Ams Trace Metals, Inc.

Eci Technology, Inc.

Vladimir Dozortsev

Harmesh K Saini

Richard Bacon

Jose Antonio Moreno

D Morgan Tench

Eugene Shalyt

Peter Bratin

Michael Pavlov

This disclosure provides techniques for detecting/inhibiting corrosion of in distribution/recirculation service lines and for using tin dioxide as a surfactant to coat at-risk piping surfaces. For example, disclosed techniques can be used to correlate corrosive conditions with fluid type, source and other environmental parameters, and to treat piping so as to insulate corroding areas. A stannous dosing system, and optionally, associated downstream filtration, can be used to efficiently deliver tin throughout piping surfaces at interest, and thereby facility local tin dioxide surfactant buildup to target thicknesses, at difficult to reach locations. In one embodiment, disclosed systems can be used to build a correlation database that can be used in the automated control of systems taught herein.

Techniques for forecasting and/or preventing degradation and corrosion

An in-situ measurement apparatus automatically draws aqueous samples on an intermittent or ad-hoc basis and measures specific metal specie concentration. The apparatus can perform both raw measurement of specific metal specie, as well as processing to convert other species of the same metal to the specific metal specie or to destroy or remove unwanted masking agents (e.g. organics). In one application, 'dirty' water from a scrubber is measured for Se(IV) presence (using a renewable voltametric system), both with and without the masking agents present; in addition, selective processing converts other selenium species to Se(IV), permitting assessment of total selenium and measurement of Se(VI) presence. Automated reactions can then be taken to remove detected toxic substances from waste water without excess reliance on treatment chemicals, and so as to ensure that only water complaint with regulatory standards is released into the environment.

Techniques for toxic metal detection and speciation in aqueous matrices

This disclosure provides techniques for treatment of aqueous matrices using electrolysis to produce soluble metals. An aqueous matrix of interest is passed through an electrolysis device with at least one consumable electrode, which dissolves under applied current, transferring a desired reagent to the aqueous matrix of interest. In one embodiment, the electrolysis device is used in a water delivery network to passivate hexavalent chromium (Cr6) and/or convert it to trivalent chromium; the electrode can be made of food-grade metal tin, which is electrolyzed to form a stannous reagent, which then reacts with the Cr6. The disclosed techniques provide for Cr6 passivation without requiring the use of concentrated acids or other harmful substances. Long term reagent generation efficiency can be enhanced through the use of cleaning processes which maintain a fresh electrode surface in contact with the aqueous matrix of interest.

Treatment of aqueous matrices using electrolysis to produce soluble tin metal

This disclosure provides a voltammetric measurement system predicated on a mercury electrode. To minimize mercury consumption and/or disposal, the disclosed system includes a recirculatory system and mechanisms for cleaning mercury that permit mercury to be reclaimed, purified and reused on a nearly indefinite basis. Optional embodiments provide a modular design including a specially designed measurement cell, and for an automated control system to facilitate these ends.

Renewable mercury meniscus electrode with mercury circulation system and contaminant removal

This disclosure provides techniques for extending useful life of a reference electrode, as well as a novel voltametric system and measurement cell design and related chemistries. An automated, repeatable-use system features a reference electrode that directly immerses a metallic conductor into an analyte, with electrolytes (e.g., chlorides) used for measurement being separately added and removed for each measurement cycles; the metallic conductor can optionally be left exposed to clean dry air in between measurements. In one implementation, the system can be restricted to application with specific analytes (e.g., ground water) that are known in advance to be free of substances that could degrade reference electrode use or lifetime. Cleaning solutions can optionally be used that would not be practical with conventional (insulated) reference electrode designs. In another embodiment, a measurement cell can be configured to receive separated electrode modules, permitting independent cleaning/removal of the working electrode (or other electrodes).

Techniques for extending electrode serviceability and useful life in voltametric device

The thickness of a palladium coating on copper (or another substrate) is measured by passing a cathodic current through a predetermined area of the coating in contact with an electrolytic solution and measuring the potential as a function of time. Protons from the electrolytic solution are electrochemically reduced to palladium hydride at cathodic potentials less negative than required for evolution of hydrogen. As formation of the PdHbeta-phase throughout the Pd coating is completed, the cathodic potential increases rapidly to a cathodic potential plateau corresponding to evolution of hydrogen gas on the PdHsurface. This step in the cathodic potential provides an endpoint time for the measurement. The absolute thickness of the Pd coating is calculated from the integrated cathodic charge passed up to the endpoint time and the predetermined area of the coating in contact with the electrolytic solution.

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Ridgewood, NJ, United States of America

Vladimir Dozortsev