Electrolytic process for the production of chlorine dioxide

The present invention is concerned with the electrolytic production of chlorine dioxide from chlorite ions. More particularly, the present invention relates to an electrochemical process and an electrolytic cell structure used to manufacture a high purity aqueous chlorine dioxide solution from a dilute aqueous alkali metal chlorite solution. Chlorine dioxide is produced at high conversion rates from aqueous sodium chlorite solution by electrochemical oxidation in an undivided electrochemical cell. The cell utilizes an anode of high surface area through which the aqueous sodium chlorite solution flows into an interelectrode gap between the anode and a cathode. Water or acidified water is fed into the interelectrode gap to function as catholyte and also to dilute the electrolyzed sodium chlorite solution to provide an aqueous solution of chlorine dioxide exiting from the electrochemical cell.