Cell balance detector for electrolytic cell assemblies

• US 3,942,104 A
• Filed: 05/03/1974
• Issued: 03/02/1976
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/1974
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Electrocatalytic, Inc. (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Engelhard Minerals & Chemicals Corporation
• Inventors: Byrne, Paul Bradway
• Primary Examiner(s): Rolinec, R. V.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tokar, Michael J.
• Application Number:
  US05/466,715
• Time in Patent Office: 669 Days
• Field of Search: 324/29.5, 324/30, 324/30 B, 324/DIG. 1, 320/2, 320/21, 320/22, 320/31, 204/195 R
• US Class Current: 324/439
• CPC Class Codes: C25B 15/00 Operating or servicing cells
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 3/36 involving comparison of the voltage or current values at corresponding points of different systems, e.g. of parallel feeder systems
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 7/00 Emergency protective circuit arrangements specially adapted for specific types of electric machines or apparatus or for sectionalised protection of cable or line systems, and effecting automatic switching in the event of an undesired change from normal working conditions

Abstract

A system is provided for detecting an imbalance in operating voltage between two sodium hypochlorite cell assemblies electrically connected in series. Each cell has associated with it, in parallel, a resistor and each of the resistors are equal in value. A detector is connected between the junction between the resistors and the junction between the cells which detects an increase or a decrease in the operating voltage of either of the cells.

Claims

1. A sodium hypochlorite cell voltage balance detector assembly comprising a pair of input terminals adapted to be connected to a DC source of potential, first and second arms connected in parallel with each other between said pair of input terminals, said first arm comprising a plurality of serially connected cells whereby adjacent cells are connected together at cell junctions and each cell has a normal voltage drop thereacross when the cell is operating properly, said second arm comprising a plurality of serially connected impedances in one-to-one correspondence with said plurality of cells and wherein adjacent impedances are connected together at impedance junctions, each one of said plurality of impedances being associated with a respective one of said plurality of cells and having a value such that the voltage drop across the impedance is equal to the normal voltage drop across said associated cell, detecting means connected between an impedance junction and the corresponding cell junction and responsive to voltage variations between the junctions to which said detecting means is connected for producing an imbalance signal, said detecting means comprising first amplifying means connected between said impedance junction and said corresponding cell junction for producing said imbalance signal when said cell voltage drop increases above said cell normal voltage drop, second amplifying means connected between said impedance junction and said corresponding cell junction for producing said imbalance signal when said cell voltage drop decreased below said cell normal voltage drop, meter means for monitoring said imbalance signal, and control means responsive to a predetermined value of said imbalance signal for disconnecting the source of potential from said plurality of cells.

2. A cell voltage balance detector assembly as in claim 1, and a plurality of detecting means, each one of said plurality of detecting means connected between a respective impedance junction and the corresponding cell junction and being responsive to voltage variations between the junctions to which said detecting means is connected for producing an imbalance signal.

3. A cell voltage balance detector assembly as in claim 1, and indicating means connected to said detecting means responsive to said imbalance signal for indicating a voltage imbalance.

4. A cell voltage balance detector assembly as in claim 1, in which said control means comprises a circuit breaker operable from a closed state in which said pair of input terminals are adapted to be connected with the source of potential to an open state whereby said pair of input terminals are adapted to be disconnected from the DC source of potential, and a trip coil responsive to said imbalance signal for operating said circuit breaker to the open state.

5. A cell voltage balance detector assembly as in claim 1, in which said plurality of cells are hydraulically connected together to provide a path for the flow of an electrolyte therethrough, said control means further comprising flow means responsive to the rate of flow of the electrolyte below a preselected value for disconnecting said pair of input terminals from the source of potential.

6. A cell voltage balance detector as in claim 1, in which the normal voltage drop across said cells are equal in value, and said plurality of impedance are equal in value.

7. A cell voltage balance detector as in claim 1, in which the normal voltage drop across each one of the plurality of cells are equal, and said plurality of impedances comprise precision resistors of equal value.

8. A cell voltage balance detector as in claim 1, in which said first and second amplifying means respectively comprise first and second transistors each having an emitter, a collector and a base electrode;

a first lead connecting together said emitter electrode of said first transistor and said base electrode of said second transistor and said cell junction;

a second lead connecting together said emitter electrode of said second transistor and said base electrode of said first transistor and said impedance junction; and

a third lead connecting together the collector electrodes of said first and second transistors and adapted to be connected to said source of potential, whereby said imbalance signal appears on said third lead.