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.
|
 |
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. |
 |
Plating cells are harvested by removing the top and extracting the cathode.
The starter sheet is then replaced and the process starts again.
