The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Dec. 19, 2017
Filed:
Jun. 17, 2014
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA (US);
Rhokyun Kwak, Cambridge, MA (US);
Jongyoon Han, Bedford, MA (US);
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA (US);
Abstract
Between two juxtaposed similar ion exchange membranes (AEMs or CEMs), an ion depletion zone (d) and ion enrichment zone (d) are generated under an electric field. As cations are selectively transferred through the CEMs, for example, anions are relocated in order to achieve electro-neutrality, resulting in the concentration drop (increase) in ion depletion (enrichment) zone. The concentration drop (i.e. salt removal) is low and spatially gradual at relatively low voltage or current (i.e. Ohmic regime). However, at higher voltage or current (i.e. overlimiting regime), strong electroconvective vortex accelerates cation transport through CEMs, allowing us to 'relocate' most salt ions. The flat depletion zone occurs with significantly low ion concentration, and corresponding strong electric field in the zone, and any charged agents (e.g. proteins and bacteria) cannot penetrate this flat zone. As a result, we can separate and collect the desalted/purified flow from brine flow by bifurcating the channel at the end of the CEMs. This ICP desalination/purification also happens with two anion exchange membranes (AEMs) by relocating cations, but the location of desalted/brine flows are converted.