Improvements in Apparatus for Preparing Bleaching Solution and Bleaching Powder by Electrolysis.
Year: 1891

page_text: "Date of Application, 8th July, 1891
Complete Specification Left, 19th Nov., 1891-Accepted, 24th Dec., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Preparing Bleaching Solution and
Bleaching Powder by Electrolysis.
I, EMILY ELIZA LEVER of Hawthorn Bank Stamford Road Altrincham in the
County of Chester Gentlewoman do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows :-
This invention consists in apparatus effecting the chemical decomposition of
brine or sea water by passing a continuous current of electricity through it. The
liquid is divided into two parts or portions, one portion at the positive pole and the
other at the negative pole, and with an intermediate partition capable of allowing
the electric current to pass through it. The apparatus is a rectangular tank made
say of cast iron and of a size according to the scale on which the quantity of
solution to be prepared is required and preferably enamelled in the interior, so as
to prevent corrosion. The cast iron tank has a grooved ridge in the centre, in
which a porous partition is placed, and cemented in, so as to prevent the brine in
one portion mixing with that in the other portion of the tank. The porous partition
is of unglazed earthenware or porcelain, and it extends from the top to the
bottom of the tank, the grooved central ridge at the sides and bottom of the
tank only being raised a slight distance all the way round so as to allow the porous
partition to be dropped in and there secured. The tank is thus divided into
two halves by the said partition, and the tank is provided with a lid preferably
of hard wood or other suitable material, and secured to flanges cast on the top
part of the iron tank by means of bolts or screws. The flanges are by preference
cast on the outside of the tank, and the wooden lid when screwed down must come
flush with the top of the tank and porous partition, so that no escape of gas can
take place when the brine or sea water is electrolysed. To prevent this, asbestos
packing or sheet asbestos may be placed between the lid and the flanges. Large
brass terminals passing through the wooden lid hold the electrodes which may
be of platinum or platinised metal, "carbon or other material which will not
combine with chlorine, oxygen or hydrogen. This is of utmost importance at the
positive poles, as it is here where the chlorine gas is given off. The electrodes
must have as large a surface as possible, and for this purpose may consist of a
series of plates or rods all connected to their respective terminals. When carbon
plates are used they are put into brass or other metal blocks, affixed to the under-
Bide of the wooden lid, and are secured in position by set screws or bolts and nuts.
The whole of this brass, metal or other portion in the interior of the tank is coated
with pitch so as to prevent the corrosive action of the chlorine acting upon the
same. This is not so essential at the negative pole as at the positive pole, but in
both cases the brass blocks are metallically connected to their respective terminals
on the outside of the wooden lid. The platinised or other metal plates may be
secured in the same manner. In the lid of the apparatus are liquid inlet nozzles
one for each compartment and in the centre is a hook by which the lid and
electrodes can be withdrawn from the cast iron tank by means of a pulley and cord.
At the bottom of the compartment containing the positive electrodes is a tap of
non-corrosive inmaterial by which the solution can be drained off after the process is
completed. The brine or sea water is pumped into the two compartments of the
cast iron tank through the nozzles until they are nearly full, when the tubes con-
ducting the brine or sea water are disconnected and fresh tubes are attached to the
nozzles, the tubes being preferably of india rubber the one over the positive
electrode leading to a chamber or receptacle containing a layer of slaked lime, and
preferably closed at the top, and the other to another chamber if it be desired to

page_text: collect hydrogen. The electric current from the dynamo is then turned on.
Chlorine gay is freely given off at the positive electrode which is conducted hrough
the tube to the slaked lime 'chamber, there forming chloride of lime or bleaching
powder. At the same time the oxygen liberated at the positive pole forms: with
the chlorine a powerful bleaching solution. The bleaching, solution is afterwards
drained off by the tap at the bottom of the tank. At the negative electrode the
hydrogen forms with the oxygen and sodium contained in the brine or sea water
hydroxide of soda or common soda which is deposited in a finely divided state at the
bottom of the compartment and can be collected from a small mudhole at the
negative side of the tank. The porous partition is a special feature of the process,
the porcelain partition being not quite so porous as the common earthenware may
be used if desired instead. It is by the introduction of the said porous partition
that free chlorine can be produced by electrolysis of brine or sen water, free
chlorine to form bleaching powder in the well known mauner, and also by which
the bleaching solution is produced at the positive electrode. The solution may be
heated by steain by making a steam chamber underneath the cast iron tank.
producing the bleaching powder and bleaching solution on a large-scale a number
of these tanks can be employed, conuected either in series or in parallel. The tank
may be made of galvanised iron, slate, woodwork, earthenware or tile, and it may
be round in which case a large cylindrical porous cell would be arranged in the
centre. In making, the carbon electrodes on a large scale common smudge can be
used, made to a suitable consistency and carbonised in iron moulds of a suitable
size, forming coke electrodes. The same engine which drives the dynamo can also
be employed to pump up the brine or sea water.
Dated this 8th day of Juli 1901
In
JENSEN & SON,
77, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Patent Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Preparing Bleaching Solution and
Bleaching Powder by Electrolysis.
I, EMILY ELIZA LEVER of Hawthorn Bauk Stamford Road Altrincham in
the County of Chester Gentlewoman, do hereby declare the nature of this inveu-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This invention consists in apparatus for effecting the chemical decomposition of
brine or sea water by passing a continuous current of electricity through it.
The liquid is divided into two parts or portions one portion at the positive pole
and the other at the negative pole and with an intermediate porous partition
capable of allowing the electric current to pass through it.
In the accompanying drawing
Figure 1 is a vertical section and Figure 2 a part sectional plan of the
apparatus.
A is a rectangular tank made say of cast iron and of a size according to the
scale on which the quantity of solution and powder to be prepared is required, and
preferably enamelled in the interior so as to prevent corrosion.
The tank has a
grooved ridge in which a porous partition B is placed and cemented in so as to
prevent the brine in one portion A' from mixing with that in the other portion A'
of the 'tank. The porous partition B is of unglazed' earthenware or by preference
porcelain and it extends from the top to the bottom of the tauk, the grooved
ridges at the sides and bottom of the tank only being raised a slight distance all
the way round so as to allow the porous partition B to be dropped in and properly
secured. C is a lid preferably of wood which covers the whole top of the tank and
is secured to flauges by means of eyebolts and nuts C or other ready means of
attachment. The top of the porous partition fits in a groove on the underside of

page_text: the lid. The flanges are by preference on the outside of the tank as shewn, and
the lid when screwed down must come flush with the top of the tank and the porous
partition so that no escape of gas can take place when the brine or sea water is
electrolized. To make a tight joint asbestos packing or sheet asbestos may
be used.
Large brass terminals D' D' passing through the lid Chold the electrodes E' E'
which may be of platinum, platiuized metal, carbon or other suitable material
which will not combine with chlorine, oxygen, or hydrogen. This is of the utmost
importance at the positive pole where the chlorine gas is given off. The electrodes
must have as large a surface as possible, and may for this purpose cousist of a
series of plates as shewn, or rods, all connected to their respective terminals. Such
plates may be made of an undulating or ribbed form for the purpose of extending
the surface. When carbon plates are used they are put into brass or other
metal blocks Ex Ex* affixed to the underside of the lid Cand aro secured to such
blocks by screws or bolts and nuts. The whole of the block Ex in the interior of
the tank is coated with pitch so as to prevent the corrosive action of the chlorine
upon same. This coating is not so essential at the negative pole as at the positive.
The blocks Ex and Exx are metallically connected to their respective terminals D¹
and D'.
In the lid B are liquid inlet nozzles F and F one for each compartment and at
the centre of gravity is a hook G by which the lid and electrodes E! E' can be
withdrawn from the tank A by means of a pulley and cord. At the bottom of the
compartment A' containing the positive electrodes E' is a tap H of non corrosive
material by which the solution can be drained off after the process is completed.
The brine or sea water is pumped or otherwise admitted into the two compart-
ments A¹ A of the tank A through the nozzles F¹ F' until they are nearly full
when the tubes conducting the brine or sea water are disconnected and fresh tubes
are attached to the nozzles the tubes being preferably of india rubber with hose
screw connections the one over the positive electrode E¹ leading to a closed
chamber or receptacle containing a layer of slaked lime and the other tube over
the negative electrode E' leading to another chamber if it be desired to collect the
surplus hydrogen evolved at the negative pole and to utilize it for instance for
heating a boiler or for driving a gas engine. The negative compartment A' may
be larger than the positive compartment A¹.
The electric current from the dynamo being then turned on, chlorine gas
freely given off at the positive electrode E which gas is conducted by the
nozzle and tube to the slaked lime chamber there forming chloride of lime or
bleaching powder. At the same time the oxygen liberated at the positive pole
forms with the chlorine a powerful bleaching solution. The latter is afterwards
drawn off by the tap H at the bottom of the tank.
At the negative electrode E the hydrogen evolved forms with the oxygen and
sodium contained in the brine or sea water hydroxide of soda or common soda
which is deposited in a finely divided state at the bottom of the compartment A³
and can be collected from a small mudhole I.
The porous partition being of porcelain is a special, advantageous feature as this
material is not quite so porous as the common earthenware which latter may how-
ever be used.
The solution under treatment in the tank is by preference heated by steam by
forming a steam chamber K underneath the tank A. In producing the bleaching
powder and bleaching solution on a large scale a number of these tanks can be
employed, the electrical connections being in series or in parallel arc. The tanks
may if desired be made of galvanized iron, slate, cement-lined wood, earthenware
or tile. In making the carbon electrodes on a large scale common sludge can be
used rendered into a suitable consistency and carbonized in iron mould of a suitable
size to form coke electrodes. The same engine which drives the dynamo can also
be employed to pump up the brine or sea water.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is,-
An electrolytical apparatus for decomposing brine or sea water in the manner
described consisting mainly of a closed tank A. with lid C, porous porcelain
partition B which latter forms it into two compartments one containing the positive
electrode E' held in holder Ex with terminal D₁ and having a nozzle F and outlet
tap H and the other compartment containing the negative electrode E' held in
holder Ex with terminal D' and having a nozzle F and mudhole door I sub-
stantially as set forth.
Dated this 19th day of November 1891.
JENSEN & SON,
77, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Patent Agents.