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EP0109164A1 - Production de sodium métallique à partir de carbonate de sodium par électrolyse en bains fondus - Google Patents

Production de sodium métallique à partir de carbonate de sodium par électrolyse en bains fondus Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0109164A1
EP0109164A1 EP19830305984 EP83305984A EP0109164A1 EP 0109164 A1 EP0109164 A1 EP 0109164A1 EP 19830305984 EP19830305984 EP 19830305984 EP 83305984 A EP83305984 A EP 83305984A EP 0109164 A1 EP0109164 A1 EP 0109164A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
sodium
anode
carbonate
cathode
molten
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP19830305984
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German (de)
English (en)
Inventor
Bruce Robert Palmer
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Texasgulf Inc
Original Assignee
Texasgulf Inc
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Texasgulf Inc filed Critical Texasgulf Inc
Publication of EP0109164A1 publication Critical patent/EP0109164A1/fr
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

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    • CCHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C25ELECTROLYTIC OR ELECTROPHORETIC PROCESSES; APPARATUS THEREFOR
    • C25CPROCESSES FOR THE ELECTROLYTIC PRODUCTION, RECOVERY OR REFINING OF METALS; APPARATUS THEREFOR
    • C25C3/00Electrolytic production, recovery or refining of metals by electrolysis of melts
    • C25C3/02Electrolytic production, recovery or refining of metals by electrolysis of melts of alkali or alkaline earth metals

Definitions

  • This invention relates to the production of sodium hydroxide from sodium carbonate by fused salt electrolysis, and, more particularly, to the electrolysis of molten sodium carbonate to reduce sodium into a molten metal cathode.
  • Sodium hydroxide commonly referred to as caustic soda
  • caustic soda is commercially produced by electrolysis of sodium chloride solutions to yield aqueous sodium hydroxide.
  • Caustic soda produced in a diaphram cell typically contains less than fifteen precent (15%) by weight sodium hydroxide, and caustic soda produced in a membrane cell contains less than forty percent (40%) by weight sodium hydroxide.
  • Commercial grades of caustic soda solution contain from fifty to seventy-five percent (50 to 75%) sodium hydroxide.
  • Caustic soda is also marketed in several solid forms.
  • Sodium hydroxide is concentrated for marketing by evaporating the required amount of water from the solutions obtained from electrolysis. Water removal is accomplished by use of either single-effect or multiple- effect evaporators, the choice depending upon the desired sodium hydroxide concentration. "This is a relatively expensive process because of the large quantity of heat required to remove water from the caustic liquor. Elimination of the evaporation step would constitute a significant improvement in caustic production technology.
  • the present invention can be used to produce metallic sodium.
  • the present invention can also be used to produce caustic soda as a relatively dry, molten salt, and water removal by evaporation does not have to be carried out.
  • sodium chloride is not used as a reactant in the production of caustic soda, this material would not be present in the sodium hydroxide product.
  • the raw material for metallic sodium production, sodium carbonate is readily available in large quantities as a relatively pure material which can be obtained at a reasonable price.
  • hydrogen gas is produced when sodium hydroxide is generated from elemental sodium, and the electrolytic cell can be operated in such a manner that carbon monoxide is also obtained. Both gases can be used as fuels or as feedstocks in the chemical industry.
  • Another important feature of this invention is that it does not produce by-products which are difficult to market.
  • chlorine is produced concurrently with sodium hydroxide. Because the chlorine market has matured in recent years, this product can be difficult to dispose of. Under these conditions, a sluggish chlorine market has a negative impact on the economics of sodium hydroxide production.
  • a process for producing metallic sodium from molten sodium .carbonate in an electrolytic cell which comprises placing molten sodium carbonate (e.g. soda ash) in an electrolytic cell containing a liquid metal (e.g., lead, tin, silver or an alloy) cathode and an anode (consumable or non-consumable), electrolyzing the molten sodium carbonate so that the sodium ion is reduced into the liquid metal cathode as metallic sodium and the carbonate ion reacts at the anode to form a gas (either carbon monoxide or carbon dioxide and oxygen, depending on whether the anode is consumable or non-consumable), and recovering the metallic sodium from the liquid metal cathode.
  • molten sodium carbonate e.g. soda ash
  • a liquid metal e.g., lead, tin, silver or an alloy
  • anode consistumable or non-consumable
  • the single Figure is a schematic diagram illustrating an apparatus useful in carrying out the invention.
  • the present invention is a process for producing metallic sodium from molten sodium carbonate in an electrolytic call containing a molten metal cathode and an anode.
  • the electrolyte for the electrolytic cell consists of molten (fused) sodium carbonate.
  • the electrolyte may also contain other salts, such as barium carbonate or lithium carbonate, which are added for the purpose of depressing the melting point of the sodium carbonate.
  • other salts such as barium carbonate or lithium carbonate
  • those cations must be sufficiently difficult to reduce so that they would not be co-reduced to a significant-extent with sodium.
  • the salts or salts contain anions other than carbonate, those anions must be sufficiently difficult to oxidize so that the carbonate ion reacts preferentially at the anode.
  • the liquid metal cathode must be an electrical conductor in which sodium exhibits appreciable solubility (i.e., greater than about 0.1 percent by weight).
  • a pure metal such as lead, tin or silver, or an alloy of these metals which is liquid at the operating temperature of the cell would be useful for this purpose.
  • the cathode material Another important consideration in the selection of the cathode material is that it must be capable of passing through the sodium removal step without excessive degradation.
  • the metal in the cathode In the case of caustic formation by the reaction of steam with sodium dissolved in the cathode, the metal in the cathode must not be oxidized extensively by steam under the conditions involved. Alternatively, if the sodium is removed from the cathode by vacuum distillation, the metal or alloy used as the cathode must exhibit a significantly lower vapor pressure than the sodium.
  • the anode can be either a consumable or non-consumable material.
  • a consumable anode reacts electrochemicallywith the molten sodium carbonate and; could be made of carbon or graphite.
  • a non-consumable anode would be constructed of a material (e.g. a cermet or a metal such as nickel or Inconel 625) which exhibits low reactivity with the molten sodium carbonate. See, for example: U.S. 4,187,155, and United Kingdom Patent Nos. 2,069,529 and 2,078,259.
  • Previous investigations (Selman J.R. and Maru, H.C., ibid.) have demonstrated that the carbonate ion is oxidized to carbon dioxide and oxygen at the anode as follows : When a consumable carbon anode is used, carbon monoxide is generated as follows :
  • the metallic sodium can be recovered from the metal cathode by a number of well-known techniques.
  • the metallic sodium can be oxidized by contacting the molten cathode material with water dissolved in sodium hydroxide.
  • sodium hydroxide formation occurs as follows :
  • Caustic soda can also be produced by contacting the sodium alloy directly with steam as follows :
  • the metallic sodium can also be removed from the metal cathode by vacuum distillation.
  • the sodium vapor obtained by this technique can be condensed directly to metallic sodium.
  • the sodium metal can be reacted with steam in either the solid or gas phase to produce sodium hydroxide. See, for example: United Kingdom Patent Nos. 1,009,113 and 1,013,004 (-1965); Ito, Y. and Yoshizawa, S., "Some New Molten Salt Electrolytic Processes", Advances in Molten Salt Chemistry, Mamantov, G., and Braunstein, J., editors, Plenum Press, N.Y., N.Y., vol 4, pp.
  • any contained metallic impurities can be eliminated by the addition of suitable oxidizing agents, reducing agents or fluxes.
  • suitable oxidizing agents, reducing agents or fluxes The elimination of iron from fused caustic soda is a well known technique. Faith, Keys, and Clark's Industrial Chemicals, 4th edition, Lowenheim, F.A. and Moran, M. K., editors, John Wiley & Sons, N.Y., N.Y. p. 741 (1975).
  • Electrolysis was conducted at a cell potential of 1.35 volts and a current of 2.0 amps for 3.0 hr (this current corresponds to a cathodic current density of 7.8 amps/dm 2 ).
  • the sodium content of the lead cathode was 3.4 percent by weight which is also the theoretical sodium content of the cathode calculated from Faraday's law assuming a current efficiency of 100 percent.
  • the decomposition potential of the cell was 0.95 volts, and the cell resistance was 0.20 ohm.
  • the Inconel anode of EXAMPLE ONE was replaced with a 0.64 cm-diameter carbon rod. The lower end was located approximately 1.5 cm from the top of the liquid lead cathode.
  • the reagents and amounts used were the same as in EXAMPLE ONE.
  • Electrolysis was carried out for 3.0 hr. The potential was 1.8 volts, and the current was 1.3 amps. The theoretical sodium content of the lead in the cell is 2.2 percent by weight. The measured sodium content was also 2.2 percent.
  • the decomposition potential and cell resistance in this instance were 0.2 volts and 1.3 ohms, respectively.
  • the decomposition potential in this case is significantly lower than that in the case where the non-consumable electrode was involved.
  • the operating potential of the cell with the carbon anode was relatively high because of the high resistance of the electrolytic cell. The high resistance is due to the unfavourable shape of the anode used in this experiment.
  • the sodium present in a cathode was removed by oxidation with steam.
  • the cathode was prepared by the method described in EXAMPLE ONE and contained 1.5 percent sodium by weight.
  • the mass of alloy involved was 43.5 gm.
  • the alloy was combined with 43.0 gm of sodium hydroxide in a nickel crucible, and this material was heated to 425°C in a muffle furnace.
  • the molten sodium hydroxide, present on top of the molten sodium-lead alloy was then contacted with steam at atmospheric pressure for two hours.
  • the crucible was removed from the furnace and cooled to ambient temperature.
  • the sodium content of the lead was reduced to 0.005 percent by weight in this experiment indicating that_steam oxidized the sodium present in the alloy.

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  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
  • Electrochemistry (AREA)
  • Materials Engineering (AREA)
  • Metallurgy (AREA)
  • Organic Chemistry (AREA)
  • Electrolytic Production Of Metals (AREA)
EP19830305984 1982-11-15 1983-10-03 Production de sodium métallique à partir de carbonate de sodium par électrolyse en bains fondus Withdrawn EP0109164A1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US44164382A 1982-11-15 1982-11-15
US441643 1982-11-15

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0109164A1 true EP0109164A1 (fr) 1984-05-23

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EP (1) EP0109164A1 (fr)
JP (1) JPS59126783A (fr)

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
KR20010099360A (ko) * 2001-09-21 2001-11-09 전길순 나트륨 재생기와(Na) 제조방법
FR2810996A1 (fr) * 2000-03-28 2002-01-04 Du Pont Procede d'electrolyse
WO2010052714A3 (fr) * 2008-11-06 2010-07-01 Yeda Research And Development Co. Ltd. Procédés et appareil de production électrochimique de monoxyde de carbone et leurs utilisations
CN113279022A (zh) * 2021-05-14 2021-08-20 奥勇新材料科技(上海)有限公司 一种还原性熔盐介质及其制备方法

Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE1200553B (de) * 1963-03-05 1965-09-09 Chlormetals Inc Verfahren zur Herstellung von Alkalimetall-daempfen aus schmelzelektrolytisch gewonnenen Blei-Alkalimetall-Legierungen
GB1009113A (en) * 1962-07-13 1965-11-03 Philblack Ltd Improvements in or relating to the production of alkali metal oxides
GB1013004A (en) * 1962-07-13 1965-12-15 Philblack Ltd Improvements in or relating to the production of alkali metals
US4187155A (en) * 1977-03-07 1980-02-05 Diamond Shamrock Technologies S.A. Molten salt electrolysis
GB2069529A (en) * 1980-01-17 1981-08-26 Diamond Shamrock Corp Cermet anode for electrowinning metals from fused salts

Patent Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB1009113A (en) * 1962-07-13 1965-11-03 Philblack Ltd Improvements in or relating to the production of alkali metal oxides
GB1013004A (en) * 1962-07-13 1965-12-15 Philblack Ltd Improvements in or relating to the production of alkali metals
DE1200553B (de) * 1963-03-05 1965-09-09 Chlormetals Inc Verfahren zur Herstellung von Alkalimetall-daempfen aus schmelzelektrolytisch gewonnenen Blei-Alkalimetall-Legierungen
US4187155A (en) * 1977-03-07 1980-02-05 Diamond Shamrock Technologies S.A. Molten salt electrolysis
GB2069529A (en) * 1980-01-17 1981-08-26 Diamond Shamrock Corp Cermet anode for electrowinning metals from fused salts
GB2078259A (en) * 1980-01-17 1982-01-06 Diamond Shamrock Corp Cell with cermet anode for fused salt electrolysis

Non-Patent Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
A,T. KUHN "Industrial electrochemical processes", 1971 ELSEVIER PUBLISHING COMPANY, Amsterdam-London-New York pages 103,104 *
DR. ING. GEORG EGER "Handbuch der technischen Elektrochemie", 2nd edition, vol. 3, 1955, AKADEMISCHE VERLAGSGESELLSCHAFT, Leipzig, pages 494-496 *PAGES 495, LINE 23 - PAGE 496, LINE 4; PAGE 494, LINE 29 - -PAGE 495, LINE 12 * *
ULLMANS ENCYKLOPADIE DER TECHNISCHEN CHEMIE, 4th edition, vol. 17, 1979, VERLAG CHEMIE; WEINHEIM, PAGES 146-151 * PAGE 151, COLUMN 1, LINE 6 - COLUMN 2, LINE 11 * *

Cited By (11)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR2810996A1 (fr) * 2000-03-28 2002-01-04 Du Pont Procede d'electrolyse
US6730210B2 (en) 2000-03-28 2004-05-04 E. I. Du Pont De Nemours And Company Low temperature alkali metal electrolysis
KR20010099360A (ko) * 2001-09-21 2001-11-09 전길순 나트륨 재생기와(Na) 제조방법
WO2010052714A3 (fr) * 2008-11-06 2010-07-01 Yeda Research And Development Co. Ltd. Procédés et appareil de production électrochimique de monoxyde de carbone et leurs utilisations
CN102264948A (zh) * 2008-11-06 2011-11-30 曳达研究和发展有限公司 一氧化碳的电化学生产方法和设备及其应用
AU2009312351B2 (en) * 2008-11-06 2014-06-12 Yeda Research And Development Co. Ltd. Methods and apparatus of electrochemical production of carbon monoxide, and uses thereof
CN102264948B (zh) * 2008-11-06 2014-08-13 曳达研究和发展有限公司 一氧化碳的电化学生产方法和设备及其应用
US8906219B2 (en) 2008-11-06 2014-12-09 Yeda Research And Development Co., Ltd. Methods and apparatus of electrochemical production of carbon monoxide, and uses thereof
US9469907B2 (en) 2008-11-06 2016-10-18 Yeda Research And Development Co. Ltd. Methods and apparatus of electrochemical production of carbon monoxide, and uses thereof
CN113279022A (zh) * 2021-05-14 2021-08-20 奥勇新材料科技(上海)有限公司 一种还原性熔盐介质及其制备方法
CN113279022B (zh) * 2021-05-14 2022-04-19 奥勇新材料科技(上海)有限公司 一种还原性熔盐介质及其制备方法

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Publication number Publication date
JPS59126783A (ja) 1984-07-21

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Inventor name: PALMER, BRUCE ROBERT