FLUID TREATMENT DEVICE

• US 20090038944A1
• Filed: 08/10/2007
• Published: 02/12/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/10/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Eric John Kruger
• Original Assignee: Eric John Kruger
• Inventors: Kruger, Eric John
• Granted Patent: US 8,187,444 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 204/555
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/4602 for prevention or elimination of deposits
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2103/023 Water in cooling circuits
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2201/4611 Fluid flow
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2201/46125 Electrical variables
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2201/4613 Inversing polarity
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2201/4615 Time
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2201/46175 Electrical pulses
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2209/008 comprising telecommunication features, e.g. modems or antennas
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2209/05 Conductivity or salinity

Abstract

A fluid treatment device is disclosed. The fluid treatment device includes at least a first electrode and a second electrode in direct contact with the fluid. The fluid treatment device may include a control device which adjusts a parameter of an alternating potential difference provided between the first electrode and the second electrode based on the indication of the conductivity between the first electrode and the second electrode.

Claims

1. A fluid treatment device for treating a water based fluid, comprising:

a conduit through which the water based fluid travels;

at least a first electrode and a second electrode placed in direct contact with the water based fluid;

a control device coupled to the at least two electrodes to provide an alternating potential difference between the first electrode and the second electrode and to monitor a conductivity between the first electrode and the second electrode, wherein at least one characteristic of the alternating potential difference is adjusted by the control device based on an indication of the conductivity between the first electrode and the second electrode.

2. The fluid treatment device of claim 1, wherein the indication of the conductivity between the first electrode and the second electrode provides an indication of a conductivity of the water based fluid.

3. The fluid treatment device of claim 1, wherein the at least one characteristic includes a peak voltage of the alternating potential difference.

4. The fluid treatment device of claim 3, wherein the peak voltage of the alternating potential difference is increased in response to a reduction in the conductivity between the first electrode and the second electrode.

5. The fluid treatment device of claim 3, wherein the peak voltage of the alternating potential difference is decreased in response to an increase in the conductivity between the first electrode and the second electrode.

6. The fluid treatment device of claim 1, wherein the at least one characteristic includes a duty cycle of the alternating potential difference.

7. The fluid treatment device of claim 6, wherein the duty cycle of the alternating potential difference is increased in response to a reduction in the conductivity between the first electrode and the second electrode.

8. The fluid treatment device of claim 6, wherein the duty cycle of the alternating potential difference is decreased in response to an increase in the conductivity between the first electrode and the second electrode.

9. The fluid treatment device of claim 1, wherein the at least one characteristic includes a peak voltage and a duty cycle.

10. The fluid treatment device of claim 9, wherein in response to an increase in the conductivity between the first electrode and the second electrode the control device first reduces the peak voltage until a threshold peak voltage is reached and subsequently reduces the duty cycle of the alternating potential difference.

11. The fluid treatment device of claim 10, wherein the threshold peak voltage corresponds to a target power to be applied to the water based fluid.

12. A fluid treatment device for treating a water based fluid, comprising:

a conduit through which the water based fluid travels;

at least a first electrode and a second electrode placed in direct contact with the water based fluid;

a control device coupled to the at least two electrodes to provide an alternating potential difference between the first electrode and the second electrode, wherein a period of the alternating potential difference is adjusted by the control device to enhance resonance in the water based fluid.

13. The fluid treatment device of claim 12, wherein the period is adjusted by varying the period through a range of periods.

14. The fluid treatment device of claim 13, wherein the period varies between about 1 kHz to about 9 kHz.

15. The fluid treatment device of claim 13, wherein the period varies between about 1 kHz to about 7 kHz.

16. The fluid treatment device of claim 13, wherein the period varies between about 2 kHz to about 8 kHz.

17. The fluid treatment device of claim 13, wherein the period varies between about 3 kHz to about 9 kHz.

18. The fluid treatment device of claim 13, wherein the period is at least about 3 kHz.

19. The fluid treatment device of claim 13, wherein the period is varied through a varying voltage input to a voltage controlled oscillator, the voltage controlled oscillator being coupled to a switching circuit that reverses a polarity of the first electrode and the second electrode.

20. A fluid treatment device for treating a fluid, comprising:

a conduit having an interior through which the fluid travels;

at least a first electrode and a second electrode placed in direct contact with the fluid within the conduit, each of the first electrode and the second electrode including at least a first fluid directing surface positioned relative to the conduit to direct the fluid traveling through the conduit between the first electrode and the second electrode; and

a control device coupled to the first electrode and the second electrode to provide a potential difference between the first electrode and the second electrode.

21. The fluid treatment device of claim 20, wherein the first electrode and the second electrode each include a main treatment surface coupled to the first fluid directing surface, the main treatment surface of the first electrode being generally parallel to the main treatment surface of the second electrode.

22. The fluid treatment device of claim 20, wherein the conduit is made of a non-metallic material.

23. The fluid treatment device of claim 22, wherein the first electrode and the second electrode are supported by the conduit.

24. A fluid treatment device for treating a water based fluid, comprising:

a conduit through which the water based fluid travels;

at least a first electrode and a second electrode placed in direct contact with the water based fluid;

a control device coupled to the at least two electrodes to provide an alternating potential difference between the first electrode and the second electrode and to monitor a conductivity between the first electrode and the second electrode, wherein a peak voltage of the alternating potential difference between the first electrode and the second electrode and a duty cycle of the alternating potential difference are adjusted by the control device based on an indication of the conductivity between the first electrode and the second electrode.

25. The fluid treatment device of claim 24, wherein the duty cycle of the alternating potential difference is maintained at 100 percent until the peak voltage of the alternating potential difference drops to a set voltage and thereafter the duty cycle is reduced.

31. The method of claim 25, wherein the step of monitoring the indication of the conductivity between the first electrode and the second electrode, comprises the steps of:

monitoring an input current of a constant power supply coupled to the first electrode and the second electrode; and

comparing the monitored input current to a desired current, a difference between the desired current and the monitored input current providing the indication of the conductivity between the first electrode and the second electrode.

32. The method of claim 25, wherein the step of adjusting the parameter of the alternating potential difference based on the indication of the conductivity between the first electrode and the second electrode includes reducing a peak voltage of the alternating potential difference between the first electrode and the second electrode;

and increasing a current of the alternating potential difference between the first electrode and the second electrode.

33. The method of claim 25, wherein the step of adjusting the parameter of the alternating potential difference based on the indication of the conductivity between the first electrode and the second electrode includes reducing a duty cycle of the alternating potential difference between the first electrode and the second electrode.

26. A method of treating a moving fluid, comprising the steps of:

providing a first electrode and a second electrode each in direct contact with the moving fluid, the moving fluid passing between the first electrode and the second electrode;

applying an alternating potential difference between the first electrode and the second electrode to treat the moving fluid;

monitoring an indication of a conductivity between the first electrode and the second electrode; and

adjusting a parameter of the alternating potential difference based on the indication of the conductivity between the first electrode and the second electrode.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the alternating potential difference has a frequency in the range of about 1 kHz to about 9 kHz.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the frequency of the alternating potential difference is at least about 3 kHz.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the frequency of the alternating potential difference varies in a linear fashion.

30. The method of claim 28, wherein the frequency of the alternating potential difference varies in a logarithmic fashion.