Multifunctional filtration and water purification systems
OwnerQinbai Fan, Jeremy Chervinko +1inventors
InventorsQinbai Fan, Jeremy Chervinko, Renxuan Liu
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Abstract
A water purification system having a porous anode electrode (21) and a porous cathode electrode (20), each of which is made of graphite, at least one metal oxide, and an ion-exchange, cross-linked, polarizable polymer, and optionally comprises microchannels. Disposed between the electrodes is a non-electron conductive, fluid permeable separator element (22), whereby wastewater is able to flow from one electrode to the other electrode. The electrodes and separator may be disposed within a housing (23) having a wastewater inlet opening (24), and exhaust waste outlet opening (26) and a purified water outlet opening (25). In this way, components of the system are easily replaced should the need arise.
Claims29
A water purification system comprising:
- a porous anode electrode and a porous cathode electrode, each of said electrodes comprising graphite, and at least one cross-linked, polarizable polymer comprising ion-exchange groups;
- and
- an electrically non-conductive, fluid permeable separator element disposed between said anode electrode and said cathode electrode.
An electrode for use in a water purification system, comprising graphite, and at least one cross-linked, polarizable polymer comprising ion-exchange groups, and comprising a porosity of at least about 50% by volume of said electrode.
A method of removing impurities in water, comprising the steps of:
- applying a voltage to the electrodes of the water purification system comprising:
- an anode electrode and a cathode electrode, each of said electrodes comprising graphite, at least one metal oxide, and at least one cross-linked, polarizable polymer comprising ion-exchange groups;
- and an electrically non-conductive, fluid permeable separator element disposed between said anode electrode and said cathode electrode.
- contacting said electrodes with water, whereby impurities in said water are removed by one of said electrodes;
- and
- collecting said water from said electrodes.
A method of removing impurities in water, comprising the steps of:
- providing a water purification system comprising:
- a housing, an anode electrode and a cathode electrode within said housing, a first water inlet port and a water outlet port on said housing;
- introducing a first water stream in a forward direction into said first water inlet port;
- applying a voltage to said anode electrode and said cathode electrode, whereby impurities in said first water stream are removed by one of said electrodes;
- removing said voltage from said anode electrode and said cathode electrode;
- collecting said first water stream from said water outlet port;
- and
- introducing a second water stream in a reverse direction into said water purification system, whereby said impurities removed by one of said electrodes are removed from one of said electrodes.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.