US2691628A

US2691628A - Electrode structures

Info

Publication number: US2691628A
Application number: US210777A
Authority: US
Inventors: Aannerud Sigurd Arthur
Original assignee: Pyror Ltd
Current assignee: Pyror Ltd
Priority date: 1950-05-08
Filing date: 1951-02-13
Publication date: 1954-10-12
Anticipated expiration: 1971-10-12
Also published as: GB687237A; BE502876A; FR1036044A; DE893788C; CY117A

Description

1954 s. A. AANNERUD ELECTRODE STRUCTURES Filed Feb. 13, 1951 IN V EN TOR. 6761690 44. AIIVA/[Rl/D B Y 7,

ATTORNEYS Patented Oct. 12, 1954 EIBEGTRODE STRUCTURES Sigurd Arthur Aannerud, ,Thamshavn,,,Norway,- v assignor, by mesne assignments, to Pyror L n ited, Pembroke, Bermuda, a corporation,ol.

Bermuda;

Annsafi aremuar 1'ai t1ss rarmimam Claims priority, application Norway May 8, 1950 2 Claims. (Cl. 204283) In electrolytic cells it is often of importance to make the spacing of anode and cathode as small as possible in order to reduce the voltage drop and hence the power consumed. Further, in cases where gas is produced at an electrode, it is of importance for the economy of the process that the gas is removed from the surface of the electrode and replaced by fresh liquid as quickly as possible.

The present invention relates to electrodes for electrolytic cells of the kind in which no deposition is taking place at the electrode concerned, but in which gas is developed at the electrode inside a diaphragm separating the anode and cathode compartments, which gas is collected in a hood above the electrode, and it is an object of the invention to achieve in this connection the aims above referred to in a particularly effective and simple manner.

The invention primarily consists in that the electrode is provided on both sides with low projections distributed over its surface and having a small top surface on which the diaphragm bears, and the resulting interstice below the liquid surface cormnunicates both near the top and near the bottom of the electrode with a liquid reservoir provided in the electrode under the hood, so that the produced gas rising in the interstice and entering the reservoir at the top, causes a circulation of the fluid upwards in the interstice and downwards in the reservoir.

Further features of the invention will appear from the following description of a preferred embodiment, which is illustrated in the attached drawings, and which is primarily designed for the anodes of an electrolytic cell for the electrolytic separation of iron from FeSOr-solutions, although its use may also be contemplated for electrodes in other electrolytic processes where similar conditions prevail.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a view in vertical cross-section of an anode according to the invention, placed in an electrolytic cell,

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view of the anode in horizontal cross-section,

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary front view of the anode without diaphragm and partly in section as indicated by the line IIIIII in Fig. 2.

The anode comprises a pair of parallel plane walls I mutually propped by suitably spaced cross-walls 2 and connected, at the top, to a positive pole 3 and closed by a rubber hood 4 for collecting oxygen gas which is separated at the anode by the reaction 2SO4+2H2O 2HzSO4+Oe.

The anode compartment is confined by a diaphragm 5, which is drawn tightly onto the anode like a bag and extends upwards into the rubber hood 4, in which it projects above the surface of both the anode and the cathode liquids contained in the electrolytic vessel, in which each anode is placed upright on a ledge 6 at a distance above the bottom I, so that the vessel forms a communicating cathode compartment for all the individual cells. The adjacent starting cathodes of sheet iron are indicated on both sides at 8 in Fig. 1.

On their outer faces both walls I are provided, over their entire width, with shallow vertical ribs 9 of triangular cross-section, against which the diaphragm bears, partly because it is drawn taut onto the anode body I, 2 and partly by so controlling the flow of ferrous sulphate solution to the cathode compartment and of sulphuric acid solution from the anode compartment that the catholyte will have a higher static pressure than the anolyte and thereby exert a pressure on the diaphragm from outside. The channels l0 formed between the, ribs 9 and covered by the diaphragm, communicate with the interior space of the anode both at the top through a series of upwardly inclined passages l I, and at the bottom where the walls I are formed with a series of notches I2, each of which is in connection with one of the channels [0.

Therefore, in operation the hollow space within the anode will form a reservoir for anolyte. The oxygen gas is separated off at the anode surface under the diaphragm 5 and rises through the channels In from which it passes through the passages ll into the interior anode space, in which it rises further so as to be collected above the liquid within the hood 4. By this flow the gas will entrain anolyte, so that a constant flow of anolyte will be maintained, which passes upwards through the channels Ill, then through the passages ll into the interior anode space, downwards through the latter and, through the notches I2, again out into the channels it, whereby the anolyte within these channels will constantly be renewed and, at the same time, the upward liquid flow within the channels It will cause immediate removal of the oxygen gases from the anode surface according as they are formed.

I claim:

1. An electrode structure for electrolytic cells having a hood arranged at the top of the cell, said electrode structure comprising a plurality of vertically disposed wall members which are electrically conductive, said wall members being spaced apart and integrally connected forming a reservoir open at the top and bottom for receiving electrolyte, a plurality of vertically extending ribs on the outer surfaces of said wall members, a' diaphragm disposed about said Wall members, a resilient hood embracing the upper portion of said walls and securing said diaphragm in place and disposed against said ribs, said walls having passageways therethrough in the upper part of each wall for the passage of gas from the outer surface of said walls into the space between the walls and upward into said hood, said walls having notches along the bottom edges thereof to provide passageways for electrolyte.

2. An electrode structure according to claim 1,

wherein said passageways in the upper part of each wall member are spaced vertically and are upwardly inclined through the walls.

- References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,297,157 Harris Mar. 11, 1919 1,420,037 Harris June 20, 1922 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 196,947 Canada Feb. 3, 1920 550,258 Great Britain Dec. 31, 1942 811,238 France Jan. 14, 1937

Claims

1. AN ELECTRODE STRUCTURE FOR ELECTROLYTIC CELLS HAVING A HOOD ARRANGED AT THE TOP OF THE CELL, SAID ELECTRODE STRUCTURE COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF VERTICALLY DISPOSED WALL MEMBERS WHICH ARE ELECTRICALLY CONDUCTIVE, SAID WALL MEMBERS BEING SPACED APART AND INTEGRALLY CONNECTED FORMING A RESERVOIR OPEN AT THE TOP AND BOTTOM FOR RECEIVING ELECTROLYTE, A PLURALITY OF VERTICALLY EXTENDING RIBS ON THE OUTER SURFACES OF SAID WALL MEMBERS, A DIAPHRAGM DISPOSED ABOUT SAID WALL MEM-