US4247376A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Current collecting/flow distributing, separator plate for chloride electrolysis cells utilizing ion transporting barrier membranes
Assignee: De Nora SpA
•
Filing: 1979-01-02
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Granted: 1981-01-27
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Expires: 1999-01-02
Abstract
Abstract A unique, current conducting bipolar separator in a cell for electrolysis of chlorides makes multiple contact with the anodes and cathodes bonded to an ion transporting membrane in an electrolysis cell. Each side of the separator plate includes a plurality of electrode contacting, current conducting ribs or projections which also define a plurality of flow channels to allow fluid transport and good flow distribution. The projections or ribs on opposite sides of the separator plates are angularly disposed relative to each other so that the membrane is supported on one side by ribs of one separator and on the other side by the ribs from another separator which are angularly disposed to the first group. The intersection of the ribs on opposite sides of the membrane, thus, establishes a plurality of pressure areas or bearing surfaces which support the membrane without deforming it and without requiring very precise registration and alignment of the ribs.
Inventors
- 👤 Russell M. Dempsey
- 👤 Anthony B. LaConti
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 16:38
CPC Classifications
C; C25; C25B; C25B1/00; C25B1/01; C25B1/24; C25B1/26; C25B9/00; C25B9/17; C25B9/19; C25B9/23; C25B9/70; C25B9/73; C25B9/75; C25B9/77
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 37
Claim 1
Independent Claim
64 words
A process of generating chlorine which comprises electrolyzing an aqueous chloride between an anode and a cathode separated by an ion transporting membrane, the anode and the cathode each comprising a mass of electroconductive catalytically active particles bonded to said membrane, and having a current distributor in contact with the anode at a plurality of contact areas distributed over the surface of the anode.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
64 words
A process of generating chlorine which comprises electrolyzing an aqueous chloride between an anode and a cathode separated by an ion transporting membrane, the anode and the cathode each comprising a mass of electroconductive catalytically active particles bonded to said membrane, and having a current distributor in contact with the anode at a plurality of contact areas distributed over the surface of the anode.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
46 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the contact area between the current distributor and the anode is small enough to limit water electrolysis at tne anode to a level which maintains the oxygen content in the chlorine evolved at the anode below 5 percent by weight.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
21 words
The process of claim 1 in which the process is carried out having a current distributor in contact with the cathode.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
17 words
The process of claim 1 wherein an aqueous solution of hydrochloric acid is electrolyzed at the anode.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
77 words
A process of generating a halogen which comprises electrolyzing aqueous halide between an anode and a cathode separated by a gas and liquid impervious ion transporting membrane, with said anode being bonded to the membrane, applying an electrolyzing potential to said anode through a current distributor in contact with the bonded anode at a plurality of spaced contact areas, said areas being small enough to maintain the oxygen content of the evolved chlorine below 5% by weight.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
77 words
A process of generating a halogen which comprises electrolyzing aqueous halide between an anode and a cathode separated by a gas and liquid impervious ion transporting membrane, with said anode being bonded to the membrane, applying an electrolyzing potential to said anode through a current distributor in contact with the bonded anode at a plurality of spaced contact areas, said areas being small enough to maintain the oxygen content of the evolved chlorine below 5% by weight.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
22 words
The process according to claim 5 wherein the anode is bonded to the membrane and the membrane is a cation transporting membrane.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
80 words
A method of generating halogen which comprises electrolyzing an aqueous halide between anode and cathode electrodes separated by an ion transporting membrane, with at least one of said anode and cathode electrodes being bonded to the membrane, supplying potential to the bonded electrode current distributor elements connected to a potential source and in contact with a plurality of spaced areas of said bonded electrode, exposing the areas of said bonded electrode between the plurality of spaced areas to an electrolyte.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
80 words
A method of generating halogen which comprises electrolyzing an aqueous halide between anode and cathode electrodes separated by an ion transporting membrane, with at least one of said anode and cathode electrodes being bonded to the membrane, supplying potential to the bonded electrode current distributor elements connected to a potential source and in contact with a plurality of spaced areas of said bonded electrode, exposing the areas of said bonded electrode between the plurality of spaced areas to an electrolyte.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method of claim 7 wherein the distributor elements extend from a graphite backwall which is spaced from the electrode to provide passage of aqueous chloride between the backwall and the anode.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 7 wherein the anode is bonded to the membrane.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 7 wherein the contact areas of graphite collectors engaging the anode are small enough to hold the oxygen content of evolved chlorine below 5% by volume.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
33 words
A method of claim 7 wherein both anode and cathode are bonded to opposite sides of the membrane and graphite distributor elements engage the anode and other graphite distributor elements engage the cathode.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
69 words
The method of claim 10 wherein halogen generation takes place in a plurality of adjacent cell units and the graphite back wall separates a pair of adjacent units with graphite distributors extending from the back wall to the anode of one unit and graphite distributors from the other side of the back wall to the cathode of an adjacent unit to apply potential to the electrodes of adjacent units.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 7 wherein the bonded electrode comprises nobel metal particles bonded with a polymeric fluorocarbon.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
98 words
A method of generating chlorine which comprises electrolyzing an aqueous chloride between an anode and a cathode electrode separated by a thin gas and liquid impervious ion transporting membrane at least one of said electrodes being bonded to said membrane, applying potential to said electrodes, flowing spaced, individual, parallel streams of aqueous chloride over the surface of the bonded anode electrode on the side thereof remote from the membrane to which it is bonded, collecting chlorine from said stream, and flowing separate individual streams of aqueous medium along the cathode on the cathode side remote from the membrane.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
98 words
A method of generating chlorine which comprises electrolyzing an aqueous chloride between an anode and a cathode electrode separated by a thin gas and liquid impervious ion transporting membrane at least one of said electrodes being bonded to said membrane, applying potential to said electrodes, flowing spaced, individual, parallel streams of aqueous chloride over the surface of the bonded anode electrode on the side thereof remote from the membrane to which it is bonded, collecting chlorine from said stream, and flowing separate individual streams of aqueous medium along the cathode on the cathode side remote from the membrane.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 14 wherein the anode is bonded to the membrane.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 14 wherein the cathode is bonded to the membrane.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 14 wherein both anode and cathode are bonded to the membrane.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of claim 14 or 17 wherein the streams are spaced by intermediate current distributors which bound the streams and extend from a potential source into electrical contact with the anode and cathode.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method according to claim 14 or 17 in which the direction of flow of the anode streams is at a transverse angle with respect to the direction of flow of the cathode streams.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 18 wherein the areas of contact of the anodic distributors are small enough to maintain the oxygen content of evolved chlorine below 5 percent by weight.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 18 wherein the anode comprises a catalytic noble metal and the distributors comprise graphite.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 7 wherein potential is supplied to the bonded electrode through a plurality of spaced graphite current distributor elements.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
178 words
An electrolysis unit comprising a plurality of cells connected electrically in series, each cell having: (a) an ion transporting membrane, (b) electroconductive catalytic anode and cathode electrodes bonded to and supported by said membrane, (c) bipolar current collecting, flow distributing elements separating individual membranes of each cell from adjacent membranes, said bipolar elements including spaced, conductive projections extending from opposite sides thereof, whereby projections on one side of said element define an anode chamber and contact the anode electrode bonded to one membrane and the projections on the other side define a cathode chamber and contact the cathode bonded to an adjacent membrane, (d) means for establishing an electrical potential between the cathode electrode of the last cell in the unit and the anode of the first cell of the unit, (e) means for circulating an aqueous chloride solution to each of the anode chambers to electrolyze the chloride and produce chlorine at the anode electrodes. (f) means to remove evolved chlorine from the anode chambers, (g) means to remove electrolysis products including hydrogen from the cathode chambers.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
178 words
An electrolysis unit comprising a plurality of cells connected electrically in series, each cell having: (a) an ion transporting membrane, (b) electroconductive catalytic anode and cathode electrodes bonded to and supported by said membrane, (c) bipolar current collecting, flow distributing elements separating individual membranes of each cell from adjacent membranes, said bipolar elements including spaced, conductive projections extending from opposite sides thereof, whereby projections on one side of said element define an anode chamber and contact the anode electrode bonded to one membrane and the projections on the other side define a cathode chamber and contact the cathode bonded to an adjacent membrane, (d) means for establishing an electrical potential between the cathode electrode of the last cell in the unit and the anode of the first cell of the unit, (e) means for circulating an aqueous chloride solution to each of the anode chambers to electrolyze the chloride and produce chlorine at the anode electrodes. (f) means to remove evolved chlorine from the anode chambers, (g) means to remove electrolysis products including hydrogen from the cathode chambers.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
48 words
The electrolysis unit of claim 23 wherein the spaced elongated conductive projections on each bipolar element are angularly disposed to each other thereby establishing a plurality of individual membrane supporting areas at the points of intersection of the angularly disposed ribs located on opposite sides of a membrane.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
16 words
The electrolysis unit of claim 23 in which the conductive bipolar elements are fabricated of graphite.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
28 words
The electrolysis unit of claim 23 wherein a conductive elements is interposed between the spaced conductive projection of the bipolar elements and the electrodes bonded to the membrane.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
16 words
The electrolysis unit of claim 26 wherein the interposed conductive elements are fluid permeable metallic screens.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
66 words
A bipolar current collecting element comprising; (a) a body of conductive material, (b) said body having recessed portions on opposite sides thereof, (c) a plurality of spaced conductive projections extending from the base of the recessed portion for establishing electrical contact between the body and electrodes on opposite sides thereof, (d) means communicating with each of the recessed portions to permit introduction and removal of fluids.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
66 words
A bipolar current collecting element comprising; (a) a body of conductive material, (b) said body having recessed portions on opposite sides thereof, (c) a plurality of spaced conductive projections extending from the base of the recessed portion for establishing electrical contact between the body and electrodes on opposite sides thereof, (d) means communicating with each of the recessed portions to permit introduction and removal of fluids.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
33 words
The bipolar current collecting element of claim 28 wherein the conductive body is fabricated of graphite and the spaced, conductive, projections in the recessed portions are angularly displaced with respect to each other.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
29 words
The bipolar current collecting element of claim 29 wherein the spaced, conductive projection in the recessed portions are elongated, parallel ribs which define a plurality of fluid distributing channels.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
28 words
The bipolar current collecting element of claim 30 wherein the elongated, parallel ribs on opposite sides of the current collecting element are tapered at the electrode contacting end.
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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) | 1984-01-27 | 1984-07-28 | 1985-01-27 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1988-01-27 | 1988-07-28 | 1989-01-27 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1992-01-27 | 1992-07-28 | 1993-01-27 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |