Method and apparatus for continuous electrolytic recovery of metal in ribbon form from a metal containing solution

An apparatus for continuously obtaining a metal in form of a ribbon, tape or foil by recovery of the metal from a solution containing metal ions by a method wherein metal ions are continuously deposited on a cathode to form a metal layer which is removed from the cathode as a ribbon, tape or foil;

• said apparatus comprising
• a vessel or tank (1, 41) having a catholytic space formed therein to contain the solution containing metal ions;
• a rotatable cathode roller or drum (3, 43) having a surface on which the metal ions are to be deposited, rotatable about an axis (2, 42) of rotation, located in the catholytic space (6) in said vessel or tank;
• and
• an anode (4, 44) located in said vessel or tank, spaced from said cathode roller or drum and, at least in part, surrounding said cathode roller or drum;
• wherein
• the surface of the cathode roller or drum (3, 43) comprises at least one of aluminum, a valve metal, an aluminum base alloy, a valve metal base alloy, an electrically conductive plastic, or an electrically conductive ceramic;
• said apparatus further comprising a separating element (5) located between the anode (4, 44) and the cathode roller or drum (3, 43) to seal the anode (4, 44) from the catholytic space (6) and form an anolyte space (7);
• a liquid inlet opening (9) in communication with the anolyte space (7) and through which an anolyte can be introduced into anolyte space (7);
• and a cooling medium conduction means (17, 19, 20;
• 57, 59, 60) located interiorly of said cathode roller or drum for cooling said cathode roller or drum;
• and
• a hollow shaft supporting said cathode roller or drum, and concentric with said axis of rotation (2, 42);
• and cooling medium supply and drain lines (17, 19, 20) connected to opposite ends of the hollow shaft to form, respectively, a cooling medium inlet and cooling medium outlet from the hollow shaft;
• wherein said hollow shaft (58) has two concentric cooling medium lines (98, 99), one, respectively, forming a cooling medium supply line and the other (99) forming a cooling medium drain line.