Apparatus for manufacturing chlorine dioxide

Claim 1

An apparatus for producing chlorine dioxide by the electrolysis of a chlorite solution which comprises: an electrolytic cell for producing chlorine dioxide by electrolysis of a solution of chlorite, said electrolytic cell including an anode compartment and a cathode compartment, said electrolytic cell including means for discharging anolyte from said anode compartment and means for discharging catholyte from said cathode compartment; a supply tank having a first input for receiving an aqueous fresh chlorite solution, a first output for supplying a chlorite containing solution, a second input for receiving a mixture of chlorine dioxide and air and a second output for removing a mixture of chlorine dioxide and air from the system; a stripping tank having a first output for supplying an anolyte to the anode compartment of said electrolytic cell, a first input coupled to the anode compartment of said electrolytic cell for receiving anolyte containing chlorine dioxide dissolved therein, a second input for receiving a mixture of chlorine dioxide and air, said stripping tank stripping some of said anolyte of chlorine dioxide by said air contained in said mixture supplied thereto, a second output for supplying anolyte containing dissolved chlorine dioxide to an auxiliary stripping tank, and a third output for supplying a mixture of chlorine dioxide and air to said supply tank; said auxiliary stripping tank including a first input for receiving anolyte from said stripping tank, a second input for receiving fresh air, a first output for supplying a mixture of chlorine dioxide and air to said stripping tank, said auxiliary stripping tank stripping anolyte of chlorine dioxide dissolved therein by means of said fresh air supplied thereto, and a second output for discharging a part of the anolyte contained in said auxiliary stripping tank from the system; a circulation tank coupled to the cathode compartment of said electrolytic cell and including a first input for receiving a first portion of said catholyte discharged from said cathode compartment, a second input for receiving a diluent to dilute the catholyte and to thereby control the alkali concentration of the catholyte in said circulation tank, a first output for supplying diluted catholyte to the cathode compartment of said electrolytic cell, and a second output for discharging a part of the catholyte contained in said circulation tank from the system; means for supplying a second portion of the catholyte discharged from said cathode compartment to said first output of said stripping tank; means for combining said second portion of said catholyte and said anolyte from said first output of said stripping tank to form a first mixture; and means for combining said first mixture with said chlorite containing solution provided at said first output of said supply tank to thereby form a second mixture, and means for supplying said second mixture to said anode compartment of said electrolytic cell.

Claim 2

An apparatus for producing chlorine dioxide by the electrolysis of a chlorite solution which comprises: an electrolytic cell for producing chlorine dioxide by electrolysis of a solution of chlorite, said electrolytic cell including an anode compartment and a cathode compartment, said electrolytic cell including means for discharging anolyte from said anode compartment and means for discharging catholyte from said cathode compartment; a supply tank having a first input for receiving an aqueous fresh chlorite solution, a first output for supplying a chlorite containing solution, a second input for receiving a mixture of chlorine dioxide and air and a second output for removing a mixture of chlorine dioxide and air from the system; a stripping tank having a first output for supplying an anolyte to the anode compartment of said electrolytic cell, a first input coupled to the anode compartment of said electrolytic cell for receiving anolyte containing chlorine dioxide dissolved therein, a second input for receiving a mixture of chlorine dioxide and air, said stripping tank stripping some of said anolyte of chlorine dioxide by said air contained in said mixture supplied thereto, a second output for supplying anolyte containing dissolved chlorine dioxide to an auxiliary stripping tank, and a third output for supplying a mixture of chlorine dioxide and air to said supply tank; said auxiliary stripping tank including a first input for receiving anolyte from said stripping tank, a second input for receiving fresh air, a first output for supplying a mixture of chlorine dioxide and air to said stripping tank, said auxiliary stripping tank stripping anolyte of chlorine dioxide dissolved therein by means of said fresh air supplied thereto, and a second output for discharging a part of the anolyte contained in said auxiliary stripping tank from the system; a circulation tank coupled to the cathode compartment of said electrolytic cell and including a first input for receiving a first portion of said catholyte discharged from said cathode compartment, a second input for receiving a diluent to dilute the catholyte and to thereby control the alkali concentration of the catholyte in said circulation tank, a first output for supplying diluted catholyte to the cathode compartment of said electrolytic cell, and a second output for discharging a part of the catholyte contained in said circulation tank from the system; means for supplying a second portion of the catholyte discharged from said cathode compartment to said first output of said stripping tank; means for combining said second portion of said catholyte and said anolyte from said first output of said stripping tank to form a first mixture; and means for combining said first mixture with said chlorite containing solution provided at said first output of said supply tank to thereby form a second mixture, and means for supplying said second mixture to said anode compartment of said electrolytic cell.

Claim 12

An apparatus for producing chlorine dioxide by the electrolysis of a chlorine solution which comprises: a substantially enclosed substantially cylindrical reaction vessel having a bottom compartment, a middle compartment and a top compartment, and an electrolytic cell located outside of said cylindrical reaction vessel for producing chlorine dioxide by electrolysis of a solution of chlorite, said electrolytic cell including an anode compartment, a cathode compartment, means for discharging anolyte from said anode compartment and means for discharging catholyte from said cathode compartment; said upper compartment comprising a supply tank having a first input for receiving an aqueous fresh chlorite solution, a first output for supplying a chlorite containing solution, a second input for receiving a mixture of chlorine dioxide and air and a second output for removing a mixture of chlorine dioxde and air from said reaction vessel; said middle compartment comprising a stripping tank having a first output for supplying an anolyte to the anode compartment of said electrolytic cell, a first input coupled to the anode compartment of said electrolytic cell for receiving anolyte containing chlorine dioxide dissolved therein, a second input for receiving a mixture of chlorine dioxide and air, said stripping tank stripping some of said anolyte of chlorine dioxide by said air contained in said mixture supplied thereto, a second output for supplying anolyte containing dissolved chlorine dioxide to an auxiliary stripping tank, and a third output for supplying a mixture of chlorine dioxide and air to said supply tank; said bottom compartment comprising said auxiliary stripping tank including a first input for receiving anolyte from said stripping tank, a second input for receiving fresh air, a first output for supplying a mixture of chlorine dioxide and air to said stripping tank, said auxiliary stripping tank stripping anolyte of chlorine dioxide dissolved therein by means of said fresh air supplied thereto, and a second output for discharging a part of the anolyte contained in said auxiliary stripping tank from said cylindrical reaction vessel; and a circulation tank coupled to the cathode compartment of said electrolytic cell and including a first input for receiving a first portion of said catholyte discharged from said cathode compartment, a second input for receiving a diluent to dilute the catholyte and to thereby control the alkali concentration of the catholyte in said circulation tank, a first output for supplying diluted catholyte to the cathode compartment of said electrolytic cell, and a second output for discharging a part of the catholyte contained in said circulation tank from said reaction vessel; means for supplying a second portion of the catholyte discharged from said cathode compartment to said first output of said stripping tank; means for combining said second portion of said catholyte and said anolyte from said first output of said stripping tank to form a first mixture; and means for combining said first mixture with said chlorite containing solution provided at said first output of said supply tank to thereby form a second mixture, and means for supplying said second mixture to said anode compartment of said electrolytic cell.

Claim 13

An apparatus for producing chlorine dioxide by the electrolysis of a chlorine solution which comprises: a substantially enclosed substantially cylindrical reaction vessel having a bottom compartment, a middle compartment and a top compartment, and an electrolytic cell located outside of said cylindrical reaction vessel for producing chlorine dioxide by electrolysis of a solution of chlorite, said electrolytic cell including an anode compartment, a cathode compartment, means for discharging anolyte from said anode compartment and means for discharging catholyte from said cathode compartment; said upper compartment comprising a supply tank having a first input for receiving an aqueous fresh chlorite solution, a first output for supplying a chlorite containing solution, a second input for receiving a mixture of chlorine dioxide and air and a second output for removing a mixture of chlorine dioxde and air from said reaction vessel; said middle compartment comprising a stripping tank having a first output for supplying an anolyte to the anode compartment of said electrolytic cell, a first input coupled to the anode compartment of said electrolytic cell for receiving anolyte containing chlorine dioxide dissolved therein, a second input for receiving a mixture of chlorine dioxide and air, said stripping tank stripping some of said anolyte of chlorine dioxide by said air contained in said mixture supplied thereto, a second output for supplying anolyte containing dissolved chlorine dioxide to an auxiliary stripping tank, and a third output for supplying a mixture of chlorine dioxide and air to said supply tank; said bottom compartment comprising said auxiliary stripping tank including a first input for receiving anolyte from said stripping tank, a second input for receiving fresh air, a first output for supplying a mixture of chlorine dioxide and air to said stripping tank, said auxiliary stripping tank stripping anolyte of chlorine dioxide dissolved therein by means of said fresh air supplied thereto, and a second output for discharging a part of the anolyte contained in said auxiliary stripping tank from said cylindrical reaction vessel; and a circulation tank coupled to the cathode compartment of said electrolytic cell and including a first input for receiving a first portion of said catholyte discharged from said cathode compartment, a second input for receiving a diluent to dilute the catholyte and to thereby control the alkali concentration of the catholyte in said circulation tank, a first output for supplying diluted catholyte to the cathode compartment of said electrolytic cell, and a second output for discharging a part of the catholyte contained in said circulation tank from said reaction vessel; means for supplying a second portion of the catholyte discharged from said cathode compartment to said first output of said stripping tank; means for combining said second portion of said catholyte and said anolyte from said first output of said stripping tank to form a first mixture; and means for combining said first mixture with said chlorite containing solution provided at said first output of said supply tank to thereby form a second mixture, and means for supplying said second mixture to said anode compartment of said electrolytic cell.