Chemistry: electrical and wave energy – Processes and products – Electrostatic field or electrical discharge
Patent
1991-04-01
1993-03-30
Valentine, Donald R.
Chemistry: electrical and wave energy
Processes and products
Electrostatic field or electrical discharge
204151, 204237, 204239, 204257, 204261, 204262, 204273, 204283, 204263, C02F 1461, C25B 900, C25B 700
Patent
active
051980835
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
This invention relates to electrochemical cells and has particular, but not exclusive, application to cells for use in the disposal of solid contaminated wastes from the nuclear industry.
According to one aspect of this invention, in an electrochemical cell comprising an electrode chamber, an electrode in the chamber, the electrode comprising a plurality of elements that divide the electrode chamber into two parts, and means for circulating electrode liquor from the one part to the other part over and between the elements, the circulating means comprises an impeller, which impeller is in a tube having a liquor inlet in the other chamber part and an outlet in the one chamber part at a different level than the inlet, whereby electrode liquor flows from the outlet through the elements into the other chamber part.
According to another aspect of the invention, in an electrochemical cell comprising an anode compartment and a cathode compartment separated by a porous pot, an electrode in the anode compartment, the electrode comprising a plurality of elements that divide the anode compartment into two parts, and means for circulating electrode liquor from the one part of the other part over and between the elements, there are provided a plurality of cathodes disposed within a respective said porous pot one for each cathode, each respective said pot being disposed in the anode compartment.
The invention also provides a method of use of a cell of the first or the second aspect of the invention in which the electrode liquor includes waste material.
The waste material may be solid.
The invention may be performed in various ways and some specific embodiments with possible modifications will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying schematic drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is a section through a first cell;
FIG. 2 is a section through a second cell with some parts omitted;
FIG. 3 is a section through a third cell; and
FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of part of FIG. 3.
FIGS. 1 to 4 show cells for use in the disposal of solid contaminated wastes, for example rubber, plastics, paper, but which could be used in the disposal of liquid wastes for example tributyl phosphate/odourless kerosene (TBP/OK).
The following cells attempt to satisfy certain criteria, viz: 1. Robust construction and ease of charging the waste.
2. Rapid and repeated oxidation of Ag.sup.+ to Ag.sup.2+ ions.
3. Provision of a large compact anode area to promote (2) above.
4. Positive flow patterns to maintain solids in suspension.
The cells to be described are particularly intended for a method of treating waste matter as described in European Patent Specification EP-A-297738 but the cells may find other uses and the invention is not restricted to use in that method. Briefly the method is of treating waste matter in which an aqueous electrolyte comprising nitric acid and containing silver ions as an electrochemically regenerable primary oxidising species is subjected to an electric potential at a temperature above 50.degree. C. to produce secondary oxidising species and the aqueous electrolyte, and the waste matter is added to the electrolyte either continuously or periodically whereby decomposition of the initially and the subsequently added waste matter is predominantly effected by the secondary oxidising species, the primary oxidising species following reduction in the course of the interaction with the aqueous electrolyte being regenerated by the electric potential.
Advantageously, the electrolyte might also include cobalt ions.
For some applications the temperature may be 55.degree. C., but for other applications a temperature range of 55.degree. C. to 80.degree. C., or 70.degree. C. to 90.degree. C. may be used to improve the decomposition process.
The waste matter may be added to the aqueous electrolyte continuously or in a batchwise manner at a rate compatible with the decomposition rate of the previously added waste matter.
The waste matter may be contaminated with toxic material such as radioactive species or it may comprise sp
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Hinds William R.
United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority
Valentine Donald R.
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