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AssigneeUnited Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority
InventorsAndrew D. Turner, Christopher P. Jones, Mark D. Neville, Michael R. H. Hill
Estimating the term…
An electrochemical cell (50) for deionizsation utilizes electrochemical ion-exchange to remove ions from a feed solution. Under the influence of an electric field, ions are adsorbed into, are scored within and pass through a permeable layer (54, 64) of particulate ion-absorbing material and binder, the sheet being several millimeters thick. Water from the feed solution also permeates through the layer (54, 64), so a concentrated solution of the ions emerges from the rear (58) of the layer. The cell does not require separate sources of feed and eluant solutions and can be operated substantially continuously. In a modified cell (70) the flow path for the feed solution passes through a highly porous ion exchanger structure (77), which may be located between two such microporous layers (54, 64). Absorption in such a cell may be effective in the absence of an electric field, elution requiring the periodic application of the electric field.
An electrochemical cell for use in electrochemical deionisation which comprises a water-permeable layer of particulate ion absorbing material, a liquid compartment for a liquid undergoing treatment arranged so the liquid comes into contact with at least part of the layer, electrodes to apply an electric field across at least part of the layer, so that ions move through the layer to emerge into an eluate zone, the layer being at least 1 mm thick in the direction of the electric field, and the particulate material being bound together by a binder so as to be coherent at least in the direction of the electric field, and means to ensure separation of the liquid undergoing treatment from the eluate zone.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.