Method of and apparatus for electrolytic treatment of metal
AssigneeNational Steel Corporation
InventorsGlenn W. Bush, Lowell W. Austin
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An electrolytic process and a cathode structure for use in the process for treatment of an elongated strip of metal as the strip is passed between an anode immersed in an acidic anolyte solution and a cathode immersed in a basic catholyte solution separated from the anolyte solution by an ion-permeable membrane. The cathode structure includes means for directing a flow of the catholyte solution through a chamber enclosing a negatively-charged cathode plate to cool the structure and to remove hydrogen gas which is evolved on the active cathode surface to increase the efficiency of the electrolytic process.
Claims26
In a system for electrolytic treatment of an elongated metal member in which the member is drawn through a first electrolyte solution in a container between opposed surfaces of a positively-charged anode and a negatively-charged cathode submerged in the first electrolyte solution, the method comprising the steps of
- enclosing the cathode within a fluid-tight chamber submerged within the first electrolyte solution, the chamber having one wall defined by an ion-permeable membrane extending between the metal member and the cathode and in closely spaced generally parallel relation to the cathode surface, and
- flowing a second electrolyte solution through the chamber so that at least a portion of the solution flows between the membrane and the adjacent cathode surface to cool the membrane and cathode and remove gas evolved on the surface of the cathode.
Apparatus for electrolytically treating metal in elongated strip form comprising means for drawing the strip through a bath of a first electrolyte solution between a flat, generally rectangular, positively-charged anode supported within the bath and a flat, generally rectangular, negatively-charged cathode, the apparatus further comprising, in combination,
- a generally rectangular fluid-tight chamber enclosing the cathode, the fluid-tight chamber having a front wall including an anion membrane extending in closely-spaced relation to and overlying one flat surface of the cathode between the cathode and the anode, and a back wall extending in generally parallel relation to the membrane in spaced relation to and overlying the flat surface of the cathode opposite the membrane,
- mounting means supporting the fluid-tight chamber and the cathode in the bath with the anion membrane and the one flat surface of the cathode extending in opposed, generally parallel spaced relation to one flat surface on the anode,
- fluid inlet means for admitting a flow of a second electrolyte solution into the chamber,
- fluid outlet means for permitting the discharge of the second electrolyte solution from the chamber, the fluid outlet means being located adjacent one edge of the cathode, and
- means directing the second electrolyte solution flowing through the chamber from the inlet to the outlet to cause the second electrolyte solution to flow over substantially the entire flat surfaces of the cathode with at least a portion of the solution flowing between the anion membrane and the cathode.
An apparatus for electrolytic treatment of an elongated strip of metal comprising, in combination,
- means for drawing the strip through a bath of a first electrolyte solution between a positively-charged anode submerged in the bath and a negatively-charged cathode,
- the cathode including metal plate means defining a generally rectangular, substantially flat cathode surface,
- a fluid-tight chamber enclosing the means defining the cathode surface, the fluid-tight chamber including a generally rectangular frame extending around the periphery of the cathode surface, the frame including a pair of generally parallel opposed side wall members and a pair of generally parallel opposed end wall members, and front and back wall panels extending in generally parallel relation one on each side of the metal plate means and cooperating with the frame members to enclose the cathode surface, the front wall panel including an ion-permeable membrane extending in closely-spaced relation to the cathode surface,
- mounting means supporting the fluid tight chamber within the first electrolyte solution with the cathode surface in generally parallel opposed relation to and spaced from the anode with the ion-permeable membrane extending between the anode and the cathode surfaces, and
- fluid inlet and outlet means in the compartment providing a fluid flow path through the chamber over the cathode surface enclosed therein and over the ion-permeable membrane whereby a second electrolyte solution may be circulated over the cathode surface and the membrane while the cathode is submerged in the first electrolyte solution.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.