Electrolytic recovery of zinc from alkaline solns. - using electrolyte flowing at a speed which removes zinc from cathode

摘要

The soln. is at least temporarily driven at a speed which physically removes Zn particles from the cathode. The soln. is pref. driven at constant speed so the Zn is deposited on the negative electrode but is then removed and carried away by the soln., but the speed may be reduced for the deposition stage. The cathode is inside an asbestos sleeve which allows the electrolyte to reach the anode but not the Zn particles. Normally, the Zn is deposited as a sponge or a non-uniform layer and can be difficult to dissolve. The invention removes the Zn by a simple method which avoids the complex and expensive use of mechanical stripping.