Water treatment process for electrolysis, in particular for water decarbonization, and apparatus for carrying out this process
OwnerDominique Mercierinventor
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Abstract
The present invention concerns a process for water treatment by electrolysis, particularly for decarbonizing water, as well as an apparatus for carrying out this process. This process is characterized in that a metal is chosen for the cathode (1) whose redox potential, which constitutes a reference potential remaining substantially constant relative to the water during the electrolysis, is greater than the effective reduction threshold of the water so as to prevent the reduction of this water and during electrolysis the OH.sup.- ions required for the nucleation of the calcium carbonate are produced exclusively from the dissolved oxygen in the water.
Claims24
Apparatus for the treatment of water by electrolysis for the purpose of decarbonizing the water, having an electrolytic cell (A) and an electric control device (B), the electrolytic cell (A) comprising:
- a tank (1) to which are connected a feed pipe (5, 48) for the water to be treated and an outlet pipe (7, 44) for the treated water;
- at least one anode (3) being engaged in the tank (1);
- said tank (1) comprising said cathode of said electrolytic cell (A) and being taken as a reference electrode;
- said tank (1) being constructed of a metal whose redox potential is greater than the effective reduction threshold of the water;
- an insulating sleeve (4, 38) for electrically insulating said anode (3) from said tank (1), said anode (3) penetrating into said tank (1) through said insulating sleeve (4, 38);
- said feed pipe (5) for the water to be treated and said discharge pipe (7) for the treated water opening into the interior of said tank (1) and means electrically insulating said feed pipe and said discharge pipe from the wall of said tank including insulating sleeves (6,8) and the electrical conductivity between the pipes (5, 7) being ensured by a conductor (9) which does not touch said tank (1).
Apparatus for the treatment of water by electrolysis for the purpose of decarbonizing the water, having an electrolytic cell (A) and an electric control device (B), the electrolytic cell (A) comprising:
- a tank (1) to which are connected a feed pipe (5, 48) for the water to be treated and an outlet pipe (7, 44) for the treated water;
- at least one anode (3) engaged in said tank (1);
- said cathode of the electrolytic cell (A) being constituted by said tank (1) and being taken as a reference electrode;
- said tank (1) being constructed of a metal whose redox potential is greater than the effective reduction threshold of the water;
- said tank (1) including means suitable for creating a whirlpool or vortex in the interior of said tank (1), outer and inner peripheries of the whirlpool or vortex coming into contact, respectively, with the walls of said tank (1) constituting the cathode and with the anode (3);
- said tank (1) being formed by a cylindrical tube with a longitudinal and vertical (yy') axis which is closed at its upper end and is provided with means (48) for injecting the water to be treated;
- said means (48) being tangentially relative to the inner wall of said tank (1) for creating said whirlpool in the latter;
- said tank (1) having at its base an annular duct (63) for evacuating particles contained in the liquid to be treated and a collecting chamber (54) suitable for collecting the latter;
- the lower end of said tank (1) having deflecting means (60) at the center of said annular duct (63), said means (60) enabling the formation of an axial column of treated liquid;
- and
- axial discharge means (36) for ensuring discharge of the axial column of treated liquid from the tank (1).
A process for water treatment by electrolysis, particularly for decarbonizing water in a tank forming a cathode, using the cathode as a reference potential which remains substantially constant, in which an electric current is passed through water by ionic conduction between an anode (3) and the cathode (1) connected, respectively, to positive (2+) and negative (2-) poles of an electric control device (B) comprising the steps of:
- selecting a metal for the cathode (1) whose redox potential constitutes a reference potential which remains substantially constant to the water during the electrolysis, and is greater than the effective reduction threshold of the water for preventing the reduction of this water and during electrolysis the OH.sup.- ions required for nucleation of calcium carbonate are produced exclusively from the dissolved oxygen in the water.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.