Improvements in or connected with Electrolytic Cells.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 20th Oct., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 20th July, 1894-Accepted, 25th Aug., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with Electrolytic Cells.
We FERDINAND HURTER and HENRY AUER both of the Central Laboratory,
Widnes in the County of Lancaster Chemists and EDMUND KNOWLES MUSPRATT
of Seaforth Hall near Liverpool in the County of Lancaster a Director of
The United Alkali Company Limited do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in the construction of electrolytic cells
for use in the electrolysis of common salt or other chlorides and has for its object
to avoid the use of earthenware glass or stone or the like cells or containing vessels
and also to minimise resistance.
According to this invention we make the cell or containing vessel of metal,
preferably iron or the like and place the said cell or containing vessel on porcelain
slabs or the like so as to effect insulation. We use the cell or containing vessel as
the cathode by connecting it to the negative pole of a dynamo or battery or other
suitable electric generator.
In the cell or containing vessel we place an inverted trough or bell-jar made of
earthenware or other suitable material and provided with openings for the escape of
the chlorine gas and we suspend from the top of the said trough or bell-jar and
within it a carbon anode suitably connected to the positive pole of the electric
generator.
In order to prevent the hydrogen gas liberated at the bottom of the metallic cell
from entering into the inverted trough or bell-jar and there coming into, contact
with the anode and contaminating the chlorine or combining therewith we place in
a position between the trough or bell-jar and the bottom of the metallic cell, a
plate or plates of glass, earthenware, slate or other non-conducting material in a
slanting position and projecting on all sides beyond the edges of the bell-jar or
inverted trough.
The bell-jar or inverted trough and the slanting plate or plates may be suitably
supported on the bottom of the metallic cell by means of supports made of
non-conducting material such as earthenware glass or the like.
Dated this 20th day of October 1893.
J. H. JOHNSON & Co.,
47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with Electrolytic Cells.
We FERDINAND HURTER, Ph.D., and HENRY AUER both of Central
Laboratory Widnes, in the County of Lancaster, Chemists and EDMUND
KNOWLES MUSPRATT of Seaforth Hall near Liverpool, in the County of
Lancaster, a Director of The United Alkali Company Limited 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 improvements in the construction of electrolytic cells
for use in the electrolysis of solutions of common salt, or other chlorides, and has
for its object to avoid the use of earthenware, glass, or stone or the like for the cel
or containing vessels and also to minimise resistance.

page_text: According to this invention we make the cell or containing vessel of metal
(preferably of iron or the like) and we place the said cell or containing vessel on
slabs of porcelain or like material so as to effect insulation. We use the cell or
containing vessel as the cathode by connecting it to the negative pole of a dynamo
electric machine, or electric battery, or other source of electricity. In the cell, or
containing vessel, we place an inverted trough or bell-jar, made of earthenware or
equivalent material, and provided with an opening or openings for the escape of the
chlorine gas, and we suspend from the top of the said inverted trough or bell-jar
and within it, a carbon anode suitably connected to the positive pole of the
generator of electricity.
In order to prevent the hydrogen gas liberated at the bottom of the metallic cell
or containing vessel from entering into the inverted trough or bell-jar, and there
coming into contact with the anode and contaminating the chlorine, or combining
therewith, we place in a suitable position between the trough, or bell-jar, and the
bottom of the metallic cell or containing vessel, a plate or plates of glass, earthen-
ware, slate, or other suitable non-conducting material in a slanting position and
projecting on all sides beyond the edges of the inverted trough or bell-jar. The
inverted trough or bell-jar and the slanting plate or plates may be suitably
supported on the bottom of the metallic cell or containing vessel by means of
supports made of non-conducting material such as glass earthenware or the
like upon which the said plate, or plates, and inverted trough or bell-jar
respectively rest.
In order that this invention and the manner in which it may be performed may
be better understood, we will further describe it with reference to the accompanying
drawings, but we do not confine ourselves to the exact details as shewn in these
drawings as for instance, the form of the various parts may be varied without
departing from the nature of our invention.
Figures 1 and 2 are vertical sections at right angles to each other, of a cell
constructed in accordance with our invention. Figure 2 is a section on the
line 1-2 Figure 1, A is a vessel of metal (preferably of cast iron) the sides of the
said vessel serving as cathodes and being connected as shewn at J, to the negative
pole of a dynamo-electric machine, or other source of electricity. Upon the bottom
of the vessel are laid the supports C C, which may be made of ordinary bricks, or
other suitable material. These supports carry the plate B, so that the said plate
is in a slightly slanting position. The plate B, must be made of non-conducting
material (preferably of glass), and must project on all sides beyond the edges of
the inverted trough, or bell-jar E, so that no gas which is generated at the bottom
of the metallic vessel A, can find its way into the inverted trough or bell-jar E.
We prefer to make the plate B, nearly as large as the bottom of the vessel A,
leaving only sufficient space for the gas to pass between the sides of the vessel A,
and the edges of the plate B. It is not essential to place the plate B in a slanting
position, but to do so facilitates the regular discharge of the gas evolved at the
bottom of the vessel A. Upon the plate B rest the supports, or blocks D, which
support at a suitable distance above the plate B, the inverted trough or bell-jar E.
This inverted trough or bell jar E is inade of material such as earthenware or
glass and is provided with several apertures. One of these apertures is fitted with
a delivery pipe F, through which the chlorine-gas is conveyed from the vessel A to
the place where it is required. Other openings are provided for the bolts H, which
hold the anodes G G and if desired an aperture may be provided for the introduction
of fresh brine into the cell which introduction may be continuous. The anodes G
are made of blocks of carbon either retort carbon or artificial carbon, several pieces
of which are held together by a plate of lead L, to which plate L, the bolts H are
fastened, the said bolts connecting the anodes to the positive terminal of the dynamo
machine, or other source of electricity. The anode carbons should not project
beyond the edge of the inverted bell E, but must not be too short, otherwise the
resistance of the cell will become too great.
We find that the best results are obtained with the cell when the horizontal

page_text: sectional area of the metallic containing vessel A, is at least twice as large as the
horizontal sectional area of the inverted trough, or bell-jar E and we prefer to
make the area of the containing vessel A, rather more than twice as large.
The cell as described is very suitable for the decomposition of solutions of the
chlorides of the alkali metals common salt for instance. When it is intended to
use the cell we introduce into the cell a saturated solution of salt taking care that
the solution does not rise so far into the inverted trough or bell jar E as to reach
the plate of lead L which would otherwise be rapidly destroyed. Attention must
be paid to the fact that the level of the solution in the inverted trough or bell
jar E is a little higher than it is in the containing vessel A owing to a gradual
alteration in the specific gravities of the solutions during the progress of the
electrolysis. It is advisable to provide an overflow tap (as at M) to guard against
any mistakes in introducing the salt solution into the cell.
When the salt solution has been properly introduced into the cell the electric
current is switched on and passes into the cell at I through the anodes G into the
solution and through the open space between the edge of the inverted trough or
bell jar E and the plate B through the rest of the solution into the sides of the
containing vessel A from which it returns to the dynamo machine or other source
of electricity by the junction J.
It is advisable to use only moderate current densities so that the liquids are not
agitated too much by the evolution of too large an amount of gases which would
cause the liquid contents of the vessel A to intermingle with the contents of the
inverted trough or bell jar E and thus give rise to the formation of secondary
products and thereby waste electrical energy. When a sufficient amount of the
salt has thus been decomposed the operation is interrupted and the contents of the
cell discharged by means of the tap K when the cell is again filled with fresh brine
or if the salt solution be introduced continuously the electrolysed solution can be
drawn off continuously.
The electrolysed solution can be utilised for the production of caustic soda, or of
carbonate of soda as is well known to alkali manufacturers.
The chlorine gas can be utilised for the production of bleaching powder or other
chlorine compounds. It is never quite pure since a little oxygen is always evolved
with the chlorine.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is :-
:-
1. In electrolytic cells for the electrolysis of solutions of chlorides the com-
bination of a metallic containing vessel the sides of which act as the cathode an
inverted trough or bell-jar containing the anode and a plate or plates of non
conducting material placed at a distance below the edge of the inverted trough or
bell jar and projecting on all sides beyond this edge substantially as and for the
purposes herein before described.
2. An electrolytic cell constructed or arranged as hereinbefore described and
shewn in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 20th day of July 1894.
JOHNSONS & WILLCOX,
Agents.