Abstract:
An electrodialytic method and device for the simultaneous production of acids and bases of high purity and higher concentration operates by splitting corresponding salts in aqueous solution using an electrolysis cell. The electrolysis cell includes a cathode chamber in which an alkali is formed, a salt chamber for supplying a salt to be split, an acid chamber in which the acid is formed, and an anode chamber through which a mineral acid flows as a proton carrier. The anode is a hydrogen-consuming electrode. The method and device are preferably used in the production of hydrochloric acid and sodium hydroxide solution.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The invention relates to a method for the simultaneous production of acid and base of high purity through the electrodialytic splitting of a corresponding salt in aqueous solution using an electrodialysis cell. The invention also relates to an electrodialysis cell for carrying out the method. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     In a number of chemical process steps, salt solutions accumulate and, as such, are not directly used further or cannot or should not be introduced into a drainage canal as waste either. Furthermore, salt solutions with high concentrations are obtained in leaching processes of salt deposits or in the leaching of salts which are already conveyed as well as pure prepared salts. In many cases, it is in the interest of chemical engineering and economy to produce from such salt solutions more highly refined valuable substances in the form of acids and bases corresponding to the ions of the respective salt. Electrolytic or electrodialytic methods are frequently used for that purpose. The known electrodialytic methods used for that purpose operate with a three-chamber system (see report of Fraunhofergesellschaft: Institut für Grenzflächen- und Bioverfahrenstechnik [Fraunhofer Association: Institute for Interface and Bio-Material Processing], April 1999, “Elektrodialyse mit bipolaren Membranen” [Electrodialysis with Bipolar Membranes]). 
     In that respect, the salt solution which is to be prepared electrodialytically is conducted through a middle chamber of an electrodialysis cell being formed of three chambers. The cations travel from that cell, under the influence of the electrical field, through a cationic exchanger membrane into an adjacent chamber which contains the cathode, and form the base there with cathodically developed OH − -ions. Accordingly, the anions travel through an anionic exchanger membrane into the adjacent anode chamber on the other side and form the corresponding acid with the H + -ions developed anodically there. However, the production methods of acids and bases from salt solutions, which operate according to that method, have disadvantages. One disadvantage resides in the fact that unwanted reactions with anions take place at the anode, which lead to the contamination of the acid being formed. In that way, for example, hydrohalic acids, formed in the anode chamber with free halogens which are produced at the anode by the discharging of halide ions, are contaminated and their service value is therefore reduced. Moreover, the anode can be corrosively attacked or the ion exchanger membranes can be damaged by the halogen being released. Another disadvantage resides in the fact that the anodically formed acids are frequently not sufficiently concentrated and are therefore of little value in terms of chemical engineering and commerce. 
     In U.S. Pat. No. 4,212,712 a method is described for the electrodialytic production of a more highly concentrated sodium hydroxide solution from sodium chloride solutions in a three-chamber cell. However, with that method, hydrochloric acid is not directly electrodialytically formed, but instead, chlorine is separated anodically. The intermediate chamber lying between the anode chamber and the cathode chamber is separated from both adjacent chambers by cationic exchanger membranes which, in addition to being permeable to the Na + -ions, are permeable to water to differing degrees. The permeability to water is less towards the cathode region than the anode region into the intermediate chamber. Through the use of that configuration it is possible to generate a comparatively concentrated sodium hydroxide solution in the cell. In the authoritative literature it is also mentioned that it would be possible to use, in place of one intermediate chamber, two or more such intermediate chambers which are equipped in the direction of the cathode chamber with cationic exchanger membranes, that are permeable to water to an increasingly poorer extent. In that way, the sodium hydroxide solution in the cathode chamber is concentrated even more. However, in practice such a solution is not used because of the associated difficulties in achieving a satisfactory efficiency of flow. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide a method and an electrodialysis cell for the simultaneous production of acid and base through the electrodialytic splitting of a corresponding salt in an aqueous solution using an electrodialysis cell, which overcome the hereinafore-mentioned disadvantages of the heretofore-known methods and devices of this general type and with which unwanted anode effects can be avoided and acids and alkalis can be produced with comparatively high concentrations and high purity. In particular, it is an object of the method according to the invention to produce, from sodium chloride solutions, hydrochloric acid of high purity and in concentrations which were heretofore not accessible with electrodialytic measures on an industrial scale. 
     With the foregoing and other objects in view there is provided, in accordance with the invention, a method for the simultaneous production of acid and base of high purity by the electrodialytic splitting of a corresponding salt in aqueous solution with an electrodialysis cell, which comprises providing a cathode chamber having a cathode, an inlet opening and at least one outlet opening for fluids. A salt chamber is separated from the cathode chamber by a cationic exchanger membrane. The salt chamber has an inlet opening and an outlet opening for conducting a salt solution. An acid is formed in an acid chamber separated from the salt chamber by an anionic exchanger membrane. The acid chamber does not contain an anode. An anode chamber is separated from the acid chamber by a cationic exchanger membrane through which protons required for forming the acid pass from the anode chamber into the acid chamber. The anode chamber has an inlet opening and an outlet opening for a liquid proton carrier flowing through the anode chamber. The anode chamber has a hydrogen-consuming anode for converting hydrogen into protons to an extent required for forming the acid. An electrical voltage is applied between the anode and the cathode for maintaining an electrodialytic process. Cations of a salt travel under the effect of the electrical field, from the salt chamber, through the cationic exchanger membrane into the cathode chamber and form a base there with OH − -ions produced by catholytic splitting of water into hydrogen and OH − ions. Simultaneously, anions of the salt travel from the salt chamber, under the effect of the electrical field, through the anionic exchanger membrane into the acid chamber and form the acid there with protons formed analytically from hydrogen at the hydrogen-consuming anode. 
     With the objects of the invention in view, there is also provided an electrodialysis cell for the simultaneous production of acid and base of high purity from a corresponding salt by electrodialysis, comprising a cathode chamber having a cathode, an inlet opening and at least one outlet opening for fluids. A salt chamber is separated from the cathode chamber by a cationic exchanger membrane. The salt chamber has an inlet opening and an outlet opening for conducting a salt solution. An acid chamber in which an acid is formed is separated from the salt chamber by an anionic exchanger membrane and does not contain an anode. An anode chamber is separated from the acid chamber by a cationic exchanger membrane through which protons required for forming the acid pass from the anode chamber into the acid chamber. The anode chamber has an inlet opening and an outlet opening for a liquid proton carrier flowing through the anode chamber and a hydrogen-consuming anode for converting hydrogen into protons to an extent required for forming the acid. A device applies an electrical voltage between the anode and the cathode for maintaining an electrodialytic process. The device simultaneously causes cations of a salt to travel under the effect of the electrical field, from the salt chamber, through the cationic exchanger membrane into the cathode chamber and form a base there with OH − -ions produced by catholytic splitting of water into hydrogen and OH − ions, and causes anions of the salt to travel from the salt chamber, under the effect of the electrical field, through the anionic exchanger membrane into the acid chamber and form the acid there with protons formed from hydrogen at the hydrogen-consuming anode. 
     The chamber in which the acid is formed is separated from the anode region by a cationic exchanger membrane due to the introduction of a fourth chamber into the known three-chamber cell. This avoids a situation where component parts which are located in the chamber in which the acid is formed and which could enter into electrochemical reactions at the anode arrive at the anode and are converted there to form disturbing impurities which remain in the acid. An example of such an impurity is elemental, dissolved chlorine which can be formed by the discharging of chloride ions at the anode. very generally, with the suggested configuration very pure acids can be produced because only the substances which can pass through the cationic exchanger membrane out of the anode chamber and which can pass through the anionic exchanger membrane out of the middle, salt-carrying chamber can arrive by way of the membranes, acting in an ion-selective manner, in the region in which the acid is formed. Moreover, as tests have shown, the service life of the anode is increased several times with the new configuration. 
     It is also surprisingly possible for the first time, with the method and device according to the invention, to use an electrodialytic device to produce hydrochloric acid on an industrial scale, having a concentration which amounts to over 10% by weight HCl in the acid. Efforts by the inventors to obtain pure hydrochloric acid with concentrations over 10% by weight HCl with conventional three-chamber systems had failed. With the new cell structure it is now possible to produce hydrochloric acid with concentrations to over 20% by weight HCl in the hydrochloric acid and at the same time sodium hydroxide solution with concentrations over 30% by weight NaOH in the alkali. The method can also be carried out with two or more electrodialysis cells connected in parallel. The method operates particularly effectively if two or more electrodialysis cells are connected in series. 
     In order to carry out the method, the solution of a salt, for example the aqueous solution of NaCl, NaBr, KCl, KBr, KNO 3 , NaNO 3  or an acetate which is preferably somewhat acidified, is conducted into the chamber of the electrodialysis cell which is limited on one side by a cationic exchanger membrane and on the other side by an anionic exchanger membrane. The chamber which contains the cathode and in which the base or alkali is formed, is connected to the cationic exchanger membrane. The chamber in which the acid is formed is connected to the anionic exchanger membrane. However, this chamber does not contain any anode. The anode is located in a further, fourth chamber which is connected to the chamber in which the acid is formed. Both latter chambers are separated by a cationic exchanger membrane. When the salt solution passes through the chamber into which it has been introduced, cations of the salt dissolved in it constantly pass through the cationic exchanger membrane into the cathode chamber of the cell. The cathode can be formed of any material which is resistant to alkalis and which is suitable for the reaction: 
     
       
         2 H 2 O+2 e − —H 2 +2 OH − . 
       
     
     Such electrodes are commercially obtainable and are formed, for example, of nickel or of titanium and are activated with precious metal oxides from the group Pt, Pd, Rh, Ru, Ir, Re, Au or with titanium oxides. Advantageously, the cathodes which are used have as low an overvoltage as possible for the aforementioned reaction for the formation of hydrogen. A commercially available nickel cathode activated without the addition of foreign elements or foreign oxides has proven to be particularly advantageous. A diluted aqueous solution of the base is in the cathode chamber. A portion of the water of the solution is split at the cathode into hydroxyl ions and hydrogen to the extent that cations enter into the cathode chamber. The cations form the base together with the hydroxyl ions. The diluted solution is concentrated by this process. The alkali is continuously drawn off from the cathode chamber. The hydrogen which is likewise produced is taken and is supplied from the cathode chamber by a pipeline to the anode, which is constructed as a hydrogen-consuming anode, for conversion into positively charged hydrogen ions, that are referred to below as protons. Negative charges in the form of anions of the salt pass through the anionic exchanger membrane into the chamber in which the acid is formed, to the extent that positive charges in the form of cations pass into the cathode chamber. A diluted proton acid flows through the chamber in which the acid is formed. This proton acid is characterized by the anion which is also the anion of the salt that is to be electrodialytically split. The protons which are required for forming the acid enter from the anode chamber through the cationic exchanger membrane into the chamber in which the acid is formed, to the extent that anions enter into this chamber. The diluted acid which is initially present in the chamber is concentrated by this acid formation process. To the extent that protons travel into the chamber in which the acid is produced, the corresponding number of protons is formed from hydrogen at the hydrogen-consuming anode. 
     Any purchasable anode which is suitable for generating protons from water could be used as the anode. However, depolarized hydrogen-consuming electrodes are used, with the aid of which protons can be generated from gaseous hydrogen. A lower cell voltage can be used with the use of this anode type, because only the standard hydrogen potential of 0 volt is required for the conversion of hydrogen into protons. However, with water-decomposing anodes the higher potential of +1.21 V is required for the reaction 2 H 2 O—4 H + +O 2 . Suitable gas diffusion anodes can be purchased (for example from the firm E-TEK, Inc., Natick, Mass.). A diluted proton acid which can be dissociated well, preferably an acid from the group sulfuric acid, perchloric acid, phosphoric acid, is disposed in the anode chamber as a transport medium for the protons. This acid is not consumed. Nevertheless, it is advantageous to circulate it by pumping. Membranes made from a polymer or copolymer, which is doped with an anionic ligand, for example of the sulphonic acid group, and which has been produced from monomers from the group tetrafluoroethylene, hexafluoropropylene, monochlorotrifluoroethylene, vinylidene fluoride and α,β,β-trifluorostyrene, are preferably used as the cationic exchanger membranes. Such membranes are commercially obtainable under the trademark NAFION (owned by Du Pont). The use of NAFION 117 for the cationic exchanger membrane between the anode chamber and the chamber in which the acid is formed, and of NAFION 324 for the cationic exchanger membrane which separates the salt-carrying chamber from the cathode chamber, has proven advantageous for the present invention. However, the invention is not restricted to the use of the named types of cationic exchanger membranes. Other types of cationic exchanger membranes, for example NAFION 115, Fumatec FKF, FKC, PKL and FKE or Tokuyama Alkali CMS, CIMS, CM-2 or Asahi Class SELEMION CAV, CSV can also be used. Commercially available membranes are likewise used as anionic exchanger membranes between the salt-carrying chamber and the chamber in which the acid is formed. The membrane ACM of Tokoyama Alkali has proven advantageous. However, other membranes such as, for example, the membranes AHA, AMH and ACS of Tokoyama Alkali, or the qualities FAB and FAA of the firm Fumatec or the membranes PCAPC Acid 35 and PC Acid 35 PEEK of the firm PCA GmbH or the membrane AAV of Asahi Glass SELEMION or the membrane ARA of Morgan, can also be used. The cell voltage when carrying out the method also depends on the cell construction, in addition to the standard potentials and overvoltage effects to be observed. It lies in the range of 1.5 to 6 V. It is advantageous to set the process temperature to 40° C. or more, preferably to 80° C. It is, of course, also possible to produce, according to the method of the invention, acids and alkalis from salts such as, for example, Na 2 SO 4 , NaHSO 4 , or phosphates, which have already been electrodialyzed according to the known three-chamber method. 
     Other features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in the appended claims. 
     Although the invention is illustrated and described herein as embodied in a method and a device for the simultaneous production of acid and base of high purity, it is nevertheless not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention and within the scope and range of equivalents of the claims. 
     The construction and method of operation of the invention, however, together with additional objects and advantages thereof will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic, sectional view of an electrodialysis cell according to the invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a schematic and block diagram of a circuit for carrying out a method according to the invention; and 
     FIG. 3 is a schematic and block diagram of a circuit which illustrates coupling of the method according to the invention with a concentration method for the production of hydrochloric acid. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Operation of an electrodialysis cell shown in FIG.  1  and the performance of a method illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3 will be described by way of example with reference to obtaining hydrochloric acid and sodium hydroxide solution from sodium chloride. However, the invention is not restricted thereto. 
     Referring now to the figures of the drawings in detail and first, particularly, to FIG. 1 thereof, there is seen an electrodialysis cell  1  which has four chambers, namely a cathode chamber  2 ; a chamber  3 , referred to below as a “salt chamber”, through which sodium chloride solution flows; a chamber  4 , referred to below as an “acid chamber”, in which hydrochloric acid is formed; and an anode chamber  5 . The cathode chamber  2  has a cathode  6  with a contact bar  7  for supplying electric current. The cathode  6  is formed of nickel and has an activated nickel surface. The contact bar  7  is likewise formed of nickel. In the cathode chamber  2 , on one hand water is electrolytically split to form hydroxyl ions and hydrogen, and on the other hand sodium hydroxide solution is formed from the hydroxyl ions and sodium ions. The liquid which is to be electrolyzed enters into the cathode chamber  2  by way of an inlet opening  8 . This liquid can be water. However, a diluted alkali, in this case sodium hydroxide solution, is preferably used. The sodium hydroxide solution which is formed, or the sodium hydroxide solution that is concentrated by way of the sodium hydroxide solution formation process, leaves the cathode chamber  2  through an outlet opening  9  together with the formed hydrogen. Cations, that is to say sodium ions in the present example, pass from the salt chamber  3  through a cationic exchanger membrane  11  into the cathode chamber  2 . A solution of the salt which is to be electrodialytically split flows through the salt chamber  3 . In the present case this is a concentrated solution of sodium chloride. The NaCl solution passes through an inlet opening  12  into the salt chamber  3  and leaves this chamber  3 , after depletion of Na + -ions and Cl − -ions has taken place, through an outlet opening  13 . Chloride ions pass from the salt chamber  3  through an anionic exchanger membrane  14  into the acid chamber  4 , to the extent that cations travel through the cationic exchanger membrane  11  into the cathode chamber  2 , forming hydrochloric acid with protons within the acid chamber  4 . Water, or preferably a diluted hydrochloric acid, is introduced into the acid chamber  4  through an inlet opening  15 . The hydrochloric acid is then concentrated by the hydrochloric acid formation process and leaves the chamber  4  through an outlet opening  16 . Protons for the process of forming hydrochloric acid come from the anode chamber  5  in which they are formed. They pass from the anode chamber  5  through a cationic exchanger membrane  17  into the hydrochloric acid chamber  4 . A diluted proton acid, in the present case sulfuric acid or perchloric acid, flows through the anode chamber  5 . The acid passes through an inlet opening  18  into the anode chamber  5  and leaves it through an outlet opening  19 . In practice, this acid is not consumed. It serves only as a transport device for the protons which are produced from hydrogen at a hydrogen-consuming anode  20 . For this purpose, gaseous hydrogen is supplied to the hydrogen-consuming anode by a supply line  23  leading into a distributing region  24  which is formed of a thin, chambered fiber network. A conversion into simply positive hydrogen ions then takes place in the anode with the removal of electrons. The hydrogen-consuming anode  20  is depolarized and is bounded by a cationic exchanger membrane  21  on its side which faces the chamber  5 . Current removal is symbolized herein by a bar  22 . The depolarized hydrogen-consuming anode  20  is commercially obtainable. Walls  25  of the chambers  2 ,  3 ,  4 ,  5  of the electrodialysis cell  1  are formed of a material which is resistant to the media located in them. Synthetic materials such as, for example, polyvinyl chloride, polypropylene, polyvinylidene fluoride, polytetrafluoroethylene or other perfluorinated or partially fluorinated synthetic materials which can also be reinforced by inlaid fibers or fiber composites or even metal parts, preferably steel parts, lined with one of the named synthetic materials, and rubber-lined steel, are preferably used for this purpose. In the present case, the walls  25  of the cell  1  were formed of polypropylene which was joined together in the form of non-illustrated blocks and plates that were worked so as to fit, and held together by likewise non-illustrated tension rods. Elements  7  and  22  provide a device for applying an electrical voltage between the anode  20  and the cathode  6  for maintaining the electrodialytic process. 
     A flow chart which illustrates the method in FIG. 2 shows two electrodialysis cells  1 ,  1 ′ connected in series. The structure of both cells  1 ,  1 ′ corresponds to the cell described with reference to FIG. 1. A connection of two or more electrodialysis cells in series is advantageously used with the method according to the invention because the concentration effect in only one electrodialysis cell is comparatively small. In addition, the concentration effect is maximized both with the acid formation and with the base formation by connecting the cells in series. Of course, it is also possible to use only one electrodialysis cell. In this case, however, it is advantageous to conduct the acid or the alkali or both, where necessary, through the cell with the continuous method until the desired concentration in the receiver is achieved. 
     In the present case, initially a pump  27  is used to pump a diluted sodium hydroxide solution out of an intermediate and buffer container  26 , through a pipeline  28  and the inlet opening  8 , into the cathode chamber  2  of the electrodialysis cell  1 . The alkali is concentrated in this chamber  2  to a certain degree by the catholytic formation of OH − -ions and by Na + -ions diffusing in from the salt chamber  3 , that is to say by way of the new formation of alkali. Hydrogen is produced at the cathode  6  in parallel therewith. The hydrogen travels together with the sodium hydroxide solution through the outlet opening  9  and a pipeline  29  and arrives in a separating container  10 . The hydrogen is conveyed from the container  10  through a pipeline  29 ′ into a supply and buffer container  30  for hydrogen. Alkali from the separating container  10 , which is only partially concentrated, arrives at a three-way valve  34 , and from there a larger partial flow flows through a pipeline  31  and an inlet opening  8 ′ into a cathode chamber  2 ′ of the electrodialysis cell  1 ′. The alkali is concentrated further in this cathode chamber  2 ′ by the process described above and is then conveyed through an outlet opening  9 ′ and a pipeline  32  into a separating container  10 ′. The alkali is conveyed from there through a pipeline  32 ′ into a collecting and storage container  33  for the alkali, the concentrating of which is complete. Hydrogen developed in this cathode chamber  2 ′ arrives together with sodium hydroxide solution in the separating container  10 ′ and travels from there, through a pipeline  37 , to the supply and buffer container  30  for hydrogen. Another smaller partial flow of the alkali which is partially concentrated in the first cathode chamber  2  is drawn off at the three-way valve  34  and is returned through a pipeline  35  into the intermediate and buffer container  26 . There, water is added to the returned alkali through a pipeline  36  in the same quantity as the volume of alkali which has flowed out of the second cathode chamber  2 ′ and the concentration of which is complete. In this way, the process for forming sodium hydroxide solution and for concentrating this alkali, taking place in the cathode chambers  2 ,  2 ′, remains in equilibrium in chemical engineering terms. 
     Sodium ions which are required for forming the sodium hydroxide solution come from a sodium chloride solution which is pumped by a pump  39  out of an intermediate and buffer vessel  38 , through pipelines  40 ,  40 ′ and through inlet openings  12 ,  12 ′, into salt chambers  3 ,  3 ′. It is advantageous to ensure that a salt solution of the same, highest possible concentration as is located in the first chamber  3  advantageously also flows through the downstream chamber  3 ′. Therefore, the flow of the salt solution after the pump  39  is divided through the use of a three-way valve  67  into two equal flows. One of the flows is conducted by the pipeline  40  into the salt chamber  3  and the other by the pipeline  40 ′ into the salt chamber  3 ′ of the downstream cell  1 ′. In both chambers  3 ,  3 ′ a depletion of the salt solution takes place by the electrodialytic separation of the salt. The salt is separated into Na + -ions on one hand, which travel through the cationic exchanger membranes  11 ,  11 ′ into the cathode regions  2 ,  2 ′ and Cl − -ions on the other hand, which migrate through the anionic exchanger membranes  14 ,  14 ′ into the acid chambers  4 ,  4 ′ of the two series-connected electrodialysis cells  1 ,  1 ′. The partially deionized solutions leave the salt chambers  3 ,  3 ′ through outlet openings  13 ,  13 ′ and are returned by pipelines  41 ,  41 ′,  41 ″ into the intermediate and buffer vessel  38 . There they flow over a salt bed and are concentrated again. The salt solution is then conducted anew in the circulation through the salt chambers  3 ,  3 ′. Should it be necessary, although it has not been shown, the salt solution can also be conducted successively through both chambers  3 ,  3 ′ and then back into the container  38 . 
     In order to generate the hydrochloric acid, a pump  43  pumps a diluted hydrochloric acid out of an intermediate and buffer container  42 , through a pipeline  44  and the inlet opening  15 , into the acid chamber  4  of the electrodialysis cell  1 . Hydrochloric acid is formed anew in this chamber  4  from the chloride ions which have passed through the anionic exchanger membrane  14  from the salt chamber  3  and from the protons which have migrated and traveled in through the cationic exchanger membrane  17  from of the anode chamber  5 . The diluted hydrochloric acid is thus concentrated to a certain degree. The acid, which is only partially concentrated, leaves the acid chamber  4  through the outlet opening  16 . A larger partial flow thereof arrives by way of a three-way valve  45 , a pipeline  46  and the inlet opening  15 ′ in an acid chamber  4 ′ of the electrodialysis cell  1 . In this acid chamber  41 , the acid is concentrated further by the process described above and is then conveyed through an outlet opening  16 ′ and a pipeline  47  into a collecting and storage container  48  for the hydrochloric acid, the concentration of which is complete. Another smaller partial flow of the partially concentrated acid is drawn off at the three-way valve  45  and is returned through a pipeline  49  into the intermediate and buffer container  42 . There, as much water as a water balance of the cell requires is added to the returned hydrochloric acid through a pipeline  50 . In this way, the process for forming hydrochloric acid and for concentrating this acid, which takes place in the acid chambers  4 ,  4 ′, remains in equilibrium in chemical engineering terms. 
     According to another advantageous embodiment, in addition to the water which must be replaced, diluted hydrochloric acid, that originates as return acid from a further known concentration process subsequent to the method according to the invention, is supplied by way of the pipeline  50 . The coupling of the method with this process will be discussed in more detail below. The concentrated acid collected in the collecting and storage container  48  can either continue to be used directly, or preferably, it can be concentrated to form concentrated acid according to one of the known methods. The protons which are required for forming the hydrochloric acid in the acid chambers  4 ,  4 ′ are formed from hydrogen in anode chambers  5 ,  5 ′ at respective hydrogen-consuming anodes  20 ,  20 ′. The hydrogen required for this purpose is supplied from the hydrogen tank  30  to the hydrogen-consuming anodes  20 ,  20 ′ through a pump  56 , pipelines  55 ,  55 ′,  55 ″, a three-way valve  57  and supply lines  23 ,  23 ′. Diluted sulfuric acid, which is located in containers  51  and  51 ′, is used in anode chambers  5 ,  5 ′ as a transport device or carrier for the protons. The diluted sulfuric acid is pumped from these containers by pumps  52  and  52 ′ and travels through pipelines  53  and  53 ′ and inlet openings  18  and  18 ′ to the anode chambers  5  and  5 ′. It returns into the containers  51  and  51 ′ through outlet openings  19 ,  19 ′ and pipelines  54  and  54 ′. Instead of the two acid circulations shown in this figure, with the two containers  51  and  51 ′, one circulation can also be used, in which the chambers  5  and  5 ′ are loaded from only one non-illustrated container and in which the acid flows back into the one container after flowing through the chambers  5 ,  5 ′. The protons respectively formed at the hydrogen-consuming anodes  20  and  20 ′ replace the protons which have changed over from the sulfuric acid by the cationic exchanger membranes  17  and  17 ′ leading into the acid chambers  4 ,  4 ′. This takes place simultaneously to the extent that hydroxyl ions have been formed at cathodes  6  and  6 ′. 
     The further concentration of the hydrochloric acid which is obtained by the electrodialysis process, to form concentrated hydrochloric acid, takes place in a particularly advantageous manner by coupling the method according to the invention with a known method. A schematic diagram illustrating the method can be seen in FIG.  3 . The electrodialytic concentration of the hydrochloric acid is carried out at temperatures of over 40° C., preferably in the region of 80° C. The 80° C. hot acid exiting from the electrodialysis cell  1  in FIGS. 2 and 3 or the 80° C. hot acid collected in the container  48  in FIG. 2, having a concentration which must lie above an azeotropic concentration, is expanded through the use of a pressure-maintaining device or throttle  59  into a container or vessel  60  in which a partial vacuum prevails in comparison with a pipeline upstream of the pressure-maintaining device  59 . This partial vacuum is set through the use of a pump  62  and a pressure control device  61 ,  61 ′. A heating device  58  which is used to heat the hydrochloric acid originating from the electrodialysis cell  1 , should it not have a sufficiently high temperature, is advantageously located upstream of the pressure-maintaining device  59 . In running operation, however, the method operates largely autothermally. The portion of the liquid evaporated upon the expansion of the hydrochloric acid into the container or vessel  60  contains more hydrogen chloride than the hydrochloric acid supplied for evaporation. Accordingly, after condensing of acid vapor in a cooler  63 , a concentrated hydrochloric acid of at least 30% by weight HCl in the acid is obtained and collected in container  64 . The portion of the liquid which has not evaporated, that collects in the expansion vessel or container  60 , is formed of diluted hydrochloric acid. It is again supplied to the electrodialysis cell  1  through the use of a pump  66  for renewed concentration. Water can be supplied to the diluted acid by a three-way valve  65 , if the supply of water, which always takes place in parallel with the passage of the ions through the membranes  14  and  17  in FIG. 1, is not sufficient in order to compensate for a liquid loss produced by the removal of the concentrated hydrochloric acid by the container  64 . 
     The method will be explained further in the following text with reference to examples: 
     EXAMPLE 1 
     An electrodialysis cell which was used for a test described below had the following structure: 
     cationic exchanger membrane between cathode chamber and salt chamber: Nafion 324, active membrane surface 0.35 m 2 ; 
     anionic exchanger membrane between salt chamber and hydrochloric acid chamber: ACM of Tokuyama Alkali, active membrane surface 0.35 m 2 ; 
     cationic exchanger membrane between hydrochloric acid chamber and anode chamber: Nafion 117, active membrane surface 0.35 m 2 ; cathode: expanded nickel metal, activated; 
     hydrogen-consuming anode: gas diffusion anode, manufacturer De Nora; 
     only one electrodialysis cell was used, through the chamber of which the following liquid flows were conducted: 
     cathode chamber: NaOH, 160 l/hour; 
     salt chamber: NaCl-solution, 160 l/hour, concentration at inlet: 20% by weight NaCl in the solution; acid chamber: HCl, 160 l/hour; 
     anode chamber: sulfuric acid, 160 l/hour, concentration: 15% by weight H 2 SO 4  in the acid. 
     The electrolytes had a temperature of 53° C., the electrical voltage between anode and cathode amounted to 3.5 V, the cell current was fixed at 700 A and the specific current load amounted to 2 kA/m 2 . 
     The test was begun both in the cathode chamber and in the hydrochloric acid chamber with deionized water. The maximum hydrochloric acid concentration achieved at the output of the hydrochloric acid chamber amounted to 23.5% by weight and the concentration of sodium hydroxide solution at the output of the cathode chamber amounted to 33% by weight. The maximum acid concentration is determined by the quantity of the water which passes together with the protons through the cationic exchanger membrane into the hydrochloric acid circulation. Membranes with less permeability for water could make the production of more highly concentrated acids possible in keeping with the method according to the invention. 
     EXAMPLE 2 
     This example shows how hydrochloric acid, which has been concentrated in an electrodialysis cell according to exemplary embodiment 1, can be processed to form concentrated hydrochloric acid through the use of an expansion/condensation method, as has been described with regard to FIG.  3 . An 80° C. hot hydrochloric acid with a concentration of 23.5% by weight was drawn off from the electrodialysis cell, the data of which is indicated in Example 1. The hydrochloric acid was drawn off at a quantity of 150 l/hour, heated to 84° C. in an electrical heating device and then expanded by way of a throttle into a tank in which a pressure of 0.2 bar absolute prevailed. In this procedure a portion of the hydrochloric acid evaporated. This hydrochloric acid vapor was drawn off from the tank and condensed in a cooler. The hydrochloric acid obtained in this way had a concentration of 30% by weight HCl in relation to the acid and 3.14 kg of such an acid were obtained per hour. The portion of the hydrochloric acid which did not evaporate and which remained in liquid form in the tank had a concentration of 23.4% by weight HCl. It was returned into the electrodialysis cell at a temperature of 70 to 72° C. Upstream of the electrodialysis cell, 2.2 kg of water per hour were added to this depleted hydrochloric acid as a replacement for the removed quantity of concentrated hydrochloric acid. In the cell, the acid was heated again by the electrolytic process and concentrated. As can be seen, the method operates largely autothermally. 
     Tests show that, with the method according to the invention, through the use of the electrodialysis cell in accordance with the invention, on an industrial scale, hydrochloric acid can be generated with a concentration of over 20% by weight and sodium hydroxide solution with a concentration of over 30% by weight. Furthermore, it is seen that by coupling the inventive method with a known method, through utilization of heating of the electrodialytically generated hydrochloric acid according to the method, concentrated hydrochloric acid can also be produced in a simple and effective manner. 
     The method according to the invention can also be transferred to other salt/acid/alkali systems. 
     The advantages of the invention are: 
     pure acids and pure alkalis are produced from the corresponding salts; 
     the discharging of anions of the acid-base pair at the anode is avoided. There is therefore, for example, the possibility of producing completely halogen-free hydrohalic acids, specifically chlorine-free hydrochloric acid; and 
     for the first time, hydrochloric acid with concentrations of over 10% by weight HCl, can be produced on an industrial scale using an electrodialytic device.