US1461661A - Electrolyzing apparatus for the manufacture of oxygen and hydrogen - Google Patents

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Q F. .LAMBERT ELECTROLY Filed Avril 4. 1922 m1 5 u2. A T/NG /f//z Tamm armen/5x5 Patented may io, ieee.

I naar' arras GEORGE FRANQOS TAUBEBT, OF PARIS, FRANCE.

EILECTROLYZING APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE 0F OXYGEN HYDEOGHU.

Application filed April 4, 1922. Serial Ho. 549,602.

To aZZ whom it may concern: v

Be it known that I, GEORGE FRANoIs JAUBERT, a citizen of the Swiss Republic, and residing in Paris, France, 155 Boulevard Malesherbes, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in and Relating to Electrolyzing Apparatus for the Manufacture of Oxygen and Hydrogen, of which the following is a complete specification.

In the electrolyzing apparatus which are to be used for vthe manufacture of oxygen and hydrogen with an alkaline electrolyte and electrodes of cast-iron, iron or steel, it has been proposed, very long ago, to separate the anodic and cathodic compartments by means of a metallic diaphragm such as wire-gauze, or perforated sheets of metal. The said apparatus has given no industrial result.

I have found that the bad results hereto obtained are due to the fact that with the electrodes of cast-iron, iron or steel, a formation of soluble compounds takes places which are decomposed in the course of -the electrolysis and deposit upon the electrodes and stop the apertures of the wire-gauze.

It is consequently absolutely necessary, because of the said stopping, to use a. gauze or a net with rather coarse lmesh and then the pureness of the gas is questionable in such a degree that the said gas cannot be used for industrial purposes.

I have found that when using for all metallic arts which are dipping in the electrolyte Faqueous solution of alkalies either caustic or carbonated) and directly submitted to the action of the electric current, that is to say for the electrodes and electrode stems, an acid proof metal which cannot be bitten or acted upon in the said conditions, it ,is then possible to use as a diaphragm, a wire-gauze or a metallic plate finely perforated without the perforations of said diaphragm becomingobstructed.

If this said metallic diaphragm is constantly maintained immersed in the liquid, (which is necessary) and if the diameter of each aperture in the diaphragm (wire-gauze, perforated plate) is small enough so that the superficial pressure at the surface of separation of both fluids (liquid, gas or emulsion), which are inv the anodic compartment as well as the cathodic one, is stronger than the pressure existing in the said two compartments and constantly tending to provoke .of 7.5 to 15 mm. from the electrodes.

the mining of both gases, then a complete separating is obtained, and both gases 0btamed are at a very high degree of pureness.

In the construction of electrodes, and elece0 trode-stems, it is possible to use for instance either sheets or stems of pure nickel or castiron or laminated sheets of iron or of steel, which are strongly covered with nickel, preferably with a hot process.

ln the drawing is illustratedva practical embodiment of the invention and lin which.:

Figure 1 is a sectional view of a portion of the apparatus;

Figure 2 is a sectional view at right angles w to Figure 1; and,

Figure 3 is a plan view partly in section and broken away.

Referring to the drawing A is a tank having double walls with a iillin of sand a be- 7o tween them and B the electrofte. Supported in the tank above the bottom thereof is a frame C preferably of insulating material and having perforations c in its bottom and carrying the diaphragms D. E are the elec- @0 trodes of pure nickel on laminated steel heavily covered with nickel, supported on the bottom of the frame. The electrodes have hollow stems e which pass through the top of the frame and strips e2 to which the @it electric wires are attached.

For the tank and the other parts of the apparatus which are not-under tension, that is to say which are not submitted tothe ao tion of the electric current, the use of iron does not offer any drawback. It is of course possible to give any shape to the electrolyzer. The distance between two electrodes is the same as the space between the member 02 of the frame (15 to 30 mm), the diaphragm 95 which is moulded or otherwise secured in and transversely of the frame being at a distane e substance of which the frame is formed may be for instance gutta-percha, ebonite, cement which may be either pure or mixed with silicious sand, etc.

The gases which escape from the cells and which are alternately oxygen and hydrogen are gathered at the external part of the apl paratus, tor instance by means of hollow electrode-stems (such for instance as described in my French patent application filed February 8, 1917) or by any other means. As to the electrolyte, it arrives no through the holes in the bottom of the treme end is formed for instance by caustic sode at 15%.

This apparatus offers the following edventages: y

The foreminous metallic diaphrigm which perfectly Withstands the hi h temperatures (70*85" C.) renders possible the use of e very high strength oi current, so that it is possible-to make the epperctus with a very little Volume.

@n the other hand, the use of electrodes and electrode stems of nickel4 or of metal covered with nickelpreserves the purity of the electrolyte end enables the use of a diephregm with very line apertures so that the gases produced nre very pure, the said purity 'easily attaining more than 99%.

The diaphragm is preferably of pure nickel (wire-gauze or perforated laminated sheets) or of another metal strongly covered with nickel, though the saidcondition is notV absolutely necessary.

The neness ofthe mesh of the 'wire gauze Menem sheets or the size of the diameters. of the perforations in the foraminous metal sheets 1. An apparatus for manufacturing oxygen and hydrogen by electrolysis, having nickel electrodes, endA nickel diaphragme perforated to form alfine mesh and separating the electrodes.

2. An electrolyzer for manufacturing 0Xygen and hydrogen comprising a tank containing an electrolyte7 nickel electrodes heving tubular stems of the same materiel, a frame supported in the tnnknnd supporting the electrodes and foraminous dinphragms of line mesh and mounted in the frame and separating the electrodes.

' ln testimony l have hereunto set my hand.

et Peris,l France., this 24th day of March, 1922. d

Geenen rRANois JAUBEirr.`v

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