Patent · US Expired

Electrochemical cell and process for splitting a sulfate solution and producing a hyroxide solution sulfuric acid and a halogen gas

US5855759A · kind A · utility

38Cited by
21References
35Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateNov 3, 1997
Grant dateJan 5, 1999
Priority date
Expiry dateNov 3, 2017

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY02E60/50
  • WIPO fieldChemical engineering
  • WIPO sectorChemistry

Abstract

The present invention relates to an electrochemical cell and a process for producing a hydroxide solution, sulfuric acid and a halogen gas from a hydrogen halide and a sulfate solution. In particular, the sulfate solution may be an alkali metal sulfate solution, such as sodium or potassium sulfate solution, an alkaline earth metal sulfate solution or an ammonium sulfate solution. The cell and the process may use either an anhydrous or an aqueous hydrogen halide, namely, hydrogen chloride, hydrogen fluoride, hydrogen bromide and hydrogen iodide, to a respective dry halogen gas, such as chlorine, fluorine, bromine, or iodine, to produce hydrogen ions in order to split the alkali metal solution and form the sulfuric acid. The cell has two membrane-electrode assemblies, where an anode is disposed in contact with one membrane, and a cathode is disposed in contact with another membrane. The sulfate solution is fed in between the membrane-electrode assemblies.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.