Method and apparatus for mechanized smutting of electrolyzers

Claim 1

IN A METHOD FOR THE REMOVAL OF SLUDGE FROM ELECTROLYZERS, PARTICULARLY ELECTROLYZERS FOR THE FUSED SALT ELECTROLYSIS OF MAGNESIUM, WHEREIN A MIXTURE OF MELTED ELECTROLYTE AND SLUDGE, BY MEANS OF A SUCTION PIPE IMMERSED IN AN ELECTROLYSIS BATH, IS TRANSFERRED BY SUCTION FROM THE BATH INTO A COLLECTING TANK WHICH IS CONNECTED TO A VACUUM SOURCE, THE IMPROVEMENT WHEREIN SAID METHOD COMPRISES: PASSING THE MIXTURE OF SLUDGE AND MELTED ELECTROLYTE THROUGH THE SUCTION PIPE INTO THE TANK; SEPARATING THE SLUDGE BY SETTLING FROM THE MELT; NEUTRALIZING THE VACUUM IN SAID TANK; AND PASSING THE MELT, AFTER THE VACUUM IS NEUTRALIZED, BACK INTO THE BATH OF THE ELECTROLYTIC CELL THROUGH SAID SUCTION PIPE, WHILE CONTINUOUSLY SEPARATING THE SLUDGE FROM THE MIX-

Claim 4

An apparatus for the removal of sludge from electrolyzers, particularly electrolyzers for the fused salt electrolysis of magnesium, said apparatus comprising: a collecting tank with a valve at the bottom thereof; connecting means for connecting said tank to a vacuum source; a suction pipe having at a first end thereof a suction nozzle; a combined inlet and discharge pipe connected to a second end of said suction pipe and extending into said tank; said inlet and discharge pipe having an end opening means spaced from the bottom, top and interior surface of the wall of said tank for selectively directing a mixture of sludge and melted electrolyte into said tank tangentially to said wall thereof; said opening means dividing said collecting tank between a first lower compartment means for collecting sludge separated from said mixture, and a second upper compartment means for collecting melted electrolyte separated from said mixture; and said combined inlet and discharge pipe comprising means selectively operable for discharging the thus separated electrolyte into said suction pipe.

Claim 5

An apparatus for the removal of sludge from electrolyzers, particularly electrolyzers for the fused salt electrolysis of magnesium, said apparatus comprising: a collecting tank with a valve at the bottom thereof; connecting means for connecting said tank to a vacuum source; a suction pipe having at a first end thereof a suction nozzle; a combined inlet and discharge pipe connected to a second end of said suction pipe and extending into said tank; said inlet and discharge pipe having an end opening means spaced from the bottom, top and interior surface of the wall of said tank for selectively directing a mixture of sludge and melted electrolyte into said tank tangentially to said wall thereof; said opening means dividing said collecting tank between a first lower compartment means for collecting sludge separated from said mixture, and a second upper compartment means for collecting melted electrolyte separated from said mixture; and said combined inlet and discharge pipe comprising means selectively operable for discharging the thus separated electrolyte into said suction pipe.