US1847638A - Metallic vapor rectifier - Google Patents

Description

March 1, 1932. s. WIDMER METALLIC VAPOR RECTIFIER Filed Sept. 15, 1929 lNVfNTOR S TEM/V Wm MFR Patented Mar. 1, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE swarm WIDMER, or BADEN, SWITZERLAND, 'nssrcrron T0 n'x'rrmmmnnmcmrr BROWN rovnar & em, or BADEN, SWITZERLAND, A JOINT-STOCK comrm or SWITZERLAND METALLIC VAPOR nrzc'rrrmn Application filed September 13, 1929, Serial No. 82,424, and in Germany September 20, 1928.

This invention relates to improvements in electric current rectifiers of the metallic vapor type and, more particularly, to arrangements and constructions therein for preventing the flow of reverse currents or-so-called backflres therethrough.

The temperature in the operating arc chamber of a metallic vapor electric current rectifier is sufliciently high to cause vaporization of large quantities of the fluid metallic cathode which is usually mercury. It is necessary to condenseand returnthegreaterportion of the vaporized mercury to the cathode well, for which purpose the walls of the operating chamber and of a condensation dome arranged in connection therewith are usually formed as double walled to provide for the circulation of a cooling medium therethrough. The vaporized mercury contacts with all portions ofthe inner surfaces of the cooled wall is accordingly condensed and flows back to the cathode well. The portion of the mercury condensed on the inner surfaces of the condensation dome must, however, drop a comparatively great distance to the bottom of the rectifying chamber and into the cathode well of the rectifying structure so that a portion of the globules of the condensed mercury are broken up and are thrownin all directions whereby a portion of the mercury may come into contact with either the are guides surrounding the anodes or the anodes themselves. The contacting of a drop of fluid mercury on either the arc guides or on the anodes forms a spot which is negative to the anode potential and, therefore, permits a short circuit or backfire- The dropping of mercury from the upper portions of the wall of the operating space and the inner surfaces of the condensation dome with the attendant splashing thereof also increases the amount of mercury vaporized thereby increasing the vapor density within the operating space of the rectifier so that the danger of reverse currents or backfires is further increased.

It is, accordingly, among the objects of the present invention to provide an electric current rectifying structure of the type utilizing metallic vapor as the rectifying agent which structure will prevent breaking up of the vaporized cathode material condensed on V and dropping from the upper portions of the structure to the lower portions thereof.

A further object of the invention is to provide for the collectionand conduction of condensed cathode material'to the cathode rounding the anodes.

Objects and advantages, other than those above set forth, will be apparent from the following description and the drawings in which Figure 1 is a vertical view, partially in section, of one embodiment of the invention, and

Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view along lines a, a ofFig. 1.

Referring more particularly to the drawings by characters of reference, the reference numerals 1 and 2 indicate respectively the side and bottom portions of a tank forming a portion of the rectifying structure. The side and bottom portions of the tank are formed with double walls to permit the circulation of a cooling medium therethrough.

An annulus 3 of insulating material extends in sealed relation, into an aperture in the bottom of the tank, which aperture is located substantially centrally therein and is closed by a bottom plate 4 to form a cathode well extending below the inner surface of the bottom of the tank to receive the cathode material 5 which is preferably mercury. The

tank is closed by a cover member 6 having rectifying structure.

into the channel 14 is discharged. therefrom anodes 8 are partially enclosed by means of arc guides 9, which extend into suitable closely adjacent relation to the bottom 1. A substantially horizontal partition member 11 extends across the tank between the side walls thereof and above the open ends of the arc guides. The member 11 is formed with an aperture therethrough which has the edge thereof turned upwardly to form a chan- 1 2 V The upturned inner edge surrounding the aperture through the horizontal partition 11 is so formed that the cathode material condensing in the dome 7 and dropping on the partition 11 is collected in the channel 12.

. The condensed fluidmercury is discharged from the channel 12 by means of a tube 13 into a channel 14 formed about the side walls 1 at their junction with the bottom 2 of the The mercury flowing into the cathode well by means of a conduit 16. It will be seen that all of the mercury condensed in the condensation dome, on the top and on the upper portions of the side walls of the structure is collected by the channel 12 and is conducted by way of tube 13, channel '14, and tube 16 to the cathode well, so that dropping of' globulesof mercury from the condensation dome to the bottom of the rectifier is prevented. The mercury condensing on the side walls of the rectifier tank is likewise collected in the channel 14 and conveyed to the cathode well through the conduit 16 so that the flow of mercury over the bottom of the tank into the cathode well is prevented and the mercury is accordingly kept out of contact with the electric are. A plurality of guides 17, in the form of ribs, are arranged adjacent channel 14:

and the point of the arc guide closest to the side walls of the tank for the purpose of guiding any mercury condensed on the bottom surface of the tank to'the cathode well by a path away from the path of the arc.

' It will be apparent that the structure, according to the present invention, provides means for collecting the condensed cathode material from the condensation dome, the top and the side walls of a rectifying structure and conducting such condensed cathode material to the cathode well out of contact with the electric arc in such manner that none of the mercury is broken up by dropping from a relatively great height so that splashing of mercury on the anodes or the are guides and the formation of cathode spots thereby is completely avoided. Such structure not only prevents the formation of cath ode spots on the anode structure of the rectifying device but likewise tends to decrease the vapor density within operating space of the rectifier so that accidental condensation of excessive quantities of mercury vapor on the anodes or the arctguides is avoided.

Although only one embodiment of this invention has been illustrated and described, it will be understood that various other embodiments are possible, and that various other changes may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the claims.

The invention claimed is:

1. In an electrical current rectifying device, a container forming an operating chamber, a plurality of anodes extending into the said chamber fromthe top portion thereof, sleeves surrounding each of the said anodes and provided with openings in the direction of the bottom of the container, a cathode formed of vaporizable material within the said container, a partition having a circular channel arranged horizontally acrossthe container above the openings of the said sleeves for collecting portions of the said cathode material condensed above vthe'said channel, a channel arranged adjacent the junction of the side walls and the bottom of said container'to receive vaporized cathode material condensed on the said Walls, and means interconnecting the said channels for conveying the condensed cathode material collected therein to the said cathode.

2. In an electrical current rectifying device, a container forming an operating Chain ber, a plurality of anodes extending into the said chamber, sleeves surrounding each of the said anodes and provided with openings in the direction of the bottom of the said container, a cathode formed of vapor-gable material within the said container, a partition arranged across the said container and having a channel above the said openings of the said sleeves for collecting portions of the said cathode material condensed above the said partition, a channel arranged adjacent the junction of the side walls and bottom surface of the said container to receive vapor-- ized cathode material condensed on the said side walls, means interconnecting the said channels for conveying the condensed cathode material collected therein to the said cathode, and a plurality of guides arranged ad jacent the bottom surface of the said con: tainer for collecting and guiding condensed cathode material to the cathode via paths away from the path of the are.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name this 27th day of August,

. STEFAN VVIDMER.

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