Electrowinning process with electrode compartment to avoid contamination of electrolyte

Patent · Tue Jul 06 00:00:00 EDT 1993

OSTI ID:6348612

Poa, D S; Pierce, R D; Mulcahey, T P; Johnson, G K

A process is described of electrolytically recovering a metal from an oxide of the metal comprising the steps of: (a) providing an electrolytic cell including a molten salt electrolyte containing the metal oxide and one or more halide salts of the metal, a pair of spaced apart electrodes in the electrolyte, and a source of electrical voltage to the electrodes, one of the electrodes being an anode and a source of particulate carbon contamination of the electrolyte during operation of the cell, (b) operating the cell to recover the metal as an element at the other electrode while confining the contaminant to a zone in the electrolyte about the one electrode, and (c) periodically removing the contaminant from the electrolyte zone while interrupting operation of the cell.

• Assignee: Dept. of Energy, Washington, DC (United States)
• Patent Number(s): US 5225051; A
• Application Number: PPN: US 7-764760
• OSTI ID: 6348612
• Resource Relation: Patent File Date: 24 Sep 1991
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

37 INORGANIC
ORGANIC
PHYSICAL AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
METALS
SEPARATION PROCESSES
ANODES
CONTAMINATION
ELECTRIC POTENTIAL
ELECTRODES
ELECTROLYSIS
ELECTROLYTES
ELECTROPLATING
MATERIALS RECOVERY
MOLTEN SALTS
OXIDES
CHALCOGENIDES
DEPOSITION
ELECTRODEPOSITION
ELEMENTS
LYSIS
MANAGEMENT
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PLATING
PROCESSING
SALTS
SURFACE COATING
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTE PROCESSING
400105* - Separation Procedures