Electrical purification apparatus having a blocking spacer

• US 9,463,988 B2
• Filed: 01/16/2015
• Issued: 10/11/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Evoqua Water Technologies Pte Ltd (Xylem, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Evoqua Water Technologies Pte Ltd (Xylem, Inc.)
• Inventors: Liang, Li-Shiang, Gifford, Joseph D., Salvo, Lawrence J., Chan, John K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Friday, Steven A.
• Application Number:
  US14/598,641
• Publication Number:
  US 20150122657A1
• Time in Patent Office: 634 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2315/10 Cross-flow filtration
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 61/463 comprising the membrane sequence AC or CA, where C is a cation exchange membrane
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 61/48 having one or more compartments filled with ion-exchange material , e.g. electrodeionisation
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 61/50 Stacks of the plate-and-frame type
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 80/00 Products made by additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/4693 electrodialysis
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/4695 electrodeionisation
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2201/46 Apparatus for electrochemical processes
• CPC Class Codes: C25B 9/00 Cells or assemblies of cells; Constructional parts of cells; Assemblies of constructional parts, e.g. electrode-diaphragm assemblies; Process-related cell features
• CPC Class Codes: C25B 9/19 with diaphragms
• CPC Class Codes: C25B 9/70 Assemblies comprising two or more cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 41/02 for manufacturing cores, coils, or magnets H01F41/14 takes precedence; for dynamo-electric machines H02K15/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 20/124 Water desalination
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49002 Electrical device making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4902 Electromagnet, transformer or inductor

Abstract

An electrical purification apparatus and methods of making same are disclosed. The electrical purification apparatus may provide for increases in operation efficiencies, for example, with respect to current efficiencies and membrane utilization.

Claims

1. A cell stack for an electrical purification apparatus comprising:

a plurality of alternating ion depleting compartments and ion concentrating compartments, each alternating ion depleting compartment and ion concentrating compartment defined by an anion exchange membrane and a cation exchange membrane, each of the ion depleting compartments having an inlet and an outlet to provide a dilute fluid flow in a first direction and each of the ion concentrating compartments having an inlet and an outlet to provide a concentrated fluid flow in a second direction that is different from the first direction; and

a blocking spacer comprising a screen portion positioned inside of at least one of the ion depleting compartments and ion concentrating compartments, and a solid portion positioned outside of the at least one ion depleting compartment and ion concentrating compartment, the solid portion configured to redirect fluid flow through the cell stack.

2. The cell stack of claim 1, wherein the blocking spacer is constructed and arranged to reduce electrical current inefficiencies in the electrical purification apparatus.

3. The cell stack of claim 1, wherein the blocking spacer is constructed and arranged to redirect electrical current within the cell stack.

4. The cell stack of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of ion depleting and ion concentrating compartments comprises a flow redistributor.

5. The cell stack of claim 1, further comprising a housing enclosing the cell stack, at least a portion of a periphery of the cell stack secured to the housing.

6. The cell stack of claim 5, further comprising a frame positioned between the housing and the cell stack to provide a first modular unit.

7. The cell stack of claim 6, further comprising a second modular unit secured within the housing.

8. The cell stack of claim 7, further comprising a blocking spacer positioned between the first modular unit and the second modular unit.

9. The cell stack of claim 6, further comprising a bracket assembly positioned between the frame and the housing.

10. The cell stack of claim 1, wherein the first direction is perpendicular to the second direction.

11. An electrical purification apparatus comprising:

a cell stack comprising alternating ion diluting compartments and ion concentrating compartments, each alternating ion diluting compartment and ion concentrating compartment defined by an anion exchange membrane and a cation exchange membrane, each of the ion diluting compartments constructed and arranged to provide a fluid flow in a first direction, and each of the ion concentrating compartments constructed and arranged to provide a fluid flow in a second direction that is different from the first direction;

a first electrode at a first end of the cell stack;

a second electrode at a second end of the cell stack; and

a blocking spacer comprising a screen portion positioned inside of at least one of the ion depleting compartments and ion concentrating compartments, and a solid portion positioned outside of the at least one ion depleting compartment and the ion concentrating compartment, the solid portion configured to redirect flow through the cell stack.

12. The electrical purification apparatus of claim 11, wherein the blocking spacer is constructed and arranged to reduce electrical current inefficiencies in the electrical purification apparatus.

13. The electrical purification apparatus of claim 11, wherein at least one of the ion diluting compartments and ion concentrating compartments comprises a flow redistributor.

14. The electrical purification apparatus of claim 11, further comprising a housing enclosing the cell stack, at least a portion of a periphery of the cell stack secured to the housing.

15. The electrical purification apparatus of claim 14, further comprising a frame positioned between the housing and the cell stack to provide a first modular unit.

16. The electrical purification apparatus of claim 15, further comprising a second modular unit secured within the housing.

17. The electrical purification apparatus of claim 16, further comprising a blocking spacer positioned between the first modular unit and the second modular unit.

18. The electrical purification apparatus of claim 15, further comprising a bracket assembly positioned between the frame and the housing.

19. The electrical purification apparatus of claim 11, wherein the first direction is perpendicular to the second direction.