Abstract: The invention relates to a process of abatement of the organic content of a depleted brine coming from epoxy compound production involving a vapour stripping step and a mineralisation with hypochlorite in two steps, at distinct pH and temperature conditions.

Abstract: The invention relates to a cell for metal electrowinning equipped with a device useful for preventing the adverse effects of dendrite growth on the cathodic deposit. The cell comprises a porous conductive screen, positioned between the anode and the cathode, capable of stopping the growth of dendrites and preventing them from reaching the anode surface.

Abstract: A membrane fuel cell delimited by bipolar plates comprising a cathodic compartment and an anodic compartment, said cathodic compartment comprising means for feeding air from the bottom to the top, said anodic compartment comprising means for feeding a hydrogen-containing fuel from the top to the bottom, at least one of said cathodic and anodic compartment comprising a flow distributor consisting of a porous material and a method of operating cell said.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an electrolyser for electrowinning of non-ferrous metals comprising a plurality of intercalated elementary cells, wherein each elementary cell is equipped with a device suitable for the detection of anomalies in the distribution of electric current to the respective anode.

Abstract: The invention relates to a cell for metal electrowinning equipped with a device useful for preventing the adverse effects of dendrite growth on the cathodic deposit. The cell comprises a porous conductive screen, positioned between the anode and the cathode, capable of stopping the growth of dendrites and preventing them from reaching the anode surface.

Abstract: The present invention concerns an anodic compartment for metal electrowinning cells delimited by a frame-shaped skeleton comprising an envelope including a permeable separator secured to said frame-shaped skeleton by means of a frame-shaped flange, at least one anode obtained starting from a valve metal substrate coated with at least one corrosion-resistant catalytic layer, said anode being inserted inside said envelope, and a demister located above said anode and delimited by said separator and said skeleton. The invention also concerns an electrochemical cell for metal electrowinning comprising at least one such anodic compartment.

Abstract: The invention relates to a salt solution electrodialysis cell for production of the relevant acids and bases by means of a process with reduced or nil consumption of electrical energy. The cell comprises an anodic chamber fed with hydrogen and a cathodic chamber fed with oxygen or air, provided with the relevant gas-diffusion electrodes; the driving power of the electrodialysis process is given by the oxidation and reduction chemical potentials of hydrogen and oxygen fed to the two chambers.

Abstract: The invention relates to a salt solution electrodialysis cell for production of the relevant acids and bases by means of a process with reduced or nil consumption of electrical energy. The cell comprises an anodic chamber fed with hydrogen and a cathodic chamber fed with oxygen or air, provided with the relevant gas-diffusion electrodes; the driving power of the electrodialysis process is given by the oxidation and reduction chemical potentials of hydrogen and oxygen fed to the two chambers.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process of abatement of the organic content of a depleted brine coming from epoxy compound production involving a vapour stripping step and a mineralisation with hypochlorite in two steps, at distinct pH and temperature conditions.

Abstract: The present invention concerns an anodic compartment for metal electrowinning cells delimited by a frame-shaped skeleton comprising an envelope including a permeable separator secured to said frame-shaped skeleton by means of a frame-shaped flange, at least one anode obtained starting from a valve metal substrate coated with at least one corrosion-resistant catalytic layer, said anode being inserted inside said envelope, and a demister located above said anode and delimited by said separator and said skeleton. The invention also concerns an electrochemical cell for metal electrowinning comprising at least one such anodic compartment.

Abstract: An electrolytic cell for the production of hydrogen peroxide with faradic efficiency and a method for the production of highly pure hydrogen peroxide with high faradic efficiency are disclosed. The cell is provided with a separator of high hydraulic permeability and is equipped with an oxygen-fed gas-diffusion cathode and with an anode activated with a catalyst for oxygen evolution. The high faradic efficiency of hydrogen peroxide generation is allowed by the dilution of product hydrogen peroxide by the anolyte crossing the permeable separator, and by keeping the operating temperature at values below 50° C.

Abstract: The invention is relative to an electrode for gas evolution in electrolytic and electrometallurgical industrial applications, made of a metal substrate having a surface morphology characterized by a combination of micro-roughness and macro-roughness which favors high adherence of a superficial catalytic layer in order to prevent detachment of the same and passivation of the substrate even under critical operating conditions.

Abstract: The invention relates to an anode comprising a titanium alloy substrate coated with noble metals by thermal decomposition of precursors thereof. The alloy of the substrate includes elements which can be oxidised during the thermal decomposition step, allowing electrical energy savings and a prolonged duration in industrial electrolytic processes. The anode of the invention is suitable for chlor-alkali electrolysis, allowing to produce chlorine with a lower oxygen content and a lower energy consumption than the anodes of the prior art.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a combination characterised by a high biocide power for use in agricultural applications, comprising a sodium or potassium hypochlorite solution and an agent allowing to generate hypochiorous acid at the moment of the application, adjusting the concentration thereof in a simple way.

Abstract: A membrane electrolysis cell comprising an anodic compartment and a cathodic compartment is described, wherein at least one of the two compartments contains an electrode fed with gas and a porous planar element is interposed between the membrane and the gas-fed electrode. A flow of chemically aggressive electrolyte crosses the porous planar element downwards under the effect of the gravity force. The planar element consists in a plastic element withstanding the aggressive operative conditions: The use of perfluorinated plastics such as ECTFE, PTEFE, FEP, PFA is preferred, even though they are strongly hydrophobic. When the gas-fed electrode is a cathode and the gas contains oxygen, the gas crosses the cathodic compartment upwardly so as to minimize the risk of hydrogen build up. The cell equipped with the oxygen cathode is particularly advantageous for the sodium chloride electrolysis.

Abstract: The invention relates to an anode comprising a titanium alloy substrate coated with noble metals by thermal decomposition of precursors thereof. The alloy of the substrate includes elements which can be oxidised during the thermal decomposition step, allowing electrical energy savings and a prolonged duration in industrial electrolytic processes. The anode of the invention is suitable for chlor-alkali electrolysis, allowing to produce chlorine with a lower oxygen content and a lower energy consumption than the anodes of the prior art.

Abstract: An electrolytic cell for the production of hydrogen peroxide with faradic efficiency and a method for the production of highly pure hydrogen peroxide with high faradic efficiency are disclosed. The cell is provided with a separator of high hydraulic permeability and is equipped with an oxygen-fed gas-diffusion cathode and with an anode activated with a catalyst for oxygen evolution. The high faradic efficiency of hydrogen peroxide generation is allowed by the dilution of product hydrogen peroxide by the anolyte crossing the permeable separator, and by keeping the operating temperature at values below 50° C.

Abstract: A membrane fuel cell delimited by bipolar plates comprising a cathodic compartment and an anodic compartment, said cathodic compartment comprising means for feeding air from the bottom to the top, said anodic compartment comprising means for feeding a hydrogen-containing fuel from the top to the bottom, at least one of said cathodic and anodic compartment comprising a flow distributor consisting of a porous material and a method of operating cell said.

Abstract: The invention describes a method and the relevant devices for permitting an operation stable with time of a stack of membrane fuel cells fed with air and a gas containing hydrogen and at least 100 ppm of carbon monoxide, characterised in that it provides for an oxidising condition at the anodes of said cells in a self-adjusting continuous way or sequentially discontinuous way. Different embodiments of the invention are illustrated wherein the oxidising condition is obtained by adding to the gas containing hydrogen and carbon monoxide, oxygen produced in an electrolysis cell integrated to the fuel cell stack, or by flowing air through porous areas obtained in the bipolar plates or by resorting to high gas diffusion rate membranes, wherein the air flow rate is regulated in both cases by adjusting the pressure differential existing between air and the gas containing hydrogen and carbon monoxide.

Abstract: The invention describes a new design of ionomer membrane fuel cell stack comprising a multiplicity of stainless steel bipolar plates, electrodes, membranes and perimetrical sealing gaskets enclosed between compression plates. The novel design is directed to prevent the build up of metal ions in the membranes and the consequent voltage decay; for this purpose, the lateral migration inside the ionomer membranes of the metal ions contained in the cooling fluid is prevented.