Olin mercury cells

Olin cells have a number of unique features in size, arrangement, and adjustment of anodes for voltage regulation. Olin pioneered the development of vertical decomposers, which reduce the mercury inventory required by the cells. 

The Olin cells [68] have machined steel cell bottom units with rubber-lined steel side channels and steel tops. The anode stems are sealed through individual flexible rubber sleeves and are suspended from a copper channel, which also carries the current from the flexible buses to the anodes. Olin has developed a novel system to mount and adjust the anode-cathode gaps. The U-shaped copper or aluminum bus bar, located above each row of anodes, provides support to the anode lifting gear and current to the anodes, which are bolted to it. The anodes can be adjusted manually or electronically with the remote computerized anode adjusted (RCAA) system. 

The RCAA system generates current signals and anode-cathode voltage signals, which are fed to a console that displays the currents and voltages for each bus in a given cell. The computer analyzes the data and automatically raises or lowers each 

FIGURE 5.12. Cross section through a horizontal decomposer [71]. (a) Amalgam (b) Bolt (c) Graphite cathodes (d) Hydrogen (e) NaOH solution (f) Decomposer casing (g) Spacers. (With permission from John Wiley Sons, Inc.) 

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In 2002, approximately 67% of the chlorine in the United Sates was produced using the diaphragm-cell technology, 20% by the membrane-cell technology, and 10% by the mercury-cell technology. Five companies—Dow Chemical, Occidental Chemical Corporation, PPG Industries, Olin Corporation, and Formosa Plastics Corporation— manufacture 79% of the chlorine. Twenty-eight percent of the total US chlorine production was by Dow Chemical, whereas twenty-two percent of the production was by Occidental Chemical. PPG, Olin, and Formosa Plastics produce 12%, 9%, and 7% of the chlorine production in the United States, respectively. 

The main mercury cathode electrolytic cells used in the industry were developed chiefly by De Nora and Uhde, and to a lesser extent by IC1, Krebs Kureha, Olin and Solvay. 

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