Patent US3718457A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
← Back to Patent Explorer
US3718457A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Process for the recovery of mercury from waste brine from mercury cells

Assignee: Imperial Chemical Industries Ltd
•
Filing: 1971-01-29
•
Granted: 1973-02-27
•
Expires: 1991-01-29
📄 Original PDF 🌐 Google Patents 🔄 Sync Now

Abstract

Abstract A process for recovering mercury from waste brine from mercury cells comprising adding sulphide or hydrosulphide ions to the brine to precipitate mercury sulphide, trapping the mercury sulphide on a mixed media filter in which the average size of particles in successive super-imposed layers decreases and the specific gravity of the particles increases from the top of the filter downwards, removing the mercury sulphide from the filter by backwashing with an aqueous liquor, separating the mercury sulphide from the backwash liquor and treating the sulphide to produce metallic mercury.

Inventors

  • 👤 J Entwisle
  • 👤 R Griffiths

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-30 19:26
CPC Classifications
C; C01; C01D; C01D3/00; C01D3/14; C01D3/16; C01D1/00; C01D1/04; C01D1/28; C01D1/32; C01G; C01G13/00

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim 21 words
A process according to claim 1 in which the redox potential produced is of a value more negative than 0.25 volts.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 16 words
A process according to claim 2 in which the bed is also scoured with a gas.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 15 words
A process according to claim 2 in which the backwashing is carried out using water.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 15 words
A process according to claim 3 in which the scouring is carried out with air.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 27 words
A process according to claim 1 in which the brine is treated by air-blowing to reduce the free chlorine content before treatment with the sulphide or hydrosulphide.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 25 words
A process according to claim 1 in which as a source of sulphide or hydrosulphide ions there is used an alkali metal sulphide or hydrosulphide.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 21 words
A process according to claim 7 in which the alkali metal sulphide or hydrosulphide is sodium sulfide or is sodium hydrosulphide.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 28 words
A process according to claim 1 in which the filter comprises granular filtration material selected from coal, activated carbon, graphite, quartz, flint, silica, magnesia, alumina, garnet and sand.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 24 words
A process according to claim 1 in which the waste brine is treated to remove insoluble mAtter before addition of the sulphide or hydrosulphide.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 13 words
A process according to claim 10 in which the waste brine is filtered.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

CA649382A Cited
US1777546A Cited
US1981877A Cited
US2057237A Cited
US2555970A Cited
US2860952A Cited
US2885282A Cited
US3085859A Cited
US3382983A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1976-02-27 1976-08-28 1977-02-27 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1980-02-27 1980-08-28 1981-02-27 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1984-02-27 1984-08-28 1985-02-27 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

Assigned Categories & Tags

No categories assigned to this patent yet.

Assign Category Tag