Process for electrowinning metal from metal bearing solutions
US4141804A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | May 4, 1977 |
| Grant date | Feb 27, 1979 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 4, 1997 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC C)Chemistry; Metallurgy
- CPC primaryC25C7/002
- WIPO fieldSurface technology, coating
- WIPO sectorChemistry
Abstract
A process and an apparatus for electrowinning metal from metal bearing solutions is disclosed. A support solution containing a predetermined metal concentration is continuously recirculated through a cell having a porous grid supporting a bed of particulate conducting particles at a sufficiently high flow rate so as to fluidize and expand the bed by 5 to 25%. A gas is continuously fed through the bed of conducting particles so as to strongly agitate the particles at low bed expansion to maintain good mixing and uniform fluidization of the bed of particles. The cell includes an electrode arrangement suspended from the top of the cell and immersed into the bed of fluidized conducting particles. Such electrode arrangement consists of at least one cathode feeder electrode in physical contact with the fluidized particles to make the particles cathodic and so cause the metal ions to deposit on the particles, and at least one anode electrode separated from the cathodic particles by a membrane which allows the free passage of ions while preventing physical contact with the particles. To make the process continuous or semi-continuous, the cell has an inlet for adding small seed particles an…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.