US1117879A - Electrolytic cell. - Google Patents

Description

P. MGDONALD.

ELECTROLYTIC CELL.

APPLICATION FILED Anm), 1914.

1,117,879. Patented Nov. 17, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

@XM1/naamw e. Gew

P. MODONALD.

BLECTROLYTIC CELL. APPLIGATION FILED APR.20.191A\.

1,1 17,879. Patented Nov. 17, 1914.

2 SHEETSSHBBT 2.

"doDGN-l. y(JF .'rtQARING SPRING, IDENNSYLI'ANIA.

ELECTROLYTIC CELL.

.applicati-m sied . tpm 20, 19,14.

` Nrn: i. Finir: i MCDONALD, :ted States, resii'ling at count;7 ot Blair and have invented cerlmprofements in Elec` j and l do declare the followl, clear, and exact description .each as wiil enable others 'which it appertains to -tes to electrolytiral cells ol the metallic salts, hut '-'iuious et' the allfjtline'Chlor-ids oil ui u1 'ention is to provide character in which interanode and cathode products 'attunlari/ reactions which freol. eliminated,

wai utaizieti.

:o prorii'le a means tor line metals obtained process, decomposing ,ed and reeoniliining:r nod liv the decomils.

in irvdra 1i to inovide s a support nerortholess lyte to contact therewith.

still further ohieigft .is to herrin the eleetroljfte majv ,Y 1p1/seti and the louisJ pri'idurts car- 3') i and maiutui' =d separately. without ot any n'ierhanieal i etc, other ohieets in view, my ol' `ertain novel details oi' wmhination and arrangefii-h will he more particut and ooiuied. uauvinpj drawing; in which designated lay correspond- "w'eiwe numerals:-l"ig-ure 1 is a 'final sectioi'i 'taken on the line, l 1 liv( :i a top plafl vieu' thereof. ilinal sectiur taken on the 3. llio'. Je on the line partition he:

s a similar the away to yl pm'ous Y, al secon Jie line Specification of Letters Patent.

reason o't' their .1t-bist.

Patented New. 1'?, Serial No. 833,262.

In the present exemplitication my invention comprises an anode chamber l, consisting of the two 'vertically disposed and suitably spaced partitions 2 orsfned of a non-conducting and acid resisting material such as stoneware or slate, ete., und provided With apertures 3, which latter terminate a short distance from the upper extremities of said partitions, they terminato at what is the normal level of the electrolyte. On the inner 'einities ot' the partitions adjacent their upper ends are shoulders l: which receive and support the acid proof slate cover This cove-r is formed with a plurality of centrally arranged and alined opening il, one ot which is adapted to receive the stem ot' fr glass or rubber funnel Y, 'whereby the brine or other electrolyte can he convenientlv poured into said anode chamber or comi tinent, ,vhile the remainiir;` openings recorre the. leading in rods attached to the upper ends ot graphite anodes Sl, which are disposed upon the slate flooring l0, in spaced relation to each other and to the 2. To prevent any escape of the chlorin gas collected in the anode compartment allove the liquid therein, .l hermetically seal all openings around the eurer as well as the leading' in rodse end funnel "i, with a coating of cement consisting of oai-lum. sulphate and liuseed oil Worked to a thin paste.

Contiguous to the exterior or partitions 2 are disposed the porous diaphragms ll prcte'ahlycomposed of Clay or asbestos cloth impregnated with an emulsion formed ot' barium sulphate and water. In either oase the portion oi this diaphragm which. is `Io project above the normal level olI the elecn trolyte is remilered Waterproof h v an application of pitch applied while hot.

These diapliragms l1 while possf sing the necessary strength and durabilityv to support the vertical column. of merrurv to he hereinafter referred to, nevertheless by porosity allow the liquid in the anode compartment to peroolate through and Contact with the said mercury.

Suitahly spaced from the diaphragg'ms ll hy thc gasket 1:?, the width ot which deponds on the width of the column of muzrurv desired. are two vertieallyv flisposed e'raphiteivalls 13, formedin sections and having a 'height corresponding to that Y gam. formed in a manner to related,

lying one ot' the through one end thereof of the aforementioned diaphragm as clearly shown in Fig. 5. Secured to the exterior of Walls 13 by bolts 14: formed in the graphite, are sheet iron plates 15 which bind the various blocks of graphite 13, so as to form a unitary wall structure- The space between a wall 13 and the Iporous 'diaphragms 11 is filled with mercury 16 forming a column thereof Whose upper end extends slightly above the uppermost aperturesin the plates 2.

To form a decomposing chamber above the mercury column, to decompose the amalbe hereinafter lthe inner faces of the upper portions of graphite Walls 13 are beveled as at 13 and the space between the same and the waterLproo'f section ofV diaphragm 11 is filled with Water, which latter is maintained atia constant level therein by means of the 'overflow pipes 17 passing through the upper end of said walls 13.

The open ends ot the anode compartment 1, formed by the two partitions 2 are closed by the acid proof end pieces 18, suitably securedthereto. Tie remaining open ends of the mercury containing or cathode compartment are closed by plates 18 which extend acro'ss the entire cell and are riveted to the opposite ends' of graphite walls 13.

ln order that the anodes and cathodes of my cell may be properly placed in circuit, the free ends of leading inrods 8 carried by anodes 9 are secured to a is connected with the positive conductor 2O leading i'roin a suitable source of current supply; while the cathodes are in circuit through. the bus bars 21, connected to the negative conductor 22 extending from the same source or' supply, said bars being disl posed upon the free ends of bolts 1% and retained thereon by nuts la. As it is necessary to have all of the last mentioned bus bars 21 in circuit with negative conductor 22, l provide the connecting rods 21 over? plates 18 and secured at their extremities to said bus bars 21 as clearly shown in Fig. 2.

For tl e maintenance of a constant electrolyte level in the anode compartment l provide an overflow pipe 23 extending as shown in Figs.

1 and 2.'

After my improved cell has been assembled in the manner set forth, it is placed within an iron overflow tank '21 the same having therein the outlet openings 25, communicating with leads 26 bv m'eans of which the overflow caustic soda from the cell can be readily withdrawn from said tank.

Having now fully set forth the structural details of my invention. the modi/s operandi'. of the saine is as follows: Chamber 1 is filled with brine until the highest level of the same is attained; next, the spaces interbus bar 19 which' init/,eve

mediate graphite 'walls 13 and porous dia* phragrn's 11 are filled with mercury which extends slightly above the level of the electrolyte in the anode chamber. The mercury when thus arranged forms an absolutelseal preventing any diusion of the 'briiie'solution with 'that of the caustic soda in the cathode chamber. Water is nbw 'placed above the mercury between of graphite walls 13 and the water-proof extremities of diaphragm 11, its level being maintained constant by the overflow pipes 17. MWhen the cell thus equipped is placed in an electric circuit, the current will flow from the positive Wire 20 to bus bar 19 from the latter to graphite electrodes 9, through the electrolyteor brine, thence to the mercury, graphite Walls 13, through plate 15 and. bus-'bars- 21 and'21 to the negative conductor 22. This current, owing to the fact that the chlorin is an electronegative element causes an evolution of the latter at and from whence it .is conveyed through ,the pipe 27 to anydesired point. The sodium element being electro-positiveis deposited at the negative pole or cathode which as will be readily apparent is the side ot the mercury column adjacent the anodecoinpartment, where it immediately unites with the mercury toorm mercury amalgam. New, however, as the specific gravity of the mercury vamalgam formedis less than that of the mercury the former Will rise to the top of the column of mercury where,

the beveled faces the anodes 9, where it is collected in the chamber formed above the electrolyte l in the `presence of the water and being in contactwith the graphite' wall it'vvill be decomposed into its original constituents of mercury and sodium. The sodium thusliberated reacts with the water to form caustic soda and free hydrogen gas. l

Ot course it will be. understood that in practice as many'of the alternate compartments of anodes and cathodes as may be desired can be built up together but l prefer to use the center .compartment for' the' anodes, and the vertical column of mercury, porous diaphragm, graphite v/alls and sheet iron platesi'or the cathodes as herein shown and described.

Various changes in the form, proportion and the minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the principle or sacrificing any of the advanl tages ot' the claimed invention.

l claim as ,my invention:

1. An electrolytical cell comprising an anode, a porous wall spaced therefrom, a graphite cathode member oiset from the latter, a column of mercury disposed between said cathode member and said porous wall, and a decomposing element disposed above and supported by said mercury, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

rimer@ mercury column to support the described eoinprmng an anode a perforated partitioi therefrom, porous diai tbsp-@sed contiguous to the latter, cathode member adjacent to and spaced from said diaphragm a column of mert# sed between and supported by gin and cathode member, and a cement above said mercury between the upper extremities :iode :member and diaphragm. f-:lectrolvtical Celi of the character the combination ol an anode, a retieulated partition spaced. therefrom, a contigiwus"by disposed porous diaphragm, a cathode member having thc inner -1 zapper extremity beveled, a colfnrjf disposed between and supby said diaphragm and cathode animer and a decomposing element intorposed above said mercury column and inten mediate the beveled face of said cathode member and the upper extremity of said p ro i" diaphragm,

i 1- electrolytical cell of the character the combination ot an anode, a partition spaced therefrom, a iilisposed porous diaphragm, a diode member adjacent to and said diaphragm, said cathode ig the inner face of its upper beveled, column of mercury etween and supported bv said diacathode member and a decomsing element interposed above said incr- Vry eolaain and intermediate the beveled ot said cathode member and the upper of said porous diaphragm, and inaintainingI said decomposing:y

'1 constant level.

Ertical cell of the character ising an anode, a reticnlated spaced therefrom, contiguous@r porous diaphragm, a graphite odset thcrefroi'n, means intermecathode member and said diaamido-amate the products dethe cathode, and means disposed die .ast mentioned means for decomsaid an'ialgani, substantiallyY as and purposi set forth. .in electr(li/'tical cell of the character :ribod comprising a series of spaced anfwlssu l rods vertically romagconnecting' posed at the upper end thereof, reticulat d parti'itms arranged on opposite sides and in spaced relation to said anodes, a cover diaphragm intermediate the Walll electrolysical cell o' the character i' aider l carried by said partitions, the therein openings to receive `graphite cathode in ,rnbers ad' odset i'from each ot' aid parti interposed between cathode iiieii-lez's, intermediate inercnnr and said par tion to support the -..Sirinezn l. An electr( `Ytic ce scribed compri ing' a, vided with vertically rods, reticnl disposed on ,onsite to iorin an elcctnfilyte l partitions having the. aportar ininating ai: the normal .level or sind electro lytic, a perforated cover disposed upon said partitions and enacting with 'the non-perforated sii1 of the to torni chamber t vertically 'iding' rod" on. said anodes projec .o h the perfora-y tions'in said cover, gra "ls arranged in spaced relation to ations incr cnrj,Y interposed between the latter and said graphite walls porous dianl-.ragms inten mediate the partitions and 'l mercury support the latter, and end pieces secured to the extremities of said Walls 'to :'r'or" a ie fs closure for the open. ends'ot the cellu An electrolytic cell ot' the character scribed comprising' a series of anc-das provided with vertically eff' rods, retieuh` ted par 'ions disposed on opposite sides of said forming an electrolite .compili-raient,

partitions haring the apertures therein i zninating at the a` niaLlei'e t` troljfte, perloratcd cover disposal said partit ons and enacting with t perforated sides of the latter to forni chamber ti" vertically extendin said anodes projecting through dia tions in said cover, graphite walls arranged in spaced relation to said partitions, mercury interposed between said Walls and said partitions, metal plates secured to the exterior of said. graphite walls, porous diaph agins intermediate the partitions and the mercury to support the latter, and vend pieces secured to the extremities of said walls to forni closure for the open ends of the cell.

10. An electrelytic cell of the character described comprisingI a es oli anodes provided with vertically ending; connecting rods, bus bars connecting said rods, reticulated partitions oli'set from and disposed on opposite sides or' said :modes forming an electrolyte compartment, said partitions haring; the apertures therein terminating at the normal level of said electrolyte, a pci'- foiatcd cover disposed upon said partitions and coacting with the non-pert`orated sides of the latter to 'forni a gas chamber the von tically extending rods on said anodes profl. d0

j'ecting throughthe perorations yin said cover, graphite Walls arranged in spaced re- -lation to said partitions, metal plates seopei ends of the cell.

l1. An electrolytio-cell of the character described comprising a series of anodes, reticul'ated vertical partitions disposed adjacent thereto and offset therefrom to form an anode compartment adapted to receive an electrolyte, said partitions having` the openings therein terminating at the normal level of said electrolyte, a cover disposed upon said partitions coacting with the nonper'orated portion thereof to form a gas chamber, graphite walls arranged in spaced relation to said partitions, mercury interposed between said graphite Walls and. said partitions, a porous diaphragm intermediate the latter and said mercury to support the saine, and a decomposing element disn posed alcove said mercury substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

12.. An electrolytic cell of the character 30 described comprisinga series of anodes, reticulated vertical partitions disposed adja- -cent thereto and olf'set therefrom to torni an anode coin artinent adapted to receive an electrolyte, said partitions haring the open- 35 ings therein terminating at the normal level of said electrolyte, a cover disposed upon said partitions and coacting with the nonperforated portion thereof to forni a gas chamber ra vhite Walls arran ed in svacedf/VO relation tol said partitions, mercury interposedbetween said graphite Walls'and said partitions, porous diaphragms intermediate the latter and said mercury to support the same, a decomposing element disposed above .45

said mercury and means to maintain said decomposing-member at a constant level.

ln testimony whereof l have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing Wit'-

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