Apparatus for the sterilization of water

An apparatus for sterilizing water by anodic oxidation comprising:

• a reactor having at least one anode and at least one cathode, the reactor having a gap of constant width between mutually confronting surfaces of the anode and the cathode;
• a power supply means connected to the anode and the cathode in series for supplying an electric current between the anode and the cathode;
• means for directing the water through the gap between the anode and the cathode;
• and
• the anode comprising materials that have a greater overvoltage with respect to oxygen generation than with respect to chlorine generation so that the anode potential to oxygen generation is higher than the anode potential to chlorine generation, the chlorine compounds being in the form of oxidants capable of sterilizing the water.

A method of sterilizing water by anodic oxidation comprising the steps of:

• directing the water through a reactor having at least one anode and at least one cathode, the anode having a core with a surface comprising a plurality of layers, the water being directed through a gap between the anode and the cathode;
• providing an electric current across the gap between the anode and the cathode;
• selecting material for the layers of the surface of the anode core such that molecular oxygen generation is reduced and chlorine compound generation is maximized;
• creating a sufficient quantity of oxidants from the chlorine compounds to sterilize the water from only the water that passes through the reactor, the water having a chlorine compound concentration that is greater than 0 mg/liter and less than 10 mg/liter.