Electrode Deionizer
AssigneesBoard of Trustees of Michigan State University, Fraunhofer USA, Inc.
InventorsQi Hua FAN, Keliang WANG
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Abstract
An electrode deionizer and method remove polarized molecules of an ionic cluster in a fluid. In another aspect, electrophoresis and dielectrophoresis forces are used between electrodes to move a polarized molecular cluster in an electric field, which are then trapped in an activated-carbon on an anode. A further aspect uses dielectrophoresis to reduce the size of polarized molecules of an ionic cluster in a fluid. Yet another aspect of the present apparatus and method employ RF power in addition to DC power.
Claims25
A method for removing a polarized molecular cluster in a fluid, the method comprising:
- (a) supplying a voltage between an anode and a cathode;
- (b) creating an electric field between the anode and the cathode;
- (c) placing the fluid within a gap between the anode and the cathode;
- (d) creating electrophoresis forces between the anode and the cathode to cause ions of the polarized molecular cluster in the fluid to move to the anode and also creating dielectrophoresis forces on dipoles of the polarized molecular cluster;
- (e) reducing a size of the polarized molecular cluster with the dielectrophoresis forces;
- and
- (e) trapping the reduced size polarized molecules in activated carbon on the anode.
A method for removing an ionic cluster in a liquid, the method comprising:
- (a) powering at least one of multiple electrodes, with 10-1,000 volts;
- (b) creating an electric field between the electrodes;
- (c) flowing the liquid between the electrodes;
- (d) creating electrophoresis forces on the ionic cluster in the liquid between the electrodes;
- (e) creating dielectrophoresis forces on the ionic cluster in the liquid between the electrodes;
- (f) reducing a size of the ionic cluster in the liquid between the electrodes;
- and
- (g) causing at least a PFAS molecule of the ionic cluster to move toward activated carbon on the anode.
A method for removing a polarized molecular cluster in a fluid, the method comprising:
- (a) supplying a voltage between electrodes comprising an anode and a cathode,
- the cathode comprising multiple spaced apart and substantially parallel cathode wires, and
- the anode having an elongation direction offset oriented from an elongation direction of the cathode wires;
- (b) creating an electric field between the anode and the cathode wires;
- (c) flowing the fluid within a gap between the anode and the cathode wires;
- and
- (d) creating electrophoresis forces between the anode and the cathode wires to cause at least a portion of the polarized molecular cluster in the fluid to move to the anode and also creating dielectrophoresis forces on at least a portion of the polarized molecular cluster.
An electrode deionizer apparatus comprising:
- (a) a cathode comprising multiple spaced apart and substantially parallel cathode wires;
- (b) an anode having an elongation direction offset oriented from an elongation direction of the cathode wires;
- (b) a DC power supply connected to the anode;
- (c) an RF power supply connected to the anode;
- (d) a housing containing the cathode wires and the anode;
- (e) a pipe coupled to the housing and being configured to flow a liquid within a gap between the anode and the cathode wires;
- and
- (f) activated carbon, located on the anode, configured to remove ionic molecules from the liquid due to dielectrophoresis created between the anode and the cathode.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.