Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
~08131~
This invention relates to chemical and/or electro~
- chemical processes and to reactors for the carrying out of such
processes. The invention concerns, in particular, reactors
which employ a liquid, known as the reactor liquid, within
which solid particles are contained.
When the reactor is an electrochemical reactor, the
particle-containing liquid feeds an anode or cathode chamber
within which at least one electrochemical reaction takes
place. This reaction occurs by electronic exchanges and the
electric charges which are liberated during the course of
; the electrochemical reaction or which are necessary for such
reaction are collected or delivered by a member which is a
conductor of electricity, known as the "electron collector",
located in the electrochemical compartment. The electronic
exchanges may, on the one hand, affect the liquid (or a
product transported by the liquid in solution or emulsion
form), the solid particles being, for instance, catalytic
particles. The electronic exchanges may, on the other hand,
effect the particles, the liquid being, for instance,an
electrolyte and the particles being, for instance, particles
formed, in whole or in part, of an active material, at times
referred to as "fuel", when the reactor is an electrochemical
current generator.
In order to obtain optimum operation of these
chemical or electrochemical reactors, it is necessary to
maintain the respective proportions of liquid and particles
in these reactors within precise limits, the spread between
these limits being in general small when the other operating
parameters have been determined. Two processes directed at
solving this problem have been proposed.
On the one hand, it has been proposed to use dry
particles which are introduced i~to the liquid. This process
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requires the storage and handling of dry particles, which is
difficult and at times dangerous to carry out when the particles
react with the air. Furthermore, the liquid wets the various
parts of the feed device, which interferes with such feed.
On the other hand, it has been proposed to form a
concentrated slurry of the particles in a carrier liquid and
introduce this slurry into the reactor liquid, the carrier
liquid being either identical to the reactor liquid or
compatible with it. Experience shows in this case that
settling of the particles within the slurry is very difficult
to avoid, so that agitation is necessary before introduction
into the reactor, which consumes a substantial amount of energy
in view of the high viscosity of the slurry. On t~e other
hand, prolonged contact of the particles with the carrier
liquid may give rise to attack on the particles, that is to
say to a loss of product, this attack possibly liberating
gases which interfere with the storing and introduction of
the particles, which gases may furthermore raise serious
problems with respect to safety.
The object of the present invention is to avoid
these drawbacks. Accordingly, the process of the invention,
which consists in introducing particles into at least one
liquid, called the reactor liquid, used in at least one
`~ chemical and/or electrochemical reactor, is characterized
by the fact that at least one substantially compact feed mass
comprising particles, called primary particles, and a small
amount of at least one liquid, called compacting liquid,
,~
which is chemically unreactive or only slightly xeactive with
said primary particles is eroded so as to dissociate said
~30 compact feed mass into particles, called secondary particles,
which are entrained into the reactor liquid by at least one
carrier liquid. The invention also concerns the devices for
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108~319
the carrying out of this process which comprise erosion means
and circulating means.
The invention will be readily understood by means
of the following nonlimitative examples and drawings. In
these drawings:
- Figs. 1 to 3 show schematically in cross section
a compacting device in accordance with the invention for the
preparation of a compact feed mass,
- Fig. 4 shows schematically in cross section an
erosion device in accordance with the invention for the
eroding of a compact feed mass,
- Fig. 5 shows schematically in cross section a
feed`device in accordance with the invention comprising the
erosion device shown in Fig. 4,
- Fig. 6 shows schematically in cross section an
electrochemical generator employing a feed device in accordance
with the invention,
- Fig~ 7 shows an electric circuit diagram which
makes it possible to control the operation of a feed device
1 20 in accordance with the invention by the intensity of the
` ~ electric current delivered by an electrochemical generator,
~ - Fig. 8 shows schematically in cross section
!~
another feed device in accordance with the invention,
- Fig. 9 shows an electric circuit diagram which
makes it possible to control the operation of a feed device
according to the invention by the amount of electricity
delivered by an electrochemical generator, and
- Fig. 10 shows schematically in cross section
another feed device in accordance with the invention~
; ;30 ~ ~ Referring to Figs. 1, 2 and 3 of the drawings, the
device 1, called the compacting device, comprises a cylinder
of revolution 10, called the compacting cylinder, which is
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~ 1081319
provided at its lower part with an opening 101 into which a
removable part 11 is introduced. This removable part 11
comprises a base 111, within which the lower portion 102 of
the cylinder 10 is housed, and a vertical cylindrical rod
112 arranged substantially along the axis xX' of the cylinder
10. A movable part 12, called the piston, slides along the
rod 112. The axis XX' is the axis of revolution for the
compacting device 1, that is to say for the cylinder 10 , the
removable part 11, and the piston 12, the diameter of the
rod 112 being substantially equal to the diameter of the
opening 101.
The lower portion 121 of the piston 12 forms a
conical frustum in relief, the flaring of which faces upward.
At least one compacting liquid 2 and primary particles 31 are ~ `
poured into the cylinder 10, the liquid 2 and the particles 31
being chemically nonreactive or only slightly reactive with
each other. The particles 31, whose density is greater than
that of the liquid 2, sediment out and form a sedimentation
- bed 3 containing a large amount of liquid 2. The piston 12
is caused to slide towards the lower part 102 of the cylinder
10 in the direction indicated by the arrow F12 (Fig. 2) so as
to compact the sedimentation bed 3 and remove the major part
of the liquid 2 from said bed.
This result can be obtained, for instance, by
providing, between the piston 12 and the inner wall 103 of
the cylinder 10, a clearance 104 which is less than the average
diameter of the particles 31, this clearance being considerably
exaggerated in Figs. :L and 2 for the purposes of clarity. The ~ -
liquid 2 which is free of particles 31 thus collects above
the piston 12 upon the compacting of the bed 3 (Fig. 2). The
liquid 2, which has collected above the piston 12, is evacuated
and the piston 12 and the removable part 11 are removed. There
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108131~
then remains the cylinder 10 within which there is contained
the compact mass 30, known as the compact feed mass, contain-
ing a small amount of liquid 2 and having, at its center, an
opening 301 which corresponds to the opening 101 of the
cylinder 10 and communicates with said opening (Fig. 3).
In view of the small amount of liquid 2 in the
compact feed mass 30, said mass 30 can be stored for a long
period of time, even if the liquid 2 and the particles 31
react slightly with each other; the mass 30 can remain in
the cylinder 10 during the storage or be removed from the
cylinder 10 and stored, since the compacting enables it in
general to retain its shape. The compacting operation can
be carried out without prior sedimentation of the particles
31, the piston 12 then moving in a suspension of particles
31 in the liquid 2, but prior sedimentation is preferable in
order to facilitate the separation between the particles and
the major part of the liquid 2.
Fig. 4 shows an erosion device 4 which makes it
possible to erode the compact feed mass 30 for feeding into
at least one chemical or electrochemical reactor (not shown).
This erosion device 4 comprises a feed cylinder, for instance
the cylinder 10 which has already been shown in Figs. 1 to 3,
within which cylinder the compact feed mass 30 is located.
A head 40, called the erosion head, has knives 41 and a hollow
rod 42 which permits said head 40, on the one hand, to rotate
around the axis XX', identical to the axis XX' shown in Fig. 1,
this rotation being indicated symbolically by the arrow F4-1,
and, on the other hand, to carry out movements of translation
parallel to the axis XX' and represented by the arrows F4-2
and F'4-2.
The introduction of the compact feed mass 30 into
the electrochemical generator is effected in the following
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manner. The head 40 is displaced in the direction indicated
by the arrow F4-2 so that the knives 41 are substantially
tangent to the conical frustum 302 which corresponds in
intaglio to the impression in the compact feed mass 30 of
the piston 12, that is to say to the upper face of the mass
30. The rotation of the head 40 then permits erosion of the
mass 30 by the knives 41, the mass 30 then giving secondary
particles 32 which can, for instance, be substantially the
same in size as the dissociated particles 31, unless the
secondary particles 32 are formed by fragmentation or agglomera-
tion of the primary particles 31.
The head 40 moves towards the bottom 105 of the
cylinder 10, as indicated by the arrow F4-2, as the erosion
progresses. At least one carrier liquid is introduced into
the cylinder 10 via a circulating means or inlet above the
head 40, as indicated by the arrow F4-3, directed towards the
bottom 105 of the cylinder 10. The carrier liquid flows
towards the compact feed mass 30, preferably in sufficient
amount to cover said entire mass, via a clearance 404 provided
between the head 40 and the inner wall 103 of the cylinder 10,
this clearance being preferably smaller than the average
diameter of the primary and secondary particles 31 and 32,
respectively. This clearance 404 is considerably exaggerated
in Fig. 4 for the purpose of clarity. ~;
The carrier liquid entrains the sec~ndary particles
32 towards at least one reactor fluid (not shown) through the
openings 301 and,101, in the direction indicated by the arrow
F4-4, the intaglio frustoconical shape of the mass 30 facili-
tating this entrainment. The erosion of the mass 30, that is
to say, in particular, the dissociating of the compacted
particles 31 is facilitated by the presence, within the mass
; 30, of the compacting liquid 2 which lubricates the particles
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31. When the mass 30 has been eroded as completely as
possible, the head 40 is withdrawn, as indicated by the arrow
F'4-2, so as to use the cylinder 10 again for the production
of a new compact feed mass 30.
Fig. 5 shows a feed device 5 comprising the erosion
device 4 which has been described above and which erosion
device 4 comprises an inlet 44 of circulating means for
introducing the carrier liquid above the head 40 as indicated
by the arrow F4-3. A motor 50 drives two gearings in rotation,
namely: the gearing formed of the pair of gear wheels 51, 52
and the gearing formed of the pair of gear wheels 53, 54,
the gear 53 being driven by the motor 50 via the clutch
device 55. The reduction ratios of these pairs of gear
wheels are slightly different. The gear wheel 52 is rigidly
connected with a screw 56 which rotates in the nut 421 formed
by the inner wall of the hollow rod 42 which is rigidly
connected with the gear 54, the axis of rotation of the gear 54
being identical to that of the head 40, that is to say to the
axis XX'. The speed of translation F4-2 of the rod 42 is thus
proportional to the difference in the angular speeds of rota-
tion of the gear wheels 52 and 54 and to the pitch of the
system formed by the screw 56 and the nut 421.
This translation takes place by a sliding of the
teeth 541 of the gear wheel 54 along the teeth 531 of the gear
wheel 53. The teeth 531 and 541 are parallel to the axis XX'
which in its turn is parallel to the axis YY' of rotation of
the gear wheel 53. This entire kinematic assembly is housed
in a water-tight casing 57 which is connected in liquid-tight
manner to the cylinder 10 by the gasket 59, the gasket 58
assuring tightness between the hollow rod 42 and casing 57.
The volume of the compact feed mass 30 is determined
so as to obtain a given operating time of the reactor.
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108~3~9
When the cylinder 10 no longer contains any particles,
the downward stroke of the head 40 is stopped by an end-of-
stroke contact (not shown). The clutch device 55 is then
placed in disengaged position which causes the stopping of
the gear wheel 53 and therefore a rapid ascent, in the direc-
tion indicated by the arrow F'4-2, of the head 40 due to the
rotation of the screw 56. The empty cylinder lO can then be
replaced by another cylinder 10 containing another compact
feed mass 30 so as to carry out another operation.
The compacting liquid and the carrier liquid may be
identical or different in composition, they may possibly
consist of the reactor liquid itself. This latter solution
is preferable for purposes of simplicity, provided that the
reactor liquid does not rapidly react chemically with the -
particles,in which case it is necessary to use a different
compacting liquid and possibly a different carrier liquid, the
different liquids being preferably miscible and not chemically
reactive with each other, so as to favor a good entrainment
of the particles into the reactor.
In the devices 4 and 5 which have been described
above, the erosion of the compact feed mass 30 and the intro-
duction of the carrier liquid take place towards the bottom.
It is obvious that other directions can be contemplated for
this erGsion and/or this introduction of liquid, for example,
a direction opposite to the one which has been described,
the erosion of the compact feed mass 30 and/or the introduc-
tion of the carrier liquid then taking place towards the top.
It is obvious furthermore that several different compact feed
; masses can be used, arranged in the same feed cylinder, which
may facilitate the charging of the feed devices. Fig. 10
shows one such device 4'. This device 4' comprises a feed
cylinder 10' in which four identical feed masses 30' are
10813i5~
superposed. Each of these masses 30' comprises a lower face
301' and an upper face 302', the said lower and upper faces
having a substantially identical conical shape, and the opening
of these cones of angle a being directed downward so as to
permit the stacking of the masses 30' one on the other. The
charging of the masses 30' is effected through the upper
part 100' of the cylinder 10' parallel to the downwardly
directed arrow F10. The erosion head 40' is arranged initially
at the lower portion 102' of the cylinder 10' so that its
knives 41' are substantially tangent to the conical lower
face 301' of the mass 30' located at the lowest level. The
head 40', driven by the rod 42', rotates around the axis
(not shown) of the rod 42' and progresses upwardly, along
said axis, parallel to the arrow F'10 during the erosion of
the mass 30' with which it is in contact. The hollow rod
42' which passes through the head 40' permits the introduction
therethrough of the carrier liquid (not shown) in upward direc-
tion, parallel to the arrow F'10. The carrier liquid thus
arrives into contact with the lower face 301' of the eroded mass
30' and entrains the secondary particles 32' downward between
the head 40' and the cylinder 10' in the direction indicated
by the arrow F10-1, this flow being made possible, for instance,
by causing the knives 41' to protrude from the side face 43'
of the head 40'.
It is thus possible to charge the cylinder 10' w-ith
masses 30' while carrying out the erosion operation or before
the complete erosion of the masses 30' contained in the
cylinder 10'. The masses 30' can, for instance, be obtained
by compacting with a piston in a cylinder whose bottom, which
is without opening, has a conical shape, the other compacting
characteristics being similar to those which have been
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10~1319
previously described.
Fig. 6 shows the use of a feed device in accordance
with the invention in an electrochemical generator.
The generator 6 comprises a cathode compartment 60
and an anode compartment 61. The cathode compartment 60 has
a cathode 601 which is, for instance, an air or oxygen dif-
fusion electrode, the entrance and departure of gas being
represented schematically by the arrows F60 and F'60. The
electron collector (not shown) of the cathode 601 is connected
with the positive terminal P of the generator 6. The anode
compartment 61 has an electron collector 611 arranged opposite
the cathode 601. An electrolyte (not shown) containing anode
active particles 612 moves through the anode compartment 61
between the electron collector 611 and the cathode 601. The
electron collector 611 is connected to the negative terminal N
of the generator 6. During the discharge of the generator 6,
the anode active particles 612 are oxidized in the anode
¦~ compartment 61, losing electrons, while the oxygen, the
cathode active material, is reduced in the cathode 601 taking
!", .,~, ~ ' 2Q up an equivalent number of electrons. The outlet 614 of the
anade compartment 61 is connected to the inlet 613 of said
~ anode compartment 61 by a path 62, on the outside of the anode
,~¦ compartment 61, this path comprising, in series, a pump 622
and a buffer tank 621 for electrolyte and particles. A feed
device 623 which makes it possible to introduce the particles
612 into the electrolyte debouches into this path 62, this
device 623 in accordance with the invention being, for
in~stance, the feed device 5 shown in Fig. 5. The anode
active~particLes 612 are formed for instance in whole or ln
30 part of an anode active metal, these particles being in
pàrticular zinc particles, the electxolyte being, for instance,
an alkaline electrolyte. The operating conditions may - without
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10~1319
this being in any way limitative - be the following:
- electrolyte (reactor liquid): 4 to 12 N potassium
hydroxide aqueous solution (4 to 12 mols of potassium hydroxide
per liter),
- compacting liquid and carrier liquid : initial
composition identical to that which the electrolyte has at
the start of the discharge, namely: 4 to 12 N potassium
hydroxide aqueous solution, substantially nonzincated,
- percentage by weight of zinc in the electrolyte
introduced into the anode compartment 61: 20% to 30% of the
weight of the electrolyte, ..
- average dimension of the zinc particles introduced
into the compacting liquid 2 before the production of the
eompact feed mass 30: 10 to 20 microns,
. mass of compactinq liquid
- ratlo mass of zinc ln the compact
feed mass 30: from 0.15 to 0.35, the ratio being for instance
substantially equal to 0.22 when the compacting liquid 2 is
6 N potassium hydroxide solution,
- speed of rotation of the head 40: from 12 to
120 rpm,
- speed of translation of the head 40 : from 0.12
to 1.2 mm/minute, this translation taking place along the
arrow F4- , .
- rate of flow of the carrier liquid : from 10 to
20 cc/minute/cm2 of inner cross section of the cylinder 10.
During the discharge, the generator 6 gives off,
into the discharge circuit (not shown) arranged between the
terminals P and N, a current which varies from S amperes to
50 amperes under a voltage close to 1 volt, which corresponds
to a consumption of zinc varying substantially from 0.108 to
1.0~3 g/minute. The maximum and minimum values given previously
for the speeds of rotation and translation correspond to the
:
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~08~319
maximum and minimum consumptions of zinc respectively.
The initial particles of zinc have a tendency to
agglomerate in the potassium hydroxide solution to form larger
particles so that the primary particles 31 which are present
in the feed mass 30 or the secondary particles 32 which are .
: present in the electrolyte are, on the average, ~rom 50
microns to 500 microns, these secondary particles 32 consti- :
tuting the anode-active particles 612.
During the discharge, the concentration of oxidized
zinc dissolved in the form of potassium zincate ~n the electro- .
lyte is-maintained at less than a predetermined value, equal
. for instance to about 120 g/liter, when the electrolyte is 6 N
potassium hydroxide solution, so that the particles of zinc
are not made inactive by an accumulation of the reaction ;.
product on their surface or in the vicinity of their surface.
This result can be obtained either by replacing the
. zincated electrolyte by a fresh solution of potassium hydroxide
free of zincate when its concentration of dissolved zinc
: becomes excessive, or by continuously regenerating the zincated
'. 20 : electrolyte in an installation, not shown in Fig. 6.
I : The.feed process in accordance with the invention
~ thus makes it possible to maintain a percentage by weight of .
., ,. ~
:' zinc particles in the electrolyte within precise limits with
.~ . a small expenditure of energy for the erosion of the feed
mass 30, this expenditure of energy being less, in the example
i ~
described, than 1% of the energy delivered by the generator 6.
The predetermined limits may be very narrow, for instance + 1%
; of the average:concentration selected. The potassium hydroxide
so1utlon reacts slightly with the zinc to liberate hydrogen,
30 ~ ~but the small amount of potassium hydroxide solution in the
compact feed mass permits the latter-to become rapidly
saturated with potassium zincate so that the reaction does
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^`\ :
81319
not progress and this feed mass can be stored for very long
periods of time without any danger of prolonged a-ttack of the
zinc by the potassium hydroxide solution. This is not true
of concentrated slurries of particles of zinc and potassium
hydroxide aqueous solutions. As a matter of fact, in these
slurries, the ratio of mass of Potassium hydroxide solution
mass of zinc
is in general greater than 1. Thus, for instance, if one
allows particles of zinc to settle out in 6 N potassium
hydroxide solution, these particles being identical with the
particles 612 used in the generator 6, and if one removes
the potassium hydroxide solution located above this sedimenta-
tion bed the ratio of mass of potassium hydroxide solutionmass of zinc
in the slurry thus obtained is equal to 1.3. ~hese large
amounts of potassium hydroxide solution in the slurries lead
upon storage to a substantial attack of the zinc, with all
the above described drawbacks which result therefrom.
On the other hand, the potassium hydroxide solution
which occupies substantially all the empty spaces left by
the particles in the compact feed mass protects these particles
against attack by the air so that only a superficial attack
of said mass by the air need be feared and this can be avoided,
for instance, in a very simple manner by means of a protective
plastic fllm.
The operation of the erosion device 4 used to feed
the generator 6 can be efected in two ways, namely either
continuously or intermittently.
In continuous operation, the erosion head 40 rotates
continuously when the generator 6 delivers current and the
quantity of secondary particles 612 introduced into the
generator 6 is a function of the intensity of the current
delivered by the generator. The erosion device 4 is therefore
controlled by the intensity of the current discharged by the
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~081319
generator. Fig. 7 shows such an electric control circuit 7.
The shunt 71 gives a signal which is the image of the current
intensity I delivered by the generator 6 into the discharge
circuit 70 which comprises the discharge impedance 701, for
instance an electric motor. This signal is amplified by the
amplifier 72 and makes it possible to modify the fixed voltage
U 73 available at the terminals of an external source of
direct current 73. The variable ~oltage U 74 thus obtained
at the positive and negative terminals of the regulator 74
makes it possible, for instance, to feed the motor 50 shown
in Fig. 5. The voltage U 74 varies as a function of the
current intensity I delivered by the generator 6 and therefore
the speeds VT and VR vary as a function of this intensity,
for instance proportionally to said intensity, VT being the
speed of transIation of the erosion head 40, expressed for
i., .
instance in mm/minute and represented by the arrow F4-2 (Fig.
4), and VR being the speed of rotation of said head 40,
expressed for instance in revolutions/minute and represented
by the arrow F4-1 (Fig. 4). In the device 5 shown in Fig. 5
the ratio between the speeds VT and VR is constant for a
given pitch of the screw 56 when the ratios between the number
of teeth of the gear wheel pairs 51, 52, on the one hand, and
53, 54, on the other hand, have been determined, the values
of~the speeds of rotation and of translation given previously
by way of example for the head 40 of the device 623 correspond-
ing to this type of operation.
This arrangement may have the drawback of permitting
only a relatively low speed of rotation VR when the current
intensity I delivered by the generator 6 is low, so that the ~ ~;
: ~ :
30- erosion head 40 may then possibly be blocked in contact with
the compact feed mass 30, or rotate in contact with said mass
;; without disaggregation of said mass. This is true in particular
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in the device 623 when the speed of rotation becomes less than
12 rpm. Under these conditions, it may be advantageous to
provide two separate motors, as in the device 8 shown in
Fig. 8. This device 8 comprises a rotation motor 80 and
a translation motor 81. The rotation motor 80 drives the
head 40 in rotation via a gearing consisting of the pair of
gear wheels 53, 54 analogous to the pair 53, 54 shown in
Fig. 5.
The speed of rotation VR is constant, its value
having been selected rather high in order to avoid blocking
of the head 40 in contact with the compact feed mass 30 (not
shown in the drawing for purposes of simplification) and in
order to avoid rotation of the head 40 without disaggregation
of the mass 30. The translation motor 81 turns the screw
56 which turns in the nut 421 which is ri~idly connected with
the gear wheels 54 and the head 40, the difference in angular
rotation between the screw 56 and the nut 421 resulting in
the translation of the head 40 as in the feed device 5. The
motor 81 may, for instance, be an electric motor connected
to the terminals of the regulator 74 and thus be subjected
to the voltage U 74 which is variable as a function of
the current intensity I delivered by the generator 6, the
speed of translation VT being then, for instance, proportional
to said current intensity so that the quàntity of secondary
particles 612 introduced into the generator 6 is itself
proportional to said current intensity. A device (not shown)
makes it possible to return the erosion head 40 upwards when
there is no further compact feed mass 30-.
In intermittent operation, the erosion head 40 does
not turn during the entire time that the generator 6 delivers
current. One can, for instance, comtemplate varying the
quantity of secondary particles 612 introduced into the
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1081319
generator 6 as a function of the quantity of electricity
supplied by the generator 6. Fig. 9 shows such an electric
control circuit 9. The signal given by the shunt 71 is
forwarded via the device 90 which measures the mount of
electricity delivered by the generator 6, this amount of
electricity being, for instance, calculated in ampere-hours.
This number of ampere-hours is compared in the device 91 with
a given ampere-hour increment represented diagrammatically
by the rectangle 911 and the arrow F9. When the number of
ampere-hours delivered by the generator 6 corresponds to the
increment, the device 91 actuates the switch 92 so that the
voltage U 93 at the terminals of the contactor 93 is equal
or proportional to the constant voltage U 73 of the direct
current generator 73 depending on the nature of the circuit
94 connecting the generator 73 to the contactor 93. This
constant voltage U 93 is available due to the switch 92 for
a constant given time Ta, called the feed time. During
this Time Ta, the voltage U 93 feeds, for instance, the motor
50 of the feed device 5 and the head 40 is then imparted a
given constant speed of rotation VR and a given constant
speed of translation VT which are equal, for instance, to
the ma~imum values indicated above, that is to say 120 rpm
and 1.2 mm/minute, respectively, resulting in the feeding of ;~
a constant quantity of secondary particles 612 for a given
amount of electricity supplied by the generator 6, the period
between two successive feeds being variable as a function
of the intensity of the current delivered by the generator.
; The same principle can be used with the device 8.
It is clear that everything described above applies
when the zinc particles are introduced into the generator 6
with a feed device other than the feed devices 5 and 8, for
instance, with the device 4' which has been described above
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~08~319
and is shown in Fig. 10.
This device 4' may then be driven in a manner
identical to the driving of the erosion device 4 in feed
devices 5 and 8, but in opposite direction, the erosion head
40' being then directed upward instead of being directed
downward as in the feed devices 5 and 8. Of course, the
invention is not limited to the embodiments described above,
on basis of which one can contemplate other embodiments and
forms without thereby going beyond the scope of the invention.
The invention applies in particular to the case where the
reactor is both a chemical reactor and an electrochemical
reactor, the secondary particles serving, for instance,
chemically to regenerate an active material which reacts
electroch~ ally in the reaceor.
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