# US 10,246,356 B2 · Apparatus for removal of ions comprising multiple stacks > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,246,356 B2 - Document ID: US10246356B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/990,390 - Filed: 2011-11-30 - Published: 2014-02-20 - Granted: 2019-04-02 - Earliest claimed: 2010-12-01 - Assignees: Voltea B.V. - Applicants: Albert Van Der Wal; Hank Robert Reinhoudt; Diederik Geert Femme Verbeek; Lucas Johannes Cornelis Kouters - Inventors: Albert Van Der Wal; Hank Robert Reinhoudt; Diederik Geert Femme Verbeek; Lucas Johannes Cornelis Kouters - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10246356B2 ## CPC - C02F 1/4691: {Capacitive deionisation} - C02F 1/46176: {Galvanic cells} - C02F 1/4695: {electrodeionisation} - Y10T 29/49117: Conductor or circuit manufacturing - Y10T 29/49208: by assembling plural parts - C02F: TREATMENT OF WATER, WASTE WATER, SEWAGE, OR SLUDGE (separation in general B01D; special arrangements on waterborne vessels of installations for treating water, waste water or sewage, e.g. for producing fresh water, B63J; adding materials to water to prevent corrosion C23F; treating radioactively-contaminated liquids G21F9/04; regeneration of reactants for recirculation into processes, see the relevant places for the processes) - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract An apparatus to remove ions from water. The apparatus may include a stack having a first electrode including a first current collector, a spacer on top of the first electrode, and a second electrode on top of the spacer. The stack may have a tray to hold and position the stack within a housing of the apparatus and thus may improve the manufacturability of the apparatus. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An apparatus to remove ions, the apparatus comprising: multiple stacks, each stack comprising: a first electrode, a second electrode, and a spacer, in between the first and second electrodes, allowing water to flow in between the first and second electrodes; wherein at least one of the stacks comprises a tray configured to hold and position the at least one stack within a housing of the apparatus and the tray comprises: a positioning alignment feature that is movable with the tray relative to the housing, the positioning alignment feature configured to position, on the tray, one or more selected from: the first electrode, the second electrode, the spacer or a charge barrier, by physical contact with the one or more selected from: the first electrode, the second electrode, the spacer or a charge barrier; and a rim extending substantially perpendicularly to a surface of the tray, the surface facing a surface of the first electrode, the second electrode, or both the first electrode and the second electrode. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the one or more selected from: the first electrode, the second electrode, the spacer, or the charge barrier, comprises an alignment feature for its respective physical positioning on the tray. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the tray comprises an alignment feature to position the tray in the housing of the apparatus. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, comprising the housing, wherein the housing comprises an alignment feature to position the tray in the apparatus. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the tray comprises an apparatus alignment feature to position the tray in the apparatus, the apparatus alignment feature comprising a connector configured to electrically connect the first electrode, the second electrode, or both the first electrode and the second electrode, to a power terminal. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the tray comprises an opening to allow water to flow through the tray. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the tray comprises an opening constructed and arranged to allow electrical connection of the first electrode, the second electrode, or both the first electrode and the second electrode, to a power terminal. ### Claim 8 A method of producing an apparatus to remove ions from water, the method comprising: manufacturing a plurality of stacks by, for each stack: providing a first electrode, providing a spacer against the first electrode, and providing a second electrode against the spacer, wherein the spacer allows water to flow in between the first and second electrodes, at least one of the stacks is made using a tray holding the at least one stack, and the tray comprises a surface facing a surface of the first electrode, the second electrode, or both the first electrode and the second electrode, and a rim extending substantially perpendicularly to the surface of the tray; and positioning the plurality of stacks including the tray having the at least one stack, within a housing of the apparatus. ### Claim 9 An apparatus to remove ions, the apparatus comprising: multiple stacks, each stack comprising: a first electrode, a second electrode, and a spacer, in between the first and second electrodes, allowing water to flow in between the first and second electrodes; wherein at least one of the stacks comprises a tray configured to hold and position the at least one stack within a housing of the apparatus, and wherein the tray comprises a surface facing a surface of the first electrode, the second electrode, or both the first electrode and the second electrode, and a rim extending substantially perpendicularly to the surface of the tray. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the tray comprises an alignment feature to align the tray with another tray. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein one or more selected from: the first electrode, the second electrode, the spacer or a charge barrier, of the at least one stack comprises an alignment feature constructed and arranged to align by physical contact with an alignment feature of the tray. ### Claim 12 An apparatus to remove ions, the apparatus comprising: multiple stacks, each stack comprising: a first electrode, a second electrode, and a spacer, in between the first and second electrodes, allowing water to flow in between the first and second electrodes; wherein at least one of the stacks further comprises a tray configured to hold and position the at least one stack within a housing of the apparatus and the tray comprises: an alignment feature that is part of the tray, the alignment feature configured to position, on the tray, one or more selected from: the first electrode, the second electrode, the spacer or a charge barrier, by physical contact with the one or more selected from: the first electrode, the second electrode, the spacer or a charge barrier, the alignment feature comprising a protruding structure movable with the tray relative to the housing, the protruding structure protruding from a surface of the tray arranged to face a surface of the first electrode, the second electrode, or both the first electrode and the second electrode; and a rim extending substantially perpendicularly to the surface of the tray. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the one or more selected from: the first electrode, the second electrode, the spacer, or the charge barrier, comprises an alignment feature for its respective physical positioning on the tray. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the tray comprises a housing alignment feature to position the tray in the housing of the apparatus. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The apparatus according to claim 11, comprising the housing, wherein the housing comprises an alignment feature to position the tray in the apparatus. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the tray comprises an opening to allow water to flow through the tray. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the tray comprises an opening constructed and arranged to allow electrical connection of the first electrode, the second electrode, or both the first electrode and the second electrode, to a power terminal. ### Claim 18 (depends on 12) The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the protruding structure is a pin or a rod. ### Claim 19 (depends on 12) The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the rim has a corner to contact physically the one or more selected from: the first electrode, the second electrode, the spacer or a charge barrier. ### Claim 20 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the tray further comprises a positioning alignment feature that is part of the tray, the positioning alignment feature configured to position, on the tray, one or more selected from: the first electrode, the second electrode, the spacer or a charge barrier, by physical contact with the one or more selected from: the first electrode, the second electrode, the spacer or a charge barrier, the positioning alignment feature comprising a corner of the rim or a protruding structure movable with the tray relative to the housing. ### Claim 21 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the positioning alignment feature comprises a corner of the rim or a protruding structure movable with the tray relative to the housing. ### Claim 22 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the tray comprises a tray alignment feature, movable with the tray relative to the housing, to align the tray with another tray through direct physical contact of the tray alignment feature with a portion of the other tray.