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US 5,630,915 AGranted
Liquid decontamination system using electrical discharge with gas injection
OwnerHugh W. Greene, Paul E. Chism, Jr.inventors
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A liquid decontamination method and apparatus uses a series of pulsed electrical arcs across electrodes placed within a liquid stream which passes through a decontamination module. Sufficient energy is delivered by a pulse generator to the electrodes whereby lethal ultraviolet radiation and mechanical shock waves are created by the arcs within the decontamination module. A plurality of modules can be operated in parallel or in series to vary the capacity of the apparatus. Gas is injected through one of the electrodes to facilitate the generation of arcs within the liquid.
Claims30
A liquid decontamination system comprising:
- a. at least one decontamination module;
- b. chamber means for holding liquid to be decontaminated, said chamber means integral to said module;
- c. at least one anode assembly, said anode assembly including an anode electrode member, at least one cathode assembly, said cathode assembly including a cathode electrode member, said anode and cathode electrode members positioned in an opposed arrangement within said chamber means to define an arc discharge area between them;
- b. liquid flow means for directing a flow of the liquid through said chamber means proximate the arc discharge area;
- c. gas injector means for injecting a gas into the liquid in the arc discharge area, said gas injector means comprising a gas jet integral to said anode assembly whereby the gas is injected through the anode;
- and
- d. pulse generator means for generating a series of electric arcs between said anode electrode member and said cathode electrode members.
4 more elements
A batch water treatment system comprising:
- a. a pre-process tank;
- b. a storage tank;
- c. means to deliver an ion and free radical enhancing compound from said storage tank to said pre-process tank;
- d. means to deliver untreated water to said pre-process tank;
- e. a decontamination chamber, said chamber including an anode and a cathode positioned within said chamber to define an arc discharge area between said anode and said cathode in said chamber;
- cathode in said chamber;
- f. pulse generator means to generate a series of arcs between said anode and said cathode in the arc discharge area;
- g. means to inject gas into said chamber in the arc discharge area;
- h. an oxidizer tower, said tower including means to distribute an oxidizing agent in the water passing through said tower;
- i. means to deliver water from said pre-process tank to said decontamination chamber;
- j. means to deliver water from said decontamination chamber to said oxidizer tower;
- k. a post-process holding tank;
- l. means to deliver water from said oxidizer tower to said post-process holding tank;
- and
- m. means to discharge treated water from said post-process holding tank.
12 more elements
A sludge treatment system comprising:
- a. a treatment module, said module including a first treatment chamber;
- b. a first anode assembly and a first cathode assembly mounted in opposed positions within said first chamber to define a first are discharge area between said first anode assembly and said second cathode assembly;
- c. means to deliver untreated sludge to said first chamber;
- d. means to deliver gas into said first chamber, including first gas injection means to inject the gas through the first anode assembly into the first arc discharge area;
- e. means to remove treated sludge from said module;
- and
- f. first solid state switch means for generating a sequence of arc producing pulses to said first anode assembly and said first cathode assembly, said pulses having a sufficient voltage and current to create an arc within the sludge.
4 more elements
A method of liquid purification comprising the steps of:
- a. directing the liquid to be purified through a first chamber;
- b. introducing gas bubbles into the first chamber between a first pair of electrodes, the gas injected through one of said pair of electrodes;
- and
- c. generating a series of pulsed electric discharge arcs within the first module between the electrodes at energy levels sufficient to sustain the arc within the liquid during the pulse and to produce a series of pulsed mechanical shock waves within the liquid.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.