Abstract:
A cylindrical anode and a cylindrical cathode longitudinally spaced from one another with an insulating cylinder between them form one wall of an annular flow passage. The other wall is formed by a coaxial conducting cylinder which is known as a bipolar electrode because in operation it is anodic relative to the cathode and cathodic relative to the anode. In one embodiment the two electrodes and insulating spacer form the housing within which is mounted the bi-polar electrode. In another embodiment the bi-polar electrode forms the housing within which is mounted the cylindrical anode, insulating spacer and cathode. The electrolyte, such as brine, flows through the annular flow passage while current flows from anode through electrolyte to the bi-polar electrode along the bi-polar electrode back through the electrolyte to the cathode thereby, when the electrolyte is brine, generating sodium hypochlorite.