ARRANGEMENT FOR NEUTRALISATION OR MICROORGANISMS

• US 20110033591A1
• Filed: 03/30/2009
• Published: 02/10/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Arc Aroma Pure AB
• Original Assignee: Arc Aroma Pure AB
• Inventors: Henriksson, Par H.
• Granted Patent: US 8,475,712 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 426/244
• CPC Class Codes: A23L 3/32 by treatment with electric currents without heating effect
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/0011 using physical methods
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/03 Electric current
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/24 Apparatus using programmed or automatic operation
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/32 with ultraviolet light
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/34 with mechanical oscillations
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/48 with magnetic or electric fields C02F1/46 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/78 with ozone C02F1/4672 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2201/008 Mobile apparatus and plants, e.g. mounted on a vehicle for biological treatment C02F2203/008
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2303/04 Disinfection
• CPC Class Codes: Y02W 10/37 using solar energy
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/218 Means to regulate or vary operation of device
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/2185 To vary frequency of pulses or oscillations

Abstract

An arrangement for the exposure of a pumpable medium to an electric field. The arrangement comprises, at least two power supplies (100) for the generation of electrical voltage, at least one non-conducting chamber (102) for pumping said pumpable medium, which said at least one chamber (102) is provided with a first (106) and a second electrode plate (108), a control means (104) for controlling said at least two power supplies (100). During control the control means (104), by synchronous control, establishes a series connection between at least two of said at least two power supplies (100), the first electrode plate (106) and the second electrode plate (108). A resulting composite voltage arises between the first (106) and the second electrode plate (108), which resulting composite voltage will result in an electric field between the first (106) and the second electrode plate (108). The pumpable medium is exposed to the electric field. A method for the exposure of a pumpable medium to an electric field is also provided.

Claims

1-37. -37. (canceled)

38. An arrangement for the exposure of a pumpable medium to an electric field, wherein the arrangement comprises:

power supply for the generation of electrical voltage,

at least one non-conducting chamber for pumping said pumpable medium, which said at least one chamber is provided with a first and a second electrode plate,

wherein the arrangement comprises at least two power supplies for the generation of an electrical voltage, wherein the respective power supply comprises a voltage converter (T), an electric charge storing element (C), and a switch (S1);

a control means for controlling said at least two power supplies, wherein the control means by synchronous control of each power supply switches (S1) with a common control signal, generated by the control means in the form of a pulse with a duration of 0.1-100 microseconds, establish a series connection between at least two of said at least two power supplies, the first electrode plate and the second electrode plate, wherein a resulting composite voltage arises between the first and the second electrode plate, which resulting composite voltage creates an electric field between the first and the second electrode plate, wherein the pumpable medium is exposed to the electric field, and

wherein said chamber for pumping said pumpable medium is a piston pump with a piston whose top surface is one of the electrode plates, wherein the piston pump is connected to an input feed pipe and an outlet feed pipe.

39. The arrangement according to claim 38, wherein the duration of the pulse is 1-100 microseconds.

40. The arrangement according to claim 38, wherein said chamber for pumping said pumpable medium is a pump designed as a flexible chamber which comprises the first electrode plate and second electrode plate, which is located between a moving piston and a stationary wall or between two moving pistons working in reversed phase.

41. The arrangement according to claim 40, wherein the flexible chamber is an infusion bag or a disposable cartridge.

42. The arrangement according to claim 38, wherein the field strength of the electric field between the first and the second electrode plate is in the range of 1-30 kV/cm.

43. The arrangement according to claim 38, wherein each power supply provides an adjustable voltage in the range of 230-2000 volts.

44. The arrangement according to claim 38, wherein the voltage converter (T) is a transformer.

45. The arrangement according to claim 38, wherein the electric charge storing element (C) is at least one capacitor.

46. The arrangement according to claim 38, wherein the switch (S1) is a galvanically isolating element.

47. The arrangement according to claim 38, wherein the switch (S1) is an optical coupler.

48. The arrangement according to claim 38, wherein the control means is arranged to repeat the pulse with a frequency of 1 Hz-100 kHz.

49. The arrangement according to claim 38, wherein the control means detects fault conditions in each power supply before and/or during the serial connection is established, wherein said fault conditions are selected from the group consisting of component errors, pump errors, voltage at an output of said power supply, short circuit in said switch (S1), leakage currents in said electric charge storage element (C) and voltage loss in said voltage converter (T).

50. The arrangement according to claim 38, wherein the control means measures electrical properties, between the first and the second electrode plate, including, but not limited to, resistance, impedance, capacitance and inductance, and adapts the resulting composite voltage so that a predefined field strength is achieved between the first and the second electrode plate.

51. The arrangement according to claim 38, wherein the control means applies a resulting composite voltage with a predefined value between the first and the second electrode plate and measures the time constant of the pulse and the amplitude of the voltage and current in the resulting field, whereafter the control means adjusts the resulting composite voltage so that a predefined field strength is achieved between the first and the second electrode plate, when a resulting composite voltage again is applied.

52. The arrangement according to claim 38, wherein the control means controls how many of said at least two power supplies that shall be connected in series and thus contributes to the resulting composite voltage.

53. The arrangement according to claim 38, wherein the inlet feed pipe is equipped with an inlet feed valve (V1) and/or the outlet feed pipe is equipped with and outlet valve (V2).

54. The arrangement according to claim 38, wherein said at least one chamber is equipped with a valve which allows passage of gas phase media but blocks passage of fluid or solid media.

55. The arrangement according to claim 38, wherein said at least one chamber is equipped with a pressure transducer, wherein said control means performs the serial connection of said at least two power supplies when a predefined pressure has been sensed by the pressure transducer.

56. The arrangement according to claim 38, wherein said at least one chamber is equipped with a drain connection and a drain valve (V3).

57. The arrangement according to claim 38, wherein said at least one chamber or the inlet feed pipe and/or the outlet feed pipe is equipped/are equipped with an additive connection and an additive valve.

58. The arrangement according to claim 38, wherein the distance between the first electrode plate and the second electrode plate is shorter further away from a centre point of the chamber than closer to said centre point.

59. The arrangement according to claim 38, wherein the first electrode plate and/or the second electrode plate comprises non-conducting areas, where said non-conducting areas are wider closer to a centre point of the chamber than further away from said centre point.

60. The arrangement according to claim 38, wherein said at least one chamber is a piston pump which is connected in parallel with at least one other chamber which also is a piston pump.

61. The arrangement according to claim 59, which is equipped with a distribution means which controls the inlet pumping and the outlet pumping of the pumpable medium of each chamber.

66. The arrangement according to claim 38, wherein the pumpable medium has a risk for unhealthy microorganisms.

67. The arrangement according to claim 38, wherein the pumpable medium is a pumpable food stuff.

68. The arrangement according to claim 38, wherein the pumpable medium is a hazardous water, ballast water, pool water, pond water, contaminated water, humidification water, drinking water and/or waste water.

69. The arrangement according to claim 38, wherein the pumpable medium is a suspended product.

70. The arrangement according to claim 38, wherein the pumpable medium is a commodity or raw material that is aimed for biogas production.

71. The arrangement according to claim 38, wherein the pumpable medium is a petroleum product.

72. The arrangement according to claim 38, wherein the pumpable medium is at least one selected from the group consisting of pumpable drugs, pumpable commodity and raw material for the manufacture of pharmaceuticals.

73. The arrangement according to claim 38, wherein the pumpable medium is from a mobile water purification plant, a hot water supply tank, a humidification plant, a pool and a basin.

74. The arrangement according to claim 38, further comprising at least one treatment chosen from the group consisting of ultra violet, ozone and vortex treatment.

62. A method for the exposure of a pumpable medium to an electric field, comprising the steps of;

that at least one non-conducting chamber, which is equipped with a first and a second electrode plate and which consists of a piston pump with a piston, whose upper part is one of the electrode plates, wherein the piston pump is connected to an inlet feed pipe and outlet feed pipe, is filled with the pumpable medium, wherein the medium is subjected to a pressure;

that an electrical voltage is generated in at least two power supplies, wherein each power supply comprises a voltage converter (T), an electrical charging storage element (C), and a switch (S1);

that a control means for controlling said at least two power supplies by synchronous control of each power supply switches (S1) with a common control signal, generated by the control means in the form of a pulse with a duration of 1-100 microseconds, establishes a serial connection between at least two of said at least two power supplies, the first electrode plate and the second electrode plate, wherein a resulting composite voltage arises between the first and the second electrode plate, which resulting composite voltage results in an electric field between the first and the second electrode plate, wherein the pumpable medium is exposed to the electric field, and

that said chamber is emptied from the pumpable medium.

63. The method according to claim 62, wherein the steps to generate an electrical voltage and to establish a serial connection is performed a number of times in said order.

64. The method according to claim 62, wherein the step of emptying said chamber from the pumpable medium further comprises to feed said medium through a drain valve (V3).

65. The method according to claim 62, wherein said at least one chamber in the form of a piston pump is connected in parallel with at least one other similar chamber and where a distributing means controls the inlet pumping and outlet pumping of the pumpable medium of each chamber in a manner so that at least one chamber is always filled with the medium and at least one chamber is always emptied from the medium.