Talk:Downs cell

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In doing a web search on this topic, I found that most if not all of the original article (prior to my edits) was copied from an existing website. I will be doing a complete rewrite in the very near future to remove the plagiarism. Karl Hahn (T) (C) 19:44, 11 February 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Reliability

There is a question mark over whether the overall reaction is correct. I have found in a source (Smoot, R, Price, J, Smith, R, 1983, Chemistry: A modern course, Charles E. Merrill Publishing Co., Columbus) that the overall reaction is: 2NaCl(aq) + 2H₂O(l) → 2NaOH(aq) + H2(g) + Cl₂(g). --Depor23 07:42, 19 March 2007 (UTC)

The Downs cell does not use water. Hence there can be no H₂ or NaOH as a product. There are a number of cells that produce Cl₂ and NaOH from brine. These include the Castner-Kellner cell, the Hargreaves-Bird cell, the Gibbs cell, and the Le Sueur cell. You can find many references on the web to the Downs cell by doing a Google search. They all indicate that the Downs cell is electrolysis of a fused chloride salt. Karl Hahn (T) (C) 12:43, 19 March 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Baffles

Could someone please describe how the baffles opperate, and how they are made? Thank you. I would do it myself, but it takes me forever to find, check and verify my work--Th(e)riknator 21:34, 17 April 2007 (UTC)

According to the diagram in General Chemistry by Pauling, the baffles are made of iron. The part of the baffle that forms a vertical separator between anode and cathode is perforated with an array of small holes. Karl Hahn (T) (C) 01:54, 18 April 2007 (UTC)