Thank you, I will need to take some time to assimilate all this. I will definitely keep you updated on my progress.Your amperage is to be determined by the cathode area (size) or the size of how many cathodes are involved in the cell... larger cells run at higher amperages.
Depending on the metal being oxidized and reduced the range of amperage will vary.
You can look up amperage per square foot, and convert to inch for that metal or find or convert in metric...
a slight excess of amperage is ok.
Too many amps on a small cell may not only see it splitting the water but may become uncontrollably reactive,
I would not put my welder on a setting of 260 Amp on a small silver cell with a 3-square-inch cathode. I would probably not only see water bubbling as it split, but I may have a heck of an acid volcano with hydrogen gas and arcing ...Hmm could get nasty, this may or may not be a slight exaggeration of the possible danger or problem but you get the idea, we do not wish to weld the anode to the cathode or burn off the electrolyte.
several other conditions pH which can change in the cell as gases evolve or water is split normally the anode compartment gets acidic (hydrogen+ ion) and the cathode becomes more caustic alkaline or basic (OH- ions),
The temperature of the electrolyte, which also as almost everything can be related to the cell and how it is going to operate, more resistance (think electrolyte resistance ions in solution ) and the external resistance of the external circuit, bad connections, too small wire carrying current to and from electrodes, can waste current, build heat and cause grief, higher resistance, and higher current also mean you will have a higher wattage produced (we are not making an electric bathroom heater out of our cell, unnecessary wattage of wasted power...
Even the metals involved play a role, how reactive or how unreactive the metal or its ions are, where their place in the series, how they react in the cell (with each other at times), the metal ions are soluble or insoluble are they depleting the electrolyte (think insoluble lead sulfate taking the sulfate ions with it, or silver taking chloride ions from electrolyte with it out of the equation of the cell to deposit it in the mud or slimes...
Several factors are involved some more than I can't think of right now too tired of typing blindly with one finger...
Out of interest, in copper electrowinning, would it be possible to have a vertical, hollow, cylindrical anode, maybe 15cm diameter, with many little cathode rods dropping down the centre. This way I can create a system where the copper sulphate solution flows slowly upwards through the 1m high anode comes out through the top and drops to the bottom of a similar cylinder at a lower level so the electrolyte rises up the cylinder on its own. Maybe have a series of 10 such cylinders thus increasing the surface area. Idea is to keep it in constant motion shifting any inert zon
thanks. I still cant get the stripping process. Do I mix my copper solvent extraction concentrate with sulphuric acid then put it in the electrowinning cell. If so whats the mix ration . Im try to get literature on how they did it in the beginning before all this new technology way employedI have seen these mixers made from industrial vent fans. Laid on their side with a mixing blade replacing the fan blade. These were used in 50 gallon drums and used flotation to work the materials/ores into the next barrel. I have looked most of the day but cannot find any of the old pictures or videos I had saved. I will keep looking as it has been a few years since I have looked at them.