US3919062A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Electrochemical system graduated porous bed sections
Assignee: WR Grace and Co
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Filing: 1974-04-29
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Granted: 1975-11-11
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Expires: 1994-04-29
Abstract
Abstract A process and apparatus for conducting electrochemical treatment in a reaction zone containing electrically conductive particles, such as carbon pellets. A plurality of beds within an electrolysis reaction chamber are separated by foraminous insulators which define bed sections of varying thickness. In the improved electrochemical cell, a porous bed of electrically conductive particles is disposed between primary electrodes to define a reaction zone and means is provided for flowing electrolyte through the bed substantially parallel to voltage gradient between the primary electrodes. The system provides insulating spacer means for separating the porous bed transverse to the direction of flow to provide ionically conducting fluid paths between sections of the bed while preventing ohmic conduction between bed sections. The spacers are disposed to define bed sections having graduated thickness where homogeneous treatment of the electrolyte is obtained. The system is useful for pollution control, electrochemical synthesis and metal recovery.
Inventors
- 👤 Jr Joseph Theodore Lundquist
- 👤 Jose D Giner
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 16:03
CPC Classifications
C; C02; C02F; C02F1/00; C02F1/46; C02F1/461; C02F1/46104; C02F1/46109; C02F1/46114; C25; C25B; C25B11/00; C25B11/02; C25B11/037; C25B9/00; C25B9/13; C25B9/15; C25B9/40; C25B9/47; C02F2001/46128
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 19
Claim 1
Independent Claim
84 words
AN ELECTROCHEMICAL CELL WHICH COMPRISES: A STACK OF POROUS BED SECTIONS CONTAINING PACKED ELECTRICALLY CONDUCTIVE PARTICLES AND A SUBSTANTIALLY UNIFORM CROSS SECTIONAL AREA, ELECTRICALLY INSULATING SPACER MEANS DISPOSED FOR FLUID FLOW ARRANGEMENT IN SAID STACK BETWEEN SAID BED SECTIONS TO PROVEDE DIFFERENT SECTION LONGITUDINAL THICKNESSES ARRANGED IN AN ORDER OF INCREASING TICKNESS ACROSS SAID STACK, PRIMARY ELECTRODES DISPOSED AT OPPOSITE ENDS OF SAID STACK AND OPERATIVELY CONNECTED THERETO, MEANS FOR FLOWING ELECTROLYTE THROUGH SAID STACK IN THE DIRECTION OF INCREASING BED SECTION THICKNESS WHEREBY
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
84 words
AN ELECTROCHEMICAL CELL WHICH COMPRISES: A STACK OF POROUS BED SECTIONS CONTAINING PACKED ELECTRICALLY CONDUCTIVE PARTICLES AND A SUBSTANTIALLY UNIFORM CROSS SECTIONAL AREA, ELECTRICALLY INSULATING SPACER MEANS DISPOSED FOR FLUID FLOW ARRANGEMENT IN SAID STACK BETWEEN SAID BED SECTIONS TO PROVEDE DIFFERENT SECTION LONGITUDINAL THICKNESSES ARRANGED IN AN ORDER OF INCREASING TICKNESS ACROSS SAID STACK, PRIMARY ELECTRODES DISPOSED AT OPPOSITE ENDS OF SAID STACK AND OPERATIVELY CONNECTED THERETO, MEANS FOR FLOWING ELECTROLYTE THROUGH SAID STACK IN THE DIRECTION OF INCREASING BED SECTION THICKNESS WHEREBY
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
15 words
The cell of claim 1 wherein said porous bed sections contain electrically conducting carbon particles.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
20 words
The cell of claim 2 wherein the particles consist essentially of carbon pellets having a minimum dimension of one-half mm.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
31 words
The cell of claim 1 wherein the spacer means comprise planar insulator elements mounted parallel to said electrodes to permit electrolyte flow therethrough while preventing ohmic electrical contact between adjacent beds.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
29 words
The cell of claim 1 wherein spacer means comprise at least one porous layer of insulating particles disposed between adjacent beds and supporting at least one of said beds.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
98 words
In an electrochemical cell wherein a porous bed of electrically conductive particles is disposed between primary electrodes to define a reaction zone and wherein means is provided for flowing electrolyte through the bed substantially parallel to voltage gradient between the primary electrodes, the improvement which comprises: insulating spacer means for separating the porous bed transverse to the direction of flow to provide ionically conducting fluid paths between sections of the bed while preventing ohmic conduction between bed sections, said spacer means being disposed to define beds sections having graduated thickness where homogeneous treatment of the electrolyte is obtained.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
98 words
In an electrochemical cell wherein a porous bed of electrically conductive particles is disposed between primary electrodes to define a reaction zone and wherein means is provided for flowing electrolyte through the bed substantially parallel to voltage gradient between the primary electrodes, the improvement which comprises: insulating spacer means for separating the porous bed transverse to the direction of flow to provide ionically conducting fluid paths between sections of the bed while preventing ohmic conduction between bed sections, said spacer means being disposed to define beds sections having graduated thickness where homogeneous treatment of the electrolyte is obtained.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
49 words
In an electrochemical cell according to claim 6, said bed sections and spacer means being operatively connected for serial fluid flow between bed sections with bed section thickness in the direction of electrolyte flow increasing as an inverse function of ionic concentration and a direct function of electrolyte conductivity.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
130 words
In the method for changing ionic concentration in an electrolyte in an electrochemical cell having electrically conductive particles maintained between primary electrodes; the improvement which comprises: impressing an electrochemical potential between the primary electrodes to maintain a voltage gradient; flowing electrolyte through the cell in a direction between the primary electrodes parallel to the voltage gradient; maintaining the electrically conductive particles in spaced relationship to define a plurality of particle bed sections wherein particles within an individual bed are in direct contact with other particles in the same bed while preventing contact between particles in adjacent bed sections; said bed sections having thickness graduated in a given direction between the primary electrodes; passing the electrolyte in series through said plurality of bed sections under electrochemical conditions; and recovering the electrolyte.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
130 words
In the method for changing ionic concentration in an electrolyte in an electrochemical cell having electrically conductive particles maintained between primary electrodes; the improvement which comprises: impressing an electrochemical potential between the primary electrodes to maintain a voltage gradient; flowing electrolyte through the cell in a direction between the primary electrodes parallel to the voltage gradient; maintaining the electrically conductive particles in spaced relationship to define a plurality of particle bed sections wherein particles within an individual bed are in direct contact with other particles in the same bed while preventing contact between particles in adjacent bed sections; said bed sections having thickness graduated in a given direction between the primary electrodes; passing the electrolyte in series through said plurality of bed sections under electrochemical conditions; and recovering the electrolyte.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
28 words
The process of claim 8 including the steps of providing bed sections having progressively increasing thickness as a function of ionic concentration and electrical conductivity of the electrolyte.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
79 words
Electrochemical reactor apparatus which comprises: an integral reactor chamber having spaced primary electrodes adjacent to fluid inlet and outlet means located at opposite ends of said chamber defining an inter-electrode reaction zone; foraminous insulating bed spacer means positioned transversely within said chamber between said primary electrodes, said support means defining a series of bed sections between said electrodes, said bed sections having varying longitudinal thickness; and a fixed bed of discrete particulate electrode material retained within said bed sections.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
79 words
Electrochemical reactor apparatus which comprises: an integral reactor chamber having spaced primary electrodes adjacent to fluid inlet and outlet means located at opposite ends of said chamber defining an inter-electrode reaction zone; foraminous insulating bed spacer means positioned transversely within said chamber between said primary electrodes, said support means defining a series of bed sections between said electrodes, said bed sections having varying longitudinal thickness; and a fixed bed of discrete particulate electrode material retained within said bed sections.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
12 words
The apparatus of claim 10 which contains more than two bed sections.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
20 words
The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said particulate material consists essentially of carbon pellets of at least 1/2 mm size.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
19 words
The apparatus of claim 10 including means for flowing electrolyte in parallel with electrical current in said reactor chamber.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
125 words
An electrochemical cell which comprises: a stack of porous bed sections containing packed electrically conductive particles and a substantially uniform cross sectional area; electrically insulating spacer means disposed for fluid flow arrangement in said stack between said bed sections to provide different section longitudinal thicknesses arranged in an order of increasing thickness across said stack, said spacer means defining thickness of adjacent beds increasing in a given direction according to geometric progression; primary electrodes disposed at opposite ends of said stack and operatively connected thereto; means for flowing electrolyte directionally through said stack whereby said electrolyte is in contact with each of said porous bed sections in sequence; and means for applying an electrochemical potential across said stack in a direction parallel to electrolyte flow.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
125 words
An electrochemical cell which comprises: a stack of porous bed sections containing packed electrically conductive particles and a substantially uniform cross sectional area; electrically insulating spacer means disposed for fluid flow arrangement in said stack between said bed sections to provide different section longitudinal thicknesses arranged in an order of increasing thickness across said stack, said spacer means defining thickness of adjacent beds increasing in a given direction according to geometric progression; primary electrodes disposed at opposite ends of said stack and operatively connected thereto; means for flowing electrolyte directionally through said stack whereby said electrolyte is in contact with each of said porous bed sections in sequence; and means for applying an electrochemical potential across said stack in a direction parallel to electrolyte flow.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-11-10 | 1979-05-12 | 1979-11-11 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-11-10 | 1983-05-12 | 1983-11-11 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-11-10 | 1987-05-12 | 1987-11-11 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |