US1818174A - Partition for separating the products of fusion electrolysis of metallic chlorides - Google Patents

Description

R. SUCHY ET AL ,8 4 N FOR SEPARATING THE PRODUCTS 0F ECTROLYSIS OF METALLIC CHL Filed Feb. 11, 1930 ORIDES FZaZer-Z m N m T T A Patented Aug. 11, 1931 TTED STATES PATENT OFFICE ROBERT SUCHY, KARL STAIB, AND WILHELM MOSCHEL, OF BITTERFELD, GERMANY, ASSIGNORS TO I. G. FARBENINDUSTRIE AKTIENGESELLSGHAFT, OF FBANKFORT-ON- THE-MAIN, GERMANY PARTITION FOR SEIARATING THE Application filed. February 11, 1930, Serial No.

This invention relates to partitions for separating the electrolytic products in the fusion electrolysis of chlorides, particularly of magnesium, and is a continuation in part of our copending application 'Ser. No.

326,380 filed December 15, 1928.

. In that application, we have stated that the rapid destruction of the chamotte partitions which were hitherto generally employed, has been found to be a purely electrolytic process. Refractory materials of this kind have a porosity ranging from about 18 to 30 percent, hence they are completely saturated with the electrolyte and conduct the current, so that the metal resulting from the electrolysis, such as magnesium, is deposited within the partition and at the temperatures prevailing in the bath reduces its silica contents. We have further described various ways of making partitions which are not liable to destruction in this manner by employing, in their construction, materials which offer a surface of dense structure and therefore impermeable to the electric current.

In accordance with the present invention, the durability of the refractory partitions is substantially increased by protecting them against the passage of the current by a layer of non-conductive ceramic material of dense structure, such as porcelain. With the comparatively large partitions employed in baths of a technical size, however, it is impossible to face a base plate with a uniform sheet ofporcelain; and it is therefore necessary to subdivide the coating plate into elements of smaller size, preferably of rectangular or wedge-like shape, and fit these elements together by means of a suitable binder, e. g., a refractory mortar, so as to form a continuous surface layer on the base plate.

When employing wedge-shaped tablets of dense refractory material and mounting them on the base plate in the manner of a straight arch it is sufiicient to fix them to the base plate by means of a suitable adhesive, preferably a refractory mortar. This is due to the fact that the rigidity of the surface layer structure as a whole is secured by the keying effect of the wedge-elements. With PRODUCTS 01 FUSION ELECTROLYSIS OF METALLIC CHLORIDES 427,441, and. in Germany December 23', 1927.

rectangular or otherwise-shaped tablets, however, it is rather indispensable to inlay the tablets in the base plate, so as to ensure support of the surface layer structure which is, in this case, not sufiiciently rigid in itself.

It will be understood that it is not necessary to face the whole of the base plate with tablets of dense refractory material. In View of the end to be attained it is generally suflicient to provide only one side of the porous base plate with the protective layer the latter extending only slightly beyond such part of the partition as a whole as is brought into contact with the fused electrolyte during electrolysis.

The accompanying drawings, of which Fig. l is an elevation and Fig. 2 a horizontal section of a partition along line 1-2 in Fig. 1 will serve to illustrate our present invention by way of example.

In these drawings, (1. represents the base plate of porous refractory substance and b are tablets of porcelain forming the surface layer on the base plate, said tablets being mounted on the base plate in the manner of a straight arch and fitted together and held to the base plate by means of refractory mortar, a are the side walls of the electrolytic bath, the partition being fitted into said walls by means of a groove provided in the walls.

We claim 1. A partition for separating the products of fusion electrolysis of metallic chlorides comprising a base plate of porous refractory material, and a surface layer on said base plate consisting of a plurality of plates of non-conductive ceramic material of dense structure, said plates being fittedtogether and mounted on said base plate by 3. A partition for separating the prodnets of fusion electrolysis of metallic chlorides comprising a base plate of chamotte and a surfacelayer on said base plate consisting of a plurality of Wedge-shaped plates of porcelain arranged in the *manner of a straight arch, said plates being fitted together and mounted on said base plate by means of a suitable binder.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands. r

' ROBERT SUCHY.

KARL STAIB. WILHELM MOSCHEL.

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