Gasket for sealing joints between electrodes and adjacent cell lining

Abstract

An improved cell is disclosed for producing metal by electrolytic reduction of a metal halide in a molten bath comprising the metal halide dissolved in at least one molten halide of higher electrodecomposition potential than the metal halide. The cell includes an inner refractory lining and a plurality of electrodes which are located adjacent to and in abutment with the lining. The electrodes are disposed generally horizontally and arranged in at least one vertical stack. The electrodes in each stack are located beneath the upper level of the bath, and are arranged in a superimposed, spaced relationship defining inter-electrode spaces between each pair of adjacent electrodes. The cell also includes a vertical gas-lift passage associated with each stack of electrodes, which is in fluid communication with each inter-electrode space in the stack. The improved cell also includes inclined carbon felt gaskets located in at least some of the joints of abutment between the electrodes and the adjacent refractory lining for sealing of the joints in order to minimize the harmful effects of dislocation of the electrodes and for conducting halogen gas produced during operation of the cell from the inter-electrode spaces of a stack to the gas-lift passage associated with that stack.