Method and apparatus for the electrochemical removal of metal ions

Abstract

Abstract A PAIR OF OPPOSED INERT, POROUS, ELECTRICALLY CONDUCTING ELECTRODES, PREFERABLY COMPOSED OF INEXPENSIVE FLAKES AND CHIPS OF CARBON, ARE PROVIDED WITH A POTENTIAL DIFFERENCE THEREBETWEEN SO THAT ONE (THE ANODE) IS POSITIVE RELATIVE TO THE OTHER (THE CATHODE). THE POROUS ANODE IS ALSO PROVIDED WITH COPPER IN IONIZABLE FORM. A SOLUTION TO BE PURIFIED IS PASSED THROUGH THE CATHODE WHILE AN ELECTROLYTE, POSSIBLY A PORTION OF THE SAME SOLUTION OR A MIXTURE THEREOF, IS PASSED THROUGH THE ANODE WHEREBY SOLUTIONS IS THE CATHODE AND ANODE ARE ELECTROLYZED (BECOMING CATHOLYTE AND ANOLITE, RESPECTIVELY) CAUSING REMOVAL OF METAL IONS MORE NOBLE TO HYDROGEN IN THE ELECTROMOTIVE SERIES FROM THE CATHOLYTE AND AN ADDITION OF AT LEAST COPPER TO THE ANOLYTE TO PROVIDE A PURIFYIED EFFLUENT FROM THE CATHODE AND AN ENRICHED EFFLUENT FROM THE ANODE. UPON SATURATION OF THE CATHODE WITH THE ACCUMULATED DEPOSITED METAL IRONS, THE CELL IS REGENERATED BY CONTINUED OPERATION WITH THE POTENTIAL TO THE ELECTRODES REVERSED AND THE FEED SOLUTION TO THE CELL REVERSED SO THAT THE ROLE OF THE ELECTRODES IS REVERSED.

Inventors

• 👤 D Bennion
• 👤 J Newman

Bibliographic Details