US 2006/0231403 A1 · Chambered electrodeionization apparatus with uniform current density, and method of use

Abstract

The present invention pertains to a specialized electrodeionization (EDI) apparatus that includes at least 5 chambers and to a method of using this apparatus. The EDI of the present invention (1) is a continuous EDI (CEDI) apparatus, with constant regeneration of ion exchange materials; (2) has improved removal of all ions as a result of homogeneous anion and cation deletion chambers, while providing a uniform current density within each chamber; (3) has reduced scale accumulation; and (4) has homogeneous anion and cation depletion chambers that are at least 12 mm thick, without the negative impact on performance that is typical in the art of chambers greater than 10 mm thick. Liquids such as water, acids, bases, or salts can be deionized using this apparatus.

Claims81

Dependent claims

A continuous electrodeionization (CEDI) apparatus with at least five discreet membrane bound chambers in electrical connection, wherein an electrical current runs through the CEDI apparatus transverse to the membranes, comprising:

(a) a first chamber comprising a cathode chamber;
(b) at least one second chamber comprising a homogeneous cation depletion chamber, where a homogeneous cation depletion chamber is located contiguous to the cathode chamber;
(c) a third chamber comprising a central heterogeneous anion and cation depletion chamber, where the heterogeneous anion and cation depletion chamber is located between and contiguous with a homogeneous cation depletion chamber and a homogeneous anion depletion chamber;
(d) at least one fourth chamber comprising a homogeneous anion depletion chamber, where a homogenous anion depletion chamber is located contiguous to an anode chamber;
and
(e) a fifth chamber comprising an anode chamber.

3 more elements

A method of using a CEDI apparatus with five discreet membrane bound chambers in electrical connection, wherein an electrical current runs through the CEDI apparatus transverse to the membranes, comprising:

(a) flowing a liquid through a homogeneous cation depletion chamber, where the homogeneous cation depletion chamber has a thickness ranging from about 12 mm to about 100 mm and is located contiguous to a cathode chamber, followed by;
(b) flowing a liquid through a homogeneous anion depletion chamber, where the homogeneous anion depletion chamber has a thickness ranging from about 12 mm to about 100 mm and is located contiguous to a anode chamber, followed by;
(c) flowing a liquid through a central heterogeneous anion and cation depletion chamber, where the heterogeneous anion and cation depletion chamber has a thickness ranging from about 1 mm to about 100 mm and is located between and contiguous with a homogeneous cation depletion chamber and a homogeneous anion depletion chamber;
and
(d) flowing a liquid through a cathode chamber and an anode chamber.

2 more elements

(a) flowing a liquid through a homogeneous anion depletion chamber, where the homogeneous anion depletion chamber has a thickness ranging from about 12 mm to about 100 mm and is located contiguous to an anode chamber, followed by;
(b) flowing a liquid through a homogeneous cation depletion chamber, where the homogeneous cation depletion chamber has a thickness ranging from about 12 mm to about 100 mm and is located contiguous to a cathode chamber, followed by;
(c) flowing a liquid through a central heterogeneous anion and cation depletion chamber, where the heterogeneous anion and cation depletion chamber has a thickness ranging from about 1 mm to about 100 mm and is located between and contiguous with a homogeneous cation depletion chamber and a homogeneous anion depletion chamber;
and
(d) flowing a liquid through a cathode chamber and an anode chamber.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Chambered electrodeionization apparatus with uniform current density, and method of use

Life of this patent

Chambered electrodeionization apparatus with uniform current density, and method of use

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims81