Patent ID: 7309408

Claim:
The electrolytic cell of the filter press type for wastewater treatment and metals recovery from solutions of their salts comprising: a) Two horizontal parallel bars to align and support plates and gaskets, b) Two or more square electrode plates arranged perpendicular to the support bars and hanging on said support bars by means of ears extending horizontally from the vertical sides of said plates, said plates to be lifted from the apparatus by a crane or other suitable means when needed to be cleaned or replaced, said plates non permeable, said plates with electricity conducting faces to act as anodes and/or cathodes in contact with the liquid or liquids being treated, said cathode faces with a surface suitable for electrochemical depositing of metals over them, said electric conducting faces electrically connected directly or indirectly to a terminal of a electric power supply, said plates with one or more openings for the liquids, gases and reagents to pass through them and enter or exit the chambers formed between plates, c) A split chamber gasket placed between every pair of plates and following the contour of the plates it is set against, each gasket to be compressed between two plates, the two plates and the gasket forming a chamber having intricate flow channels configured to convey liquids from one corner of the gasket to the diagonal, opposite corner of the gasket where metal recovery by electrowinning as well as other electro-chemical reactions take place, the gasket allowing enough space between plates to allow for the thickness of the metal deposit and any projections the deposit may build, d) A stationary press head at one end of the support bars provided with at least one port for liquid inlet into the cell and one port for the liquid outlet from the cell, said stationary head electrically insulated from any power supply and firmly attached to the support bars, e) A displaceable or follower press head opposite to the stationary press head resting over two horizontal support bars, and provided with a port for liquid inlet into the cell and a port for the liquid outlet from the cell, said follower press head electrically insulated from any power supply, f) A support bracket that holds the support bars at the opposite end from the stationary press head and that also supports a hydraulic press, said support bracket electrically insulated from any power supply, g) A hydraulic press fixed to the support bracket to compress the pack of plates and gaskets between the follower press head and the stationary press head by pushing the follower press head against the pack of plates and gaskets, said hydraulic press electrically insulated from any power supply.