Long running Potassium Chlorate may Perc cell

[Psymon89]

Last year i had build several "Reactor Head´s", to go from Chloride to Chlorate. Ive done everything only with OTC products, Ebay etc.

In the end i was Running a 8L 4Kg Chlorate cell on 200x60 MMO anode at 4.x Volts an around 35 to 42 Amps, cuz im not very good in Math i wasnt Calculating how long i have to run but i decided after 10 Days it was enough, i ended up with around 3 kg of chlorate wich precipitated out of solution in form of beautiful shiny crystals.

Im gonna show some Pics.

 

But now i want to Build one for Perchlorate with automatic refeeder function, to replenisch the KCLO3 while KCLO4 is precipitating.

Do you think the refeed function will be working? something like a teasieve inside the Reactor Head filled with KCLO3 which will dissolve if the concentration in the sole sinks.

I always use a Glass Vase as cell, last was D150mmx500mm and now for the Perc it will be 200x300, aswell around 8 Liters.

Used a Glass Plate on top, Drilled with cheap Glassdrills from Euroshop, but Later changed to a PET Plate.

Use PTFE tubing 4x6 as Gas exhaust to the aquarium bubbler and shield the Meat-Oventhermocouple

Titanium Spacers are a Bicycle Part for the rear damper, available with 25-52mm length.

Changed the Cables from 4mm2 to 10 mm2 because i was running at 35-42A @ 4,6V

 

 

Edited Thursday at 09:25 AM by Psymon89

[mx5kevin]

The conversion of KClO3 to KClO4 is too slow process. It will not work with a PbO2 anode because KClO4 will precipitate on the anode and crystals will be deposited on it. It works with a thick platinum anode coated on a silver base, but the process produces a very small amount of KClO4 occasionally. The other problem is that as the KClO4 precipitates, the process slows down. It will take many times longer to produce the same amount of KClO4 from KClO3 electrolysis compared to NaClO4. Using NaClO4, large quantities can be produced on occasion. There are two tricks here: If someone finds the NaCl to NaClO4 conversion too slow, they use KClO3 for the double displacement reaction. Because there are cases where KClO3 is produced much faster than NaClO3. Anyone who doesn't have this problem uses KCl for the double displacement reaction. The NaCl are reused in the chlorate cell if KCl are used. The NaClO3 are reused in the perchlorate cell if KClO3 are used.

Edited Thursday at 06:57 PM by mx5kevin

[mx5kevin]

You can dissolve 73g KClO3 in a 1000ml room temperature cell. Some of this will precipitate in the form of KClO4. When a certain amount of KClO4 precipitates, the process slows down drastically. Ideally, you should filter it every two days and then dissolve fresh KClO3.
You can dissolve 357g NaCl in a 1000ml room temperature cell to convert it ~750g NaClO4.
In the first method, as the KClO4 precipitates and filtered, fresh KClO3 must be dissolved in the solution at high temperature than cool it down. And you have to repeat this at least ~15X to get to what you once extracted with the NaClO4 method. I tried the KClO3->KClO4 conversion method in pure water using electrolysis a long time ago, but I realized it was uneconomical. Anodes especially platinum used for perchlorates are severely damaged if operated above 45°C (degrees Celsius) at long term. This is precisely why hot solutions cannot be used for electrolysis in perchlorate production.

Edited Thursday at 08:12 PM by mx5kevin