Method and apparatus for liquid metal electrode connection in production or refining of metals

Abstract

In some aspects, the invention relates to apparatuses and methods for connecting a liquid first metal cathode to a current source of an electrolytic cell comprising a conduit having a first and second end, liquid first metal disposed at the first end of the conduit, a solid first metal disposed at the second end of the conduit, and a solid conductor portion in electrical contact with the solid first metal.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus comprising:
 (a) a conduit having a first end and a second end;   (b) a liquid first metal disposed at the first end of the conduit and within the conduit;   (c) a solid first metal disposed at the second end of the conduit and within the conduit;   (d) a solid conductor portion in electrical contact with the solid first metal; and   (e) a cooling mechanism disposed at the second end of the conduit;   wherein at least a portion of the liquid first metal and the solid first metal are in electrical contact, the solid conductor disposed to provide electrical contact between the solid first metal and an electrical source outside the conduit.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the conduit does not dissolve into the first metal more than about 5% by weight. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the conduit comprises carbon, silicon carbide, titanium diboride, boron nitride, silicon nitride, aluminum nitride, aluminum oxide or an aluminum-bearing compound with an element that does not dissolve into the first metal. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a conduit sheath disposed around at least a portion of the conduit. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the cooling mechanism comprises a jacket disposed around a portion of the conduit, wherein the jacket has an inlet and an outlet. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein air, gas, and/or a cooling liquid are disposed within at least a portion of the jacket. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the solid conductor comprises the first metal. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a first container configured to contain at least a portion of the liquid first metal. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the first container comprises a well, tube or ledge extending from a second container. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a vacuum port disposed along at least a portion of the conduit. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the conduit and solid conductor portion comprise a mould for extraction of the solid first metal. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 (f) a second container for holding a molten electrolyte, the second container having an interior surface;   (g) an anode in ion-conducting contact with the molten electrolyte; and   (h) a power source for generating an electric potential between the anode and the liquid first metal.   
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein, during generation of the electric potential, the first metal is recovered from an oxide of the first metal dissolved in the molten electrolyte and the first metal collects on the floor of the second container. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein, during generation of the electric potential, the first metal is recovered from an oxide of the first metal dissolved in the molten electrolyte and the first metal collects on a top surface of the molten electrolyte when the electrolyte is disposed in the second container. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein a portion of a side wall of the second container defines a first passage between the interior of the second container and the first container. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first metal comprises aluminum, magnesium, lithium, beryllium, silicon, strontium, potassium, sodium, barium, scandium, titanium, silicon or calcium. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the first metal comprises aluminum or magnesium. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the first metal comprises aluminum. 
     
     
         19 . An apparatus comprising:
 (a) a conduit having a first end and a second end;   (b) a first container disposed at the second end of the conduit, and configured to contain at least a portion of a liquid first metal within the conduit and a liquid second metal within the conduit, the liquid second metal having higher density than the liquid first metal; and   (c) a solid conductor portion in electrical contact with the second liquid metal;   wherein the solid conductor is disposed to provide electrical contact between the second liquid metal and an electrical source outside the conduit.   
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , further comprising:
 (d) a second container disposed at the first end of the conduit, and configured to hold a molten electrolyte, the second container having an interior surface;   (e) a cooling mechanism disposed around at least a portion of the first container;   (f) an anode disposed in ion-conducting contact with the molten electrolyte; and   (g) a power source for generating an electric potential between the anode and the first liquid metal;   
       wherein the conduit comprises a ledge extending from the interior of the second container to the first container. 
     
     
         21 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , further comprising a solid conductor portion in electrical contact with the liquid second metal, and wherein at least a portion of the liquid first metal and the liquid second metal are in electrical contact, the liquid second metal disposed to provide electrical contact between the liquid first metal and an electrical source outside the conduit. 
     
     
         22 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein the conduit does not dissolve into the first metal more than about 5% by weight. 
     
     
         23 . The apparatus of  claim 22 , wherein the conduit comprises carbon, silicon carbide, titanium diboride, boron nitride, aluminum nitride, silicon nitride, aluminum oxide or an aluminum-bearing compound with an element that does not dissolve into the first metal more than about 5% by weight. 
     
     
         24 . The apparatus of  claim 23 , wherein the liquid second metal does not dissolve into the first metal more than about 5% by weight. 
     
     
         25 . A method for electrically connecting a liquid first metal cathode to a current source of an electrolytic cell comprising:
 (a) providing a conduit having a first end and a second end;   (b) providing a liquid first metal disposed at the first end of the conduit and within the conduit;   (c) providing a solid first metal disposed at the second end of the conduit and within the conduit;   (d) providing a solid conductor portion in electrical contact with the solid first metal; and   (e) providing a cooling mechanism disposed at the second end of the conduit;   
       wherein at least a portion of the liquid first metal and the solid first metal are in electrical contact, and the solid conductor provides electrical contact between the solid first metal and an electrical source outside the conduit. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the conduit does not dissolve into the first metal more than about 5% by weight. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the conduit comprises carbon, silicon carbide, titanium diboride, boron nitride, silicon nitride, aluminum nitride, aluminum oxide or an aluminum-bearing compound with an element that does not dissolve into the first metal more than about 5% by weight. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 25 , further comprising providing a conduit sheath disposed around at least a portion of the conduit. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the cooling mechanism comprises air, gas, and/or a cooling liquid. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the solid conductor comprises the first metal. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 25 , further comprising providing a first container configured to contain at least a portion of the liquid first metal. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the first container comprises a well, tube, or ledge extending from a second container. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein at least a portion of the liquid first metal is drawn into the conduit via vacuum. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 25 , further comprising:
 (f) providing a second container holding a molten electrolyte, the second container having an interior surface; and   (g) providing a power source for generating an electric potential between the anode and the cathode.   
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein, during generation of the electric potential, the first metal collects on the floor of the second container. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein, during generation of the electric potential, the first metal collects on a top surface of the molten electrolyte when the electrolyte is disposed in the second container. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein a temperature gradient develops along the first metal and extends to form the electrical contact with the solid metal portion of the current collector. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein the temperature gradient exists between the operating temperature of the cell and the melting point of the first metal disposed in the conduit. 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the first metal comprises aluminum, magnesium, lithium, beryllium, silicon, strontium, potassium, sodium, barium, scandium, titanium, silicon or calcium. 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein the first metal comprises aluminum or magnesium. 
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein the first metal comprises aluminum. 
     
     
         42 . A method for electrically connecting a liquid first metal cathode to a current source of an electrolytic cell comprising:
 (a) providing a conduit having a first end and a second end;   (b) providing the liquid first metal disposed at the first end of the conduit and within the conduit;   (c) providing a first container disposed at the second end of the conduit, the first container containing at least a portion of a liquid first metal and a liquid second metal, the liquid second metal having higher density than the liquid first metal; and   (d) providing a solid conductor portion in electrical contact with the liquid second metal;   
       wherein at least a portion of the liquid first metal and the liquid second metal are in electrical contact, and the solid conductor provides electrical contact between the liquid second metal and an electrical source outside the conduit. 
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 42 , wherein the conduit does not dissolve into the first metal more than about 5% by weight. 
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 43 , wherein the conduit comprises carbon, titanium diboride, silicon carbide, boron nitride, silicon nitride, aluminum nitride, aluminum oxide or an aluminum-bearing compound with an element that does not dissolve into the first metal more than about 5% by weight. 
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 42 , further comprising providing a conduit sheath disposed around at least a portion of the conduit. 
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 42 , wherein the first container comprises a well, tube, or ledge extending from a second container. 
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 42 , wherein at least a portion of the liquid first metal is drawn into the conduit via vacuum. 
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 42 , further comprising:
 (e) providing a second container holding a molten electrolyte, the second container having an interior surface; and   (f) providing a power source for generating an electric potential between the anode and the cathode.   
     
     
         49 . The method of  claim 48 , wherein, during generation of the electric potential, the first metal collects on a top surface of the molten electrolyte when the electrolyte is disposed in the second container. 
     
     
         50 . The method of  claim 42 , wherein the temperature gradient exists between the operating temperature of the cell and the melting point of the first metal disposed in the conduit. 
     
     
         51 . The method of  claim 48 , wherein the liquid first metal is drawn from the second container toward the liquid second metal. 
     
     
         52 . The method of  claim 42 , wherein the first metal comprises aluminum, magnesium, lithium, beryllium, silicon, strontium, potassium, sodium, barium, scandium, titanium, silicon or calcium. 
     
     
         53 . The method of  claim 52 , wherein the first metal comprises aluminum or magnesium. 
     
     
         54 . The method of  claim 53 , wherein the first metal comprises aluminum.