Electrolytic cell for ozone generation

• US 6,984,295 B2
• Filed: 02/06/2002
• Issued: 01/10/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: GAINIA INTELLECTUAL ASSET SERVICES, INC
• Original Assignee: Luxon Energy Devices Corporation
• Inventors: Chung, Hsing-Chen, Hsieh, Fei-Chen, Shiue, Lin-Ren, Hsieh, Yu-His, Jou, Jiung-Jau, Shiue, Chia-Chann
• Primary Examiner(s): King, Roy
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wilkins, III, Harry D.
• Application Number:
  US10/068,277
• Publication Number:
  US 20030146105A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,434 Days
• Field of Search: 204/242, 204/265, 204/252, 204/278, 204/230.8, 205/626, 205/756
• US Class Current: 204/230.8
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/0094 Gaseous substances
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/202 Ozone
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/46104 Devices therefor; Their operating or servicing
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/4672 by electrooxydation
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/78 with ozone C02F1/4672 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2001/46138 Electrodes comprising a substrate and a coating
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2001/46157 Perforated or foraminous electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2201/46165 Special power supply, e.g. solar energy or batteries
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2201/4617 DC only
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2201/4619 Supplying gas to the electrolyte gas diffusion electrodes C02F2001/46166
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2303/04 Disinfection
• CPC Class Codes: C25B 1/13 Ozone
• CPC Class Codes: C25B 15/02 Process control or regulation
• CPC Class Codes: Y02W 10/37 using solar energy

Abstract

An electrolytic process of ozone generation using platinum-coated titanium grid as cathode, β-PbO₂ deposited on the grid as anode, and batteries in conjunction with supercapacitors as a DC power source is described. No membrane is required to separate the electrodes, and a neutral salt such as NaCl is used to enhance the generation of ozone gas. The electrolytic apparatus comprising a cell, the electrodes, and a bubbler can also be inserted directly in water that needs ozone treatment. As batteries can power the ozone generation, the apparatus can be disposed at point-of-use and away from the city electricity. The electrolytic apparatus can be used for sterilization of water for pharmaceutical industry, household water supply, for surface cleaning of semiconductors, meats, fish, fruits, as well as for disinfection of SPA water and personal hygiene.

Claims

1. An electrolytic cell for ozone generation, comprising:

two grid electrodes immersed in an electrolyte, the two grid electrodes being powered by a DC power source continuously or intermittently, wherein the DC power source comprises an oscillator containing a circuitry comprising a power circuit, a switching circuit and self-excited multi-level oscillation circuit;

the electrolyte comprises at least one neutral salt;

a first electrode of the two grid electrodes is an anode, wherein a material of the anode comprises titanium coated with another material selected from the group consisting of platinum, iridium oxide and tin oxide, and a layer of β

-PbO₂ is coated on the anode, and

a second electrode of the two grid electrodes is a cathode, wherein a material of the cathode comprises titanium coated with another material selected from the group consisting of platinum iridium oxide and tin oxide.

2. An electrolytic cell for ozone generation of claim 1, wherein the neutral salt comprises at least one salt selected from the group consisting of NaCl, KCl, NaNO₃, and KNO₃.

3. An electrolytic cell for ozone generation of claim 1, wherein the DC power source comprises a battery.

4. An electrolytic cell for ozone generation of claim 3, wherein the battery is selected from a group consisting of dry battery, lead-acid battery, nickel-cadmium battery, nickel-hydrogen battery, lithium ion battery, lithium polymer battery, metal-air battery, fuel cell, and solar cell.

5. An electrolytic cell for ozone generation of claim 1, wherein the DC power source further comprises a battery and a supercapacitor.

6. An electrolytic cell for ozone generation of claim 5, wherein the battery is selected from a group consisting of dry battery, lead-acid battery, nickel-cadmium battery, nickel-hydrogen battery, lithium ion battery, lithium polymer battery, metal-air battery, fuel cell, and solar cell.

7. An electrolytic cell for ozone generation of claim 5, wherein the oscillator comprises a self-excitation multi-level oscillator.

8. An electrolytic cell for ozone generation of claim 5, wherein a yield of ozone generation is controlled by varying a duty ratio of the circuitry of the DC power source.

9. An electrolytic cell for ozone generation of claim 5, further comprising a bubbler for supplying bubbles into the electrolyte.

10. An electrolytic cell for ozone generation of claim 1, further comprising a bubbler for supplying bubbles into the electrolyte.

11. An electrolytic cell for ozone generation of claim 1, which has a temperature including room temperature.

12. An electrolytic cell for ozone generation of claim 1, wherein the current used in the electrolytic cell is between 0.28–

3.10 A.