Apparatus for the Electrolytic Production of Bleaching Liquid.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 14th July, 1893
Complete Specification - Left. 7th Nov.. 1893-Accepted. 9th Dec.. 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Apparatus for the Electrolytic Production of Bleaching Liquid.
I, Dr. CARL KELLNER of Wasagasse 39 Vienna I Austria, Doctor of Philosophy
General Manager of The Kellner-Partington Paper Pulp Co. Ltd., do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The production of bleaching agents by electrolysis has not hitherto been carried
out largely because the apparatus and electrical installation available for this
purpose and for electrolytic work generally have been found too expensive and
complicated.
The object of this invention is to provide an economical and simple apparatus
adapted for this class of work and so arranged that it may be operated by any
available electric generator (and which does not necessitate the employment of
skilled labor,) at a cost of construction low enough to enable small manufacturers
to utilise the important advantages of the electrolytic production of bleaching
solution.
In the accompanying drawings,
Fig. 1 is a vertical cross section;
Fig. 2 a longitudinal vertical section partly in side elevation; and
Fig. 3 a plan of apparatus according to this invention for the electrolytical
production of bleaching liquid.
This apparatus comprises a trough or vessel A closed by a lid or cover B and
provided on two opposite sides with grooved or slotted ribs a a' a²
6 alternately arranged.
.
a" and
Electrodes 123
n, preferably consisting of pieces of carbon or of metal
plates coated on one side with platinum are fitted into the grooves in the said ribs
in such a manner that the free end of each electrode reaches into the space opposite
to it between the pairs of ribs facing them on the further side of the trough or
vessel.
The first and last of these electrode plates project from the receptacle A through
the cover B and carry contacts C and C. The liquid to be decomposed is conveyed
into A by the pipe D and after flowing through the trough or vessel discharges
through the pipe E.
The operation of this arrangement, using for example a solution of common salt
as the electrolyte, is as follows:-
The solution enters the apparatus from the vessel containing the bleaching agent,
through the pipe D pursuing a course between the alternately disposed electrode
plates in the direction of the arrows (Fig. 3).
The alternate arrangement of the electrodes converts the apparatus into a number
of cells the plates being active on both sides, one side in each case, constituting the
anode and the other the cathode. Supposing current to enter the electrode or
plate I at C and leave the electrode or plate nat C', the plate 1 will then be the
anode, while the plate 2, on the side nearest plate 1, will form the cathode, its
further side acting as an anode and so on.
The action of the apparatus is therefore similar to that of a series of element or
cells arranged in a row and connected in series and consequently only two contacte
are needed for the complete arrangement, viz. one for the first and another for the
last electrode..
The ribs a, a' a² a³ . . . aª and b b¹ b². . . . 6ª serve to retain the electrode plates
in their respective grooves. As before stated, and as shewn in the drawings (Fig. 3),

page_text: course in succession round the end of each plate, facing the narrow spaces between
the electrode plates.
By this arrangement loss of current is avoided and each cell being formed of
two electrodes, acts in the same manner as though it were a completely closed one.
If there were no ribs a, a¹ a². a and b b¹²
6 the electrodes or plates
being for example, simply inserted into the walls of the vessel A alternately, a
portion of the electric current would then flow past the free end of each electrode,
and escaping through the electrolyte to the next succeeding electrode, would result
in some loss of the current.
This inconvenience is entirely avoided by the arrangement of the ribs shown and
described. The current will always take the path of least resistance, and is by
the arrangement described assisted in passing from electrode to electrode direct,
without being obliged to pursue a zig-zag course between the ribs through the
electrolyte.
Supposing for instance that the electric generator available for operating the
apparatus is capable of producing a current of 32 amperes at an electro motive
force of 99 volts then the apparatus to decompose common salt, will require say
about 23 electrode plates, forming in the aggregate 22 cells each cell being
traversed by a current of 32 amperes at a potential of 4.5 volts. Thus the total
effect of the current obtained will, be equivalent to that of a current of 704 amperes
at 4.5 volts acting between two electrodes, losses of current are thus entirely
avoided.
As the solution of common salt enters at D, chlorine will be developed on all the
anode sides of the electrodes, caustic soda being produced on all the cathode sides.
Owing to the rapidity with which the liquid flows through the apparatus the
chlorine at once meets the hydroxide of sodium and sodium hypochlorite is formed,
and for the same reason the hydrogen set free at the cathodes is incapable of
producing any injurious action.
The bleaching liquid is conveyed to the original reservoir by means of a pump
or any suitable feeding arrangement, so that constant circulation of the liquid to
the reservoir and decomposing apparatus is maintained. When carbon plates are
employed as electrodes, a filter is interposed between the decomposing and bleaching
apparatus; this filter may consist of glass-wool confined between two perforated
metal plates or two sheets of wire gauze.
The distance between the electrodes in this decomposing apparatus may be
reduced to a minimum as no diaphragms are employed; the internal resistance of
the apparatus being also similarly reduced for a like reason.
The merits of this novel arrangement, compared with other apparatus employed
for the same purpose may be briefly stated as follows:-
1. An electric generator may be employed in this operation.
2. Unnecessary and complicated sets of contacts are dispensed with, since two
contacts suffice for the whole arrangement.
3. The arrangement while compelling the electrolyte to take the longest course
also enables it to flow through at a high speed, no loss of current being sustained
in either event.
4. The whole of the apparatus consists of one single vessel dispensing with the
inconvenience attaching to packing, connecting pipes etc.
5. Owing to the employment of glass fibre or wool to act as a filter, electrodes
formed of cheap material as for example carbon plates can be employed without
impairing the quality of the bleaching liquid obtained.
Dated this 14th day of July 1893.
C. KELLNER,
By L. W., per F. B.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Apparatus for the Electrolytic Production of Bleaching Liquid.
I, Dr. CARL KELLNER of Wasagasse 39 Vienna I, Austria, Doctor of
Philosophy, General Manager of The Kellner-Partington Paper Pulp Co.,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to
be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement :-
The production of bleaching agents by electrolysis has not hitherto been carried
out largely because the apparatus and electrical installation available for this
purpose and for electrolytic work generally have been found too expensive and
complicated.
The object of this invention is to provide an economical and simple apparatus
adapted for this class of work and so arranged that it can be operated from any
available electric generator such as an ordinary generator for producing electric
light, shall not necessitate the employment of skilled labour and the cost of
construction of which shall be low enough to enable small manufacturers to utilise
the important advantages of the electrolytic production of bleaching solution,
without its being necessary to invest considerable capital therefor.
Referring to the drawings filed with my Provisional Specification,
Fig. 1 is a vertical cross section,
Fig. 2 a longitudinal vertical section partly in side elevation; and
Fig. 3 a plan of apparatus according to this invention for the electrolytical
production of bleaching liquid.
This apparatus comprises a trough or vessel A. of non-conducting material
closed by a lid or cover B and provided on two opposite sides with grooved
ribs a a¹ a
a", and b, b¹
. 6, the ribs on each side being arranged
opposite the spaces between those on the other side.
Electrodes 1, 2, 3
n, preferably consisting of plates of carbon, or
of metal plates coated on one side with platinum, are fitted into the grooves in the
the said ribs in such a manner that the free end of each electrode reaches into
the space opposite to it and between the pairs of ribs on the opposite side of the
trough or vessel.
The first and last of these electrodes project from the receptacle A through the
cover B and carry contacts C and C. The liquid to be decomposed is conveyed
into A by the pipe D and after flowing through the trough or vessel discharges
through the pipe E.
The operation of this arrangement using for example a solution of common salt
as the electrolyte is as follows:-
The solution enters the apparatus from the vessel containing the material
submitted to bleaching, through the pipe D, pursuing a zig zag course between the
alternately disposed electrodes in the direction of the arrows (Fig. 3).
The alternate arrangement of the electrodes converts the apparatus practically
into a number of cells, the electrodes being active on both sides, one side in
each case, constituting an anode and the other a cathode. Supposing the current to
enter the electrode 1 at C and leave the electrode n at C', the electrode 1 will then
be the anode, while the electrode 2, on the side nearest electrode 1, will form the
cathode, its further side acting as an anode, and so on.
The action of the apparatus is therefore similar to that of a series of elements
or cells arranged in a row and connected in series, and consequently only two
contacts are needed for the complete arrangement, viz. one for the first electrode
and another for the last electrode.
.
The ribs a, a, a³, a³. . . aª and b b¹ b* 6 serve to retain the electrodes in
their respective grooves. As before stated, and as shewn in the drawings (Fig. 3),
the free end of each electrode enters the space between the pair of ribs facing it,

page_text: the electrolyte being thus compelled to flow around the end of each electrode and
along the narrow spaces between adjacent electrodes.
By this arrangement loss of current is avoided, and each cell being formed of
two electrodes, acts in the same manner as though it were a completely closed one.
If there were no ribs a a¹, a² a" and b 6, 62 6" and the electrodes were
simply inserted into the opposite walls of the vessel A in an alternate manner, a
portion of the electric current would then flow from the fixed end of each electrode,
past the free end of the adjacent electrode, and through the electrolyte to the next
succeeding electrode on the same side of the vessel whereby some loss of electrical
energy would take place.
This disadvantage is entirely avoided by the arrangement of the ribs described and
shown. The current will always take the path of least resistance, and is by the
arrangement described assisted in passing from electrode to electrode direct, without
being obliged to follow the zig zag course of the electrolyte between the ribs.
Supposing for instance that the electric generator available for operating the
apparatus, for example, a generator for producing electric light, is capable of
producing a current of 32 amperes at an electro motive force of 99 volts, then the
apparatus to decompose common salt, will require say about 23 electrodes, forming
in the aggregate 22 cells each cell being traversed by a current of 32 amperes at a
potential of 4.5 volts. Thus the total effect of the current obtained will be equivalent
to that of a current of 704 amperes at 4.5 volts acting between two electrodes.
Loss of current is thus entirely avoided.
As the solution of common salt enters at D, chlorine will be developed on all the
anode sides of the electrodes, caustic soda being produced on all the cathode sides.
By causing the liquid to flow rapidly through the apparatus, the chlorine will be at
once brought into contact with the caustic soda and sodium hypochlorite will be
formed, while the hydrogen set free at the cathodes will be rapidly removed and
thereby rendered incapable of producing any injurious action.
The bleaching liquid is conveyed through the pipe E back again to the original
reservoir containing the material submitted to bleaching by means of a pump or
any suitable feeding arrangement, so that constant circulation of the liquid through
the bleaching reservoir and decomposing apparatus is maintained. When carbon
plates are employed as electrodes, a filter is interposed between the decomposing
apparatus and the bleaching reservoir; this filter may consist of glass-wool confined
between two perforated metal plates or sheets of wire gauze.
The distance between the electrodes in this decomposing apparatus can be made
very small, as no diaphragms are employed so that the internal resistance of the
apparatus can be also made very small.
The merits of this novel arrangement, compared with other apparatus employed
for the same purpose, may be briefly stated as follows:-
1. Any electric generator used for electric lighting may be employed in its
operation.
2. Unnecessary and complicated sets of contacts are dispensed with, since two
contacts suffice for the whole arrangement.
3. The arrangement while compelling the electrolyte to take the longest course
in flowing through the apparatus also enables it to flow through at a high speed, no
loss of current being sustained.
4. The whole of the apparatus consists of one single vessel dispensing with the
inconvenience attaching to packing, connecting pipes etc.
5. Owing to the employment of glass fibre or wool to act as a filter, electrodes
formed of cheap material as for example of carbon plates can be employed without
impairing the quality and clearness of the bleaching liquid obtained.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
Apparatus for the electrolytic production of bleaching liquid from alkaline

page_text: 3
chlorides, comprising a closed trough or vessel A in which electrodes 1, 2,
n are arranged in alternate rows and retained in position by ribs or
bars a, a, a, a³
a and b b'.
6, arranged at the inner sides of
opposite walls of the vessel, the arrangement being such that the free ends of the
electrodes extend into the spaces between the opposite pairs of ribs and the trough
or vessel is divided into a number of cells connected in series and through which the
electrolyte can be caused to rapidly flow in zig zag course, in order to be conveyed
back again into the material submitted to bleaching, after having been, whenever
desired, previously submitted to filtration through glass wool, substantially as
herein described for the purpose specified.
Dated this 7th day of November 1893.
W. LLOYD WISE,
Per F. J. Brougham,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.