Electrochemical apparatus and process for the manufacture of halates

Abstract

Abstract AN ELECTROCHEMICAL APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF HALATES, E.G., SODIUM CHLORATE, INCLUDES AN ELECTROLYTIC CELL HAVING MONOPOLAR DIMENSIONALLY STABLE ANODES HELD TO AND REMOVABLE FROM THE CELL AT A SIDE THEREOF, AND CATHODES, DUCTS FOR CONDUCTING HYPOHALITE AND GASEOUS ELECTROLYSIS PRODUCTS UPWARDLY THROUGH THE CELL AND BAFFLED MEANS FOR CONDUCTING THE HYPOHALITE DOWNWARDLY TO A BOTTOM PORTION OF THE CELL, FROM WHICH IT MAY BE DRAWN OFF AS CHLORATE, OR RECYCLED, THE BAFFLED MEANS FOR RETURNING THE HYPOHALITE AND OTHER ELECTROLYTE CONSTITUENTS TURNDOWNWARDLY BEING SUCH THAT THE HYPOHALITE WILL BE HELD FOR A LONG ENOUGH TIME SO AS TO BECOME SUBSTANTIALLY CONVERTED TO CHLORATE. IN PREFERRED ASPECTS OF THE INVENTION, THE DIMENSIONALLY STABLE MONOPOLAR ANODES ARE OF PLATI- NUM, PLATINUM-IRIDIUM ALLOY OR RUTHENIUM OXIDE OVER A VALVE METAL SUCH AS TITANIUM, TANALUM OR NIOBIUM, INTERNAL COOLING OF THE ELECTRODES IS PROVIDED, CONDUCTORS ARE COPPER RODS CLAD WITH TITANIUM, WHICH ALSO SERVE TO RIGIDIFY THE ANODES, THE CELL TOP IS OF A FIBERGLASS-REINFORCED PLASTIC, REPLENISHED ELECTROLYTE IS CONTINUALLY ADDED TO THE CELL, THE ANODES AND CATHODES ARE HELD APART BY SPACING LINES OF ELECTROLYTE-RESISTANT PLASTIC, WHICH MAY BE FASTENED TOGETHER AROUND A PAIR OF CATHODE SURFACES, AND AT LEAST TWO SUCH ELECTROCHEMICAL APPARATUSES ARE ELECTRICALLY JOINED BY COPPER CONNECTORS OF A CONSTRUCTION WHICH MINIMIZES THERMAL EXPANSION-CONTRACTION STRAINS ON THE ELECTRODES.

Inventors

• 👤 C Harke
• 👤 J Parkinson
• 👤 J Currey

Bibliographic Details