# US 11,998,876 B2 · Diagnostic methods and apparatus for electrodialysis

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- Number: US 11,998,876 B2
- Document ID: US11998876B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 18/321,887
- Filed: 2023-05-23
- Published: 2023-09-14
- Granted: 2024-06-04
- Earliest claimed: 2018-10-12
- Applicants: MIS IP Holdings, LLC
- Inventors: Michael James Connor, Jr.; Brian M. McDonald; Ethan Demeter; Thomas Beales
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11998876B2

## CPC

- B01D 61/44: Ion-selective electrodialysis
- B01D 61/485: {Specific features relating to the ion-exchange material}
- B01D 61/463: {comprising the membrane sequence AC or CA, where C is a cation exchange membrane}
- B01D 61/50: Stacks of the plate-and-frame type
- B01D 61/52: Accessories; Auxiliary operation
- B01D 61/54: Controlling or regulating
- B01D 63/0821: {Membrane plate arrangements for submerged operation}
- B01D 2311/2623: Ion-Exchange
- B01D 2313/143: on the feed side
- B01D 2313/345: Electrodes
- B01D 2313/70: Control means using a programmable logic controller [PLC] or a computer
- B01D 2313/903: Integrated control or detection device
- B01D 2325/42: Ion-exchange membranes
- B01D: SEPARATION (separating solids from solids by wet methods B03B, B03D; by pneumatic jigs or tables B03B; by other dry methods B07; magnetic or electrostatic separation of solid materials from solid materials or fluids, separation by high-voltage electric fields B03C; centrifuges, vortex apparatus B04; presses per se for squeezing-out liquid from liquid-containing material B30B9/02; treatment of water C02F, e.g. softening by ion-exchange C02F1/42; {arrangements of air intake cleaners in gas turbine plants F02C7/05} ; arrangements or mounting of filters in air-conditioning, air-humidification or ventilation F24F13/28)

## Abstract

The present disclosure is directed to ion-exchange systems and devices that can monitor key parameters related to the performance of the ion-exchange device. Specifically, the ion-exchange systems and devices disclosed herein can provide real time voltage drop across groups of membrane pairs using diagnostic spacer borders between the pairs. In addition, the ion-exchange systems and devices disclosed herein can monitor the compression force applied by the compression plates holding the ion-exchange systems and devices together.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An ion-exchange device comprising:
a pair of compression plates, wherein at least one of the compression plates comprises a strain gauge on an outer surface of the at least one compression plate;
a pair of electrodes comprising an anode and a cathode between the pair of compression plates;
a first ion exchange membrane and a second ion exchange membrane between the pair of electrodes, wherein the first ion exchange membrane comprise at least two inlet or outlet ports,
wherein the strain gauge is located at a position on the outer surface of the at least one compression plate corresponding to a point between the at least two inlet or outlet ports of the first ion exchange membrane.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, wherein the first ion exchange membrane is a cation exchange membrane and the second ion exchange membrane is an anion exchange membrane.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, wherein the position of the strain gauge on the outer surface of the at least one compression plate is equidistant between the at least two inlet or outlet ports of the first ion exchange membrane.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, wherein the strain gauge is connected to a data acquisition device.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, wherein the strain gauge is attached to the outer surface of at least one compression plate via adhesive.