US3907654A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Electrolytic cell and process for electrolyzing sodium sulfate
Assignee: ConocoPhillips Co
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Filing: 1973-09-06
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Granted: 1975-09-23
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Expires: 1993-09-06
Abstract
Abstract An electrolytic cell comprising a housing having a parent solution chamber and a parent solution inlet, an anode compartment and a cathode compartment communicating with said chamber; said anode compartment having a porous (internal liquiddraining) anode mounted therein through which anolyte solution passes and an anolyte solution outlet; said cathode compartment having a porous (internal liquid-draining) cathode mounted therein through which catholyte solution passes and a catholyte solution outlet. The cell is particularly useful in electrolysis of sodium sulfate solution to form sulfuric acid and sodium hydroxide.
Inventors
- 👤 Frederick J Radd
- 👤 Donald H Oertle
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 19:01
CPC Classifications
C; C25; C25B; C25B1/00; C25B1/01; C25B1/14; C25B1/16; C25B1/22; C25B9/00; C25B9/01; C25B9/17
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
139 words
AN ELECTROLYTIC CELL COMPRISING A HOUSING HAVING A PARENT SOLUTION CHAMBER AND A PARENT SOLUTION INLET, AN ANODE COMPARTMENT AND A CATHODE COMPARTMENT LOCATED SEPARATE FROM BUT ADJACENT TO SAID PARENT SOLUTION CHAMBER, EACH OF SAID ANODE COMPARTMENT AND SAID CATHODE COMPARTMENT BEING SEPARATED FROM EACH OTHER AND IN DIRECT COMMUNICATION WITH SAID PARENT SOLUTION CHAMBER, SAID ANODE COMPARTMENT HAVING AN ANODE MOUNTED THEREIN FOR GENERATING AN ANOLYTE SOLUTION AND AN ANOLYTE SOLUTON OUTLET, SAID CATHODE COMPARTMENT HAVING A CATHODE MOUNTED THEREIN FOR GENERATING A CATHOLYTE SOLUTION AND A CATHOLYTE SOLUTION OUTLET, EACH OF SAID ANODE AND CATHODE BEING HORIZONTALLY DISPOSED WITHIN ITS COMPARTMENT BETWEEN SAID PARENT SOLUTION CHAMBER AND SAID RESPECTIVE ANOLYTE OR CATHOLYTE SOLUTION OUTLET AND BEING POROUS SO THAT THE RESPECTIVE ANOLYTE SOLUTION OR CATHOLYTE SOLUTION MAY PASS THERETHROUGH AND BE WITHDRAWN FROM THE ELECTROLYTIC CELL.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
139 words
AN ELECTROLYTIC CELL COMPRISING A HOUSING HAVING A PARENT SOLUTION CHAMBER AND A PARENT SOLUTION INLET, AN ANODE COMPARTMENT AND A CATHODE COMPARTMENT LOCATED SEPARATE FROM BUT ADJACENT TO SAID PARENT SOLUTION CHAMBER, EACH OF SAID ANODE COMPARTMENT AND SAID CATHODE COMPARTMENT BEING SEPARATED FROM EACH OTHER AND IN DIRECT COMMUNICATION WITH SAID PARENT SOLUTION CHAMBER, SAID ANODE COMPARTMENT HAVING AN ANODE MOUNTED THEREIN FOR GENERATING AN ANOLYTE SOLUTION AND AN ANOLYTE SOLUTON OUTLET, SAID CATHODE COMPARTMENT HAVING A CATHODE MOUNTED THEREIN FOR GENERATING A CATHOLYTE SOLUTION AND A CATHOLYTE SOLUTION OUTLET, EACH OF SAID ANODE AND CATHODE BEING HORIZONTALLY DISPOSED WITHIN ITS COMPARTMENT BETWEEN SAID PARENT SOLUTION CHAMBER AND SAID RESPECTIVE ANOLYTE OR CATHOLYTE SOLUTION OUTLET AND BEING POROUS SO THAT THE RESPECTIVE ANOLYTE SOLUTION OR CATHOLYTE SOLUTION MAY PASS THERETHROUGH AND BE WITHDRAWN FROM THE ELECTROLYTIC CELL.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
24 words
An electrolytic cell according to claim 1 wherein at least one of the porous anode or porous cathode is provided with a porous cover.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
21 words
An electrolytic cell according to claim 2 wherein both the porous anode and porous cathode are provided with a porous cover.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
15 words
An electrolytic cell according to claim 3 wherein the porous covers are of nonconductive material.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
15 words
An electrolytic cell according to claim 3 wherein the porous covers are of conductive material.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
19 words
An electrolytic cell according to claim 2 wherein the anode is graphite and has a carbon black cover layer.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
15 words
An electrolytic cell according to claim 6 wherein the cathode is a stainless steel screen.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
85 words
An electrolytic process which comprises introducing to an electrolytic cell a parent solution which upon electrolysis forms anolyte and catholyte solutions having specific gravities different from the parent solution, subjecting the parent solution to electrolysis using an anode and a cathode, at least one of said anode or cathode being porous whereupon the thus-formed anolyte solution or catholyte solution gravitationally separates from the parent solution and passes through the porous anode or porous cathode, respectively, and separately recovering the anolyte solution or the catholyte solution.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
85 words
An electrolytic process which comprises introducing to an electrolytic cell a parent solution which upon electrolysis forms anolyte and catholyte solutions having specific gravities different from the parent solution, subjecting the parent solution to electrolysis using an anode and a cathode, at least one of said anode or cathode being porous whereupon the thus-formed anolyte solution or catholyte solution gravitationally separates from the parent solution and passes through the porous anode or porous cathode, respectively, and separately recovering the anolyte solution or the catholyte solution.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
38 words
An electrolytic process according to claim 9 wherein both the anode and cathode are porous and both the anolyte solution and catholyte solution gravitationally separate from the parent solution and pass through the porous anode and porous cathode.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
27 words
An electrolytic process according to claim 7 wherein the parent solution is sodium sulfate, the anolyte solution is sulfuric acid and the catholyte solution is sodium hydroxide.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-09-22 | 1979-03-24 | 1979-09-23 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-09-22 | 1983-03-24 | 1983-09-23 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-09-22 | 1987-03-24 | 1987-09-23 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |