Process for the production of cyanogen halide and apparatus for use therewith

Claim 1

A PROCESS FOR THE ELECTROCHEMICAL PRODUCTION OF CYANOGEN HALIDE USING A CELL COMPRISING AN ANODE COMPARTMENT, A CATHODE COMPARTMENT, AN ANODE POSITIONED VERTICALLY AT ONE SIDE OF THE ANODE, COMPARTMENT, AND A MEMBRANE POSITIONED VERTICALLY AND SEPARATING THE TWO COMPARTMENTS, AND POSITIONED AT THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE ANODE COMPARTMENT, COMPRISING SUBJECTING AN AQUEOUS SOLUTION OF HYDROGEN CYANIDE AND AMMONIUM HALIDE TO THE ACTION OF A DIRECT CURRENT IN THE ANODE COMPARTMENT SO THAT AT THE ANODE HALOGEN IS DISCHARGED AND CYANOGEN HALIDE FORMED, FLOWING HEAVY HALOGEN-RICH ANOLYTE DOWNWARDLY BY GRAVITY AT THE ANODE TO THE BOTTOM OF THE CELL, ADDING HYDROGEN CYANIDE TO THE HALOGEN-RICH ANOLYTE AND LOWERING ITS SPECIFIC GRAVITY, FLOWING THE LIGHTER HYDROGEN CYANIDE-ENRICHED ANOLYTE UPWARDLY ACROSS THE ANODE SIDE OF THE MEMBRANE AND THEREBY PREVENTING HALOGEN IN THE HALOGEN-RICH ANOLYTE FROM REACHING AND ATTACKING THE MEMBRANE, AND REACTING THE HALOGEN THEREIN WITH HYDROGEN CYANIDE TO FORM CYANOGEN HALIDE, REMOVING CYANOGEN HALIDE FROM THE ANOLYTE, AND RECYCLING THE ANOLYTE FOR FURTHER ELECTROCHEMICAL REACTION.