Electrolysis device and control method thereof

Abstract

The embodiment of the invention provides an electrolysis device and a control method of the electrolysis device. The electrolysis device comprises an electrolysis furnace, an electrolysis furnace cover, a heat insulation plate and an air supply assembly. The electrolytic furnace is provided with a containing cavity, and the electrolytic furnace cover is arranged on the electrolytic furnace. The heat insulation plate is arranged in the containing cavity to divide the containing cavity into a cooling cavity and a molten salt reaction cavity, and the cooling cavity is located on the side, close to the electrolytic furnace cover, of the molten salt reaction cavity. The air supply assembly comprises an air inlet pipeline and an annular air knife, one end of the air inlet pipeline communicates with the annular air knife, the other end of the air inlet pipeline extends out of the electrolytic furnace, the annular air knife is arranged in the cooling cavity and provided with a plurality of first air outlets, and the first air outlets are arranged in the circumferential direction of the annular air knife at intervals. The electrolysis device provided by the embodiment of the invention can effectively prevent the electrolysis molten salt from volatilizing.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of molten salt electrolysis technology, and in particular to an electrolysis device and a control method for the electrolysis device. Background Technology

[0002] Spent fuel reprocessing technology is the guarantee for the sustainable development of nuclear power technology. At present, the internationally recognized reprocessing technologies include two routes: water method and dry method. The dry method has broad application prospects in the field of fast reactor spent fuel reprocessing because it can process spent fuel with deep burnup and high transuranium content.

[0003] Molten salt electrolysis is a major dry reprocessing technology. Its principle is to selectively dissolve or deposit substances based on their different oxidation-reduction potentials, thereby achieving the selective recovery of specific elements. This includes the electrolytic refining technology developed by the United States for metallic fuels and the oxide electrodeposition technology developed by Russia for oxide fuels.

[0004] During electrolysis, the liquid molten salt inevitably volatilizes at high temperatures, and this phenomenon becomes increasingly severe as the scale of the operation increases; the volatilized molten salt disperses in the glove box or heated chamber (e.g., Figure 1 As shown, it corrodes electronic components and enclosures, and is difficult to clean, especially when handling radioactive materials. Currently, there is no emphasis on solving this problem both domestically and internationally. Some targeted measures are taken during the design phase of electrolysis equipment, but the specific effects are not ideal. For example, the electrolysis furnace cover is sealed as much as possible, but due to the large number of moving mechanical parts during electrolysis, complete sealing cannot be achieved. Adding a heat insulation structure between the molten salt layer and the furnace cover can hinder the radiant heat and heat conduction of the furnace, thereby reducing the volatilization of molten salt. However, the presence of the heat insulation layer will generate a large amount of radioactive waste, and the structure is bulky, increasing the difficulty of operation, and the actual hindering effect is not obvious. Summary of the Invention

[0005] In view of this, the main objective of the embodiments of this application is to provide an electrolysis device and a control method for the electrolysis device that can effectively prevent the volatilization of electrolytic molten salt.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution of this application embodiment is implemented as follows:

[0007] One embodiment of this application provides an electrolysis apparatus, including:

[0008] An electrolytic furnace having a receiving cavity;

[0009] An electrolytic furnace cover, wherein the electrolytic furnace cover is disposed on the electrolytic furnace;

[0010] A heat insulation plate is disposed in the receiving cavity to divide the receiving cavity into a cooling cavity and a molten salt reaction cavity, wherein the cooling cavity is located on the side of the molten salt reaction cavity near the electrolytic furnace cover;

[0011] An air supply assembly includes an air inlet pipe and an annular air knife. One end of the air inlet pipe is connected to the annular air knife, and the other end extends to the outside of the electrolysis furnace. The annular air knife is disposed in the cooling chamber and has a plurality of first air outlets, each of which is arranged at intervals along the circumference of the annular air knife.

[0012] In one embodiment, the annular air knife includes a first sub-air knife and a second sub-air knife. The first sub-air knife is located on the side of the second sub-air knife near the electrolytic furnace cover and is arranged at intervals along the height direction of the electrolytic device. The first air outlet of the first sub-air knife faces the second sub-air knife, and the first air outlet of the second sub-air knife faces the cavity wall of the cooling chamber.

[0013] In one embodiment, the air supply assembly further includes a plurality of vertical air blades disposed within the cooling cavity and located on one side of the cavity wall near the cooling cavity. Each vertical air blade is arranged at intervals along the circumference of the cooling cavity. Each vertical air blade has a plurality of second air outlets, and each second air outlet is arranged at vertical intervals along the vertical air blades.

[0014] In one embodiment, a portion of each of the second air outlets faces the side away from the cavity wall of the cooling chamber, and another portion faces the side away from the electrolytic furnace cover.

[0015] In one embodiment, the electrolysis device further includes a gas outlet assembly, which includes a gas outlet pipe, one end of which is connected to the cooling chamber and the other end of which is connected to the outside.

[0016] In one embodiment, the gas outlet assembly further includes an observation chamber, which is connected to the gas outlet pipeline and located on the side of the electrolytic furnace cover away from the cooling chamber.

[0017] In one embodiment, the annular air knife is located on the side of the cooling chamber near the heat insulation plate, and the air inlet of the air outlet pipe is located on the side of the cooling chamber near the electrolytic furnace cover.

[0018] Another embodiment of this application provides a control method for an electrolysis apparatus, used in any of the electrolysis apparatuses described above, the control method comprising the following steps:

[0019] The molten salt in the molten salt reaction chamber is heated, and gas is supplied to the cooling chamber through the gas inlet pipe;

[0020] Adjust the gas flow rate delivered by the intake pipe according to the ambiguous situation in the observation room to obtain the optimal gas flow rate corresponding to the molten salt.

[0021] In one embodiment, adjusting the flow rate of the gas delivered through the intake pipe according to the blurred conditions in the observation chamber to obtain the optimal gas flow rate corresponding to the molten salt specifically includes the following steps:

[0022] The molten salt in the molten salt reaction chamber is heated until it melts, and the gas inlet pipe is controlled to deliver gas into the cooling chamber at a first flow rate;

[0023] Based on the blurry situation in the observation room, the first flow rate is adjusted to the second flow rate, where the second flow rate is the flow rate of the air intake pipe when the observation room is blurry, and the first flow rate is greater than the second flow rate.

[0024] Adjust the second flow rate to the optimal gas flow rate, which is the flow rate of the air intake pipe when the blurring in the observation room does not worsen.

[0025] In one embodiment, after adjusting the flow rate of the gas delivered in the intake pipe according to the ambiguous situation in the observation chamber to obtain the optimal gas flow rate corresponding to the molten salt, the method for preventing the electrolytic molten salt from volatilizing further includes the following steps:

[0026] Stop heating the molten salt in the molten salt reaction chamber and lower the temperature in the molten salt reaction chamber to room temperature;

[0027] The heat insulation plate is lowered and heated so that the molten salt on the heat insulation plate melts and flows back into the molten salt reaction chamber.

[0028] This application provides an electrolysis apparatus and a control method for the electrolysis apparatus. The electrolysis apparatus includes an electrolysis furnace, an electrolysis furnace cover, a heat insulation plate, and an air supply assembly. The electrolysis furnace has a receiving cavity, and the electrolysis furnace cover is disposed on the electrolysis furnace. The heat insulation plate is disposed within the receiving cavity to divide the receiving cavity into a cooling cavity and a molten salt reaction cavity. The cooling cavity is located on the side of the molten salt reaction cavity closest to the electrolysis furnace cover. The air supply assembly includes an air inlet pipe and an annular air knife. One end of the air inlet pipe is connected to the annular air knife, and the other end extends outside the electrolysis furnace. The annular air knife is disposed within the cooling cavity and has multiple first air outlets, which are spaced apart circumferentially along the annular air knife. Thus, by setting the annular air knife, the gas transported by the air inlet pipe can be evenly distributed in various areas of the cooling cavity, avoiding insufficient local cooling, improving cooling efficiency, effectively reducing the temperature inside the cooling cavity, and thus effectively preventing the volatilization of the electrolytic molten salt. Attached Figure Description

[0029] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an electrolysis device according to an embodiment of this application;

[0030] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an annular air knife according to an embodiment of this application;

[0031] Figure 3 for Figure 2 A structural schematic diagram of the annular air knife from another perspective;

[0032] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a vertical air knife according to an embodiment of this application;

[0033] Figure 5 This is a flowchart of a control method for an electrolysis apparatus according to an embodiment of this application.

[0034] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures

[0035] 10. Electrolytic furnace; 10a. Cooling chamber; 10b. Molten salt reaction chamber; 20. Electrolytic furnace cover; 30. Heat insulation plate; 40. Air supply assembly; 41. Air inlet pipe; 42. Annular air knife; 42a. First air outlet; 421. First sub-air knife; 422. Second sub-air knife; 423. Air inlet valve; 424. Connecting valve; 43. Vertical air knife; 43a. Second air outlet; 44. Gas generating device; 50. Gas outlet assembly; 51. Gas outlet pipe; 52. Observation room. Detailed Implementation

[0036] In this document, the term "embodiment" means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with an embodiment may be included in at least one embodiment of this application. The appearance of this phrase in various places throughout the specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, nor is it a separate or alternative embodiment mutually exclusive with other embodiments. It will be explicitly and implicitly understood by those skilled in the art that the embodiments described herein can be combined with other embodiments.

[0037] One embodiment of this application provides an electrolysis apparatus; please refer to [link / reference]. Figure 1 It includes an electrolytic furnace 10, an electrolytic furnace cover 20, a heat insulation plate 30, and an air supply assembly 40.

[0038] The electrolytic furnace 10 has a receiving cavity.

[0039] The electrolytic furnace cover 20 is installed on the electrolytic furnace 10.

[0040] The heat insulation plate 30 is disposed in the receiving cavity to divide the receiving cavity into a cooling cavity 10a and a molten salt reaction cavity 10b. The cooling cavity 10a is located on the side of the molten salt reaction cavity 10b that is close to the electrolytic furnace cover 20.

[0041] The air supply assembly 40 includes an air inlet pipe 41 and an annular air knife 42. One end of the air inlet pipe 41 is connected to the annular air knife 42, and the other end extends to the outside of the electrolytic furnace 10. The annular air knife 42 is disposed in the cooling chamber 10a. The annular air knife 42 has a plurality of first air outlets 42a, and each first air outlet 42a is arranged at intervals along the circumference of the annular air knife 42.

[0042] Specifically, the electrolytic furnace 10 is the external structure of the electrolysis device, and the molten salt is heated and electrolyzed in the molten salt reaction chamber 10b.

[0043] The electrolytic furnace cover 20 is installed on the electrolytic furnace 10 to seal the containment cavity and prevent the gas used to cool the cooling chamber 10a from overflowing, thereby increasing the power consumption of the electrolytic device.

[0044] The electrolytic furnace cover 20 is detachably connected to the electrolytic furnace 10.

[0045] The connection method between the electrolytic furnace cover 20 and the electrolytic furnace 10 is not limited.

[0046] For example, the electrolytic furnace cover 20 is snapped together with the electrolytic furnace 10.

[0047] For example, the electrolytic furnace cover 20 is connected to the flange of the electrolytic furnace 10.

[0048] The heat insulation plate 30 divides the receiving cavity into a cooling chamber 10a and a molten salt reaction chamber 10b, which is used to block heat exchange between the cooling chamber 10a and the molten salt reaction chamber 10b. The molten salt reaction chamber 10b is the space where the molten salt undergoes an electrolytic reaction. When the molten salt is heated, some of it will volatilize and enter the cooling chamber 10a. The cooling chamber 10a cools the volatilized molten salt, thereby preventing molten salt leakage.

[0049] The type of material for the heat insulation board 30 is not limited.

[0050] For example, the heat insulation plate 30 is made of metal. This facilitates the processing of the heat insulation plate 30 and enables it to have relatively stable physical properties. Under high-temperature conditions, it is not prone to excessive deformation due to thermal expansion and contraction, thereby effectively blocking the heat exchange between the cooling chamber 10a and the molten salt reaction chamber 10b.

[0051] The structural type of the insulation board 30 is not limited.

[0052] For example, the heat insulation plate 30 has a multi-layer structure, which can further block the heat exchange between the cooling chamber 10a and the molten salt reaction chamber 10b, thus avoiding a significant increase in the energy consumption of the electrolysis device.

[0053] The air supply assembly 40 refers to the component used to supply gas into the cooling chamber 10a to cool the cooling chamber 10a.

[0054] The type of gas supplied by the air supply assembly 40 to the cooling chamber 10a is not limited.

[0055] For example, the gas supplied by the air supply assembly 40 to the cooling chamber 10a is an inert gas. This avoids the risk of the gas in the cooling chamber 10a reacting with the molten salt that has evaporated into the cooling chamber 10a, thereby preventing damage to the electrolysis device.

[0056] The annular air knife 42 is located inside the cooling chamber 10a and is used to release airflow into the cooling chamber 10a.

[0057] The annular air knife 42 has a ring-shaped structure and multiple first air outlets 42a, which are spaced apart circumferentially. Therefore, by making the air knife annular, it is possible to better adapt the annular air knife 42 to other components in the electrolysis unit, avoiding interference with the electrolysis components. Furthermore, the annular air knife 42 can uniformly deliver airflow into the cooling chamber 10a circumferentially, distributing the airflow across various areas of the cooling chamber 10a, preventing insufficient localized cooling and improving cooling efficiency.

[0058] The position of the annular air knife 42 is not limited.

[0059] For example, the central axis of the annular air knife 42 is aligned with the central axis of the electrolytic furnace 10. This allows the gas delivered by the annular air knife 42 to be evenly distributed throughout the cooling chamber 10a, avoiding localized insufficient cooling.

[0060] The material type of the annular air knife 42 is not limited.

[0061] For example, the annular air knife 42 is made of alloy material. This increases the corrosion resistance of the annular air knife 42 in high-temperature and molten salt environments, thereby extending its service life.

[0062] The first air outlet 42a refers to the outlet of the annular air knife 42 used to discharge airflow.

[0063] The shape of the first air outlet 42a is not limited.

[0064] For example, the first air outlet 42a is circular in shape.

[0065] For example, the first air outlet 42a is rectangular in shape.

[0066] The position of the first air outlet 42a is not limited to that of the annular air knife 42.

[0067] For example, the first air outlet 42a can be arranged only circumferentially on the outer surface of the annular air knife 42.

[0068] For example, the first air outlet 42a can be arranged only circumferentially on the inner surface of the annular air knife 42.

[0069] For example, the first air outlet 42a can be arranged both circumferentially on the outer surface of the annular air knife 42 and circumferentially on the inner surface of the annular air knife 42. This can further improve the cooling efficiency of the cooling chamber 10a and more effectively reduce the temperature inside the cooling chamber 10a.

[0070] It is understandable that the spacing between each of the first air outlets 42a can be the same. Of course, it can also be different. It is set according to the actual situation.

[0071] The electrolysis apparatus of this application embodiment includes an electrolysis furnace 10, an electrolysis furnace cover 20, a heat insulation plate 30, and an air supply assembly 40. The electrolysis furnace 10 has a receiving cavity, and the electrolysis furnace cover 20 is disposed on the electrolysis furnace 10. The heat insulation plate 30 is disposed in the receiving cavity to divide the receiving cavity into a cooling cavity 10a and a molten salt reaction cavity 10b. The cooling cavity 10a is located on the side of the molten salt reaction cavity 10b near the electrolysis furnace cover 20. The air supply assembly 40 includes an air inlet pipe 41 and an annular air knife 42. One end of the air inlet pipe 41 is connected to the annular air knife 42, and the other end extends to the outside of the electrolysis furnace 10. The annular air knife 42 is disposed in the cooling cavity 10a and has a plurality of first air outlets 42a, which are arranged at intervals along the circumference of the annular air knife 42. Therefore, by setting the annular air knife 42, the gas delivered by the intake pipe 41 can be evenly distributed in various areas of the cooling chamber 10a, avoiding insufficient local cooling, improving cooling efficiency, effectively reducing the temperature in the cooling chamber 10a, and thus effectively preventing the evaporation of electrolytic molten salt.

[0072] In one embodiment, please refer to Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figure 3 The annular air knife 42 includes a first sub-air knife 421 and a second sub-air knife 422. The first sub-air knife 421 is located on the side of the second sub-air knife 422 near the electrolytic furnace cover 20 and is arranged at intervals along the height direction of the electrolytic device. The first air outlet 42a of the first sub-air knife 421 faces the second sub-air knife 422, and the first air outlet 42a of the second sub-air knife 422 faces the cavity wall of the cooling chamber 10a. Thus, on the one hand, by setting the first sub-air knife 421 and the second sub-air knife 422, a cold air layer can be formed in the cooling chamber 10a, thereby better achieving the purpose of preventing molten salt volatilization. On the other hand, the first air outlet 42a of the second sub-air knife 422 facing the cavity wall of the cooling chamber 10a can prevent the airflow of the second sub-air knife 422 from directly blowing onto the heat insulation plate 30, causing heat loss in the electrolytic furnace 10, and thus avoiding increasing the energy consumption of the electrolytic device.

[0073] Specifically, the first sub-air knife 421 refers to a component located on the side of the cooling chamber 10a near the electrolytic furnace cover 20, used to release airflow into the cooling chamber 10a.

[0074] The first air outlet 42a of the first sub-air knife 421 faces the second sub-air knife 422, so as to form a cold air layer with the airflow of the second sub-air knife 422, thereby effectively blocking the upward diffusion of the molten salt volatilized in the molten salt reaction chamber 10b, and thus suppressing the dispersion and volatilization of the molten salt.

[0075] The second sub-air knife 422 refers to a component located on the side of the cooling chamber 10a near the heat insulation plate 30, used to release airflow into the cooling chamber 10a.

[0076] It should be noted that when the first air outlet 42a of the second sub-air knife 422 faces the cavity wall of the cooling cavity 10a, it means that the orientation of the first air outlet 42a of the second sub-air knife 422 can be perpendicular to the cavity wall of the cooling cavity 10a, or it can be at a certain angle to the cavity wall of the cooling cavity 10a. The important thing is that the first air outlet 42a of the second sub-air knife 422 does not blow directly onto the heat insulation plate 30.

[0077] In one specific embodiment, the annular air knife 42 has an inlet valve 423 and a connecting valve 424. The inlet valve 423 is connected to the inlet pipe 41, and the connecting valve 424 is disposed on the periphery of the annular air knife 42. Thus, by providing the connecting valve 424, it is convenient for the annular air knife 42 to connect with other air supply components, which facilitates the expansion of the air supply assembly 40 and improves the ease of use.

[0078] Specifically, the number of connecting valves 424 is unlimited.

[0079] For example, the number of connecting valves 424 is one.

[0080] For example, there are multiple connecting valves 424.

[0081] The number of connecting ports of the connecting valve 424 is unlimited.

[0082] For example, connecting valve 424 has a connecting port.

[0083] For example, the connecting valve 424 has multiple connecting ports.

[0084] In one embodiment, please refer to Figure 1 and Figure 4The air supply assembly 40 also includes multiple vertical air blades 43, which are disposed within the cooling chamber 10a and located on one side of the chamber wall near the cooling chamber 10a. Each vertical air blade 43 is arranged at circumferential intervals along the cooling chamber 10a. Each vertical air blade 43 has multiple second air outlets 43a, which are arranged at vertical intervals along the vertical spacing of the vertical air blades 43. Therefore, on the one hand, airflow can be delivered to different height regions of the cooling chamber 10a through the vertical air blades 43, further improving the uniformity of gas delivery from the air supply assembly 40 to the cooling chamber 10a. On the other hand, by arranging multiple vertical air blades 43 at circumferential intervals in the cooling chamber 10a, the cooling efficiency of the cooling chamber 10a can be further improved.

[0085] Specifically, the vertical air knife 43 is a component that is vertically installed in the cooling chamber 10a and is used to release airflow into the cooling chamber 10a.

[0086] It is understandable that the spacing between each vertical air knife 43 can be the same. Of course, it can also be different. It is set according to the actual situation.

[0087] The second air outlet 43a refers to the outlet of the vertical air knife 43 used to discharge airflow.

[0088] The shape of the second air outlet 43a is not limited.

[0089] For example, the second air outlet 43a is circular in shape.

[0090] For example, the second air outlet 43a is rectangular in shape.

[0091] The position of the second air outlet 43a is not limited to that of the vertical air knife 43.

[0092] For example, the second air outlet 43a can be arranged only on the side of the vertical air knife 43 away from the cavity wall of the cooling cavity 10a.

[0093] For example, the air outlet can be arranged only on one side of the cavity wall of the vertical air knife near the cooling cavity 10a.

[0094] For example, the second air outlet 43a can be arranged both on the side of the vertical air knife 43 away from the cavity wall of the cooling cavity 10a and on the side of the vertical air knife close to the cavity wall of the cooling cavity 10a. This can further improve the cooling efficiency of the cooling cavity 10a and more effectively reduce the temperature inside the cooling cavity 10a.

[0095] It is understandable that the spacing between each of the second air outlets 43a can be the same. Of course, it can also be different. It is set according to the actual situation.

[0096] In one specific embodiment, the air supply assembly 40 further includes a gas generating device 44, which is connected to the air intake pipe 41 to deliver gas into the cooling chamber 10a via the annular air knife 42 and the vertical air knife 43, respectively. Thus, by connecting the gas generating device 44 to the air intake pipe 41, which is connected to both the annular air knife 42 and the vertical air knife 43, the number of air intake pipes 41 can be reduced, thereby saving space occupied by the air supply assembly 40 and improving space utilization.

[0097] In one embodiment, a portion of each second air outlet 43a faces the side away from the cavity wall of the cooling chamber 10a, and another portion faces the side away from the electrolytic furnace cover 20. This further improves the cooling efficiency of the cooling chamber 10a and more effectively reduces the temperature inside the cooling chamber 10a.

[0098] It should be noted that the second air outlet 43a facing away from the cavity wall of the cooling cavity 10a means that the orientation of the second air outlet 43a can be perpendicular to the cavity wall of the cooling cavity 10a, or it can be at a certain angle to the cavity wall of the cooling cavity 10a.

[0099] In one specific embodiment, the electrolysis apparatus includes an annular air knife 42 and multiple vertical air knives 43. The central axis of the annular air knife 42 is aligned with the central axis of the electrolysis furnace 10, and the vertical air knives 43 are arranged at intervals along the circumference of the cooling chamber 10a. This makes the cold air layer more uniform, further enhances the integrity of the cold air layer, and improves the cooling effect of the cooling chamber 10a.

[0100] In one specific embodiment, the air supply assembly 40 further includes a flow meter and a pressure boosting valve, which are respectively connected to the air inlet pipe 41 and located on the side of the electrolytic furnace cover 20 away from the cooling chamber 10a. This allows for timely adjustment of the gas flow rate supplied by the air supply assembly 40 to the cooling chamber 10a, thereby enabling the cooling chamber 10a to achieve a better cooling effect.

[0101] In one specific embodiment, the air supply assembly 40 also includes a pressure gauge, which is connected to the air inlet pipe 41 and located on the side of the electrolysis furnace cover 20 away from the cooling chamber 10a. Thus, the gas flow rate of the air supply assembly 40 can be adjusted in a timely manner via the pressure gauge, thereby adjusting the pressure within the electrolysis unit and avoiding the risk of damage due to excessive pressure within the electrolysis unit.

[0102] In one embodiment, please refer to Figure 1The electrolysis device also includes a gas outlet assembly 50, which includes a gas outlet pipe 51. One end of the gas outlet pipe 51 is connected to the cooling chamber 10a, and the other end is connected to the outside. Thus, the gas in the cooling chamber 10a is discharged in a timely manner through the gas outlet assembly 50, maintaining a dynamic balance between the intake and exhaust volumes, stabilizing the gas pressure in the cooling chamber 10a, and enabling the air supply assembly 40 to continuously and efficiently deliver airflow, thereby improving the cooling efficiency in the cooling chamber 10a.

[0103] In one embodiment, please refer to Figure 1 The gas outlet assembly 50 also includes an observation chamber 52, which is connected to the gas outlet pipe 51 and is located on the side of the electrolytic furnace cover 20 away from the cooling chamber 10a. Therefore, the function of the electrolytic device can be indirectly determined based on the presence or absence of molten salt powder dispersion in the observation chamber 52, thereby adjusting the flow rate of the air supply assembly 40 to ensure that the flow rate of the air supply assembly 40 is within the optimal gas flow rate range.

[0104] It should be noted that during the molten salt heating and electrolysis process, if the volatilized molten salt enters the observation chamber 52 through the cooling chamber 10a via the air outlet assembly 50, the observation chamber 52 will become blurry. This indicates that the airflow of the air supply assembly 40 is too low, resulting in poor cooling performance within the cooling chamber 10a. Increasing the airflow of the air supply assembly 40 can improve the cooling effect within the cooling chamber 10a.

[0105] Specifically, the material type of observation room 52 is not limited.

[0106] For example, observation room 52 is made of quartz glass.

[0107] The structure of the observation chamber 52 is not limited. It is acceptable as long as the user can observe whether any blurring occurs within the observation chamber 52.

[0108] For example, observation chamber 52 is a closed, visual chamber made of quartz glass. This avoids the risk of volatile molten salt leaking into the environment and causing pollution.

[0109] In one embodiment, please refer to Figure 1 The annular air knife 42 is located on the side of the cooling chamber 10a near the heat insulation plate 30, and the air inlet of the air outlet pipe 51 is located on the side of the cooling chamber 10a near the electrolytic furnace cover 20. This allows the gas supplied by the air supply assembly 40 to the cooling chamber 10a to fully contact the hot air inside the cooling chamber 10a, promptly reducing the temperature inside the cooling chamber 10a and thus improving the cooling effect of the cooling chamber 10a.

[0110] In one specific embodiment, the air inlet of the exhaust pipe 51 is flush with the electrolytic furnace cover 20. This further enhances the cooling effect of the cooling chamber 10a.

[0111] It should be noted that the fact that the air inlet of the exhaust pipe 51 is flush with the electrolytic furnace cover 20 means that the air inlet does not extend into the cooling chamber 10a, and the air inlet is flush with the bottom of the electrolytic furnace cover 20 along the height direction.

[0112] In one specific embodiment, the electrolysis apparatus further includes a lifting structure connected to the heat insulation plate 30 to drive the heat insulation plate 30 to rise and fall. This allows for flexible adjustment of the relative position of the heat insulation plate 30 and the molten salt reaction chamber 10b, and adjustment of the volumes of the cooling chamber 10a and the molten salt reaction chamber 10b, thereby flexibly adapting to the process requirements of different molten salt amounts and different reaction stages.

[0113] It should be noted that after the electrolytic reaction of molten salt is completed, the lifting structure drives the heat insulation plate 30 to the lower limit position. By heating the heat insulation plate 30, the residual molten salt on the surface of the heat insulation plate 30 melts and flows back into the molten salt reaction chamber 10b, thereby achieving self-cleaning of the heat insulation plate 30 and avoiding the generation of radioactive waste.

[0114] Another embodiment of this application provides a control method for an electrolysis apparatus, applicable to any of the electrolysis apparatuses described above. Please refer to [link to relevant documentation]. Figure 5 The control method includes the following steps:

[0115] Step S1: Heat the molten salt in the molten salt reaction chamber 10b and supply gas to the cooling chamber 10a through the gas inlet pipe 41.

[0116] Step S2: Adjust the flow rate of the gas delivered by the air intake pipe 41 according to the blurry situation in the observation chamber 52 to obtain the optimal gas flow rate corresponding to the molten salt.

[0117] It should be noted that while the molten salt in the molten salt reaction chamber 10b is being heated, gas is being supplied to the cooling chamber 10a through the gas inlet pipe 41 to replace the air in the reaction chamber with an inert gas. This reduces the risk of damage to the electrolysis device caused by the molten salt reacting with certain substances in the air during the heating and electrolysis process.

[0118] Different types of molten salts have different optimal gas flow rates during the heating and electrolysis process, which are adjusted according to the fuzzy conditions in the observation chamber 52.

[0119] The method of adjusting the gas flow rate delivered by the intake pipe 41 according to the ambiguous situation in the observation chamber 52 to obtain the optimal gas flow rate corresponding to the molten salt is not limited.

[0120] For example, the molten salt in the molten salt reaction chamber 10b is heated until it melts, and the gas inlet pipe 41 is controlled to deliver gas into the cooling chamber 10a at a first flow rate.

[0121] Based on the blurry situation in the observation chamber 52, the first flow rate is adjusted to the second flow rate. The second flow rate is the flow rate corresponding to the air intake pipe 41 when the blurry situation occurs in the observation chamber 52. The first flow rate is greater than the second flow rate.

[0122] Adjust the second flow rate to the optimal gas flow rate, which is the flow rate corresponding to the air intake pipe 41 when the ambiguity in the observation chamber 52 does not worsen.

[0123] Specifically, the first flow rate refers to the flow rate at which the air supply assembly 40 delivers gas to the cooling chamber 10a after the molten salt reaction chamber 10b is heated to a preset temperature and the molten salt has fully melted.

[0124] In one specific embodiment, the control method further includes the following steps:

[0125] Step S1: After the molten salt is added to the molten salt reaction chamber 10b, the heating function of the electrolysis device is turned on, and at the same time, the air supply component 40 is turned on to deliver gas into the cooling chamber 10a at a minimum flow rate. This avoids the situation where there is too much gas in the cooling chamber 10a when the molten salt reaction chamber 10b is first heated, which would affect the temperature of the molten salt and thus increase the energy consumption of the electrolysis device.

[0126] Step S2: After the molten salt melts, the air supply assembly 40 delivers gas into the cooling chamber 10a at a first flow rate, thereby enabling the cooling chamber 10a to have a better cooling effect and preventing the molten salt from evaporating.

[0127] Step S3: Based on the blurry situation in the observation chamber 52, reduce the gas flow rate of the air supply assembly 40 until the observation chamber 52 shows a tendency to become blurry. At this time, the air supply assembly 40 delivers gas to the cooling chamber 10a at a second flow rate.

[0128] Step S4: Gradually increase the flow rate of the air supply component 40 until the blurring phenomenon in the observation chamber 52 no longer intensifies. At this time, the air supply component 40 delivers gas to the cooling chamber 10a at the optimal gas flow rate.

[0129] It should be noted that the optimal gas flow rate varies depending on the molten salt. The control method of this application can be adjusted according to different operating conditions, thereby adapting to different operating conditions and improving the ease of use of the electrolysis device.

[0130] In one embodiment, after adjusting the flow rate of the gas delivered by the inlet pipe 41 according to the ambiguous situation in the observation chamber 52 to obtain the optimal gas flow rate corresponding to the molten salt, the method for preventing the electrolytic molten salt from volatilizing further includes the following steps:

[0131] Stop heating the molten salt in the molten salt reaction chamber 10b and lower the temperature in the molten salt reaction chamber 10b to room temperature.

[0132] The heat insulation plate 30 is lowered and heated so that the molten salt on the heat insulation plate 30 melts and flows back into the molten salt reaction chamber 10b.

[0133] Therefore, by recycling the molten salt on the insulation board 30, the waste of raw materials can be avoided, thereby reducing production costs and preventing the generation of radioactive waste. In addition, it can also prevent the molten salt from adhering to the insulation board 30 for a long time and affecting the insulation performance of the insulation board 30.

[0134] It should be noted that during long-term use, molten salt residue may remain on the heat insulation panel 30. The heat insulation panel 30 performs self-cleaning to prevent the leakage of radioactive waste.

[0135] Specifically, after the molten salt electrolysis in the molten salt reaction chamber 10b is completed, the heating function of the electrolysis device is turned off to allow the molten salt reaction chamber 10b to cool down to room temperature, and then the air supply assembly 40 is turned off. The heat insulation plate 30 is lowered to its lower limit position via a lifting structure, and the heating function of the electrolysis device and the air supply assembly 40 are restarted. Heating causes the residual molten salt on the heat insulation plate 30 to remelt and flow back into the molten salt reaction chamber 10b. This enables the recycling of molten salt on the heat insulation plate 30, reducing production costs and preventing the generation and leakage of radioactive waste.

[0136] It should be noted that, in other embodiments, the lifting structure can simultaneously lower the heat insulation plate 30 to the lower limit, restart the heating function of the electrolysis device, and activate the air supply component 40.

[0137] For example, after the molten salt electrolysis in the molten salt reaction chamber 10b is completed, the heating function of the electrolysis device is turned off to allow the molten salt reaction chamber 10b to cool down to room temperature, and then the air supply assembly 40 is turned off. The heating function of the electrolysis device and the air supply assembly 40 are turned back on, and the heat insulation plate 30 is lowered to the lower limit position by the lifting structure. The residual molten salt on the heat insulation plate 30 is heated to remelt and flow back into the molten salt reaction chamber 10b.

[0138] In one specific embodiment, the electrolysis of LiCl molten salt by an electrolysis device specifically includes the following steps:

[0139] Step S1: Place 1000g of LiCl molten salt in the molten salt reaction chamber 10b, set the heating program of the electrolysis device to heat at a heating rate of 10℃ / min, and at the same time turn on the heating function of the electrolysis device, turn on the pressure boosting valve and flow meter, and the air supply component 40 delivers gas to the cooling chamber 10a at a rate of 0.1L / min.

[0140] Step S2: Heat the electrolysis device to 750°C, adjust the flow meter, and supply gas to the cooling chamber 10a at a rate of 0.5 L / min using the air supply assembly 40.

[0141] Step S3: Maintain the temperature of the electrolysis device at 750℃ until the LiCl molten salt is fully melted, then cool it down to 650℃ and keep it at that temperature for 10 consecutive days.

[0142] Step S4: Observe the blurring situation in observation chamber 52 after 3 days. If no blurring phenomenon occurs in observation chamber 52, adjust the flow meter and supply gas to cooling chamber 10a at 0.3L / min using air supply assembly 40.

[0143] Step S5: Observe the blurring situation in the observation chamber 52 after 3 days when the air supply assembly 40 delivers gas into the cooling chamber 10a at a rate of 0.3 L / min. If no blurring phenomenon occurs in the observation chamber 52, adjust the flow meter so that the air supply assembly 40 delivers gas into the cooling chamber 10a at a rate of 0.1 L / min.

[0144] Step S6: Observe the blurring situation in the observation chamber 52 after 1 day when the air supply assembly 40 supplies gas into the cooling chamber 10a at 0.1L / min. If some blurring occurs in the observation chamber 52, adjust the flow meter so that the air supply assembly 40 supplies gas into the cooling chamber 10a at 0.2L / min.

[0145] Step S7: Observe the blurring situation in the observation chamber 52 after 3 days when the air supply component 40 delivers gas into the cooling chamber 10a at a rate of 0.2 L / min. If the blurring phenomenon in the observation chamber 52 does not worsen, then 0.2 L / min is the optimal gas flow rate corresponding to LiCl molten salt.

[0146] Step S8: During the subsequent electrolysis of LiCl molten salt, the air supply assembly 40 delivers gas to the cooling chamber 10a at a gas flow rate of 0.2 L / min.

[0147] In one specific embodiment, the electrolysis of LiCl-KCl molten salt by an electrolysis device specifically includes the following steps:

[0148] Step S1: Place 1000g of LiCl-KCl molten salt (LiCl and KCl mass ratio of 1:1) in the molten salt reaction chamber 10b, set the heating program of the electrolysis device, and heat at a heating rate of 10℃ / min. At the same time as the electrolysis device starts heating, turn on the pressure boosting valve and flow meter, and the air supply component 40 delivers gas to the cooling chamber 10a at a rate of 0.1L / min.

[0149] Step S2: Heat the electrolysis device to 600°C, adjust the flow meter, and supply gas to the cooling chamber 10a at a rate of 0.5 L / min using the air supply assembly 40.

[0150] Step S3: Maintain the temperature of the electrolysis device at 750℃ until the LiCl-KCl molten salt is fully melted, then cool it down to 500℃ and keep it at that temperature for 10 consecutive days.

[0151] Step S4: Observe the blurring situation in observation chamber 52 after 3 days. If no blurring phenomenon occurs in observation chamber 52, adjust the flow meter and supply gas to cooling chamber 10a at 0.3L / min using air supply assembly 40.

[0152] Step S5: Observe the blurring situation in the observation chamber 52 after 3 days when the air supply assembly 40 delivers gas into the cooling chamber 10a at a rate of 0.3 L / min. If no blurring phenomenon occurs in the observation chamber 52, adjust the flow meter so that the air supply assembly 40 delivers gas into the cooling chamber 10a at a rate of 0.1 L / min.

[0153] Step S6: Observe the blurring situation in the observation chamber 52 after 4 days when the air supply component 40 delivers gas into the cooling chamber 10a at a rate of 0.1 L / min. If no blurring phenomenon occurs in the observation chamber 52, then 0.1 L / min is the optimal gas flow rate corresponding to LiCl-KCl molten salt.

[0154] Step S7: During the subsequent electrolysis of LiCl-KCl molten salt, the air supply assembly 40 delivers gas to the cooling chamber 10a at a gas flow rate of 0.1 L / min.

[0155] In one specific embodiment, the electrolysis of LiCl-KCl molten salt and Cd using an electrolysis device specifically includes the following steps:

[0156] Step S1: Place 1000g of LiCl-KCl molten salt (LiCl and KCl in a mass ratio of 1:1) and 200g of Cd in the molten salt reaction chamber 10b. Set the heating program of the electrolysis device to heat at a heating rate of 10℃ / min. At the same time as the electrolysis device starts heating, turn on the pressure boosting valve and flow meter, and the air supply assembly 40 delivers gas to the cooling chamber 10a at a rate of 0.1L / min.

[0157] Step S2: Heat the electrolysis device to 600°C, adjust the flow meter, and supply gas to the cooling chamber 10a at a rate of 0.3 L / min using the air supply assembly 40.

[0158] Step S3: Maintain the temperature of the electrolysis device at 600℃ until the LiCl-KCl molten salt and Cd are fully melted, then cool down to 500℃ and keep it at that temperature for 10 consecutive days.

[0159] Step S4: Observe the blurring situation in observation chamber 52 after 3 days. If no blurring phenomenon occurs in observation chamber 52, adjust the flow meter and supply gas to the cooling chamber 10a at a rate of 0.2L / min using the air supply assembly 40.

[0160] Step S5: Observe the blurring situation in the observation chamber 52 after 3 days when the air supply assembly 40 delivers gas into the cooling chamber 10a at a rate of 0.2 L / min. If no blurring phenomenon occurs in the observation chamber 52, adjust the flow meter so that the air supply assembly 40 delivers gas into the cooling chamber 10a at a rate of 0.1 L / min.

[0161] Step S6: Observe the blurring situation in the observation chamber 52 after 4 days when the air supply component 40 delivers gas into the cooling chamber 10a at a rate of 0.1 L / min. If no blurring phenomenon occurs in the observation chamber 52, then 0.1 L / min is the optimal gas flow rate corresponding to LiCl-KCl molten salt and Cd.

[0162] Step S7: During the subsequent electrolysis of LiCl-KCl molten salt and Cd, the air supply assembly 40 delivers gas to the cooling chamber 10a at a gas flow rate of 0.1 L / min.

[0163] In the description of this application, the references to terms such as "in one embodiment," "in some embodiments," "in a specific embodiment," or "exemplary," etc., refer to a specific feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment or example, which is included in at least one embodiment or example of the embodiments of this application. In this application, the illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Moreover, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples. Furthermore, without contradiction, those skilled in the art can combine the different embodiments or examples described in this application, as well as the features of the different embodiments or examples.

[0164] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of this application and is not intended to limit the application. Various modifications and variations can be made to this application by those skilled in the art. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of this application are included within the scope of protection of this application.

Claims

1. An electrolysis apparatus, characterized in that, include: An electrolytic furnace having a receiving cavity; An electrolytic furnace cover, wherein the electrolytic furnace cover is disposed on the electrolytic furnace; A heat insulation plate is disposed in the receiving cavity to divide the receiving cavity into a cooling cavity and a molten salt reaction cavity, wherein the cooling cavity is located on the side of the molten salt reaction cavity near the electrolytic furnace cover; An air supply assembly includes an air inlet pipe and an annular air knife. One end of the air inlet pipe is connected to the annular air knife, and the other end extends to the outside of the electrolysis furnace. The annular air knife is disposed in the cooling chamber and has a plurality of first air outlets, each of which is arranged at intervals along the circumference of the annular air knife.

2. The electrolysis apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The annular air knife includes a first sub-air knife and a second sub-air knife. The first sub-air knife is located on the side of the second sub-air knife close to the electrolytic furnace cover and is arranged at intervals along the height direction of the electrolytic device. The first air outlet of the first sub-air knife faces the second sub-air knife, and the first air outlet of the second sub-air knife faces the cavity wall of the cooling chamber.

3. The electrolysis apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The air supply assembly also includes a plurality of vertical air blades, which are disposed in the cooling cavity and located on one side of the cavity wall near the cooling cavity. Each vertical air blade is arranged at intervals along the circumference of the cooling cavity. Each vertical air blade has a plurality of second air outlets, which are arranged at intervals along the vertical direction of the vertical air blades.

4. The electrolysis apparatus according to claim 3, characterized in that, One portion of each of the second air outlets faces the side away from the cavity wall of the cooling chamber, and the other portion faces the side away from the electrolytic furnace cover.

5. The electrolysis apparatus according to any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that, The electrolysis device further includes a gas outlet assembly, which includes a gas outlet pipe. One end of the gas outlet pipe is connected to the cooling chamber, and the other end is connected to the outside.

6. The electrolysis apparatus according to claim 5, characterized in that, The gas outlet assembly also includes an observation chamber, which is connected to the gas outlet pipeline and is located on the side of the electrolytic furnace cover away from the cooling chamber.

7. The electrolysis apparatus according to any one of claims 5, characterized in that, The annular air knife is located on the side of the cooling chamber near the heat insulation plate, and the air inlet of the air outlet pipe is located on the side of the cooling chamber near the electrolytic furnace cover.

8. A control method for an electrolysis apparatus, used in the electrolysis apparatus according to any one of claims 1-7, characterized in that, The control method includes the following steps: The molten salt in the molten salt reaction chamber is heated, and gas is supplied to the cooling chamber through the gas inlet pipe; Adjust the gas flow rate delivered by the intake pipe according to the ambiguous situation in the observation room to obtain the optimal gas flow rate corresponding to the molten salt.

9. The control method according to claim 8, characterized in that, The step of adjusting the gas flow rate delivered by the intake pipe according to the ambiguous situation in the observation room to obtain the optimal gas flow rate corresponding to the molten salt specifically includes the following steps: The molten salt in the molten salt reaction chamber is heated until it melts, and the gas inlet pipe is controlled to deliver gas into the cooling chamber at a first flow rate; Based on the blurry situation in the observation room, the first flow rate is adjusted to the second flow rate, where the second flow rate is the flow rate of the air intake pipe when the observation room is blurry, and the first flow rate is greater than the second flow rate. Adjust the second flow rate to the optimal gas flow rate, which is the flow rate of the air intake pipe when the blurring in the observation room does not worsen.

10. The control method according to claim 8, characterized in that, After adjusting the flow rate of the gas delivered through the intake pipe according to the ambiguous situation in the observation room to obtain the optimal gas flow rate corresponding to the molten salt, the method for preventing the electrolytic molten salt from volatilizing further includes the following steps: Stop heating the molten salt in the molten salt reaction chamber and lower the temperature in the molten salt reaction chamber to room temperature; The heat insulation plate is lowered and heated so that the molten salt on the heat insulation plate melts and flows back into the molten salt reaction chamber.

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