, and the osmotic diaphragm of such texture as to prevent the flow of liquid therethrough at the mouth of said chamber, the said diaphragms separated from each other by a portion of the general electrolyte-containing space of the tank to prevent any intercurrent movement of the said electrolyte, substantially as described.

2. In an electrolytic cell, in combination, the containing-tank, the cathode, the outfl owpipe leading from adjacent the said cathode, a pervious diaphragm adjacent the cathode of texture to permit liquid flow, the anode, the chamber inclosing the anode, means for suspending said chamber Within the general electrolyte-containing space of the tank, means to convey gas away from the said chamber, and the osmotic diaphragm of such texture as to prevent the flow of liquid therethrough at the mouth of said chamber, the said diaphragms separated from each other by a portion of the general electrolyte-containing space of the tank to prevent any intercurrent movement of the said electrolyte, substantially as described.

3. In an electrolytic cell, in combination, the tank 1, the cathode at the bottom thereof, the outflow-pipe leading from adjacent the said cathode, the diaphragm above the oathode, the anode, the chamber inclosing the anode, the ring surrounding the said chamber, and the second diaphragm applied to the said ring, the two diaphragms being separated from each other-by a portion of the general electrolyte-containing space of the tank.

4. In an electrolytic cell, in combination, the tank, the chamber, the anode inclosed thereby, the diaphragm adjacent the said chamber, the bag suspended within the chamtexture as to permit liquid flow, separated from the said osmotic diaphragm by a space adapted to be filled by incoming solution,

and a cathode below said pervious diaphragm.

6. In an electrolytic cell, a positive element consisting of an anode, a chlorin-chamber, a ring surrounding the said chamber and inclosing a liquid-containing space between itself and the exterior of said chamber, and a diaphragm across the bottom of said ring.

7. In an electrolytic cell, a tank, a negative compartment at the bottom of said tank containing a cathode and a positive element consisting of an anode, a chlorin-chamber, and inclosing a liquid-containing space between itself and the exterior of said chamber, a ring surrounding the said chamber and a diaphragm across one end of said ring.

8. In an electrolytic cell, the anode and cathode, and the means described for maintaining the separation of the ions, consisting of a ring encircling the anode, an osmotic diaphragm applied to thesaid ring of such texture as to prevent the flow of liquid therethrough, a pervious diaphragm of such texture as to permit liquid flow, and an outflo adjacent to the cathode, the space intermediate the diaphragms being adapted to contain a body of the electrolyte.

In testimony whereof we aifix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

EDWIN D. OHAPLIN. HENRY G. HALLORAN. Witnesses:

OHAs. F. RANDALL, WILLIAM A. COPELAND.

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