Electrochemical cell
AssigneeThe Dow Chemical Company
InventorRobert A. Cipriano
Life of this patent
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Abstract
In accordance with the present invention an electrochemical cell unit is comprised of: an anolyte compartment, catholyte compartment separated from each other by a pair of close spaced ionic (cationic/or anionic) membranes which together with a foraminous non-structural spacer therebetween form an intermediate compartment between the anolyte and catholyte compartments, respectively, which upon application of hydraulic pressure to the anolyte and/or the catholyte compartments reduce the cross membrane distance of the intermediate compartment to a minimum distance.
Claims7
An apparatus for carrying out an electrochemical reaction which comprises
- a first frame like member having an anode within its central portion, two opposite sides of said frame like member including means to introduce and withdraw a fluid from said frame interior,
- a second frame like member having a cathode within its central portion, two opposite sides of said frame like member including means to introduce and withdraw a fluid from said frame interior,
- a third frame like member matingly abuttingly sealable to and between each of said aforedescribed first and second frame like members, said third frame like member having a foraminous material within its central portion and a pair of cationic membranes on each side of said foraminous material defining with said frame a central compartment whose minimal thickness is that of the foraminous material,
- said foraminous material being of a non-structural nature capable of sustaining repeated flexure within said frame and compression between said membranes,
- each said frame having in opposite frame members mean to introduce and withdraw, respectively, a fluid, from said so defined compartment,
- said frames abuttingly and sealably aligned in alternating sequence to provide at least one combination of an anode containing frame abutting a frame including the pair of membranes which sealably abuts a cathode containing frame,
- each combination or series of combinations being associated with a plate abuttingly sealable with each last frame of said combination, therewith to form a fluid tight body into which and from which three distinct fluids may be fed, acted upon within the respective compartments and withdrawn therefrom,
- means to introduce into each chamber defined by said frames and membranes a different fluid to be acted upon within its respective chamber, said means being interior of said frames and being capable of applying to each said fluids a pressure independent of the others fluids,
- means exterior of said frames to provide electrical power to the anode and cathode of said frames.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.