Diagnostic Methods and Apparatus for Electrodialysis
AssigneeTexOPCO, LLC
InventorsMichael James Connor, JR., Brian M. McDonald, Ethan Demeter, Thomas Beales
Life of this patent
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Abstract
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.
Claims21
1-20. (canceled)
A diagnostic spacer border assembly for an electrodialysis device, comprising:
- a non-conductive spacer body defining an internal fluid flow cavity;
- a channel formed within the spacer body, extending from an external surface to the internal fluid flow cavity;
- a composite electrode positioned within the channel, the composite electrode comprising a metal wire core and a conductive polymer encapsulant, wherein a portion of the metal wire core extends into the internal fluid flow cavity;
- a cured polymer sealant filling the channel and securing the composite electrode;
- an insulated wire lead electrically connected to the metal wire core at an external surface of the spacer body;
- a reinforced tab extending from the spacer body, wherein the insulated wire lead connects to the composite electrode at the reinforced tab;
- and a spacer mesh located within the internal fluid flow cavity.
An electrodialysis monitoring system, comprising:
- an electrodialysis stack assembly comprising a plurality of alternating cation exchange membranes and anion exchange membranes, and a plurality of spacer borders, wherein at least two of the spacer borders are diagnostic spacer border assemblies according to any one of claims 1-9, positioned at predetermined intervals within the stack assembly;
- a pair of end plate electrodes;
- a plurality of compression plates and compression rods compressing the stack assembly;
- at least one strain gauge located on at least one of the compression plates or compression rods;
- a multiplexer configured to sequentially sample voltage drop data from each diagnostic spacer border assembly;
- at least one data acquisition device connected to each insulated wire lead and to the strain gauge;
- and a programmable logic controller (PLC) configured to receive voltage drop data and compression data, analyze trends in the data, identify localized changes in resistance or compression, and generate a maintenance alert based on the analysis.
A method of monitoring and maintaining an electrodialysis stack assembly, comprising:
- providing an electrodialysis stack assembly comprising a plurality of alternating cation exchange membranes and anion exchange membranes, and a plurality of diagnostic spacer border assemblies according to any one of claims 1-9, positioned at predetermined intervals within the stack assembly;
- sequentially sampling voltage drop data from each diagnostic spacer border assembly using a multiplexer;
- analyzing trends in the voltage drop data to identify localized changes in resistance;
- generating a maintenance alert based on identified localized changes in resistance;
- measuring compression force on the stack assembly using at least one strain gauge;
- generating a maintenance alert based on measured compression force;
- and performing maintenance on the stack assembly in response to the maintenance alert.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.