The present invention relates to the field of electrochemical processing, and more particularly to an apparatus for accepting and cleaning an electrode used in such a process. The predominant current usage of the present inventive cathode rinsing station is in the handling of a cathode used for in place electropolishing, wherein it is desirable to easily clean and store the electrode without exposing the user and others to an acid electrolyte which is on the cathode.
It is known in the art to deposit and/or remove materials by passing an electric current through a fluid electrolyte which is in contact with a conductive electrode. Materials are exchanged between the electrolyte and the electrode depending upon the direction of current flow and the ionization of materials to be deposited on or removed from the electrode. Electroplating is a well known application of this general method. Electropolishing is also well known in the art. In the electropolishing process, irregularities and deposits on a surface are removed by causing such to be drawn into the electrolyte solution.
An example is the in place electrochemical polishing of a pipe. In such an example, a cathode is drawn through the pipe while an electrolyte solution is simultaneously piped through the pipe. The pipe acts as an anode and is electrochemically polished in the process. Since the electrolyte solution must be continuously pumped through the pipe during the process, it is most practical to recirculate the solution.
The electrolyte solution used in such a process is generally an acid which is sufficiently concentrated to be a hazard both to personnel and equipment. Therefore, when the cathode is withdrawn from the pipe, it is covered with an acid which can damage the cathode and which can injure persons who might handle the cathode. The cathode can be carefully cleaned, but this process, itself, is somewhat dangerous, as splashing and the like may occur during the process. Furthermore, the longer the delay between the removal of the cathode from the acid electrolyte and the time when it is eventually cleaned, the more wear will occur to the cathode and the more likely it is that the acid on the cathode can damage equipment and/or personnel.
It would be valuable to have a method or apparatus whereby the cathode would not emerge from the process covered with the harmful acid electrolyte. However, to the inventor""s knowledge, no such has existed in the prior art.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus and method for cleaning the cathode in an electropolishing process without exposing equipment or personnel to a harmful acid electrolyte.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide an apparatus and method for reducing the risk to equipment and personnel associated with removing a cathode from an in place polishing system,
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide an apparatus and method for reducing the time, effort and expense of an in place polishing process.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide an apparatus and method for prolonging the useful life of a cathode used in an in place polishing process.
Briefly, a known embodiment of the present invention is an improved in place electropolishing apparatus for polishing a pipe. According to the present invention, a cathode station is positioned such that the cathode will come to rest in the cathode station after the cathode is fully drawn through the pipe. A valve prevents leakage between the cathode and the pipe. A cleaning fluid is pumped into the cathode station at one and withdrawn at the other end until the cathode is rinsed free of acid.
An advantage of the present invention is that it is much easier for operators to clean and store the cathode after an in place polishing process.
A further advantage of the present invention is that the cathode can be cleaned immediately after use.
Yet another advantage of the present invention is that personnel and equipment are not exposed to acid that might drip from the cathode after it is removed from the pipe.
Still another advantage of the present invention is that it is economical to manufacture and to use.
These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become clear to those skilled in the art in view of the description of modes of carrying out the invention, and the industrial applicability thereof, as described herein and as illustrated in the several figures of the drawing. The objects and advantages listed are not an exhaustive list of all possible objects or advantages of the invention. Moreover, it will be possible to practice the invention even where one or more of the intended objects and/or advantages might be absent or not required in the application.
Further, those skilled in the art will recognize that various embodiments of the present invention may achieve one or more, but not necessarily all, of the above described objects and advantages. Accordingly, the listed objects and/or advantages are not essential elements of the present invention, and should not be construed as limitations.