Ppg Industries, Inc.

Carl W Raetzsch

Hugh Cunningham

Colonel R Dilmore

Thomas C Jeffery

Henry W Rahn

John D Driskill

James J McGinley

Dallas D Dupre, Iii

George L Rich

Discloses an electrolytic cell having base-to-base bipolar electrodes in side-by-side configuration in a cell box where the cathodes are fabricated of titanium. The cathodes adjacent to external walls are perforated whereby to avoid hydride formation.

Electrolytic cell

Discloses a permionic membrane bipolar electrolyzer for the electroylsis of aqueous alkali metal chlorides. The electrolyzer is characterized by having a minimum anode to cathode gap, e.g., the anode and cathode both in contact with the permionic membrane, and by having means to prevent the diffusion of nascent hydrogen between adjacent electrolytic cells.

Bipolar electrolyzer

Discloses a method of operating a bipolar electrolyzer having a plurality of electrolytic cells hydraulically in parallel where the flow rate of electrolyte and effluent provides circulation, mixing, and avoids pressure transients.

Bipolar electrolyzer process

Disclosed is a bipolar electrolyzer having a plurality of individual electrolytic cells electrically and mechanically in series with a bipolar element between pairs of adjacent individual cells. The bipolar element has an anodic side with anodes of the first electrolytic cell of a pair of electrolytic cells depending therefrom, and a cathodic side with the cathodes of the second electrolytic cell of the pair of electrolytic cells depending therefrom. The anodic side of the bipolar element has an acidified alkali metal chloride resistant valve metal surface, and the cathodic side of the bipolar element has an alkali metal hydroxide resistant transition metal surface. The bipolar electrolyzer is characterized by the bipolar element having a bonded laminate of a valve metal and a transition metal, a first metal plate of a transition metal, intermittently bonded to the transition metal member of the bonded laminate at the first joints, and a second transition metal plate above the first joints, that is, above the joints between the first transition metal plate and the bonded laminate. The second metal plate is bonded to the first metal plate and second joints whereby to protect the first joints from contact with the catholyte liquor.

Bipolar electrolyzer element

Disclosed is a method of operating a solid polymer electrolyte chlor-alkali cell at an elevated pressure with the recovery of liquid chlorine and brine. The liquid chlorine and depleted brine are recovered from the cell and separated. Thereafter, the brine may be dechlorinated, e.g., by cooling the brine to from chlorine hydrate, and separating the chlorine hydrate.

Method of operating a solid polymer electrolyte chlor-alkali cell

Disclosed is an electrolytic cell having an electrolyte tank, planar first electrodes substantially parallel to and spaced from each other and electrically in parallel with each other in the tank, and a series of hollow second electrodes of opposite polarity to and interleaved between the planar first electrodes. The hollow second electrodes are substantially parallel to and spaced from each other and electrically in parallel with each other. An ion permeable separator is on the electrically active external surfaces of the hollow second electrodes between the planar first electrodes and the hollow second electrodes. Reactant feed and gaseous product recovery, as well as bus bars, are above the electrolyte tank thereby allowing ease of assembly and disassembly and flexibility in the number of units to be utilized.

Synthetic separator electrolytic cell

Disclosed is a cathodic element for a chlor-alkali electrolytic cell. The cathodic element has a hollow electrolyte permeable nonconductive finger with a permionic membrane on the outer surface of the finger and a cathodic electrode inside the finger, spaced from and substantially parallel to the walls of the finger.

Cathode element for electrolytic cell

Disclosed is a method of conducting electrolysis where a reagent is fed to a plurality of individual electrolytic cells electrically in series, an electrical current is passed through the cells, and an electrically conductive effluent is recovered from each of the individual cells. The electrically conductive effluent is discharged from each of the individual cells through individual metal outlets corresponding to each cell and collected in a common trough. According to the disclosed method, the electrically conductive effluent in the trough is maintained anodic with respect to all of the metal outlets discharging into the trough.

Method of reducing cell liquor header corrosion

Disclosed is an electrolytic diaphragm cell having a plurality of fingered anode blades extending outwardly from an anode base plate and cathode means that are electrically and mechanically connected to a cathode base plate that is parallel to and spaced from the anode base plate. The cathode means include a cathode back screen spaced from and parallel to the cathode base plate, and a plurality of hollow cathode fingers extending outwardly from the cathode back screen, and interleaved between the anode blades. Each of the cathode fingers has an open base and side walls, a top, a bottom, and a leading edge fabricated of foraminous metal. The individual cathode fingers have bolt means electrically and mechanically connected to each of the cathode fingers, and extending outwardly from the open end thereof. The bolt means pass through apertures in the cathode back screen corresponding to but of greater diameter than the bolt means so that the individual cathode fingers are slideably adjustable on the cathode back screen. Electrical contact between the cathode base plate and the cathode unit is provided by first elastic conductor means which extend outwardly from the cathode base plate toward the cathode back screen, and second elastic conductor means in electrical contact with the first elastic conductor means and in electrical and mechanical contact with the bolt means on the opposite side of the cathode back screen from the cathode fingers. Also disclosed is a method of assembling the cell by inserting the individual cathode fingers between adjacent individual anodes such that the bolt means project outwardly from the open base, positioning the cathode back screen on a plane substantially defined by the open edges of the individual finger cathodes while allowing the bolt means to pass through apertures in the cathode back screen. The elastic conductor means are then placed on the bolt means on the opposite side of the back screen from the cathodes. The elastic conductor means, the bolt means, and the cathode back screen means are then fastened together; and the anode unit and the cathode unit are assembled together so as to form a single electrolytic diaphragm cell.

Diaphragm cell cathode structure

Disclosed is a bipolar electrolyzer having an anolyte equalizer between adjacent electrolytic cells. The electrolyte equalizer includes a conduit which passes through the cathode of one cell and through the catholyte chamber of that cell to a first aperture in the peripheral wall around the electrolyzer. The equalizer also includes a second aperture which passes through the electrolyzer peripheral wall to the anolyte chamber of the next adjacent cell in the electrolyzer. Finally, a channel carrier having an outer wall with a bearing surface and an inner wall with a bearing surface, the inner and outer walls forming a channel communicating with each of the apertures, and the bearing surfaces bearing against the peripheral wall, provides the equalizing channel between the adjacent cell.

Annular brine head equalizer

Disclosed is a bipolar electrolyzer having a horizontal hydrogen channel separate from the catholyte chamber. There are apertures between the horizontal hydrogen channel and the catholyte chamber to enable catholyte gas, i.e., hydrogen, with entrained cell liquor, to enter the channel. At one end of the channel is a gas disengaging chamber. The gas disengaging chamber includes a catholyte gas deflector interposed between the outlet of the horizontal channel and the interior of the disengaging chamber, hydrogen recovery means, and catholyte liquor recovery means. In the operation of an electrolytic cell as disclosed herein, catholyte gas, i.e., hydrogen gas with entrapped catholyte liquor, is removed from the catholyte chamber to the horizontal channel. The catholyte gas is then transported through the horizontal channel to the outlet of the horizontal channel and into the disengaging chamber. As the catholyte gas enters the disengaging chamber, its direction of flow is deflected while its linear velocity is reduced. The direction of flow of the gas is then reversed and the linear velocity reduced further, disengaging the catholyte liquor from the hydrogen. Finally, the hydrogen gas, substantially free of catholyte liquor, is recovered from the disengaging chamber.

Growing community of inventors

Corpus Christi, TX, United States of America

Carl W Raetzsch