Patent ID: 8216443

Claim:
A process for producing alkali metal chlorate in an electrolytic cell, said cell being divided by a cation selective separator into an anode compartment in which an anode is arranged and a cathode compartment in which a gas diffusion electrode is arranged, said process comprising introducing an electrolyte solution having a pH from about 5.5 to about 8 containing alkali metal chloride into the anode compartment and an oxygen-containing gas into the cathode compartment; electrolysing the electrolyte solution to produce alkali metal chlorate in an electrolysed solution in the anode compartment, electrolysing oxygen introduced into the cathode compartment resulting in the formation of alkali metal hydroxide in the cathode compartment; transferring the electrolysed solution from the anode compartment to a chlorate reactor to react the electrolysed solution further to produce a concentrated alkali metal chlorate electrolyte and where the formation of chlorate continues wherein the concentrated electrolyte contains from about 650 to about 1200 g/l of chlorate.