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US 2025/0051946 A1Published application
Electrolysis apparatus for the production of iron with an improved gas permeable anode plate
OwnerHervé LAVELAINE DE MAUBEUGE, Luc VAN HEE +1inventors
InventorsHervé LAVELAINE DE MAUBEUGE, Luc VAN HEE, Cédric FLANDRE
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Abstract
An electrolysis apparatus for the production of iron through reduction of iron ore by an electrolysis reaction, the electrolysis reaction emitting a gas, the apparatus including a casing. The casing including a gas permeable anode plate being made of a cellular material, a cathode plate, both facing each other and being separated by an electrolyte chamber.
Claims13
1-12. (canceled)
13:
- An apparatus for producing iron through reduction of iron ore by an electrolysis reaction, the electrolysis reaction emitting a gas, the apparatus comprising:
- a casing including a gas-permeable anode plate and a cathode plate on a first side of the gas-permeable anode plate, the gas-permeable anode plate and the cathode plate facing each other and being separated by an electrolyte chamber,
- the casing being provided with means for circulating an electrolyte within the electrolyte chamber and with means to supply iron ore to the electrolyte chamber,
- the casing further including a degassing unit comprising a gas recovery part extending along a second side of the gas-permeable anode plate to the electrolyte chamber and being able to recover gas from the electrolysis reaction escaping through the gas-permeable anode plate, the second side being opposite of the first side,
- the gas-permeable anode plate being made of a cellular material comprising a plurality of cells extending from the electrolyte chamber to the gas recovery part, each cell being delimited by a circumferential wall and being open on the first and second sides of the gas-permeable anode plate.
2 more elements
14:
- The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the cells are regularly and periodically repeated on the gas-permeable anode plate.
15:
- The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the circumferential wall of each cell has a hexagonal cross section.
16:
- The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein two adjacent cells share one straight wall of their respective hexagonal circumferential wall.
17:
- The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein a hexagon formed by the hexagonal circumferential wall of each cell is an equilateral hexagon.
18:
- The apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the equilateral hexagon is defined according to the formula e/h<0.1, e being a thickness of the hexagonal circumferential wall and h being a distance between two opposite parallel straight walls of the hexagon.
19:
- The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the cellular material forming the gas-permeable anode plate has a honeycomb structure.
20:
- The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the cellular material of the gas-permeable anode plate is produced by welding a plurality of corrugated sheets to each other.
21:
- The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the casing comprises a cover plate facing the gas-permeable anode plate, wherein the gas-permeable anode plate comprises at least one T-shape groove extending transversally along a second side of the gas-permeable anode plate to the electrolyte chamber and receiving a corresponding T-shape rod, and wherein fastening means cross the cover plate up to the T-shape rod thus maintaining the gas-permeable anode plate at a required distance from the cathode plate.
22:
- The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the gas-permeable anode plate is made of nickel alloy.
23:
- The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the apparatus is electrically supplied by renewable energy.
24:
- The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the gas-permeable anode plate has a thickness eA from 5 to 50 mm.