US3111745A - Method for cell construction - Google Patents

Description

25, 1963 J. v. CARLISLE ETAL 3, ,7

METHOD FOR CELL CONSTRUCTION 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 17, 1959 Nov. 26, 1963 J. V. CARLISLE ETAL METHOD FOR CELL CONSTRUCTION Filed April 17, 1959 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 n! \ii s 4 I FIG Nov. 26, 1963 J. v. CARLISLE ETAL 3,111,745

METHOD FOR CELL CONSTRUCTION 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed April 17, 1959 FIG 3 izvwzzvroa.

1963 J. v. CARLISLE ETAL 3,111,745

METHOD FOR CELL CONSTRUCTION Filed April 1'7, 1959' 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 FIG 4 INV NTOR.

United States Patent 3,111,745 METHOD FOR CELL CONSTRUCTION James V. Carlisle, Baton Rouge, La., and Theodore M.

Arnold, Punta Gorda, Fla., assignors to Ethyl Corporation, New York, N.Y., a corporation of Virginia Filed Apr. 17, 1959, Ser. No. 807,245 2 Claims. (Cl. 29155.5)

This invention relates to a new and novel method for the construction of electrolytic cells, and in particular to a method for vertically aligning diaphnagms and for their assembly with a collector to form a sub-assembly for such cells.

This application is a continuation-in-part of prior patent application Serial No. 493,156, filed March 9, 1955, and now Patent No. 2,912,750, issued November 17, 1959.

The manufacture of sodium and other alkali metals is carried out in electrolytic cells basically similar to the Downs cell described in US. Patent 1,501,756. Briefly, cells of this type include a housing containing a plurality of anodes each of which is surrounded by cylindrical portions of an individually mounted cathode. In the annular space between the anodes and the surrounding internal surfaces of the cylindrical cathode portions is positioned a foraminous metal diaphragm supported from above by a collector. The collector includes an outlet port for removal of the gaseous halogen and an annular inverted channel for manifolding and for removal of the alkali metal. This collector is supported by a frame which in turn is attached to and supported by the cell housing.

The concentricity and vertical disposition of the anodes with the surrounding diaphragms and cathode surfaces is an important attribute of a properly constructed cell. Attaining this objective has been a long standing problem in the industry. Inherent difficulties in the construction of these cells has been the lack of suitable methods for positioning the cathode with respect to the anodes, and for positioning the diaphragms within the annular spaces between each anode and cathode cylindrical portion. Because of the fact that the cathode portions and the diaphragms surround substantially the entire length of each anode, it is quite difiicult to position the diaphragm in between the cathode portions and the anodes Within proper tolerances so as to provide the most efficient construction of the cell for operation. This can be particularly appreciated when it is noted that ordinarily the lateral distance betwen the anode and cathode is of the order of only 1 /2 inches and for best operation the diaphragm must be inserted equidistant from the anode and cathode over the entire length of the anode, which is about 3 to 4 feet or more in length. For proper construction of a cell it is essential that all of the assemblies and sub assemblies be properly oriented one with respect to the other. Prior methods employed for achieving this result have not been adequate. The inadequacy has been shown chiefly in erratic and highly variable life of cell diaphragms. This has caused frequent undesirable replacement. In addition, cell life proper has been variable. sometimes requiring premature reconstruction. Such reconstruction, as well as being expensive, also results in reducing production capacity of a plant. A plant installation consists of a relatively large number of cells occupying specific floor positions or stalls. When a cell is necessarily replaced it unfortunately cannot be merely lifted from the production space or stall occupied, but must be torn down and rebuilt. During the time required for this dismantling and building of a new cell, the production space is, of course, unused.

Until the present invention, the techniques in cell building left much to be desired, as above explained. Consequently, it is an object of the present invention to provide a method for the rapid and accurate construction of an "ice electrolytic cell. A further object of this invention is to provide a method of construct-ing an electrolytic cell which will provide a cell having a longer life, higher efiiciency, and increased productivity. A particular object of this invention is to provide a method for the vertical orientation of a diaphragm, or diaphragms, for assembly with a collector having at least one cylindrical port opening in the lower face thereof.

The above and additional objects of this invention are provided by the method herein described. Broadly, the invention relates to a method for vertically aligning diaphragms for assembly with a collector. The process step comprises placing a diaphragm or diaphragms, at a location below the collector port opening, or openings, and then positioning the lower extremity of the said diaphragm in vertical alignment therewith, and then bringing the upper end into vertical alignment with the said collector port. Vertical alignment of the diaphragm with the collector port thus completed, the diaphragm is then elevated, while maintaining the said vertical orientation thereof, until the upper extremity comes into contact with the collector port opening. The diaphragm is then fiastened to the collector port.

A highly preferred method for the vertical orientation of the upper extremity of the diaphragm is one wherein the vertical orientation step is performed by an outwardly directed force, or forces, against the inner upper portion of the diaphragm.

A higher preferred apparatus for carrying out this invention, hereinafter referred to as a jig, is described in the following description and in the appended drawings, illustrated generally in FIGURE 1, and detailed portions thereof being shown in FIGURES 2, 3 and 4.

A partially sectioned isometric view of the jig is given by FIGURE 1. Referring to FIGURE 1, the major components of the jig include an immovable enclosing frame structure 71, said frame including a base 72, rigid side walls 73 or columns, and an upper level plate 74. In this particular embodiment the upper level plate 74 supports a rigidly affixed ring member or ring frame 75 corresponding in diameter to the shell of a completed cell. Attached to the ring frame 75 are two support members or Z-bars 76 76 diametrically opposite, and having scribed registration marks or notches 77 77 In addition to the registration notches 77 77 in the Z-bars 76 76 a second pair of registration marks 7 9 79 is provide-d on a line at right angles to the line defined by the primary registration notches 77 77 The secondary registration marks 79 79 are scribed on machined pillow blocks 78 78 attached to the upper surface of the ring member 75.

The jig includes a diaphragm aligning mechanism 81. This apparatus includes a base or foundation portion 82 upon which is rigidly mounted a set of four diaphragm aligners or dummy anodes 83 83 83 83 In plan, these dummy anodes are centered on the corners of a square having a center corresponding identically with the point of intersection of the lines established by the pairs of registration marks 79 79 and registration notches 77 77 above the ring member 75. In addition to being positioned as indicated in a horizontal plane, the dummy anodes 83 are positioned with precise vertical alignment.

Description of the operative details of one of the dummy anodes 83 will be of value before describing the use and overall operation of the jig. FIGURE 2 is a partially sectioned isometric elevation of a lower portion of a dummy anode showing some of the operating mechaanism incorporated therein, and a segment of a diaphragm 99. Referring to FIGURE 2, the principal elements of a dummy anode include a base member 85, an inner cylindrical member 86, rigidly mounted on the base member 85, and an outer cylindrical member 87 corresponding approximately in dimensions to an anode in a completed cell. Rigidly affixed to the outer cylinder 87 at about the lowest extremity thereof is a bevelled collar 88, which serves as a supporting shoulder for a cylindrical diaphragm 99, supported on a ferrule or reinforcing ring 98.

The outer cylinder 87 is supported by arms 89 which are attached to a threaded collar 90, engaging a threaded sleeve 91. The threaded sleeve is supported and laterally positioned on a bearing, not shown, and is attached to a ring gear 92. A shaft 94 is journalled in the base member 85 and supports a pinion gear 93 which meshes with the ring gear 92, rotation being caused by a hand wheel 95 mounted on the external end of the shaft 94. It will be seen that rotation of the shaft 94 by hand wheel 95 will cause rotation of the ring gear 92 and the threaded sleeve 91, which will in turn result in vertical displacement of the outer cylindrical member 87. In addition to the described mechanism for providing vertical movement of the outer cylinder 87, separate mechanism is provided for transmitting rotary motion to aligning means in the upper portion of a dummy anode, said means being described hereafter. This mechanism includes a second hand wheel 96 operating a stub shaft 97 which mounts or supports a bevel pinion gear 191. The stub shaft is positioned by stationary bearings, not shown. A bevel pinion gear 102 mates with the primary gear 101, and is keyed to a centrally positioned shaft 183. The shaft 183 terminates with an internally splined section 104 which mates with a splined end of a shaft 105, this shaft extending to the top portion of the dummy anode 83. These shafts 193, 195 are journalled by bearing means not shown. It is seen that rotative motion can be applied to the vertical shaft 105 concurrently with vertical motion.

The above described mechanism in the lower portion of the dummy anode serves to laterally position the lower end of a diaphragm 99 and also to raise a diaphragm to a desired elevation. In addition, means in the upper portion of a dummy anode provide for lateral registration of the upper extremity of a diaphragm. These means are illustrated by FIGURE 3, which is a partially sectioned isometric elevation of the upper portion of a dummy anode 83.

Referring to FIGURE 3, the upper portion of a dummy anode 83 is shown and includes a cap plate 107, the extremities of the inner cylinder 86, the outer cylinder 87, and a portion of a splined shaft 105. A segment 1% of the splined shaft 105 engages and supports a threaded collar 108, which is press fitted into a shouldered recess in a three membered spider 109. The spider includes three arms 110. Extending upwardly at the ends of the spider arms 110 are two pin supports 111, the outer edges of the pin supports 111 making sliding contact with the inner wall of the inner cylinder 86. A stationary spider 112, positioned directly above the movable spider 109, has corresponding arms 113 extending through notches 114, 115 in the inner cylinder 86 and the outer cylinder 87, respectively. It should be noted that this spider 112 is stationary with respect to the outer cylinder 87, which is, as already noted, movable vertically.

Resting on the stationary spider arms 113, and slidable in a bearing space provided by the spider arms 113, the cap plate 107, and the slots 115 in the outer cylinder 87 are three aligning blocks 116, provided with inclined slots 117 at the inner ends. Retainer pins 118 passing through holes in the pin supports 111 position the aligning blocks 116 with respect to displacement from the center of the assembly. It will be seen that rotation of shaft 105 causes vertical movement of the threaded collar 108, movable spider 109, pin supports 111 and retainer pins 118. Upward movement of this assembly results in equal retraction of the aligning blocks 116 from the outside toward the shaft 105. Downward movement of the movable spider assembly causes equal outward movement of the aligning blocks. In operation, a diaphragm 99, having a top ferrule 100 is slipped over the dummy anode, and the aligning blocks 116 are moved outwardly until contact 1s made with the inner surface of the ferrule 100, the diaphragm being thus laterally positioned at the top.

From the foregoing, and adverting again to FIGURE 1, it is seen that the jig provides for lateral and vertical positioning of the diaphragms of a cell, operating firstly on the bottom of a diaphragm, and in addition, laterally positioning the top of the diaphragm. These operations provide alignment of the diaphragms of the cell in a predetermined relationship one to the other and also with reference to the collector and collector frame sub-assembly, and attachment of the diaphragms thereto is made using the jig. The interrelation of the diaphragms 99 and the collector-collector frame sub-assembly in the jig shown by FIGURE 1 and FIGURE 4. Referring to FIGURE 1, a segment of a collector support frame 51 is shown, resting on the support bar '76. Further relationship of the collector-collector support frame sub-assembly and the jig is shown by FIGURE 4, this figure being a partially sectioned elevation showing a sectional view of a collector support frame 51 in place above the ring frame 75 of the jig, and supporting the collector 41. A portion of the collector casting 41 is shown in section, illustrating the mode of establishing connection between a diaphragm 99 and the collector. In establishing this assembly, the lower end of the diaphragm 99 is laterally positioned by the engagement of the band 98 with the bevelled collar 88. The aligning blocks 116 in the upper portion of the dummy anode 83 are then extended to laterally position the diaphragm ferrule 1%. The outer cylinder 87, with the thus horizontally and vertically located diaphragm is then raised to establish initial contact with the bottom of a collector port wall. This operation permits a secondary gaging of the collector, this time with respect to the roundness of the individual collectors. If full circumferential contact is not possible with each diaphragm ferrule, the collector is rejected. The diaphragm ferrule is then fastened to the collector by a plurality of cap screws 122 inserted through a lug 121 and engaging a tapped hole in a boss or lug 123 projecting from the collector port wall 42 The aligning blocks 116 are then retracted so that the collector-collector support frame-diaphragm assembly can be lifted from the jig when desired.

In those instances in which the lateral plane of the di aphragm 99 is at exactly right angles to the center line of the diaphragm cylinder, the diaphragm ferrule will engage the entire periphery of the collector port wall 42 Frequently, however this precise relationship does not exist and compensating means are necessary to prevent stress and deformation of the diaphragm ferrule 11M) and consequently deformation of the diaphragm screen proper. Accordingly, tapered washers 124 are provided for insertion between the ferrule lugs 121 and the mating vlug 123 on the collector port =wall. These washers take the major thrust of the cap screws 122 and prevent the deformation mentioned.

The foregoing describes apparatus for the practice of the invention, viz., the alignment and gaging of a collector-collector tframe sub-assembly and the assembly of that subnssembly with the diaphragms, thus forming a unit adaptable for precise insertion into a previously built cell base with anodes.

In a careful comparison of the performance of a group of cells constructed with the apparatus of our invention with performance of a group constructed according to previous methods, it was found that the former group provided an increase of approximately 1.5 percent in current efficiency. In addition, it was found that the average effective life of the former group of cells was a significant improvement over the preceding practice, particularly with respect to the diaphragm life. Since the cost of construction of cells with the present apparatus is substantially the same as by the former practices, it is apparent that our apparatus is highly beneficial and economical.

Having described the apparatus of our invention in 5 some detail and the manner of its use, What is claimed is:

1. A method for vertically aligning cylindrical diaphragm means for assembly with the collector of a fused salt electrolysis cell, said collector having a cylindrical port opening in its lower face, comprising placing said diaphnagm means upon a dummy anode in essentially the same concentric relationship it is to have to the actual electrode to form a diaphragm assembly, aligning said dummy anode-diaphragm assembly below a collector port by laterally positioning the upper and the lower extremities of said diaphragm means in vertical alignment with the collector port opening, raising the vertically aligned diaphragm assembly until the upper extremity thereof contacts the port opening, and then fastening the diaphragm means to the collector port opening.

2. In the construction of a fused salt electrolytic cell comprising anode means and cathode means said cathode means further comprising diaphragm means positioned in a fixed spaced relationship with said anode means, said diaphragm means being mounted upon collector means adapted for easy reference to said anode means; the im- References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,826,503 Buckwalter Oct. 6, 1931 2,422,324 Watrous June 17, 1947 2,427,685 Midtlyng Sept. 23, 1947 2,912,750 Carlisle et al. Nov. 17, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS 425,979 Great Britain Mar. 22, 1935 934,107 France May 12, 1948

Claims (1)

1. 2. IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF A FUSED SALT ELECTROLYTIC CELL COMPRISING ANODE MEANS AND CATHODE MEANS SAID CATHODE MEANS FURTHER COMPRISING DIAPHRAGM MEANS POSITIONED IN A FIXED SPACED RELATIONSHIP WITH SAID ANODE MEANS, SAID DIAPHRAGM MEANS BEING MOUNTED UPON COLLECTOR MEANS ADAPTED FOR EASY REFERENCE TO SAID ANODE MEANS; THE IMPROVEMENT COMPRISING POSITIONING SAID DIAPHRAGM MEANS WITH RESPECT TO SAID COLLECTOR MEANS EXTERIORLY OF SAID CELL BY PLACING SAID DIAPHRAGM MEANS UPON DIAPHRAGM ALIGNING MEANS BELOW A COLLECTOR PORT OPENING, ALIGNING SAID DIAPHRAGM MEANS WITH THE COLLECTOR PORT OPENING, THEREAFTER RAISING SAID DIAPHRAGM MEANS UP TO THE COLLECTOR PORT, AND FASTENING THE DIAPHRAGM MEANS TO SAID COLLECTOR MEANS IN THE ALIGNED POSITION WHEREBY SAID DIAPHRAGM MEANS ARE POSITIONED RELATIVE TO AND AFFIXED TO SAID COLLECTOR MEANS BEFORE BEING INSTALLED IN SAID CELL.

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