Raychem Limited

Pionetics Corporation

Other

Erix Solutions Corporation

Emporia Capital Funding LLC

Eric David Nyberg

Ray F Stewart

Ken A Klingman

Jeff Curtis

Ashok Kumar Janah

James Crawford Holmes

John Riley Hawkins

George W Kayser

Paul G Schoenstein

Christine Ellen Vogdes

Stephen L Tondre

Barton A Biche

Alessandro Manigrassi

James Elms Swett, Jr

Shiang Fu

Jim Holmes

Mauricio Lask

Joe Evans

Dennis Kwok

Dennis Menchung Kwok

A fluid treatment apparatus is constructed from at least one electrochemical cell including a bipolar ion exchange membrane and having a single output orifice to deliver treated fluid. The apparatus may employ a power supply transformer featuring a magnetic dispersion bridge to regulate the magnetic flux to secondary coils, thereby limiting the current delivered to the load and protecting the apparatus from over-current damage. The cell includes a membrane assembly which incorporates both the inner and outer electrodes to provide repeatable assembly and service, as well as reliable performance. The apparatus will provide continuous fluid treatment when designed with at least two stages, each stage including at least one cell, in which one stage is treating influent solution and another stage is regenerating. A method to operate these apparatus includes the steps of deionizing influent solution without interruption, halting deionization water flow and removing power from the deionization cells, flushing the liquid between membrane layers to the drain outlet, initiating regeneration power, and initiating regeneration flow.

Electrochemical ion exchange treatment of fluids

An anti-scale electrochemical apparatus comprises at least one ion exchange cell, each cell comprising a housing having a plurality of openings to receive and release a water stream, inner and outer electrodes in the housing, and a water-splitting membrane between the inner and outer electrodes to treat an influent water stream to form an effluent water stream. A controlled-release scale-inhibitor composite comprising a scale-inhibitor agent and a polymer, is provided in the housing or in the water flow pathway of the electrochemical apparatus. An anti-scale, water splitting ion exchange membrane was also fabricated.

Anti-scale electrochemical apparatus with water-splitting ion exchange membrane

A fluid treatment apparatus comprises an electrochemical cell having fluid orifices to receive input fluid and release output fluid, the input fluid having a first level of a microorganism. First and second electrodes are about a water-splitting membrane in the electrochemical cell. A valve controls the flow of fluid through fluid orifices of the electrochemical cell. A power supply supplies a current to the first and second electrodes. A control module comprises program code to operate the valve to flow the input fluid into a fluid orifice of the electrochemical cell and provide a residence time of the fluid in the cell of at least 0.05 minutes, while controlling the power supply to supply to the first and second electrodes, a current having a current density of from about 0.01 to about 20 mA/cm.

A fluid treatment apparatus for treating a fluid comprises an electrochemical cell having fluid orifices to receive and release fluid, and a fluid passageway connecting the orifices with a water-splitting ion exchange membrane is exposed to the fluid in the passageway. First and second electrodes are positioned about the membrane. The apparatus also comprises a controller to control and operate a power supply and valve system. The power supply supplies a current to the first and second electrodes at sufficiently high current density to result in bacteriostasis, deactivation, or a reduction in the microorganisms in the fluid. The controller can also operate a set of cells to deionize fluid and regenerate the cells.

A cartridge for an ion exchanging electrochemical cell, the cartridge comprising at least one spiral wound, textured, bipolar ion exchange membrane having (i) an anion exchange layer abutting a cation exchange layer with continuous contact between the anion exchange layer and the cation exchange layer; and (ii) an exposed textured surface having a pattern of texture features. A method of manufacturing a cartridge for an ion exchange electrochemical cell comprises winding the textured, bipolar ion exchange membrane into a spiral wound membrane.

Cartridge having textured membrane

A textured water-splitting membrane comprises an anion exchange layer abutting a cation exchange layer to form a heterogeneous water-splitting interface therebetween, and a textured surface having a pattern of texture features comprising spaced apart peaks and valleys. The membranes can also have an integral spacer on the membrane. A cartridge can be fabricated with a plurality of the membranes for use in an electrochemical cell. The electrochemical cell can be part of an electrochemical ion exchange system.

Textured ion exchange membranes

An electrochemical cellcomprises an ion exchange membranehaving anion and cation exchange materials. The membranecan have separate anion and cation exchange layersthat define a heterogeneous water-splitting interface therebetween. In one version, the membranehas a textured surface having a pattern of texture featurescomprising spaced apart peaksand valleys. The membranescan also have an integral spacer. A cartridgecan be fabricated with a plurality of the membranesfor insertion in a housingof the electrochemical cell. The housingcan also have a detachable lidthat fits on the cartridge. The electrochemical cellcan be part of an ion controlling apparatus

Electrochemical ion exchange with textured membranes and cartridge

An apparatus to treat an influent solution comprising ions to obtain a selectable ion concentration in an effluent solution. The apparatus comprises an electrochemical cell comprising a housing comprising first and second electrodes. A water-splitting ion exchange membrane is between the first and second electrodes, the membrane comprising ananion exchange surface facing the first electrode, and an cation exchange surface facing the second electrode, or vice versa. The housing also has an influent solution inlet and an effluent solution outlet with a solution channel that allows influent solution to flow past both the anion and cation exchange surfaces of the water-splitting ion exchange membrane to form the effluent solution. A variable voltage supply is capable of maintaining the first and second electrodes at a plurality of different voltages during an ion exchange stage.

Selectable ion concentrations with electrolytic ion exchange

An electrical interconnection device including an electrical element and a sealing member sealed within a body. The body is constructed of a first section and a second section bonded together to form an enclosure for retaining the electrical element and sealing member. Sealed passageways extend from the sealing member to the electrical element. Substrates are inserted through the sealing member into the passageways for connection to the electrical element.

Sealed interconnection device

A electrochemical cell for removing ions from a solution stream comprises a housing having first and second electrodes. At least one water-splitting ion exchange membrane is positioned between the electrodes, the water-splitting membrane comprising (i) a cation exchange surface facing the first electrode, and (ii) an anion exchange surface facing the second electrode. A solution stream pathway is defined by the water-splitting membrane. The solution stream pathway comprises (i) an inlet for influent solution stream, (ii) at least one channel that allows influent solution stream to flow past at least one surface of the water-splitting membrane to form one or more treated solution streams, and (iii) a single outlet that combines the treated solution streams to form a single effluent solution. Preferably, the solution stream pathway comprises a unitary and contiguous channel that flows past both the cation and anion exchange surfaces of the water-splitting membrane, and more preferably is connected throughout in an unbroken sequence and extends substantially continuously from the inlet to the outlet.

Electrochemically assisted ion exchange

An electrode, preferably of a conductive polymer, has on its surface, preferably over all of its surface, an ion exchange material, preferably of significant thickness. Such a coated electrode may be used for sensing the presence of measuring the concentration of an ionic species, or for removal from or release of an ionic species into an electrode.

Apparatus for monitoring an electrolyte

A method for monitoring for the presence of an electrolyte and for locating the electrolyte upon its presence uses a system comprising an electrically conductive locating member and an electrically conductive source member, between which an electrical connection is made upon the presence of the electrolyte. The locating member and/or the source member comprises (i) an electrode and (ii) an ion exchange material which is in electrical and physical contact with and substantially entirely surrounds all surfaces of the electrode; the ion exchange material having an ionic resistance which depends upon the concentration of a chemical species in the electrolyte. Upon the presence of the electrolyte, a connection to the locating member is made effective at a first point whose location is defined by the presence of the electrolyte. An electrochemical reaction takes place at that first point at interface of the ion exchange material and the electrode contacted thereby, generating an ionic species, substantially all the ionic species so generated passing through the ion exchange material. The making of the connection enables the formation of a test circuit which comprises (a) the connection, (b) that part of the locating member which lies between the first point and a second point on the locating member, and (c) a power source which causes a current of known size to be transmitted between the first and second points on the locating member. The current and locating member are such that, by measuring the voltage drop between the first and second points, the spatial relationship between the first and second points can be determined. By measuring the voltage drop between the first and second points associated with a change in the ionic resistance of the ion exchange material, the voltage location of the electrolyte can be determined.

Method for detecting and locating an electrolyte

An electrode, preferably of a conductive polymer, has on its surface, preferably over all of its surface, an ion exchange material, preferably of significant thickness. Such a coated electrode may be used for sensing the presence or measuring the concentration of an ionic species, or for removal from or release of an ionic species into an electrode.

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Belmont, CA, United States of America

Eric David Nyberg