Liquid purification apparatus

• US 6,022,459 A
• Filed: 02/09/1998
• Issued: 02/08/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Austech Limited
• Original Assignee: Austech Limited
• Inventors: Briggs, William Ernest
• Primary Examiner(s): Gorgos, Kathryn
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nicolas, Wesley A.
• Application Number:
  US09/020,950
• Time in Patent Office: 729 Days
• Field of Search: 204/228.4, 204/275, 204/229.6, 204/600
• US Class Current: 204/228.4
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/4606 for producing oligodynamic substances to disinfect the water
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2201/4613 Inversing polarity
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2201/4615 Time

Abstract

The invention relates to a liquid purification apparatus (10) adapted to employ the purifying effects of the heavy metal silver under electrolysis. The apparatus (10) has a chamber (14) formed with spaced apart inlet and outlet openings (16,18) whereby liquid can flow through chamber (14) from inlet opening (16) to outlet opening (18). An electrolytic unit (20) has at least two spaced apart silver electrodes (22,24) mounted in chamber (14) in the path of the liquid flow. An electric circuit means (32) controls operation of electrodes (22,24) with a first timing means (62) for providing a pulsed current to electrodes (22,24).

Claims

1. A liquid purification apparatus adapted to employ the purifying affects of the heavy metal silver under electrolysis, said apparatus including a chamber formed with spaced apart inlet and outlet openings whereby liquid may be caused to flow through the chamber from said inlet opening to said outlet opening, at least one electrolytic unit, each electrolytic unit including at least two spaced apart silver electrodes mounted in said chamber in the path of said liquid flow, at least one of said electrodes being an anode and at least one of said electrodes being a cathode, electric circuit means for controlling operation of said electrodes, said electric circuit means including a first timing means for providing a pulsed current superimposed over a DC current to said electrodes and a second timing means to cyclically reverse the polarity of said anode(s) and cathode(s) to provide a cyclic process where positively charged silver particles move from the anode(s) toward said cathode(s) to be attached to said cathode(s) and on reversal of polarity the attached positively charged silver particles are repelled to form a silver colloid solution.

2. The liquid purification apparatus of claim 1, wherein the superimposed pulsed current is at a frequency of between 9 to 11 kHz and the polarity reversal occurs every 1 to 4 seconds.

3. The liquid purification apparatus of claim 2, wherein the superimposed pulse is a square wave pulse.

4. The liquid purification apparatus of claim 2, wherein each electrolytic unit includes a single anode having a pair of cathodes at equal distances on opposite sides of said anode, said anode and cathodes being spaced apart along said liquid flow path.

5. The liquid purification apparatus of claim 2, wherein the superimposed pulsed current is at a frequency of about 10 kHz and the polarity reversal occurs every 1 to 2 seconds.

6. The liquid purification apparatus of claim 1, wherein the superimposed pulse is a square wave pulse.

7. The liquid purification apparatus of claim 6, wherein each electrolytic unit includes a single anode having a pair of cathodes at equal distances on opposite sides of said anode, said anode and cathodes being spaced apart along said liquid flow path.

8. The liquid purification apparatus of claim 1, wherein each electrolytic unit includes a single anode having a pair of cathodes at equal distances on opposite sides of said anode, said anode and cathodes being spaced apart along said liquid flow path.

9. The liquid purification apparatus of claim 8, further including a switch for activating said electric circuit means mounted within said chamber but offset from said electrodes and responsive to flow of liquid in said inlet.

10. The liquid purification apparatus of claim 8, wherein the superimposed pulse current is at a frequency of between 9 to 11 kHz and the polarity reversal occurs every 1 to 4 seconds.

11. The liquid purification apparatus of claim 9, wherein said switch is a reed type switch activated by a magnetic member on a valve within said inlet.

12. The liquid purification apparatus of claim 11, wherein said electrodes and switch are attached to a rotatable member to allow the distance between said switch and said magnetic member to be varied.

13. The liquid purification apparatus of claim 11, wherein said valve is a pressure responsive valve.

14. The liquid purification apparatus of claim 12, wherein said valve is a pressure responsive valve.

15. The liquid purification apparatus of claim 1, wherein the superimposed pulsed current is at a frequency of about 10 kHz and the polarity reversal occurs every 1 to 2 seconds.