Improvements in Electrolytic Apparatus.
Year: 1893

page_text: e of Application, 6th June, 1893-Accepted, 8th July, 1893
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Electrolytic Apparatus.
I, THOMAS CRANEY, of 624 Harrison Street, in the City of Bay City, County
of Bay and State of Michigan, United States of America, Manufacturer, 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 :-
This invention relates to that class of electrolytic apparatus which is designed for
electrolizing liquids.
My invention consists in the peculiar construction of an electrolytic cell, and in
the combination and arrangement of a series of said cells in an apparatus whereby
the process of decomposition is carried out in an accumulative manner, so as to
obtain the electrolyte in a concentrated solution, all as more fully hereinafter
described and shown in the drawings, in which
Fig. 1 is a vertical, longitudinal section through one of my improved cells.
Fig. 2 is a side elevation showing a series of cells arranged for joint operation.
Fig 3 is a plan of Fig. 2.
In describing my invention specifically, I will suppose it to be used for
manufacturing caustic soda by the electrolysis of salt brine.
My apparatus consists of a series of cells A preferably of the specific construction
and arrangement shown in Fig. 1, wherein B represents the anode and B' the cathode
compartment of the cell, the two being formed preferably integral, as one vessel
connects at the base through a hollow trunk C. The material from which the cell
is formed may be the usual stone or glass ware, or any of the analogous substances
from which such cells are usually formed to be indestructible.
Each of the compartments B B₁ are preferably of cylindrical shape having an
annular flange D around the top into which fits the covers E which are suitably
apertured to respectively receive an anode F and cathode G. The anode and
cathode may be of any known construction; in the drawings the anode F is formed
of a tube of indestructible material, such as stoneware and filled or packed with
carbon. The lower end of this tube projects into a cup H, which is also filled with
carbon. The cathode is shown as consisting of a rolled sheet of metal. The two
compartments B B' are covered at the bottom to a suitable height, which closes the
trunk passage C with a porous body adapted to form an electrolytic diaphragm.
Above this to a certain height, the compartments are filled with the solution.
Each compartment is provided on one side with the elbow connection J and on
the opposite side with the elbow connection K, the former being turned up and the
latter turned down and formed in such relation to each other that when the cells
are arranged as in Fig. 2, the elbow connections will connect the anode and cathode
compartments respectively, through the whole series of cells.
To this end it will be seen that each succeeding cell in the series is placed upon a
lower plane than the preceding cell and the level of the solution in the different
cells in like manner is maintained in different horizontal planes gradually descending
from the highest level at the first cell to the lowest level in the lowest cell from
which the product is discharged.
In operation I feed the solution to be decomposed in suitable quantity either
in a continuous stream or intermittently as required into the two compartments
of the first cell, the drawing showing a feed pipe L, from which valve controlled
supply pipes M M' pass into the compartments B B. From there the solution
flows from one compartment into the corresponding next one and so on through
the series, being discharged from the lowest one into suitable receptacles O O¹.
The anodes and cathodes being suitably connected with the source of electricity
and common salt brine being the electrolytic used, decomposition taking place in

page_text: each vessel, caustic soda in solution will be formed in the compartments B¹ con-
taining the cathodes, and chlorine will be liberated in the compartments B, which
gas will if sufficient liquid is introduced remain mostly in solution and be carried
off into the receptacle O.
The hydrogen gas which is also formed in the cathode chambers may be carried
off through a suitable aperture or pipe in the cover of the compartment, or find
its way out through the open connections of the first or last cell.
The free
chlorine gas produced may be allowed to escape in the same manner at the open
connections of the first or last anode compartment, or separately carried off from
each compartment.
In explaining the advantages of my invention let us suppose an ample flow of
the liquid to be electrolized to be taking place into the anode compartment of the
first cell from which it overflows into the corresponding compartment of the next
cell and so on to the last cell, from which it is discharged into the receiver O.
This will maintain in the different anode compartments practically a saturated
solution of the liquid to be electrolized. Now if the cathode compartment of the
first cell only receives a limited supply of the liquid to be electrolized, just enough
to maintain a flow of liquid from one into the next one, sufficient for the capacity
of the apparatus, it will be seen that the sodic hydrate produced in the first
compartment B will be discharged into the next corresponding compartment where
the undecomposed solution is again subjected to the action of the electric current
and thereby further concentrating the product. The same action will take place in
the third compartment and so on through the whole series, until finally the product
obtained is in concentrated form.
As the solution in the compartments B is sufficiently renewed to remain practically
in a saturated condition, or to change but little from its saturation point, the
electrolyte in the compartments B' will be constantly reinforced by electrolyte
transferred from the compartments B, thus an accumulative process of decomposition
is carried out, which results in the utmost concentration of the product discharged
from the last compartment B¹.
The porous substance at the bottom of the cells separates the products of
electrolysis without interfering with the electrolytic action of the currents.
The gases arising from the decomposition may be utilized by providing the cells
with suitable outlets which conduct the gas into suitable receivers. The solution
of caustic soda discharged from the last cell may be further concentrated by
evaporation if necessary, and the waste product from the anode compartments
which contain a large percentage of chlorine in solution may be readily freed from
the chlorine and used again if desired.
The advantage of connecting the cells in the manner described is that they are
now so connected that the joints will not become leaky, as a result of the destructive
action of the products of decomposition in the cement, as it will be seen that the
joints formed by the elbows K and J are never submerged and ordinary cement
can therefore be used to form a tight joint, whereas if said joint would be submerged
in the liquid, the products of the electrolysis would soon destroy no matter what
substance was used and leaky joints would result therefrom, which would cause
constant trouble.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:
1. In an apparatus for electrolizing liquids, a plurality of cells, each composed
of separate cathode and anode compartments electrolytically connected with each
other, and an upward and a downward extending elbow connection for each com-
partment at a point above the space to be occupied by the liquid, whereby the
joints formed in connecting the vessels are not submerged into the liquid,
substantially as described.
2. In an apparatus for electrolizing liquids, the combination of a plurality of
4

page_text: cells, arranged upon different planes, cathodes and anodes contained in separate
compartments electrolytically connected with each other, elbow connections K, J,
uniting the like compartments of the cells in series, and valve controlled supply
pipes M M³, substantially as described.
Dated this Tmonter fixat dor of To 1902
THOMAS CRANEY.
Haseltine, Lake & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.