Methods and apparatus for production of electrochemical graphite
AssigneeCarbon Holdings Intellectual Properties, LLC
InventorsJames T. Dietz, Robert McDowell, Charles Agee Atkins
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method of producing graphite may include beneficiating an amount of coal to form a coal char, grinding the coal char to produce a crushed char and placing the crushed char in a porous container. Then, the method includes immersing the porous container in a molten salt bath. The molten salt bath includes a graphite anode. The method further includes applying an electrical potential across the porous container and the graphite anode such that a graphite deposit forms on the graphite anode. The graphite anode is removed from the molten salt bath and the graphite deposit is separated from the graphite anode to produce graphite fragments.
Claims20
A method of producing graphite, comprising:
- beneficiating an amount of coal to form a coal char;
- grinding the coal char to produce a crushed char;
- placing the crushed char in a porous container;
- immersing the porous container in a molten salt bath, wherein the molten salt bath includes a graphite anode, wherein the graphite anode includes a series of graphite rods continuously supplied to reduce the coal char;
- applying an electrical potential across the porous container and the graphite anode such that a graphite deposit forms in the porous container, wherein applying the electrical potential across the porous container and the graphite anode is continuously performed to continuously form the graphite deposit;
- removing the graphite anode and the porous container from the molten salt bath;
- and
- separating the graphite deposit from the porous container to produce graphite fragments.
A method of producing graphite, comprising:
- preparing a molten salt bath;
- adding a crushed coal char and a graphite rod to the molten salt bath;
- applying an electrical potential between the coal char and the graphite rod;
- and
- electrolyzing the molten salt bath to thermally reduce the coal char to produce an electrochemical graphite deposit, wherein electrolyzing the molten salt is continuously performed, and the graphite rod includes a series of graphite rods continuously supplied to reduce the coal char to continuously produce the electrochemical graphite deposit.
An electrolytic apparatus to produce graphite, comprising:
- a molten salt bath;
- an electrical source including a first wire conveyor and a second wire conveyor disposed above the molten salt bath, wherein the electrical source produces a voltage potential between the first wire conveyor and the second wire conveyor;
- at least one coal char cathode suspended from the first wire conveyor;
- at least one graphite anode suspended from the second wire conveyor;
- an electrical tension roller contact bus configured to couple to the first wire conveyor and the second wire conveyor, wherein the electrical tension roller contact bus biases the at least one coal char cathode and at least one graphite anode to be suspended within the molten salt bath;
- and
- an electrolytic cell formed when the voltage is applied to the at least one coal char cathode and the at least one graphite anode to thermally reduce the coal char to produce an electrochemical graphite deposit, wherein electrolyzing the molten salt is continuously performed and wherein the at least one graphite anode includes a series of graphite rods continuously supplied to reduce the at least one coal char cathode and form a graphite deposit from the coal char cathode.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.