Abstract: A silver recovery apparatus for recovering silver from a solution containing silver ions, such as a photographic fixer bath, including an electrolytic recovery cell, a probe electrode located in a liquid conduit connecting a source of the solution to the cell, and a magnetic drive pump in the same liquid conduit between the probe electrode and the cell. The probe electrode senses the presence or absence of silver ions at the cathode of the cell and provides a signal that is used to regulate a pulsed plating current. The relative orientation of the probe electrode, magnetic drive pump and recovery cell, as well as the pulsation of the plating current, results in higher plating currents in the cell at high silver ion concentrations.
Abstract: A silver recovery apparatus for recovering silver from a solution containing silver ions, such as a photographic fixer bath, including an electrolytic recovery cell, a probe electrode located in a liquid conduit connecting a source of the solution to the cell, and a magnetic drive pump in the same liquid conduit between the probe electrode and the cell. The probe electrode senses the presence or absence of silver ions at the cathode of the cell and provides a signal that is used to regulate a pulsed plating current. The relative orientation of the probe electrode, magnetic drive pump and recovery cell, as well as the pulsation of the plating current, results in higher plating currents in the cell at high silver ion concentrations.