Electrolysis: processes – compositions used therein – and methods – Electrolytic material treatment
Reexamination Certificate
1999-07-23
2001-08-21
Phasge, Arun S. (Department: 1741)
Electrolysis: processes, compositions used therein, and methods
Electrolytic material treatment
C205S688000, C205S702000, C205S742000, C205S771000, C204S242000, C204S267000, C204S269000, C204S271000, C204S272000, C204S273000, C204S275100, C204S545000, C204S660000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06277265
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to an improved device and method for separating and removing ionizable components dissolved in fluids, such as for example, water. Particularly, this invention relates to separating said ionizable substances into fractions by the action of electric current and of Coriolis force. More particularly, the invention relates to a rotary device and a process in which a liquid containing ionizable components is continuously fed in and the purified solvent and the solute in a concentrated solution are continuously removed. Still more particularly, the invention relates to a rotary device and a process in which said ionizable substances are separated in one of three modes, the modes being electrolytic, electrostatic, and electrodynamic. Most particularly, this invention relates to the electrodynamic mode, hereafter referred to as the ELDYN mode.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
U.S. Pat. No. 5,858,199, hereafter referred to as the Hanak patent, contains the description of apparatus and method for a water deionization process named Electrocoriolysis, also referred to as the ELCOR™ process. The background of the invention that appears in the Hanak patent, contains a detailed description of the electrolytic and the electrostatic modes, which is also relevant to the instant invention. It should be noted that the term ‘electrostatic’ in this description refers to a deionization process assisted by gravitational or centrifugal forces, while the term ‘capacitive’ refers to a deionization process not involving said forces; otherwise both the electrostatic and capacitive processes involve capacitive charging and discharging of the electrodes. Additional background information, which applies to the ELDYN mode, follows.
While conducting tests using a dynamic Electrogravitational (EG) deionization device operating in the electrostatic mode, a new, previously unknown mode, co-existing and competing with the electrostatic mode has been discovered. As stated above, this new mode was named electrodynamic mode, or ELDYN mode. It was observed that unlike in the capacitive method of prior art [References 1, 2, 3], deionization and enhancement in the electrostatic mode were occurring simultaneously and continuously with the newly discovered ELDYN mode, solely by the combined action of an electrostatic field and gravitational force. On account of the fact that this new phenomenon had an implication of potential large gains in the throughput and energy efficiency of the water treatment process, an extensive examination of the results was undertaken to determine the mechanism of the ELDYN mode.
Evidence for the Existence of the ELDYN Mode of Deionization
The preceding test data indicate that the ELDYN mode occurs simultaneously with the electrostatic mode. The two appear to be competing processes. The occurrence of the ELDYN mode has been inferred from the mechanism previously known to be taking place in the capacitive mode of prior art [References 1, 2, 3], from three observations obtained in the study of EG deionization in the electrostatic mode, and from the first successful deionization using the ELCOR™ process operating in the electrostatic mode.
(a) Mechanism of Deionization in the Capacitive Method
Oren and Soffer [Ref. 1, 2], in describing their deionization process by ‘electrochemical parametric pumping’ that appears to be the original version of the capacitive method of deionization, observe that “almost all of the electric charge is directed to change NaCl concentration.” Farmer [Ref. 3], in his patent on a capacitive method of deionization, reported that deionization occurs only during charging, and enhancement occurs only during discharging. There was no provision in either case for Earth's gravity to assist deionization.
(b) Evidence from Simultaneous Deionization and Enhancement
The first piece of evidence, from
FIG. 10
in the Hanak patent, reproduced herein as
FIG. 1
, is that during a voltage pulse commencing at ~1350 s and ending at ~4000 s, as well as during subsequent pulses, a high rate of deionization and enhancement were taking place simultaneously during the charging process, shown by the increasing voltage. Whereas deionization is expected during charging, enhancement is not expected until the polarity reversal, when capacitor discharge and the release of accumulated ions occur, as described in (a) above. We postulate that the simultaneous occurrence of enhancement is the consequence of the presence of the electrical double layer at the electrode surfaces, shown in
FIG. 2
[Ref. 4]. The diffuse layer in the double layer contains elevated concentration of solvated ions having polarity opposite that of the electrode, rendering the solution in it more dense. Under the influence of gravitational or centrifugal force, the diffuse layer slides in the direction of this force, like an avalanche, along the surface of the electrode, while being held close to it by electrostatic force, resulting in the observed enhancement at the bottom of a stationary cell or the outer periphery of a rotating cell. The water molecules between the electrode and the diffuse layer act as a lubricant for this sliding motion. At the same time, the partially depleted solution between the electrodes moves in the direction opposite to the gravitational or centrifugal force to cause the observed depletion at the top of a stationary cell or near the hub of a rotating cell. This process constitutes a ‘leaky’ capacitor. Current must be constantly supplied to make up for the ions removed from the electrode surfaces. This current is in addition to the capacitive charging current.
This postulated mechanism for the ELDYN mode implies that in the ELCOR™ process, in which centrifugal force is used, which can be made much greater than the gravitational force, the diffuse layer will be removed by the sliding action at a much greater rate, causing the ELDYN mode to predominate over the electrostatic mode.
(c) Evidence from the Duration of the Current Pulse
The second piece of evidence is the duration of the current pulse at the same, constant level of current, I, for different chemical species. This mode of charging is referred to as the ‘current step’ method, in which the potential, E, across the electrodes increases linearly with time, t, according to the equation:
E=I(R
s
+t/C
d
), Eq. 1
where R
s
is the resistance in the electrolyte [Ref. 4] and C
d
is the double-layer capacitance. With the same set of electrodes, the charging time, t, should be the same to reach the same potential, E. Yet, in
FIG. 9
in the Hanak patent, reproduced here as FIG.
3
and in
FIG. 1
, the average length of the current pulses were 870 s. (0.24 h) and 2390 s. (0.66 h) for CaCl
2
and H
2
SO
4
, respectively, both at a concentration of 0.01 M. Thus, the total charge transported in the case of sulfuric acid was 2.75 times greater. The flow rates of the feed were similar. If the electrostatic mode alone were operative, the total charge transported would have to be similar.
With a solution of NaCl at a concentration of 0.001 M and at a low current of 17.5 mA, pulse length of up to 3.62 h was observed, which exceeds by far the time required to charge the electrodes capacitively to the maximum preset voltage.
(d) Evidence from Constant Levels of Deionization and Enhancement
The third piece of evidence can be seen again in
FIG. 1
, where nearly constant and similar levels of deionization and enhancement are maintained over the greater part of each pulse. This result is consistent with a constant, high ‘leakage current’ arising from the sliding diffuse layers. Similarly, in the 0.001 M NaCl case above, constant levels of deionization and enhancement of about 50% and 150%, respectively, have been observed for over three hours in each pulse.
(e) Evidence from the First Successful Deionization Using the ELCOR™ Process Operating in the Electrostatic Mode
A complete discussion of this evidence is presented in the S
Apogee Corporation
Phasge Arun S,.
Zarley McKee Thomte Voorhees & Sease
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