General Electric Company

Ionics, Inc.

Ge Osmonics, Inc.

Ge Ionics, Inc.

Vladimir Grebenyuk

Keith James Sims

Oleg Grebenyuk

William W Carson

Li Zhang

Russell James MacDonald

John Harold Barber

Bernard Roy Mack

Richard G Parent

R Hilda Zanapalidou

Hilda R Zanapalidou

Russell J Macdonald

An electrodeionization apparatus includes an anode compartment provided with an anode and a cathode compartment spaced from the anode compartment and provided with a cathode, wherein the anode and cathode are configured for coupling to a DC power source to effect an electric potential difference between the anode and the cathode and thereby influence transport of ionic material in liquid media and ion exchange media by the influence of the electric potential difference. The electrodeionization apparatus also includes a feed inlet receiving a feed solution, a product water outlet and a plurality of anion exchange membranes and a plurality of cation exchange membranes alternately arranged between the anode compartment and the cathode compartment. The electrodeionization apparatus also includes a plurality of spacers, wherein the spacers and the anion and cation exchange membranes are arranged to form a first diluting compartment receiving feed solution from the feed inlet, a second diluting compartment in series with the first diluting compartment and delivering product water to the product water outlet, a first concentrating compartment and a second concentrating compartment. The first and second diluting compartments are bounded by an anion exchange membrane on the side closest to the anode and by a cation exchange membrane on the side closest to the cathode. The first and second concentrating compartments are bounded by a cation exchange membrane on the side closest to the anode and by an anion exchange membrane on the side closest to the cathode.

Electrodeionization device and method with improved scaling resistance

A spacer element () is disclosed having an integral screen for use in filled cell electrodialysis. The spacer () has a continuous portion () impermeable to flow and a screen () which spans a centrally-located flow treatment region that contains active treatment material, such as ion exchange beads. The screen () may perform a structural function, allowing operation at elevated pressure, and may also define a minimum gap between adjacent membranes and enhance mixing along the flow path and at cell boundaries. The spacer element () may be configured to enhance hydraulic filling of the cells, and cell architecture is readily implemented in a wide range of useful flow path geometries utilizing the screen spacer element ().

Spacer for filled cell electrodialysis

Some embodiments of the invention relate to an electrodeionization device that includes comprising a generally cylindrical housing. The cylindrical housing includes a cylindrical inner core and an inner electrode that extends around the inner core. The cylindrical housing includes a leaf arranged as a spiral winding about the inner electrode and an outer electrode that extends about the spiral winding. Active treatment cells are defined by spaces within the spiral winding and by interleaf spaces thereof. One or more sealing bands extend between membranes of the spiral winding to define fluid flow.

Spiral electrodeionization device with segregated ionic flows

EDI apparatus for demineralizing a liquid flow is assembled in a housing having a cylindrical shape, and includes two metal electrodes, and one or more leafs, each leaf comprising a pair of selectively ion-permeable membranes arranged parallel to each other and spaced apart by spacing elements that allow liquid to flow in the interstitial space between membranes, thus forming an arrangement of dilute and concentrate cells in a desired flow configuration. Spacing elements between membranes, as well as between leaves, can be formed of inert polymer material, ion exchange beads, ion exchange fibers, a combination of two or more these elements, or a porous media incorporating one or more of such elements as an intrinsic part. An inner or central electrode and an outer or perimeter electrode establish a generally uniform and radially-oriented electrical or ionic current between the inner and the outer electrodes, across the helical flow spaces defined by the membrane/spacer windings. One or both electrodes may include a pocket, and the adjacent flow cells lie parallel to the electrode and free of shadowing and field inhomogeneity around a full circumference of the electrode. Flow paths within the helical cells are defined by barrier seals, which may form a path-lengthening maze, while unfilled cell regions may disperse or collect flow within a cell and define pressure gradients promote directional flows. Impermeable barriers between membranes further prevent the feed and concentrate flows from mixing. In various embodiments, seals along or between portions of the flow path may define a multi-stage device, may define separate feed and/or concentrate flows for different stages, and/or may direct the feed and concentrate flows along preferred directions which may be co-current, counter-current or cross-current with respect to each other within the apparatus.

Spiral electrodeionization device with flow distribution profiling

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Woburn, MA, United States of America

Vladimir Grebenyuk