Electrolysis device with horizontal cathode

Abstract

Disclosed herein is an electrolysis device comprising a horizontal cathode disposed beneath a suspended anode for carrying out electrolysis of a metal-containing mixture or solution. The horizontal cathode can constitute the bottom surface of a compartment for containing the mixture or solution of metal components, electrolyte, and / or auxiliary chemicals. The horizontal anode can engage the top surface of the mixture or solution within the compartment. A removal mechanism can also be used to easily remove the end product of the mixture or solution from the compartment (and the surface of the horizontal cathode) through a gate. These implementations can be used for recycling lead acid batteries (LAB) without the need for smelting, and can also be applied to a variety of different electrolysis operations.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims priority to U.S. Utility Patent Application No. 17 / 567,046, filed December 31, 2021, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. [Background technology]

[0002] Lead-acid batteries (LAB) are now widely used and, unlike other types of batteries, are almost completely recyclable, making them the most recycled commodity today. Lead recycling is economically important because LAB production continues to increase year by year worldwide, but the production of new lead is becoming increasingly difficult due to the depletion of lead-rich deposits. However, currently, almost all recycling of lead from LAB on an industrial scale is based on smelting, a pyrometallurgical process in which lead, lead oxides, and other lead compounds are heated to approximately 1600 °F to 2200 °F (900 °C to 1200 °C) and then mixed with various reducing agents to remove oxygen, sulfates, and other non-lead materials.

[0003] Unfortunately, lead smelting is highly polluting because it generates large amounts of airborne waste (e.g., lead dust, arsenic, carbon dioxide, and sulfur dioxide), solid waste (e.g., slag containing toxic compounds of lead and other heavy metals), and liquid waste (e.g., sulfuric acid, arsenic, and other heavy metals and their oxides). In fact, the pollution generated from smelting is so high that many smelters in the United States and other Western countries have been forced to close to protect the environment. The relocation or expansion of smelting to less regulated countries has resulted in large-scale pollution and high levels of human lead exposure in those countries, but it is expected that similar reduction measures will be taken in those countries as time goes on and new technologies become available. Summary of the Invention [Means for solving the problem]

[0004] Various implementations disclosed herein relate to electrolysis devices that include a horizontal cathode disposed below a suspended anode to perform electrolysis of a metal-containing mixture or solution. In some such implementations, the horizontal cathode can include a bottom surface of a compartment that contains a mixture or solution of metal components, electrolyte, and / or auxiliary chemicals, a horizontal anode for engaging a top surface of the mixture or solution in the compartment, a gate corresponding to one side wall of the compartment to facilitate removal of the end product from the mixture or solution, and / or a removal mechanism to facilitate removal of the end product of the mixture or solution from the compartment (and the surface of the horizontal cathode) through the gate. Although certain implementations disclosed herein are specialized for use in recycling lead-acid batteries (LAB) without smelting, this specification is not intended to limit the various implementations to only LAB recycling or lead recovery, but rather, the various implementations disclosed herein can be applied to a variety of different electrolysis operations.

[0005] More specifically, various implementations are disclosed herein that relate to systems, processes, equipment, methods, computer readable instructions, and other implementations for an electrolytic apparatus that includes a horizontal cathode having a surface on which electrolytic slurry can be placed for electrolysis, and an anode suspended above the horizontal cathode for physically engaging the electrolytic slurry for electrolysis. Some of these implementations may further include a vertical containment surface for containing the electrolytic slurry on the horizontal cathode, a gate in the vertical containment surface that can remove the end product resulting from the electrolysis from the cathode, a removal mechanism for removing the end product resulting from the electrolysis from the horizontal cathode, a DC power supply and power controller for controlling the current during electrolysis at one or more levels and at one or more time periods during the electrolysis, and / or a slurry line for placing the electrolytic slurry on the horizontal cathode. In certain such implementations, the suspended anode may include a horizontal anode surface for physically engaging the top surface of the electrolytic slurry for electrolysis. The horizontal anode surface may be provided with a plurality of vents, grooves or holes through which gaseous compounds ("gases") produced by electrolysis can pass, and / or the horizontal anode surface may be substantially parallel to the horizontal cathode and positioned between 40 mm and 140 mm above the horizontal cathode during electrolysis.

[0006] Some alternative implementations disclosed herein relate to an apparatus for performing electrolysis, comprising a horizontal cathode having a surface on which electrolytic slurry can be placed for electrolysis, and an anode suspended above the horizontal cathode, the anode including a horizontal surface for physically engaging an upper surface of the electrolytic slurry for electrolysis. Some such implementations may further include a vertical containment surface for containing the electrolytic slurry on the horizontal cathode, a gate in the vertical containment surface for removing the end product resulting from the electrolysis from the cathode, a removal mechanism for removing the end product resulting from the electrolysis from the horizontal cathode, a DC power source and power controller for controlling the current during the electrolysis at one or more levels and at one or more time periods during the electrolysis, and / or a slurry line for placing the electrolytic slurry on the horizontal cathode. In certain such implementations, the horizontal anode surface includes a plurality of vents, grooves, or holes through which gaseous compounds resulting from the electrolysis can pass, and / or the horizontal anode surface is substantially parallel to the horizontal cathode during electrolysis and is positioned between 40 mm and 140 mm above the horizontal cathode.

[0007] Other alternative implementations disclosed herein are directed to a system for performing electrolysis on an electrolytic slurry, comprising a horizontal cathode having a surface on which the electrolytic slurry can be placed for electrolysis, an anode suspended above the horizontal cathode for physically engaging the electrolytic slurry for electrolysis, and a removal mechanism for removing end products resulting from the electrolysis from the horizontal cathode. In certain such implementations, the suspended anode comprises a horizontal anode surface for physically engaging an upper surface of the electrolytic slurry for electrolysis, and / or the horizontal anode surface comprises a plurality of vents, grooves, or holes through which gaseous compounds resulting from the electrolysis can pass.

[0008] This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This Summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter, nor is it an admission that any of the information provided herein is prior art to the implementations described herein.

[0009] The foregoing summary and the following detailed description of exemplary implementations will be better understood when read in conjunction with the appended drawings, in which: For the purpose of illustrating the implementations, there are shown in the drawings exemplary configurations of the implementations; [Brief description of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1A] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a representative electrolysis cell 100 of various implementations disclosed herein. [Figure 1B] 1B is a blown-out perspective view and an internal view of the anode of the electrolysis cell of FIG. 1A representative of various implementations disclosed herein. [Figure 2A] FIG. 1C is a cutaway side view of the electrolysis cell of FIGS. 1A and 1B, representative of various implementations disclosed herein, in an initial ready-to-use configuration for performing electrolysis. [Figure 2B] FIG. 1C is a cutaway side view of the electrolysis cell of FIGS. 1A and 1B, representative of various implementations disclosed herein, after it has been filled with electrolyte for electrolysis. [Figure 2C] FIG. 1C is a cutaway side view of the electrolysis cell of FIGS. 1A and 1B, representative of various implementations disclosed herein, after electrolysis has occurred and liquid components have been expelled from the electrolysis compartment. [Figure 2D] FIG. 1C is a cutaway side view of the electrolysis cell of FIGS. 1A and 1B, representative of various implementations disclosed herein, after the end product of electrolysis has been scraped off the horizontal cathode surface and removed from the electrolysis compartment. [Figure 3A]FIG. 1B is a cutaway side view of an alternative electrolysis cell, similar to that shown in FIG. 1A and representative of various alternative implementations disclosed herein, in an initial ready-to-use configuration for performing electrolysis. [Figure 3B] FIG. 1B is a cutaway side view of an alternative electrolysis cell similar to that shown in FIG. 1A and representative of various alternative implementations disclosed herein, after being filled with electrolyte for electrolysis. [Figure 3C] FIG. 1B is a cutaway side view of an alternative electrolysis cell, similar to that shown in FIG. 1A, representative of various alternative implementations disclosed herein, after electrolysis has occurred and liquid components have been expelled from the electrolysis compartment. [Figure 3D] FIG. 1B is a cutaway side view of an alternative electrolysis cell similar to that shown in FIG. 1A , representative of various alternative implementations disclosed herein, after the end product of electrolysis has been scraped off the horizontal cathode surface and removed from the electrolysis compartment. [Figure 4A] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a vertical stack of representative electrolysis cells of various implementations disclosed herein. [Figure 4B] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a horizontal line including multiple stacks of representative electrolysis cells of various implementations disclosed herein. [Figure 4C] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a parallel array of multiple horizontal lines, each including multiple stacks of electrolysis cells representative of various implementations disclosed herein. [Diagram 5] FIG. 1 is a process flow diagram illustrating how various implementations disclosed herein may be utilized to recycle lead acid batteries (LABs). [Figure 6] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an exemplary computing environment that can be used in conjunction with any of the various implementations and aspects disclosed herein. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0011] Disclosed herein are various implementations of electrolysis devices that include a horizontal cathode disposed below a suspended anode for the purpose of performing electrolysis on a metal-containing mixture or solution. In some such implementations, the horizontal cathode can include a bottom surface of a compartment for containing a mixture or solution of metal components, electrolyte, and / or auxiliary chemicals, a horizontal anode for engaging a top surface of the mixture or solution in the compartment, a gate corresponding to one sidewall of the compartment for facilitating removal of the end product from the mixture or solution, and / or a removal mechanism for facilitating removal of the end product of the mixture or solution from the compartment (and the surface of the horizontal cathode) through the gate. Although certain implementations disclosed herein are specific to use for recycling lead-acid batteries (LAB) without smelting, this disclosure is not intended to limit the various implementations to only LAB recycling or lead recovery, and instead, the various implementations disclosed herein can be applied to a variety of different electrolysis operations.

[0012] Understanding the various concepts helps to understand the various implementations disclosed herein more broadly and more completely, and those skilled in the art will readily appreciate the impact of these various concepts on the breadth and depth of the various implementations disclosed herein. Certain terms used herein may be used interchangeably with other terms used herein, and such terms should be interpreted as broadly as possible unless expressly stated otherwise. For example, the terms electrolysis, electrowinning, and electrorefining used herein should be treated as interchangeable terms, and where one term is used, the other term is implied, so that the use of the term electrolysis should be understood to include electrowinning and electrorefining, unless expressly distinguished. On the other hand, the term "electrolysis process" is expressly intended to include and encompass electrolysis, electrowinning, and electrorefining. Furthermore, as is readily understood and well understood by those skilled in the art, substances that can normally be represented by chemical compositions using subscripts, such as gaseous oxygen (O2), water (H2O), etc., may be represented herein instead without subscripts, i.e., gaseous oxygen as O2, water as H2O, etc.

[0013] <Electrolytic process>

[0014] As is well known and readily understood by those skilled in the art, electrolysis is a technique that uses direct current (DC) to drive non-spontaneous chemical reactions. By using an electrolytic cell, electrolysis can be used to separate elements from one another. More specifically, in the electrolysis process, an electric current, specifically a direct current (DC), is passed through an electrolyte, causing a chemical reaction at the electrodes and decomposing materials within the electrolyte.

[0015] The main components required to achieve electrolysis are an electrolyte, electrodes, and an external power source. An electrolyte is a chemical that contains free and mobile ions and can conduct electric current. An electrolyte can be an ion-conducting polymer, a solution, or an ionic liquid compound. For example, liquid electrolytes are created by "solvation," i.e., the attraction or association of the ions of the solute with the solvent (such as water), creating mobile clusters of ions and solvent molecules.

[0016] To achieve electrolysis, electrodes (suitably connected to a power source) are immersed in an electrolyte, but separated from one another by a sufficient distance so that current flows between the electrodes through the electrolyte, completing an electrical circuit. In this configuration, a direct current provided by the power source attracts ions toward each oppositely charged electrode, driving a non-spontaneous reaction.

[0017] Each electrode attracts ions of the opposite charge. Positively charged ions ("cations") migrate toward the negatively charged cathode where they supply electrons, and negatively charged ions ("anions") migrate toward the positively charged anode where they extract electrons. In effect, electrons are introduced at the cathode (as reactants) and removed at the anode (as the desired end product). The loss of electrons is called oxidation, and the gain of electrons is called reduction.

[0018] The cathode may be made of the same material as the anode, but is usually made of a more reactive material since wear at the anode is higher due to oxidation at the anode. The anode may be made of the same material as the cathode, but is often made of a less reactive material than the cathode, since wear at the anode is typically higher than wear at the cathode due to oxidation that occurs at the anode during electrolysis.

[0019] When neutral atoms or molecules gain or lose electrons (such as those at the surface of an electrode), they become ions, which dissolve in the electrolyte and react with other ions. Conversely, when ions gain or lose electrons to become neutral, they form compounds that separate from the electrolyte; for example, positive metal ions deposit on the cathode in layers. Furthermore, if ions gain or lose electrons without becoming neutral, they still change electronic charge in the process.

[0020] The key process of electrolysis is the exchange of atoms and ions through the addition or removal of electrons resulting from an applied direct current to produce a desired end product (or, in some cases, multiple end products). The desired end products of electrolysis are often in a different physical state than the electrolyte and can be removed by any of several different physical processes, for example, by collecting the gaseous end products from above the electrodes, by electrodepositing dissolved end products from the electrolyte, or by removing (e.g., scraping) solid end products that have accumulated at one of the electrodes.

[0021] While the decomposition potential of an electrolyte is the voltage required for electrolysis to occur, the amount of end product obtained from electrolysis is proportional to the current applied, and Faraday's law of electrolysis states that when two or more electrolytic cells are connected in series to the same power source, the end products produced in the cells are proportional to their equivalent weights.

[0022] <Solid electrolysis>

[0023] In "solid-state electrolysis," a solid metal compound or mixture of metal compounds ("active materials") can be reduced via electrolysis to a pure metal end product by directly contacting the active materials with the cathode of an electrolytic cell. However, placing (e.g., "pasting") the active materials onto the cathode surface can be difficult because the various active materials do not naturally adhere to each other.

[0024] Typically, the active material is pasted directly onto the cathode by removing the cathode from the electrolyte in the electrolytic cell and applying a mixture of the active material and electrolyte onto the cathode surface. After the mixture is dried on the cathode, the cathode is then suspended again in the electrolyte of the electrolytic cell. However, in industrial-scale operations, pasting the active material onto the cathode surface is time-consuming and expensive, due in part to the size of the electrodes required for such pasting. Furthermore, during electrolysis, the dry-pasted active material on the cathode may absorb moisture from the electrolyte in the electrolytic cell, causing the pasted material to peel off or slide off the cathode, resulting in water-type electrolysis of this absorbed moisture, which together may effectively replace and / or hinder the desired electrolysis reaction of the active material. Furthermore, it is natural for a small amount of the resulting end product to accumulate and adhere to the cathode itself, and removing this end product from the cathode may be time-consuming, inefficient, and expensive.

[0025] Due to these inherent drawbacks, solid state electrolysis has not been utilized to commercially process active materials on an industrial scale, with such industries instead choosing more traditional approaches to purify active materials into desired end products, such as smelting, etc. However, as is well known and widely understood by those skilled in the art, smelting has its own drawbacks, and therefore there remains a need for alternative refining processes and machinery to perform the same on an industrial scale.

[0026] <Recycling lead-acid batteries>

[0027] As briefly discussed earlier in this specification, lead-acid batteries (LAB) are now widely used and, unlike other types of batteries, are almost completely recyclable, making them the single most recycled item today. Lead recycling is economically important because, while LAB production continues to increase year by year worldwide, the production of new lead is becoming increasingly difficult due to the depletion of lead-rich deposits. However, currently, almost all recycling of lead from LAB on an industrial scale is based on smelting, a pyrometallurgical process in which lead, lead oxides, and other lead compounds are heated to approximately 1600°F to 2200°F (900°C to 1200°C) and then mixed with various reducing agents to remove oxygen, sulfates, and other non-lead materials.

[0028] Unfortunately, lead smelting is highly polluting because it generates large amounts of airborne waste (e.g., lead dust, arsenic, carbon dioxide, and sulfur dioxide), solid waste (e.g., slag containing toxic compounds of lead and other heavy metals), and liquid waste (e.g., sulfuric acid, arsenic, and other heavy metals and their oxides). In fact, the pollution generated from smelting is so high that many smelters in the United States and other Western countries have been forced to close to protect the environment. The relocation or expansion of smelting to less regulated countries has resulted in large-scale pollution and high levels of human lead exposure in those countries, but it is expected that similar reduction measures will be taken in those countries as time goes on and new technologies become available.

[0029] There are many approaches known in the art for recycling lead from LAB, but they all suffer from one or more drawbacks that make them impractical. Therefore, there remains a need for improved equipment and methods for scalable, smelter-free LAB recycling that can maximize lead recovery while minimizing environmental impact and excessive costs. Also, several efforts have been made to move away from smelting operations and use more environmentally friendly solutions, but so far they have all been unsatisfactory for a variety of reasons, ranging from various pollution issues, to low yields and profitability, to lab-type solutions that cannot be scaled up effectively or efficiently.

[0030] <Electrolytic process>

[0031] Like copper, gold, silver, zinc, and many other metals, lead (Pb) can be recovered by electrolytic processes (e.g., electrolysis) from a variety of lead-containing materials, particularly lead paste recovered from lead-acid batteries (LAB). Typically, the lead paste is dissolved in an electrolyte and the resulting solution is subjected to electrolytic recovery of elemental lead at the cathode.

[0032] However, while conceptually simple and easy to implement on a small scale, in practice, economically recovering lead from battery pastes in an environmentally friendly manner by electrolysis remains challenging when it comes to recovering it in sufficient yield and purity. Furthermore, electrode materials for lead recovery are often expensive, and the operating conditions at the electrodes tend to promote the formation of undesirable by-products. For example, in existing electrolytic approaches, lead dioxide is frequently produced at the anode due to its increased oxidation capacity, but such oxidation can be problematic because large amounts of insoluble lead dioxide limit the current and reduce operating efficiency. Similarly, lead produced at the cathode from acidic electrolytes can deposit as a film on the cathode, making it difficult to remove from the cathode, or re-dissolve in the electrolyte when the current (i.e., the power supply to perform the electrolysis) is stopped.

[0033] <Electrolytic cell with horizontal cathode>

[0034] Various implementations disclosed herein relate to an electrolysis cell that includes a horizontal cathode and a horizontal anode suspended thereover. In some such implementations, the horizontal cathode may form the base of an electrolysis compartment in which an active material and electrolyte mixture, for example in the form of a slurry, is introduced, held, and processed. In such implementations, the horizontal anode is suspended above the cathode at the top of the electrolysis compartment such that the anode physically engages the top surface of the active material and electrolyte mixture held in the electrolysis compartment, while the cathode naturally engages the bottom surface of the active material mixture held in the electrolysis compartment. The anode may also be provided with small openings (sometimes simply referred to herein as "breathing holes") in the form of vents, grooves, holes, and the like across its surface to allow gaseous oxygen (O2) and / or other gaseous substances produced by electrolysis to harmlessly escape (instead of being trapped under the anode and creating a current resistance).

[0035] In various of these implementations, in combination with the use of additional auxiliary chemicals (described further below) added to the active material / electrolyte slurry mixture, a direct current can be passed from the cathode to the anode through the active material / electrolyte mixture to produce a desired end product that can be precipitated on the surface of the cathode. (In certain such implementations, the end product can be pure lead in a sponge form that retains some of the electrolyte and / or auxiliary chemicals.) More specifically, the direct current effectively reduces the metal ions in the active material and separates them from their counterions (such as oxide ions and hydrogen ions that can form water (H2O) and gaseous oxygen (O2)), and the metals in pure form are attracted and precipitated onto the horizontal cathode surface, facilitated in part by gravity (metals are heavier than other components in the slurry) and the natural ionic convection that occurs within the mixture during electrolysis.

[0036] Once electrolysis is complete, in some implementations disclosed herein, the electrolysis compartment may further comprise an openable side for removing electrolyte (including auxiliary chemicals and additional HO produced during electrolysis) and metals of the final product. Initially, this openable side is only partially open, allowing most of the pure liquid components, i.e., remaining electrolyte, auxiliary chemicals, and additional water (HO) produced during electrolysis, to initially drain from the electrolysis compartment, and in certain implementations, via a small flow channel at the bottom of the openable side. In some implementations, after the liquid components have drained from the openable side of the electrolysis compartment, this flow channel may be moved to a storage position (e.g., below the electrolysis compartment) away from the openable side.

[0037] After the liquid components are drained, or in an alternative implementation, without first draining the liquid components separately, the openable side can be fully opened to physically remove the more solid components from the electrolysis compartment, i.e. the residual liquid components adhering to the metal of the final product. In selected implementations, the removal is performed by a vertical scraping mechanism that extends across the width of the electrolysis compartment and starts from the opposite side of the openable side, said scraping part physically contacting and gently scraping the entire cathodic face and adjacent sides of the electrolysis compartment, but operating just below (without physically contacting) the anodic face. In this way, the scraping mechanism can push the more solid components out of the electrolysis compartment and into a collection container or a transport mechanism (e.g., a conveyor belt) for further processing.

[0038] In this manner, various implementations disclosed herein can overcome the shortcomings of existing approaches to solid-state electrolysis listed above by: (1) eliminating the need to dry-paste active material onto the cathode, thereby saving time and labor; (2) completely avoiding the accumulation of water absorbed by the dry-pasted active material during electrolysis and the resulting disruption of the production of the desired end product; and / or (3) making the removal of end product buildup at the cathode easier, since the flat surface of the cathode (as discussed above) facilitates the scraping action and auxiliary chemicals help prevent the end product from solidifying or sticking to the cathode.

[0039] Furthermore, in various implementations disclosed herein, multiple electrolytic cells of the type described herein can be stacked vertically with appropriate spacing between each electrolytic cell and can share a single vertical drop space for final products extruded from the multiple electrolytic cells into a single collection vessel or a single transport mechanism. Additionally, several vertical stacks containing multiple electrolytic cells can be arranged in a row and can share a single elongated collection vessel or a single elongated transport mechanism. Additionally, multiple rows of vertical stacks can be arranged to consolidate the generated final products for continued processing.

[0040] Notably, apart from those disclosed herein, applicants have discovered that achieving the electrolytic effect described herein depends on the utilization of certain chemicals that are mixed into the slurry along with the electrolyte and active material. This application is not directed to the composition of any of these discovered chemicals, but the various implementations disclosed herein are in no way limited to the use of any particular chemical additives, whether secret or proprietary (or, for that matter, widely used and well known).

[0041] Figure 1A is a perspective view of an electrolysis cell 100 representative of various implementations disclosed herein. Figure 1B is a blown-out perspective view and an internal view of an anode 110 of the electrolysis cell 100 of Figure 1A, representative of various implementations disclosed herein. For convenience, Figures 1A and 1B may be collectively referred to herein as Figure 1.

[0042] 1, the electrolysis cell 100 can include an anode 110 suspended above a horizontal cathode 120 at a distance suitable for conducting electrolysis. The electrolysis cell 100 can also include a vertical containment surface 122 and at least one gate 124, which together with the horizontal cathode 120 form and provide an electrolysis compartment 126 that can introduce, hold, and process a mixture of active material and electrolyte, for example in the form of a slurry. The vertical containment surface 122 and the gate 124, or at least their internal surfaces relative to the contents of the electrolysis compartment 126, can be non-conductive.

[0043] As shown, the anode 110 may be configured as a horizontal anode, although other forms of anodes may be utilized, such as, for example, a series of anode rods, strips, grids, or other structures that may physically engage the top surface of the electrolytic slurry placed on the cathode. In any event, the anode 110 may be suspended above the cathode 120 at the top of the electrolysis compartment 126 such that the anode physically engages the top surface of the active material and electrolyte mixture held in the electrolysis compartment, while the cathode naturally engages the bottom surface of the active material mixture held in the electrolysis compartment. In implementations featuring a horizontal anode, the anode 110 may include small openings or vents 114 (i.e., "breathing holes") across its surface to allow gaseous oxygen (O2) produced by electrolysis to harmlessly escape (instead of accumulating under the anode). The anode 110 may also include an opening 112 through which an electrolytic slurry may be disposed within the electrolysis compartment and onto the horizontal cathode 120 in a quantity sufficient for the upper surface of said electrolytic slurry to simultaneously physically engage the suspended anode 110, thereby completing a circuit for electrical current to flow between the cathode 120 and the anode 110 for purposes of electrolysis.

[0044] The electrolyzer cell 100 can further include a removal mechanism 160. In various implementations, the removal mechanism 160 can include a vertical surface that extends across the width of the electrolysis compartment 126, beginning opposite the gate 124, that can physically contact and gently scrape the entire surface of the cathode 120 and the adjacent sides of the electrolysis compartment 126, and can operate below the surface of the anode 110. The removal mechanism, or at least the portion thereof that is exposed to the contents of the electrolysis compartment 126, can be non-conductive.

[0045] FIG 2A is a cutaway side view of the electrolysis cell 100 of FIGS. 1A and 1B in an initial ready-to-use configuration for performing electrolysis, representative of various implementations disclosed herein. As shown in FIG 2A, the electrolysis compartment 126 is empty but ready to be filled, the removal mechanism 160 is in a set position, and the gate 124 is closed. In this configuration, electrolysis slurry can then be deposited into the electrolysis compartment 126 and onto the horizontal cathode 120 via the slurry line 144 that passes through the opening 112 in the anode 110. FIG 2A also shows a conveyor belt 170 with a receiving side 172 and disposed below the gate 124 as a transport mechanism for use in removing the contents of the electrolysis compartment 126 after electrolysis is completed.

[0046] 2B is a cutaway side view of the electrolysis cell 100 of FIGS. 1A and 1B (as well as FIG. 2A), representative of various implementations disclosed herein, after being filled with electrolyte 150 for electrolysis. As shown in FIG. 2B, the electrolyte 150 includes a mixture of active material 130 and electrolyte 140 and auxiliary chemicals interspersed therein. The bottom surface of the electrolyte 150 physically engages (i.e., is in physical contact with) the horizontal cathode 120, while the top surface of the electrolyte (specifically, its electrolytic components) physically engages the anode 110. (In various implementations, the electrolyte contains enough electrolyte to form a top surface of the electrolyte to prevent solid material contact between the cathode and anode, which would create an electrical short and prevent the cathode plate from reducing lead ions from the compound.) Electric current can then be passed through the electrolyte 150 via the anode 110 and cathode 120, and the mobile ions in the electrolyte 140 complete an electrical circuit, causing electrolysis in said electrolyte 150 in response.

[0047] 2C is a cutaway side view of the electrolysis cell 100 of FIGS. 1A and 2B (and 2A and 2B), representative of various implementations disclosed herein, after electrolysis has taken place and the liquid component 142 has been discharged from the electrolysis compartment 126 by opening the gate 124 to a first position to provide sufficient space for the liquid component to pass from the electrolysis compartment 126 to the conveyor belt 170 for collection. Meanwhile, the desired end product 132 of the electrolysis remains on the horizontal cathode 120, waiting to be removed from the electrolysis compartment 126.

[0048] FIG. 2D is a cutaway side view of the electrolysis cell 100 of FIGS. 1A and 1B (as well as FIGS. 2A, 2B, and 2C), representative of various implementations disclosed herein, after the electrolysis-produced final product 132 has been removed from the horizontal cathode 120 surface and the electrolysis compartment. As shown in FIG. 2D, the gate 124 has been moved to a second fully open position, the removal mechanism 160 has traversed the interior of the electrolysis cell 100, and the final product 132 has been removed from the electrolysis cell 100 onto the conveyor belt 170. As shown, with the removal mechanism 160 in this deployed position and the gate 124 fully open, the empty interior of the electrolysis cell 128 is no longer the electrolysis compartment 126, but becomes the electrolysis compartment 126 again after the removal mechanism 160 returns to its original position (e.g., as shown in FIG. 2A) and the gate 124 is closed. For convenience, FIGS. 2A, 2B, 2C, and 2D may be collectively referred to herein as FIG. 2.

[0049] FIG. 3A is a cutaway side view of an alternative electrolysis cell 100′ similar to that shown in FIG. 1A (and substantially corresponding to FIG. 1B and FIG. 2A ) representative of various alternative implementations disclosed herein, shown in an initial ready-to-use configuration for performing electrolysis. FIG. 3B is a cutaway side view of an alternative electrolysis cell 100′ similar to that shown in FIG. 1A (and substantially corresponding to FIG. 1B and FIG. 2B ) representative of various alternative implementations disclosed herein, after it has been filled with electrolyte 150 for electrolysis. FIG. 3C is a cutaway side view of an alternative electrolysis cell 100′ similar to that shown in FIG. 1A (and substantially corresponding to FIG. 1B and FIG. 2C ) representative of various alternative implementations disclosed herein, after electrolysis has been performed and liquid component 142 has been drained from the electrolysis compartment. FIG. 3D is a cutaway side view of an alternative electrolysis cell 100′ similar to that shown in FIG. 1A (and substantially corresponding to FIGS. 1B and 2D ), representative of various alternative implementations disclosed herein, after the final product 132 of electrolysis has been removed from the horizontal cathode 120 surface and the electrolysis compartment.

[0050] Figures 3A, 3B, 3C, and 3D (collectively referred to herein as Figure 3 for convenience) include a hinged, swing-out-of-the-way gate 124' and a movable channel 162 that facilitates removal of liquid components 142 from the electrolysis compartment 126 without deposition on a conveyor belt 170 (which may have a reduced containment side 174 as shown), which can be moved to a stowed position (as shown in Figure 3D) out of the way for subsequent removal of the final product 132. The alternative electrolysis cell 100' of Figure 3 otherwise operates similarly to that shown in Figure 2 and is representative of many different configurations and alternatives of the various electrolysis cells disclosed herein.

[0051] 4A is a perspective view of a vertical stack 102 of electrolysis cells 100 representative of various implementations disclosed herein. As shown in FIG. 4A, multiple electrolysis cells 100 can be arranged vertically on a single conveyor belt 170 (further distinguished in the drawing by block movement arrows) to increase overall capacity, minimize floor space (or footprint), and increase utilization of the conveyor belt 170 (and minimize expansion of the conveyor belt 170).

[0052] 4B is a perspective view of a horizontal line 104 including multiple vertical stacks 102 of electrolysis cells 100 representative of various implementations disclosed herein. As shown in FIG. 4B, multiple stacks can be arranged linearly on a single conveyor belt 170 to further increase overall capacity while further increasing utilization of the conveyor belt 170 (and minimizing expansion of the conveyor belt 170) versus requiring a separate conveyor belt for each stack 102. Additionally, in certain implementations, multiple stacks 102 can be arranged on either side of the conveyor belt 170 to form a double line (not shown).

[0053] 4C is a perspective view of a parallel array 106 of multiple lateral lines 104, each including multiple stacks 102 of electrolysis cells 100 representative of various implementations disclosed herein. As shown in FIG. 4C, the multiple lateral lines 104 and their corresponding conveyor belts can be arranged to form a three-dimensional array 106 of electrolysis cells that feed into a unified cross-conveyor belt 176. Furthermore, in certain implementations, the conveyor belts 170 from the multiple lines 104 can be directed on either side of the cross-conveyor belt 176 to form a double array (not shown). Furthermore, the particular height, length, and width of such parallel arrays 106 can be configured to optimally fit into nearly any three-dimensional space, although alternative or additional conveyor belt configurations may be required.

[0054] FIG. 5 is a process flow diagram 500 illustrating how various implementations disclosed herein may be utilized to recycle lead acid batteries (LABs). In FIG. 5, at 502, lead paste is first desulfurized by treatment with, for example, sodium hydroxide (NaOH) or potassium hydroxide (KOH) or ammonium hydroxide (NH4OH) or aqueous ammonia, resulting in a desulfurized lead paste that contains substantially lead components (e.g., Pb, PbO, PbO2, and Pb(OH)2). At 504, the desulfurized lead paste is then mixed with electrolyte and auxiliary chemicals to form a slurry mixture (or, in an alternative implementation, a slurry solution). At 506, the slurry is then introduced into the electrolytic cell 100 where electrolysis occurs at 508. At 510, the liquid components (which may include residual auxiliary chemicals) are first drained, and at 512, the solid components resulting from the electrolysis are also removed, although in alternative implementations, the liquid and solid components may be simultaneously removed from the electrolysis device. In any case, at 514, the solid component final product (now containing substantially pure lead (Pb)) is compressed to remove the residual liquid components and form a substantially pure lead block, which is then further refined by melting it to remove residual sodium hydroxide and other trace impurities (such as barium sulfate) (the melting is performed at a temperature much lower than that required for smelting) to form a pure lead ingot.

[0055] In particular, elements 506-512 of FIG. 5 are performed using various implementations of the electrolytic cell 100 disclosed herein, however, this specification does not limit the use of such implementations to only lead recycling or this portion of lead recycling, and other uses of such implementations are contemplated by such implementations. For example, various implementations disclosed herein can be used to further process dross removed during melting 516. Similarly, for all of the various implementations disclosed herein, alternative implementations are also envisioned in which the horizontal cathode is instead a horizontal anode and the suspended anode is instead a suspended cathode. Furthermore, each step of the process performed by the various implementations disclosed herein is performed and controlled by a processing device or other computing environment, including, but not limited to, the timing of each step of the operation, the coordination between different electrolytic cells, slurry lines, conveyor belts, etc., and the changes in time and charge utilized throughout the electrolytic process, as well as receiving and reacting to feedback from electrical resistance and other detectable events from the ongoing electrolysis.

[0056] Accordingly, various implementations disclosed herein relate to an electrolysis device that includes a horizontal cathode disposed beneath a suspended anode for the purpose of performing electrolysis on a metal-containing mixture or solution. In some such implementations, the horizontal cathode may include a bottom surface of a compartment for containing a mixture or solution of metal components, electrolyte, and / or auxiliary chemicals, a horizontal anode for engaging a top surface of the mixture or solution within the compartment, a gate corresponding to one sidewall of the compartment for facilitating removal of the end product from the mixture or solution, and / or a removal mechanism for facilitating removal of the end product of the mixture or solution from the compartment (and the surface of the horizontal cathode) through the gate. Although certain implementations disclosed herein are specific for use in recycling lead-acid batteries (LAB) without smelting, this specification is not intended to limit the various implementations to only LAB recycling or lead recovery, and instead, the various implementations disclosed herein may be applied to a variety of different electrolysis operations.

[0057] More specifically, various implementations are disclosed herein that relate to systems, processes, apparatus, methods, computer readable instructions, and other implementations for an electrolytic apparatus that includes a horizontal cathode having a surface on which electrolytic slurry can be disposed for electrolysis, and an anode suspended above the horizontal cathode for physically engaging the electrolytic slurry for electrolysis. Some of these implementations further include a vertical containment surface for containing the electrolytic slurry on the horizontal cathode, a gate in the vertical containment surface that can remove the electrolytic end product from the cathode, a removal mechanism for removing the electrolytic end product from the horizontal cathode, a DC power supply and power controller for controlling the current during electrolysis at one or more levels and for one or more time periods during electrolysis, and / or a slurry line for disposing the electrolytic slurry on the horizontal cathode. In certain such implementations, the suspended anode can include a horizontal anode surface for physically engaging an upper surface of the electrolyte for electrolysis, which may include a plurality of vents, grooves, holes, etc. ("breathing holes") through which gaseous compounds ("gases") produced by electrolysis can pass, and / or the horizontal anode surface can be substantially parallel to the horizontal cathode and located between 40 mm and 140 mm above the horizontal cathode during electrolysis.

[0058] Some alternative implementations disclosed herein relate to an apparatus for performing electrolysis comprising a horizontal cathode having a surface on which electrolytic slurry can be placed for electrolysis, and an anode suspended above the horizontal cathode, the anode including a horizontal surface for physically engaging an upper surface of the electrolytic slurry for electrolysis. Some such implementations may further comprise a vertical containment surface for containing the electrolytic slurry on the horizontal cathode, a gate in the vertical containment surface for removing the electrolytic end product from the cathode, a removal mechanism for removing the electrolytic end product from the horizontal cathode, a DC power supply and power controller for controlling the current during electrolysis at one or more levels and for one or more time periods during electrolysis, and / or a slurry line for placing the electrolytic slurry on the horizontal cathode. In certain such implementations, the horizontal anode surface includes a plurality of holes, vents, grooves, etc. ("breathing holes") through which gaseous compounds resulting from electrolysis can pass, and / or the horizontal anode surface is substantially parallel to the horizontal cathode during electrolysis and is located between 40 mm and 140 mm above the horizontal cathode.

[0059] Other alternative implementations disclosed herein relate to a system for performing electrolysis on an electrolytic slurry, comprising a horizontal cathode having a surface on which an electrolytic slurry can be placed for electrolysis, an anode suspended above the horizontal cathode for physically engaging an electrolyte for electrolysis, and a removal mechanism for removing an end product resulting from the electrolysis from the horizontal cathode. In certain such implementations, the suspended anode includes a horizontal anode surface for physically engaging a top surface of the electrolytic slurry for electrolysis, and / or the horizontal anode surface includes a plurality of holes, vents, grooves, etc. through which gaseous compounds produced by electrolysis can pass.

[0060] 6 is a block diagram of an exemplary computing environment that can be used in conjunction with the exemplary implementations and aspects as disclosed and described with respect to the other figures presented herein. The computing system environment is only one example of a suitable computing environment and is not intended to suggest any limitation as to the scope of use or functionality.

[0061] Numerous other general purpose or special purpose computing system environments or configurations can be used. Examples of well-known computing systems, environments, and / or configurations suitable for use include, but are not limited to, personal computers (PCs), server computers, handheld or laptop devices, multiprocessor systems, microprocessor-based systems, network PCs, minicomputers, mainframe computers, embedded systems, distributed computing environments that include any of the above systems or devices, etc.

[0062] Computer-executable instructions such as program modules executed by a computer may be used. Generally, program modules include routines, programs, objects, components, data structures, etc. that perform particular tasks or implement particular abstract data types. Distributed computing environments may also be used in which tasks are performed by remote processing devices that are linked through a communications network or other data transmission medium. In a distributed computing environment, program modules and other data may be located in both local and remote computer storage media including memory storage devices.

[0063] The various example logic, logic blocks, modules, and circuits described in connection with the aspects disclosed herein may be implemented or performed using a general purpose processor, a digital signal processor (DSP), an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field programmable gate array (FPGA), an analog-to-digital converter (ADC), or other programmable logic device, discrete gate or transistor logic, discrete hardware components, discrete data acquisition components, or any combination thereof designed to perform the functions described herein. A general purpose processor may be a microprocessor, but alternatively, the processor may be any conventional processor, controller, microcontroller, or state machine. A processor may be implemented as a combination of computing devices, e.g., a combination of a DSP and a microprocessor, multiple microprocessors, one or more microprocessors in conjunction with a DSP core, or any other such configuration. Furthermore, at least one processor may comprise one or more modules operable to perform one or more of the steps and / or actions described above.

[0064] With reference to Figure 6, an exemplary system for implementing aspects described herein includes a computing device, such as computing device 600. In a basic configuration, computing device 600 typically includes at least one processing unit 602 and memory 604. Depending on the exact configuration and type of computing device, memory 604 may be volatile (such as random access memory (RAM)), non-volatile (such as read only memory (ROM), flash memory, etc.), or a combination of the two. This basic configuration is illustrated in Figure 6 by dashed line 606 and may be collectively referred to as the "computing" components.

[0065] Computing device 600 may have additional features / functionality. For example, computing device 600 may include additional storage (removable and / or non-removable) including, but not limited to, magnetic or optical disks or tape. Such additional storage is illustrated in FIG. 6 as removable storage 608 and non-removable storage 610. Computing device 600 typically includes a variety of computer readable media. Computer readable media can be any available media that can be accessed by device 600 and can include both volatile and nonvolatile media, and both removable and non-removable media.

[0066] Computer storage media includes volatile and nonvolatile media, as well as removable and non-removable media, implemented in any method or technology for storage of information, such as computer-readable instructions, data structures, program modules or other data. Memory 604, removable storage 608, and non-removable storage 610 are all examples of computer storage media. Computer storage media include, but are not limited to, RAM, ROM, Electrically Erasable Program Read Only Memory (EEPROM), Flash memory or other memory technology, CD-ROM, Digital Versatile Disks (DVDs) or other optical storage, magnetic cassettes, magnetic tape, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium that can be used to store information and that can be accessed by computing device 600. Any such computer storage media may be part of computing device 600.

[0067] The computing device 600 may include communication connections 612 that allow the device to communicate with other devices. The computing device 600 may also have input devices 614, such as a keyboard, mouse, pen, voice input device, touch input device, etc. Output devices 616, such as a display, speakers, printer, etc. may also be included. All of these devices are well known in the art and need not be described at length here. The computing device 600 may be one of multiple computing devices 600 interconnected by a network. As may be appreciated, the network may be any suitable network, with each computing device 600 connected to the network via the communication connections 612 in any suitable manner, and each computing device 600 may communicate with one or more of the other computing devices 600 in the network in any suitable manner. For example, the network may be a wired or wireless network, such as within an organization or home, and may include a direct or indirect connection to an external network, such as the Internet. Additionally, PCI, PCIe, and other bus protocols may be utilized to incorporate the various implementations described herein into other computing systems.

[0068] <Interpretation of the disclosure of this specification>

[0069] It should be understood that the various techniques described herein may be implemented in connection with hardware or software or, where appropriate, with a combination thereof. Thus, the processes and apparatus of the presently disclosed subject matter, or certain aspects or portions thereof, may take the form of program code (i.e., instructions) embodied in a tangible medium, such as a floppy disk, a CD-ROM, a hard drive, or any other machine-readable storage medium, which when loaded and executed by a machine, such as a computer, causes the machine to become an apparatus for practicing the presently disclosed subject matter.

[0070] When executing program code on a programmable computer, the computing device generally includes a processor, a processor-readable storage medium (including volatile and non-volatile memory and / or storage elements), at least one input device, and at least one output device. One or more programs may implement or utilize the processes described in connection with the subject matter disclosed herein, for example, through the use of APIs, reusable controls, etc. Such programs may be implemented in a high-level procedural or object-oriented programming language to communicate with a computer system. However, the programs may be implemented in assembly or machine language. In either case, the language may be a compiled or interpreted language, which may be combined with a hardware implementation.

[0071] Although example implementations may refer to utilizing aspects of the presently disclosed subject matter in the context of one or more stand-alone computer systems, the subject matter is not limited thereto, but rather may be implemented in connection with any computing environment, for example, a networked or distributed computing environment. Furthermore, aspects of the presently disclosed subject matter may be implemented within or across multiple processing chips or devices, and storage may similarly be implemented across multiple devices. Such devices may include, for example, PCs, network servers, and handheld devices.

[0072] In certain implementations described herein, a cloud operating environment may be used that supports providing computing, processing, storage, data management, applications, and other functionality as abstract services, rather than as standalone products of computer hardware, software, and the like. Services may be provided by virtual servers that may be implemented as one or more processes on one or more computing devices. In some implementations, processes may be transferred between servers without disrupting the cloud service. In a cloud, shared resources (e.g., computing, storage) may be provided to computers, including servers, clients, and mobile devices, over a network. A variety of networks (e.g., Ethernet, Wi-Fi, 802.x, cellular) may be used to access cloud services. A user interacting with a cloud may not need to know the details (e.g., location, name, server, database, etc.) of the devices that are actually providing the services (e.g., computing, storage). A user may access cloud services, for example, via a web browser, a thin client, a mobile application, etc., or in other ways. To the extent that physical components of hardware and software are described herein, equivalent functionality provided via a cloud operating environment is also contemplated and disclosed.

[0073] Further, the controller service may reside in the cloud and rely on servers or services to perform processing and on data stores or databases to store data. Although one server, one service, one data store, and one database may be used, multiple server, service, data store, and database instances may reside in the cloud and thus be used by the controller service. Similarly, a variety of devices may access the controller service in the cloud, including, but not limited to, computers, tablets, laptop computers, desktop monitors, televisions, personal digital assistants, and mobile devices (e.g., mobile phones, satellite phones, etc.). Different users using different devices in different locations may access the controller service through different networks or interfaces. In one example, the controller service may be accessed from a mobile device. In another example, parts of the controller service may reside on the mobile device. In either case, the controller service may perform actions such as, for example, displaying content on a secondary display, displaying an application (e.g., a browser) on a secondary display, displaying a cursor on a secondary display, displaying controls on a secondary display, and / or generating control events in response to interactions on the mobile device or other services. In certain implementations, a controller service may perform some of the methods described herein.

[0074] <Possible alternative forms>

[0075] Although the subject matter has been described in language specific to structural features and / or methodological acts, it should be understood that the subject matter defined in the appended claims is not necessarily limited to the specific features or acts described above. Rather, the specific features and acts described above are disclosed as example forms of implementing the claims. Moreover, it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that other implementations may be practiced that depart from the specific details disclosed above.

[0076] The above drawings and the following specific structural and functional descriptions are not presented to limit the scope of the invention or the scope of the appended claims. Rather, the drawings and descriptions are presented to teach one of ordinary skill in the art to make and use the invention for which patent protection is claimed. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that for clarity and understanding, not all features of a commercial implementation of the invention are described or illustrated. Those skilled in the art will further appreciate that the block diagrams herein provide conceptual views of exemplary circuitry embodying the principles of the technology, and that the flow charts, state transition diagrams, pseudocode, and the like represent various processes embodied in a computer-readable medium and executed by a computer or processor, whether or not such a computer or processor is explicitly shown. The functionality of the various elements comprising the functional blocks can be provided using dedicated electronic hardware and electronic circuitry capable of executing computer program instructions in conjunction with appropriate software. Those skilled in the art will also appreciate that the development of an actual commercial implementation incorporating aspects of the invention will require numerous implementation-specific decisions to achieve the ultimate goal of the commercial implementation developer. Such implementation-specific decisions may include, but are not limited to, compliance with system-related, business-related, government-related, and other constraints, which may vary depending on the particular implementation, location, and time. While the developer efforts may be complex and time-consuming in absolute terms, these efforts are routine for those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of this disclosure.

[0077] It should also be understood that the implementations disclosed and taught herein are susceptible to numerous and various modifications and alternative forms. Thus, the use of singular forms such as, but not limited to, "a" is not intended to limit the number of items. Also, the use of related terms such as, but not limited to, "top," "bottom," "left," "right," "upper," "lower," "lower," "upper," "side," and the like, are used in the written description for clarity with specific reference to the drawings, and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention or the appended claims. For specific implementations described with reference to block diagrams and / or operational illustrations of methods, it should be understood that each block of the block diagrams and / or operational illustrations, and combinations of blocks in the block diagrams and / or operational illustrations, may be implemented by analog and / or digital hardware, and / or computer program instructions. The computer program instructions used in the implementations disclosed herein may be written in an object-oriented programming language, a conventional procedural programming language, or low-level code such as assembly language and / or microcode. The programs may be executed entirely on a single processor and / or across multiple processors, as a stand-alone software package or as part of another software package. Such computer program instructions may be provided to a processor of a general purpose computer, a special purpose computer, an ASIC, and / or other programmable data processing system. The executed instructions may also create structures and functions for implementing the actions specified in the block diagrams and / or operational diagrams described above. In some alternative implementations, the functions / actions / structures depicted in the figures may occur out of the order shown in the block diagrams and / or operational diagrams. For example, two operations shown to occur in succession may in fact be performed substantially simultaneously or the operations may be performed in the reverse order, depending on the functions / acts / structures involved.

[0078] The term "computer-readable instructions" as used above refers to any instructions that may be executed by a processor and / or other components. Similarly, the term "computer-readable medium" refers to any storage medium that may be used to store computer-readable instructions. Such media may take many forms, including but not limited to non-volatile media, volatile media, and transmission media. Non-volatile media may include, for example, optical or magnetic disks, such as storage devices. Volatile media may include dynamic memory, such as main memory. Transmission media may include coaxial cables, copper wire, and optical fibers, including the wires of a bus. Transmission media may also take the form of sound or light waves, such as those generated during radio frequency (RF) and infrared (IR) data communications. Common forms of computer-readable media include, for example, floppy disks, flexible disks, hard disks, magnetic tape, any other magnetic media, CD-ROMs, DVDs, any other optical media, punch cards, paper tape, any other physical media with a pattern of holes, RAM, PROM, EPROM, FLASH-EPROM, any other memory chip or cartridge, carrier wave, or any other medium from which a computer can read.

[0079] In the foregoing description, for purposes of explanation and not limitation, specific details of particular nodes, functional entities, techniques, protocols, standards, etc. are provided to provide an understanding of the described technology. In other instances, detailed descriptions of well-known methods, apparatus, techniques, etc. are omitted so as not to obscure the description with unnecessary detail. All descriptions reciting principles, aspects, embodiments, and implementations, as well as specific examples, are intended to encompass both structural and functional equivalents, and such equivalents are intended to include both currently known equivalents and equivalents developed in the future, regardless of structure, i.e., any elements developed to perform the same function. While the disclosed implementations have been described with reference to one or more specific implementations, those skilled in the art will recognize that many variations are possible. Accordingly, each of the foregoing implementations and obvious variations thereof are deemed to be within the spirit and scope of the disclosed implementations, as set forth in the following claims.

[0080] <Copyright Notice>

[0081] A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material that is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of this patent document or the patent disclosure in the Patent and Trademark Office patent file or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever.

Claims

1. a horizontal cathode (120) having a surface onto which an electrolytic slurry (150) can be placed for electrolysis; an anode (110) suspended above the horizontal cathode (120) for physically engaging the electrolytic slurry (150) for electrolysis; An electrolysis device (100).

2. a plurality of vertical receiving surfaces (122) for receiving the electrolytic slurry (150) on the horizontal cathode (120); a gate (124) in said vertical receiving surface (122) by which the final product (132) resulting from electrolysis can be removed from said cathode (120); The electrolysis apparatus (100) of claim 1 further comprising:

3. The electrolysis apparatus (100) of claim 2, further comprising a removal mechanism (160) for removing an end product (132) resulting from electrolysis from said horizontal cathode (120).

4. 4. The electrolysis device (100) of claim 3, wherein the anode (110) comprises a plurality of vents (114) allowing passage of gaseous compounds produced by electrolysis.

5. 5. The electrolysis apparatus (100) of claim 4, further comprising a DC power supply and a power controller for controlling the current during electrolysis at one or more levels and for one or more periods during electrolysis.

6. 6. The electrolysis apparatus (100) of claim 5, wherein the anode (110) is substantially parallel to the horizontal cathode (120) and is located between 40 mm and 140 mm above the horizontal cathode (120) during electrolysis.

7. The electrolysis apparatus (100) of claim 1, further comprising a slurry line (144) for disposing the electrolytic slurry (150) onto the horizontal cathode (120).

8. a horizontal cathode (120) having a surface onto which an electrolytic slurry (150) can be placed for electrolysis; an anode (110) suspended above the horizontal cathode (120), the anode (110) including a horizontal surface for physically engaging an upper surface of the electrolytic slurry (150) for electrolysis; 1. An apparatus (100) for performing electrolysis comprising:

9. a plurality of vertical receiving surfaces (122) for receiving the electrolytic slurry (150) on the horizontal cathode (120); a gate (124) in said vertical receiving surface (122) by which the final product (132) resulting from electrolysis can be removed from said cathode (120); The apparatus (100) of claim 8, further comprising:

10. 10. The apparatus (100) of claim 9, further comprising a removal mechanism (160) for removing an end product (132) resulting from electrolysis from the horizontal cathode (120).

11. 10. The apparatus (100) of claim 8, wherein the anode (110) comprises a plurality of vents (114) allowing passage of gaseous compounds resulting from electrolysis.

12. The apparatus (100) of claim 8, wherein the anode (110) is substantially parallel to the horizontal cathode (120) and is located between 40 mm and 140 mm above the horizontal cathode (120) during electrolysis.

13. a horizontal cathode (120) having a surface onto which said electrolytic slurry (150) can be placed for electrolysis; a removal mechanism (160) for removing the electrolytic end product (132) from said horizontal cathode (120); A system (100) for performing electrolysis on an electrolytic slurry (150), comprising:

14. 14. The system (100) of claim 13, further comprising an anode (110) suspended above the horizontal cathode (120) for physically engaging the electrolytic slurry (160) for electrolysis, the anode (110) being substantially parallel to the horizontal cathode (120) and located between 40 mm and 140 mm above the horizontal cathode (120) during electrolysis.

15. 15. The system (100) of claim 14, wherein the anode (110) comprises a plurality of vents (114) allowing passage of gaseous compounds produced by electrolysis.

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