The present invention relates to an electrolytic cell producing oxidants that utilizes a vacuum venturi system to meter saturated brine to the water stream to produce the correct conductivity electrolyte for operation of the electrolytic cell. The present invention comprises a venture eductor configured to accept brine from a brine source and to communicate brine to the chlorine generation system, a first control device to discourage communication of brine from the venture eductor to the brine source, and a second control device to control the rate of flow of brine from the brine source to the venture eductor.

A device and method for preparing high-purity titanium powder by continuous electrolysis are provided. The method includes: electrolyzing a titanium-containing conductive ceramic anode and a rotatable cathode in a fused salt electrolytic tank; continuously transferring titanium powder deposited on a surface of the cathode by the rotatable cathode to a position above the fused salt; scraping the titanium powder by a discharging scraper, and collecting; filtering the titanium powder, and recovering the fused salt; cooling separated titanium powder, washing with deoxygenated and deionized water, and vacuum-drying to obtain final titanium powder. The device includes a fused salt electrolysis mechanism, a continuous titanium powder collection mechanism, a filtering mechanism, a washing mechanism, and a vacuum-drying mechanism.

A device and method for preparing high-purity titanium powder by continuous electrolysis are provided. The method includes: electrolyzing a titanium-containing conductive ceramic anode and a rotatable cathode in a fused salt electrolytic tank; continuously transferring titanium powder deposited on a surface of the cathode by the rotatable cathode to a position above the fused salt; scraping the titanium powder by a discharging scraper, and collecting; filtering the titanium powder, and recovering the fused salt; cooling separated titanium powder, washing with deoxygenated and deionized water, and vacuum-drying to obtain final titanium powder. The device includes a fused salt electrolysis mechanism, a continuous titanium powder collection mechanism, a filtering mechanism, a washing mechanism, and a vacuum-drying mechanism.

A system to remove sodium and Sulfur from a feed stream containing alkali metal sulfides and polysulfides in addition to heavy metals. The system includes an electrolytic cell having an anolyte compartment housing an anode in contact with an anolyte. The anolyte includes alkali metal sulfides and polysulfides dissolved in a polar organic solvent. The anolyte includes heavy metal ions. A separator includes an ion conducting membrane and separates the anolyte compartment from a catholyte compartment that includes a cathode in contact with a catholyte. The catholyte includes an alkali ion-conductive liquid. A power source applies a voltage to the electrolytic cell high enough to reduce the alkali metal and oxidize Sulfur ions to allow recovery of the alkali metal and elemental sulfur. The ratio of sodium to Sulfur is such that the open circuit potential of the electrolytic cell is greater than about 2.3V.

A system to remove sodium and Sulfur from a feed stream containing alkali metal sulfides and polysulfides in addition to heavy metals. The system includes an electrolytic cell having an anolyte compartment housing an anode in contact with an anolyte. The anolyte includes alkali metal sulfides and polysulfides dissolved in a polar organic solvent. The anolyte includes heavy metal ions. A separator includes an ion conducting membrane and separates the anolyte compartment from a catholyte compartment that includes a cathode in contact with a catholyte. The catholyte includes an alkali ion-conductive liquid. A power source applies a voltage to the electrolytic cell high enough to reduce the alkali metal and oxidize Sulfur ions to allow recovery of the alkali metal and elemental sulfur. The ratio of sodium to Sulfur is such that the open circuit potential of the electrolytic cell is greater than about 2.3V.

A method of electroplating a metal foam includes placing a metal foam to be plated into an electroplating chamber with a plating material source, circulating an electrolyte through the chamber to carry metal ions from the plating material source, the circulating being selected and controlled to produce an even coating of plating material on surfaces of the metal foam.

A method for electrochemical extraction of uranium from seawater using an oxygen vacancy (OV)-containing metal oxide includes the following steps: adding glycerin to a solution of indium nitrate in isopropanol, transferring a resulting mixture to a reactor, and conducting reaction to obtain a spherical indium hydroxide solid; dissolving the solid in deionized water, transferring a resulting solution to the reactor, and conducting reaction to obtain a flaky indium hydroxide solid; calcining the solid to obtain calcined OV-containing In.sub.2O.sub.3-x; adding the In.sub.2O.sub.3-x; to ethanol, and adding a membrane solution; coating a resulting solution uniformly on carbon paper, and naturally drying the carbon paper; clamping dried carbon paper with a gold electrode for being used as a working electrode for a three-electrode system; and adding simulated seawater to an electrolytic cell, placing the three-electrode system in the simulated seawater, and stirring the simulated seawater for electrolysis to extract uranium from the seawater.

A method for extracting uranium with a coupling device of wind power generation and uranium extraction from seawater includes the following steps: adding oxygen vacancy (OV)-containing In.sub.2O.sub.3-x to absolute ethanol, and subjecting a resulting mixture to stirring and ultrasonic treatment to obtain a solution of In.sub.2O.sub.3-x in absolute ethanol; coating the solution uniformly on carbon cloth, and drying to obtain carbon cloth coated with OV-containing In.sub.2O.sub.3-x; inserting the coated carbon cloth (as a working electrode) and another blank carbon cloth (as a counter electrode) into a plastic carrier of a coupling device; fixing a small wind power generation apparatus above the plastic carrier, and connecting the working electrode and the counter electrode to a storage battery of the apparatus via wires; and placing the coupling device in seawater, and after the storage battery is charged, energizing the working electrode and the counter electrode to extract uranium from the seawater.

A method for extracting uranium with a coupling device of wind power generation and uranium extraction from seawater includes the following steps: adding oxygen vacancy (OV)-containing In.sub.2O.sub.3-x to absolute ethanol, and subjecting a resulting mixture to stirring and ultrasonic treatment to obtain a solution of In.sub.2O.sub.3-x in absolute ethanol; coating the solution uniformly on carbon cloth, and drying to obtain carbon cloth coated with OV-containing In.sub.2O.sub.3-x; inserting the coated carbon cloth (as a working electrode) and another blank carbon cloth (as a counter electrode) into a plastic carrier of a coupling device; fixing a small wind power generation apparatus above the plastic carrier, and connecting the working electrode and the counter electrode to a storage battery of the apparatus via wires; and placing the coupling device in seawater, and after the storage battery is charged, energizing the working electrode and the counter electrode to extract uranium from the seawater.

The recovery of noble metal(s) from noble-metal-containing material is generally described. The noble metal(s) can be recovered selectively, in some cases, such that noble metal(s) is at least partially separated from non-noble-metal material within the material. Noble metal(s) may be recovered from noble-metal-containing material using mixtures of acids, in some instances. In some cases, the mixture can comprise nitric acid and/or another source of nitrate ions and at least one supplemental acid, such as sulfuric acid, phosphoric acid, and/or a sulfonic acid. The amount of nitrate ions within the mixture can be, in some instances, relatively small compared to the amount of supplemental acid within the mixture. In some cases, the recovery of noble metal(s) using the acid mixtures described herein can be enhanced by transporting an electric current between an electrode and the noble metal(s) of the noble-metal-containing material. In some cases, acid mixtures can be used to recover silver from particular types of scrap materials, such as scrap material comprising silver metal and cadmium oxide and/or scrap material comprising silver metal and tungsten metal.