Dendrite inhibitor

• US 4,855,030 A
• Filed: 06/07/1988
• Issued: 08/08/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/1988
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: United States Department of Energy
• Original Assignee: United States Department of Energy
• Inventors: Miller, William E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Valentine, Donald R.
• Application Number:
  US07/203,362
• Time in Patent Office: 427 Days
• Field of Search: 204/212, 204/225, 204/243 R, 204/250, 204/244-247, 204/64 R, 204/68, 210/221.1, 210/536, 210/531, 210/923, 266/228
• US Class Current: 204/212
• CPC Class Codes: C25C 7/06 Operating or servicing
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 10/134 by avoiding CO2, e.g. using hydrogen

Abstract

An apparatus for removing dendrites or other crystalline matter from the surface of a liquid in a matter transport process, and an electrolytic cell including such an apparatus. A notch may be provided to allow continuous exposure of the liquid surface, and a bore may be further provided to permit access to the liquid.

Claims

1. An apparatus for removing crystalline structures from the upper surface of a liquid, comprising:

a vertically disposed cylindrical shaft having an outer surface and a longitudinal axis, said outer surface including a notch, said shaft being made of an electrically insulating material;

means for cyclically lowering said shaft to the surface of the liquid and raising said shaft from said surface;

and means for rotating said shaft around its longitudinal axis at such time when said shaft is raised from the liquid surface.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said electrically insulating material is a ceramic.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said liquid operates as a cathode.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein said shaft further includes a longitudinal axial bore.

5. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said shaft further includes a longitudinal axial bore.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said liquid operates as a cathode.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said shaft further includes a longitudinal axial bore.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said shaft further includes a bore.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said bore is a longitudinal bore.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said longitudinal bore is a longitudinal axial bore.

11. An electrorefining cell comprising;

a lower molten cadmium pool;

an anode basket disposed within the lower molten cadmium pool;

a molten electrolyte pool disposed upon said lower molten cadmium pool;

a molten cadmium cathode, disposed within the electrolyte pool, including an upper surface, wherein said molten cadmium cathode includes a vertically disposed rotatable shaft including a longitudinal surface notch, means for cyclically lowering said shaft to the upper surface of the molten cadmium cathode and raising said shaft from said upper surface, and means for rotating said shaft less than 360 degrees around its longitudinal axis at such time when said shaft is raised to its maximum vertical displacement from the upper surface of the molten cadmium cathode;

and electrical power means connected to said anode basket and said cathode for providing electrical power to the cell.

12. The electrorefining cell of claim 11, wherein said shaft is made of an electrically insulating material.

13. The electrorefining cell of claim 12, wherein said electrically insulating material is a ceramic.

14. The electrorefining cell of claim 11, wherein said shaft further includes a bore.

15. The electrorefining cell of claim 14, wherein said bore is a longitudinal bore.

16. The electrorefining cell of claim 15, wherein said longitudinal bore is a longitudinal axial bore.