Conventional electrowinning involves
placing an anode and cathode into a bath of slowly
circulating or stagnant electrolyte. The metal ions
eventually make their way to the cathode to be plated.
With EMEW®, the electrolyte is circulated rapidly
past the anode and cathode at a higher flow rate,
allowing for improvements in efficiency and recovery.
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EMEW Cell®
1. Each EMEW® cell comprises
of a 6 or 8 inch pipe made of stainless steel or
PVC. The cathode area in each cell is 0.5m²
for the 6 inch cell, or 1m² for the 8 inch
cell.
The ANODE runs through the centre
of the cell. The Inside surface of the pipe is
the CATHODE.
2. There are two types of EMEW®
cell. One produces metal plate, the other produces
metal powder.
In the powder cell the Anode has a larger diameter
and a smaller electrode gap.
EMEW Plate Cell®
3. For plating cells a Starter
Sheet, (usually made of stainless steel), is slid
inside the body of the EMEW® cell.
The metal being recovered is plated onto this
removable/reusable starter sheet when current
is passed between the ANODE and the CATHODE.
EMEW Cell®
4. The electrolyte is pumped
through the cell from the bottom.
Power is applied to the cell between the ANODE
& CATHODE.
Metal then begins to plate, or forms as powder,
on the CATHODE. |
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This flush harvesting is controlled by
a PLC and is fully automatic
Plating cells are harvested by removing
the top and extracting the cathode.
The starter sheet is then replaced and
the process starts again.
