Cell, Griesheim

Griesheim (1) An early process for producing chlorine by electrolysis, developed by Chemische Fabrik Griesheim-Elektron, in Germany, and commercialized in 1890. The electrolyte was saturated potassium chloride solution, heated to 80 to 90°C. The byproduct potassium hydroxide was recovered. The process was superseded in the United States by several similar electrolytic processes before being ousted by the mercury cell, invented by H. Y. Castner and K. Kellner in 1892. See Castner-Kellner. 

There are other processes analogous to Castner s which involve no new principles and which are used to a limited extent for instance, with H. Becker s process 11 the form of the cell is modified and the contact electrode process of the Chem. Fabr. Griesheim-Elektron, where the cathode does not dip into the electrolyte but is merely in contact therewith. 

The experiments were run in a 200 ml vessel with electrical heating and stirring by a magnetic bar. The pressure was followed by a Digibar. AA and AIBN (both from Merck) were used as received, CCh-SFE-grade was used from Messer Griesheim. For visual experiments a stainless-steel optical cell with movable piston could be used. The reaction conditions were 65°C and 200 bar and the reaction time was about 6h. 

Griesheim Company, in Germany, in 1888 [1]. Sodium hydroxide and chlorine were first produced electrolytically in 1891 in Frankfurt, Germany, using technology advanced in the patents of Mathes and Weber. The same technology was first used in the U.S.A. at Rumford Falls, Maine, by the Electrochemical Company in 1892. Both of the early cells used an operating procedure, which amounted to a scaled-up version of a laboratory electrolyzer (Fig. 8.1a) and were operated in batch modes. 

FIGURE 8.1 (a) Schematic diagram of a Griesheim-type cell which operated on a batch... 

The Griesheim Eldrtron Company use a dosed diaphragm cell for preparing metallic permanganates, which is fitted with tubes for the escape of electrolytic gas. Their method for preparing the calcium salt is as follows The cathode compartment contains caustic potash solution, and the anode compartment is filled with saturated manganate... 

FIGURE 2.1. A and B Griesheim Elecktron cell bank C Cross-section of Griesheim Elecktron cell, a anode b brine inlet c cathode d brine outlet e caustic outlet s steam. 

The Siemens-Billiter cell was already in operation by the Griesheim interests in Germany. Roberts founded a company,... 

Figure 1. Griesheim non-percolating diaphragm cell with diaphragm indicated by an arrow (Reproduced with permission from Ref. 6. Copyright 1972 Robert E. Krieger).

Although the possibility of electrolytic decomposition of sodium chloride was indicated by W. Cruikshank back in 1800, the first electrolysis plant (diaphragm-type cells) was introduced in 1888 in the company Griesheim (Germany). A few years later (1892), H. Y. Castner and C. Kellner patented independently CAT cells with flowing mercury cathodes. During last decades of twentieth century, membrane-type cells were developed and applied by Hooker... 

There are three basic processes for the electrolytic production of chlorine, the nature of the cathode reaction depending on the specific process. These three processes are (1) the diaphragm cell process (Griesheim cell, 1885), (2) the mercury cell process (Cast-ner-Kellner cell, 1892), and (3) the membrane cell process (1970). 

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