Method and apparatus for liquid metal electrode connection in production or refining of metals
AssigneeInfinium, Inc.
InventorsAdam Clayton POWELL, IV, Matthew EARLAM, Robert Steve TUCKER, Alton TABEREAUX, Gregory HARDIE
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Abstract
In some aspects, the invention relates to apparatuses and methods for connecting a liquid first metal cathode to a current source of an electrolytic cell comprising a conduit having a first and second end, liquid first metal disposed at the first end of the conduit, a solid first metal disposed at the second end of the conduit, and a solid conductor portion in electrical contact with the solid first metal.
Claims54
An apparatus comprising:
- (a) a conduit having a first end and a second end;
- (b) a liquid first metal disposed at the first end of the conduit and within the conduit;
- (c) a solid first metal disposed at the second end of the conduit and within the conduit;
- (d) a solid conductor portion in electrical contact with the solid first metal;
- and
- (e) a cooling mechanism disposed at the second end of the conduit;
- wherein at least a portion of the liquid first metal and the solid first metal are in electrical contact, the solid conductor disposed to provide electrical contact between the solid first metal and an electrical source outside the conduit.
An apparatus comprising:
- (a) a conduit having a first end and a second end;
- (b) a first container disposed at the second end of the conduit, and configured to contain at least a portion of a liquid first metal within the conduit and a liquid second metal within the conduit, the liquid second metal having higher density than the liquid first metal;
- and
- (c) a solid conductor portion in electrical contact with the second liquid metal;
- wherein the solid conductor is disposed to provide electrical contact between the second liquid metal and an electrical source outside the conduit.
A method for electrically connecting a liquid first metal cathode to a current source of an electrolytic cell comprising:
- (a) providing a conduit having a first end and a second end;
- (b) providing a liquid first metal disposed at the first end of the conduit and within the conduit;
- (c) providing a solid first metal disposed at the second end of the conduit and within the conduit;
- (d) providing a solid conductor portion in electrical contact with the solid first metal;
- and
- (e) providing a cooling mechanism disposed at the second end of the conduit;
- wherein at least a portion of the liquid first metal and the solid first metal are in electrical contact, and the solid conductor provides electrical contact between the solid first metal and an electrical source outside the conduit.
A method for electrically connecting a liquid first metal cathode to a current source of an electrolytic cell comprising:
- (a) providing a conduit having a first end and a second end;
- (b) providing the liquid first metal disposed at the first end of the conduit and within the conduit;
- (c) providing a first container disposed at the second end of the conduit, the first container containing at least a portion of a liquid first metal and a liquid second metal, the liquid second metal having higher density than the liquid first metal;
- and
- (d) providing a solid conductor portion in electrical contact with the liquid second metal;
- wherein at least a portion of the liquid first metal and the liquid second metal are in electrical contact, and the solid conductor provides electrical contact between the liquid second metal and an electrical source outside the conduit.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.