Chemistry: electrical and wave energy – Apparatus – Electrolytic
Patent
1987-01-29
1988-09-27
Andrews, R. L.
Chemistry: electrical and wave energy
Apparatus
Electrolytic
254 10, C25D 1700
Patent
active
047739789
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
The present invention concerns a method for the production of metals by electrolysis from an aqueous electrolyte using at least one anode and at least one rotational cathode.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The use of rotational plate cathodes is described in U.S. Pat. No. 1,073,868. The desired metal, here, precipitates onto the cathodes in the shape of a plate-like coating.
There has not been much practical use of rotational electrodes stationary plate cathodes being mainly in use to day.
The advantage of stationary plate cathodes lies in the simplicity of operation and relatively low maintenance costs. They are, however, quite dependent on manual handling in the tankhouse.
The first rotational cathodes, like the stationary plate cathodes, produced platelike cathodic deposits. The only difference was the geometry of the cathodes. The first mentioned were circular and the last mentioned rectangular. One of the reasons why rotational plate cathodes were not widely accepted may be the difficulties experienced in stripping the deposited metal from the cathodic material.
Development of the art of chemical processes during later years led to complete automation of all unit operations in an integrated process. In the case of electrolysis with stationary plate cathodes, partial automation is achieved by use of computors. The computors keep track of retention times of the cathodes in the electrolyte, and when the expected amount of metal is deposited, the computer will send an overhead crane to pick up the cathodes and move them to the stripping section. Then, the crane returns with a fresh mother plate cathode to the vacant place in the electrolytic tank.
Practical operation of such an automated electrolytic process is very complicated and many producers, thus, maintain old routines with manual labour operation.
In order to fully automate an electrolytic process, the concept of electrolysis must be changed to a new method maintaining the same metal quality as that obtained by the old methods, at the same costs, but permitting automation.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention concerns a method that can be operated substantially continuously and automatic. This is achieved by use of at least one plate-shaped rotational cathode that is coated with an electrically insulating coat through which a number of electrical conductors are mounted. Each conductor serves as an area for deposition of the metal. Alternatively, the areas may be small holes made in the insulating coating.
When said areas are in the shape of holes in the insulating coating, it is a practical advantage to make said holes along a helical path with a mutual distance between holes of 0 to 5 mm. When this distance is 0 mm a continuous helical groove is made on the cathode. The deposited metal can, then, be withdrawn as a wire. If it is desirable to produce cathodes having such a helical groove, said groove may be cut using a sharp instrument that will cut through the insulating coating and expose the underlying elecroconductive core to the electrolyte.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
As previously mentioned, an apparatus for electrolysis using rotational cathodes is known from U.S. Pat. No. 1,073,868. According to said patent the metal was deposited as a continuous coat onto the cathodes, and when the pre-set thickness was obtained said coat was stripped. This is an expensive and complicated process.
Furthermore, according to U.S. Pat. No. 3,860,509 an electrolytic cell is mounted inside a housing and comprises a flat rotational cathode spaced at a short distance from the corresponding anode. The shown cathode consists of a number of small diameter cathodic elements separated by an insulating matrix. Each element ends in a small tip onto which the metal may be deposited as a dendrite that can be scraped off using a mechanical device mounted on the facing anode surface. The scraper can be moved in a radial direction and the deposited dendrites on the cathode can, thus, be scraped off from said cathode and may sink to the bottom to be washed o
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Jarlsby Trygve R.
Thomassen Thomas
Andrews R. L.
Cheminor A/S
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