Electrolytic vessel with reinforcing components

Abstract

There is provided a product that generally relates to hydrometallurgical equipment and more particularly to a reinforced electrolytic vessel for refining non-ferrous metals. The vessel includes a core shaped to hold an electrolytic liquid, the core comprising a rectangular core base and four walls extending upwardly from peripheral edges of the core base; and at least two flat elongated pultruded fiberglass rebars embedded in each wall of the core.

1 .- 43 . (canceled) 
     
     
         44 . An electrolytic vessel for refining metals, the vessel comprising:
 a core shaped to hold an electrolytic liquid, the core comprising a rectangular core base and four walls extending upwardly from peripheral edges of the core base; and at least two elongated rebars embedded in the core.   
     
     
         45 . The vessel of  claim 44 , wherein the rebars are embedded in at least a wall of the core. 
     
     
         46 . The vessel of  claim 44 , wherein the rebars are flat whereby their cross-section in a transverse direction is inferior to their cross-section in a longitudinal direction. 
     
     
         47 . The vessel of  claim 44 , wherein the rebars are made in fiberglass, are pultruded, are arranged in spaced apart pairs or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         48 . The vessel of  claim 44  wherein at least one rebar is positioned proximate to an inner surface of the core and/or proximate to an outer surface of the core. 
     
     
         49 . The vessel of  claim 44 , wherein the rebars are aligned with respect to one another so as to be substantially co-planar. 
     
     
         50 . The vessel of  claim 44 , wherein at least one rebar is in contact with another rebar. 
     
     
         51 . The vessel of  claim 44 , wherein the rebars are unitary and extend from one wall to an opposed contiguous wall. 
     
     
         52 . The vessel of  claim 51 , wherein a size and a shape of one rebar of a wall is different from size and a shape of another rebar of the same wall. 
     
     
         53 . The vessel of  claim 50 , wherein the rebars are arranged as at least two rebars in each wall. 
     
     
         54 . The vessel of  claim 50 , wherein the rebars of a same wall includes at least two horizontal rebars. 
     
     
         55 . The vessel of  claim 50 , wherein the rebars are distributed along a height of the wall. 
     
     
         56 . The vessel of  claim 50 , wherein at least one rebar is centered with respect to a cross-section of the wall in a transversal direction. 
     
     
         57 . The vessel of  claim 50 , wherein at least one rebar is placed proximal to a surface of the wall. 
     
     
         58 . The electrolytic vessel of  claim 44 , wherein the core comprises a matrix comprising concrete or polymer material or a mixture thereof. 
     
     
         59 . The electrolytic vessel of  claim 58 , comprising at least two elongated rebars embedded in the matrix. 
     
     
         60 . The electrolytic vessel of  claim 44 , further comprising:
 a multiple-layer envelope surrounding the core, the envelope comprising at least one fiberglass-based layer.   
     
     
         61 . An electrolytic vessel comprising:
 a core shaped to hold an electrolytic liquid, the core comprising a rectangular core base and four walls extending upwardly from peripheral edges of the core base;   a multiple-layer fiberglass-based envelope surrounding the core, the envelope comprising a fiberglass-based layer;   and at least one additional horizontal or vertical pultruded rebar is embedded within the core or within the multiple-layer fiberglass-based envelope.   
     
     
         62 . The vessel of  claim 61 , further comprising a layer of gel coat or other chemical protection layers or sheets arranged on inner and outer surfaces of the core, or beneath the multiple-layer fiberglass-based envelope. 
     
     
         63 . A reinforced electrolytic vessel for refining non-ferrous metals, including:
 a core shaped to hold an electrolytic liquid, the core comprising a rectangular core base and four walls extending upwardly from peripheral edges of the core base, the core comprising a matrix comprising concrete and/or polymer material; and   a plurality of elongated pultruded rebars embedded in the matrix and distributed therewithin to reduce cracking thereof, wherein the rebars are optionally provided as at least two rebars in each wall, as flat elongated rebars, as fiberglass rebars, as rebars arranged in spaced apart pairs, or mixtures thereof.   
     
     
         64 . A method of reinforcing electrolytic vessel for refining metals, comprising the steps of:
 providing a plurality of elongated pultruded rebars;   embedding the rebars in a matrix to form a core shaped to hold an electrolytic liquid, the core comprising a rectangular core base and four walls extending upwardly from peripheral edges of the core base; and   distributing the plurality of elongated pultruded rebars within the matrix to reduce cracking thereof;   wherein the rebars are optionally provided as: at least two rebars in each wall, flat elongated rebars, fiberglass rebars, rebars arranged in spaced apart pairs, crossed rebars, or mixtures thereof.