Means for reducing oxalic acid to a product

Apparatus for reducing oxalic acid to a product comprising:

• a cell including
• a separator for separating the cell into two chambers, a catholyte chamber and an anolyte chamber, each chamber having an inlet and an outlet;
• a porous anode arranged within the anolyte section in a manner so that an electrolyte entering through the inlet of the anolyte section will pass through the anode and exit through the outlet of the anolyte section;
• means for providing an electrolyte to the inlet of the anolyte chamber in a manner so that it will exit through the outlet of the anolyte chamber;
• means for providing a mixture of oxalic acid and an electrolyte to the inlet of the catholyte chamber;
• porous cathode means located in the catholyte chamber for reducing the oxalic acid in the oxalic acid-electrolyte mixture to the product within said cathode means when a d.c. voltage provided across the anode and the cathode means, said product exiting the cell by way of the catholyte chamber's outlet;
• and
• means for providing a d.c. voltage across the cathode means and the anode so as to cooperate in the reduction of the oxalic acid;
• and
• in which the cathode means includes a porous cathode having discrete sites of platinum and mercury as catalysts and the product is ethylene glycol.