Electrolytic cell

Abstract

The present invention provides a novel and improved electrolytic cell in which a cathode plate and an anode plate are relatively large for the sizes of a cathode frame and an anode frame as compared with those in a conventional electrolytic cell, so that the current-carrying area of the cathode and anode plates is relatively large for the size of the electrolytic cell, resulting in increased electrolysis efficiency. An upper opening and a lower opening are formed in an upper end part and a lower end part, respectively, of the inner surface of the cathode frame to which the cathode plate is fixed. Similarly, an upper opening and a lower opening are formed in an upper end part and a lower end part, respectively, of the inner surface of the anode frame to which the anode plate is fixed. Each of the cathode plate and the anode plate extends continuously from above the upper opening to below the lower opening. Each of the cathode plate and the anode plate has an upper through opening and a lower through opening that are formed in alignment with the upper opening and the lower opening, respectively.

1 . An electrolytic cell comprising: a cathode frame, a cathode plate fixed to an inner surface of the cathode frame, an anode frame, and an anode plate fixed to an inner surface of the anode frame, wherein
 the cathode frame includes at least one upper flow path extending from an upper opening located in an upper end part of the inner surface and at least one lower flow path extending from a lower opening located in a lower end part of the inner surface,   the anode frame includes at least one upper flow path extending from an upper opening located in an upper end part of the inner surface and at least one lower flow path extending from a lower opening located in a lower end part of the inner surface,   the cathode plate extends continuously from above the upper opening of the cathode frame to below the lower opening of the cathode frame,   the cathode plate includes at least one upper through opening in its upper end part that is formed in alignment with the upper opening in the cathode frame, and at least one lower through opening in its lower end part that is formed in alignment with the lower opening in the cathode frame,   the anode plate extends continuously from above the upper opening of the anode frame to below the lower opening of the anode frame, and   the anode plate includes at least one upper through opening in its upper end part that is formed in alignment with the upper opening in the anode frame, and at least one lower through opening in its lower end part that is formed in alignment with the lower opening in the anode frame.   
     
     
         2 . The electrolytic cell according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the cathode frame includes a plurality of the upper flow paths extending respectively from a plurality of the upper openings arranged at intervals in a width direction in the upper end part of the inner surface, and a plurality of the lower flow paths extending respectively from a plurality of the lower openings arranged at intervals in the width direction in the lower end part of the inner surface,   the anode frame includes a plurality of the upper flow paths extending respectively from a plurality of the upper openings arranged at intervals in the width direction in the upper end part of the inner surface, and a plurality of the lower flow paths extending respectively from a plurality of the lower openings arranged at intervals in the width direction in the lower end part of the inner surface,   the cathode plate includes a plurality of the upper through openings in its upper end part that are formed in alignment with the plurality of respective upper openings in the cathode frame, and a plurality of the lower through openings in its lower end part that are formed in alignment with the plurality of respective lower openings in the cathode frame, and   the anode plate includes a plurality of the upper through openings in its upper end part that are formed in alignment with the plurality of respective upper openings in the anode frame, and a plurality of the lower through openings in its lower end part that are formed in alignment with the plurality of respective lower openings in the anode frame.   
     
     
         3 . The electrolytic cell according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the upper opening and the lower opening in the cathode frame and the upper through opening and the lower through opening in the cathode plate are circular in cross-section, and   the upper opening and the lower opening in the anode frame and the upper through opening and the lower through opening in the anode plate are circular in cross-section.   
     
     
         4 . The electrolytic cell according to  claim 1 , wherein the cathode plate and the anode plate are formed of a rectangular plate. 
     
     
         5 . The electrolytic cell according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a gasket interposed between the cathode frame and the cathode plate, the gasket including an upper communicating opening through which the upper opening in the cathode frame and the upper through opening in the cathode plate communicate with each other, and a lower communicating opening through which the lower opening in the cathode frame and the lower through opening in the cathode plate communicate with each other; and   a gasket interposed between the anode frame and the anode plate, the gasket including an upper communicating opening through which the upper opening in the anode frame and the upper through opening in the anode plate communicate with each other, and a lower communicating opening through which the lower opening in the anode frame and the lower through opening in the anode plate communicate with each other.   
     
     
         6 . The electrolytic cell according to  claim 5 , wherein the upper communicating opening is larger than the upper opening and the upper through opening, and the lower communicating opening is larger than the lower opening and the lower through opening. 
     
     
         7 . The electrolytic cell according to  claim 6 , wherein the upper opening, the upper through opening, the upper communicating opening, the lower opening, the lower through opening, and the lower communicating opening are circular in cross-section. 
     
     
         8 . The electrolytic cell according to  claim 6 , further comprising a covering member attached to the upper through opening and the lower through opening in each of the cathode plate and the anode plate, the covering member covering an inner peripheral surface of each of the upper through opening and the lower through opening and a region that is adjacent to each of the upper through opening and the lower through opening on a reverse side of each of the cathode plate and the anode plate and is not covered with the gasket. 
     
     
         9 . The electrolytic cell according to  claim 8 , wherein the covering member includes a tube portion to be inserted in each of the upper through opening and the lower through opening and a flange portion that protrudes from a back end of the tube portion. 
     
     
         10 . The electrolytic cell according to  claim 9 , wherein
 the tube portion of the covering member is cylindrical in shape, and the upper opening, the upper through opening, the upper communicating opening, the lower opening, the lower through opening, and the lower communicating opening are circular in cross-section,   the upper through opening and the lower through opening have an inner diameter larger than an inner diameter of the upper opening and the lower opening by twice a thickness of the tube portion of the covering member, and the tube portion of the covering member has an inner diameter the same as the inner diameter of the upper opening and the lower opening,   the tube portion has a length the same as a thickness of the cathode plate,   the flange portion of the covering member is annular in shape and has an outer diameter the same as an inner diameter of the upper communicating opening and the lower communicating opening, and   the flange portion has a thickness the same as a thickness of the gasket.   
     
     
         11 . The electrolytic cell according to  claim 8 , wherein the covering member is made of a synthetic resin. 
     
     
         12 . A method for producing an aqueous solution of quaternary ammonium hydroxide from an aqueous solution of quaternary ammonium salt as a raw material using the electrolytic cell according to  claim 1  including at least one cation exchange membrane between the cathode plate and the anode plate. 
     
     
         13 . The electrolytic cell according to  claim 2 , wherein
 the upper opening and the lower opening in the cathode frame and the upper through opening and the lower through opening in the cathode plate are circular in cross-section, and   the upper opening and the lower opening in the anode frame and the upper through opening and the lower through opening in the anode plate are circular in cross-section.   
     
     
         14 . The electrolytic cell according to  claim 2 , wherein the cathode plate and the anode plate are formed of a rectangular plate. 
     
     
         15 . The electrolytic cell according to  claim 3 , wherein the cathode plate and the anode plate are formed of a rectangular plate. 
     
     
         16 . The electrolytic cell according to  claim 2 , further comprising:
 a gasket interposed between the cathode frame and the cathode plate, the gasket including an upper communicating opening through which the upper opening in the cathode frame and the upper through opening in the cathode plate communicate with each other, and a lower communicating opening through which the lower opening in the cathode frame and the lower through opening in the cathode plate communicate with each other; and   a gasket interposed between the anode frame and the anode plate, the gasket including an upper communicating opening through which the upper opening in the anode frame and the upper through opening in the anode plate communicate with each other, and a lower communicating opening through which the lower opening in the anode frame and the lower through opening in the anode plate communicate with each other.   
     
     
         17 . The electrolytic cell according to  claim 3 , further comprising:
 a gasket interposed between the cathode frame and the cathode plate, the gasket including an upper communicating opening through which the upper opening in the cathode frame and the upper through opening in the cathode plate communicate with each other, and a lower communicating opening through which the lower opening in the cathode frame and the lower through opening in the cathode plate communicate with each other; and   a gasket interposed between the anode frame and the anode plate, the gasket including an upper communicating opening through which the upper opening in the anode frame and the upper through opening in the anode plate communicate with each other, and a lower communicating opening through which the lower opening in the anode frame and the lower through opening in the anode plate communicate with each other.   
     
     
         18 . The electrolytic cell according to  claim 4 , further comprising:
 a gasket interposed between the cathode frame and the cathode plate, the gasket including an upper communicating opening through which the upper opening in the cathode frame and the upper through opening in the cathode plate communicate with each other, and a lower communicating opening through which the lower opening in the cathode frame and the lower through opening in the cathode plate communicate with each other; and   a gasket interposed between the anode frame and the anode plate, the gasket including an upper communicating opening through which the upper opening in the anode frame and the upper through opening in the anode plate communicate with each other, and a lower communicating opening through which the lower opening in the anode frame and the lower through opening in the anode plate communicate with each other.   
     
     
         19 . The electrolytic cell according to  claim 7 , further comprising a covering member attached to the upper through opening and the lower through opening in each of the cathode plate and the anode plate, the covering member covering an inner peripheral surface of each of the upper through opening and the lower through opening and a region that is adjacent to each of the upper through opening and the lower through opening on a reverse side of each of the cathode plate and the anode plate and is not covered with the gasket. 
     
     
         20 . The electrolytic cell according to  claim 9 , wherein the covering member is made of a synthetic resin.