Vertical type electrolytic cell and electrolytic process using the same
First Claim
1. In a vertical type electrolytic cell partitioned by an ion exchange membrane into an anode compartment and a cathode compartment, the improvement wherein said cathode compartment is divided by a nonperforated cathode plate into a cathode gas generation room which consists of the space between the ion exchange membrane and the cathode surface facing said membrane and a cathode gas separation room which consists of the remaining space in the cathode compartment, said two rooms being totally separated from each other by the cathode plate except for opened portions provided near the uppermost and lowermost parts of said cathode plate through which said two rooms communicate, the horizontal cross-sectional area of the gas separation room being at least twice the horizontal cross-sectional area of the gas generation room.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Disclosed is a vertical type electrolytic cell partitioned by an ion exchange membrane into an anode compartment and a cathode compartment, the cathode compartment being divided by a non-perforated cathode plate into a cathode gas generation room and a cathode gas separation room. Also disclosed is an electrolytic process using the electrolytic cell wherein the catholyte is circulated between the two rooms as a result of a gas lift effect produced by the cathode gas.
106 Citations
15 Claims
- 1. In a vertical type electrolytic cell partitioned by an ion exchange membrane into an anode compartment and a cathode compartment, the improvement wherein said cathode compartment is divided by a nonperforated cathode plate into a cathode gas generation room which consists of the space between the ion exchange membrane and the cathode surface facing said membrane and a cathode gas separation room which consists of the remaining space in the cathode compartment, said two rooms being totally separated from each other by the cathode plate except for opened portions provided near the uppermost and lowermost parts of said cathode plate through which said two rooms communicate, the horizontal cross-sectional area of the gas separation room being at least twice the horizontal cross-sectional area of the gas generation room.
- 14. A process for electrolyzing an aqueous solution of an alkali metal halide which comprises (1) generating a cathode gas in a cathode gas generating room of a vertical type electrolytic cell partitioned by an ion exchange membrane into an anode compartment and a cathode compartment, said cathode compartment being divided by a non-perforated cathode plate into a cathode gas generation room and a cathode gas separation room, whereby a catholyte is caused to flow upward in the cathode gas generation room in a mixed stream of the catholyte and the cathode gas by the action of a gas lift effect produced by the cathode gas, (2) introducing said mixed stream into said cathode gas separation room through an opened portion provided near the uppermost part of said cathode plate, (3) separating the catholyte from the cathode gas, whereby the resulting catholyte has a smaller gas content than the mixed stream in the cathode gas generation room, then (4) introducing said resulting catholyte into said cathode gas generation room through an opened portion provided near the lowermost part of said cathode plate, whereby a circulating flow of catholyte is allowed to take place between said cathode gas generation room and said cathode gas separation room through said opened portions provided near the uppermost and lowermost parts of said cathode plate.
Specification