Porous Lead Electrode for Zinc Production
The invention developed by 360ip’s Partner focuses on resolving the limitations of current lead anode technologies for extractive electrolysis (electrowinning) of zinc. By designing a novel porous composite electrode, the Partner was able to decrease cell voltage, decrease power consumption or increase production at existing power consumption levels and improve the purity of the final zinc product.
The corrosion rate of the Partner’s electrodes is 80% less than conventional flat plate anodes. The lead content in the zinc is decreased by 60%. Slime formation is decreased by 90%, which lowers the frequency of cell cleaning. Compared to flat-plate anodes, the porous anode developed by the Partner is approximately 50% lighter in weight. This translates to an advantage in both assembly time and labor requirements.
The Partner’s composite-reinforced porous electrode has the following advantages as compared to the plate-type electrodes:
Higher active surface area
Lower cell voltage
Lower current density
Better corrosion resistance
Lighter weight
Cleaner zinc product
Less slime formation