HIGH CURRENT DENSITY ELECTROWINNING OF NICKEL IN EMEW® CELLS

摘要

Modern nickel electrowinning from sulfate electrolytes is beset by several processing challenges. This includes the need to operate a covered divided cell to minimize nickel mist emissions and ensure nickel plating. Electrometals' electrowinning (EMEW~®) technology overcomes these challenges through the modified geometry of its revolutionary cell design. The EMEW® system exploits a higher solution flow rate in a sealed tubular cell. In this paper, data from commercial scale cells will be presented demonstrating the plating of high purity nickel from lower nickel tenor solutions at higher current densities while eliminating the need for diaphragms. Additionally, the EMEW~® design consists of enclosed, round cells, which has the dual benefit of maintaining a healthier, cleaner work environment, as well as producing coherent, tubular cathodes. The cylindrical shape of the cathodes makes them easily harvestable, and also mitigates the effect of the well-known internal stresses inherent to nickel electrowon from sulfate solution.