Improving the electrolytic process magnesium production

Abstract

America has completed a development program designed to improve the performance efficiency of the electrolysis system and eliminate operating chlorine losses. This work has culminated in the recent modernization of the process. The conversion has provided a number of operating benefits including significant reductions in labor costs, energy costs, maintenance costs, and environmental releases. This paper will review the development, design, environmental impact, and cost benefit of the project.

Collection of magnesium in an Mg–Pb alloy cathode placed at the bottom of the cell in MgCl2 electrolysis

“…The sum of the energy required to form Mg-Pb alloy and the energy required for the refining step to produce 1 kg magnesium metal is 13.9 kW h kg −1 at 1.0 A cm −2 . This value is at the lower end of 13-18 kW h kg −1 Mg, the energy consumed in conventional industrial magnesium electrolyzers [14]. Therefore, the production rate that can be achieved with the present cell design is comparable with the industrial operations.…”

Regional evaluation of brine management for geologic carbon sequestration

“…We assumed harvesting of salt NaCl, magnesium Mg, boron for boric acid B 2 CO 3 , potassium for potash K 2 O, and calcium for gypsum Ca(SO 4 )·2(H 2 O) would incorporate evaporation ponds and a salt electrolysis treatment similar to the process used to treat concentrated water from the Great Salt Lake in Utah (Ahmed et al, 2003;Thayer and Neelameggham, 2001;Tripp, 2009). These compounds were selected due to maturity in harvesting technology, and higher current market values (Bueno, 2011;USGS, 2011).…”

Magnesium, its alloys and compounds

“…The new cells can produced 2.8 t of magnesium per day, compared to the ones that they replace, which can produce only 1.0 to 1.4 t of magnesium per day. Magcorp also claims that the new cells have no requirement for control of cell electrolyte level, no requirement to replace graphite anodes, no desludging requirement, and greater than 99.9 percent collection of chlorine (Thayer and Neelameggham, 2001).…”