Electrolytic refining of metals from their liq alloys - esp gallium, mercury, zinc, bismuth, lead, cadmium or indium

摘要

Electrolyser for the prodn. and refining of metals from their liq. alloys, using a bath contg. several stepped compartments for the metal being refined and which serve as anodes, the cathode consisting of the refined metal. Conductors for electric current are provided and a pump for circulating the metal being refined. The novelty is that the compartments are box-shaped and arranged horizontally round the cathode leaving a space(d) between the outside of the boxes and the inner surface of the bath. Each of the boxes is pref. provided with a still, and a water-cooled porous dividing wall is pref. fitted between the anode and the cathode. Metals such as Ga, Hg, Zn, Bi, Pb, Cd or In are refined. This device has a performance 2.5-3 times greater than conventional electrolysers using the same bath vol. and metal of higher quality is obtd.