Electrochemical digestion of organic molecules

• US 10,407,322 B2
• Filed: 09/28/2012
• Issued: 09/10/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RF Advanced Technology Group, LLC
• Original Assignee: RF Advanced Technology Group, LLC
• Inventors: Dopp, Robert Brian
• Primary Examiner(s): Jain, Salil
• Application Number:
  US13/630,776
• Publication Number:
  US 20130087466A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,538 Days
• Field of Search: 205588, 205689, 205695-698
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/4672 by electrooxydation
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/78 with ozone C02F1/4672 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2001/46133 characterised by the material
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2101/30 Organic compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2201/46175 Electrical pulses
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2201/46185 Recycling the cathodic or anodic feed

Abstract

Various methods and systems are provided for electrochemical digestion of organic molecules. In one example, among others, a method includes providing an electrolyte fluid including organic molecules between the electrodes of a reaction vessel and applying a voltage wave shape to the electrodes of the reaction vessel to digest the organic molecules. No separator exists between the electrodes of the reaction vessel. In another example, a system for digesting organic molecules includes a reaction vessel, an electrolyte fluid including the organic molecules, and a power source. The reaction vessel includes a plurality of electrodes where no separator exists between the electrodes. The electrolyte fluid is provided between the plurality of electrodes of the reaction vessel and the power source can applies a voltage wave shape to the electrodes of the reaction vessel to digest the organic molecules.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

providing an electrolyte fluid including organic molecules to a reaction vessel, the electrolyte fluid flowing between and in contact with electrodes of the reaction vessel where no separator exists between the electrodes, the electrodes defining parallel flow paths through which the electrolyte fluid flows, where the electrodes consist of two monofunctional electrodes comprising a single porous metal component secured to one side of a substrate and at least one bifunctional electrode between the two monofunctional electrodes, the at least one bifunctional electrode comprising two porous metal components secured to opposite sides of a substrate, where the porous metal components of the monofunctional and bifunctional electrodes are formed of the same materials and the electrolyte fluid is less than 100 degrees Celsius; and

applying a voltage wave shape to the two monofunctional electrodes and not to the at least one bifunctional electrode of the reaction vessel to digest the organic molecules by a breakdown of chains of the organic molecules, where the voltage wave shape reverses polarity applied to the two monofunctional electrodes at a frequency less than 1 Hz.

2. The method of claim 1, comprising inducing the flow of the electrolyte fluid between the electrodes of the reaction vessel.

3. The method of claim 2, comprising adjusting the flow of the electrolyte fluid to improve digestion of the organic molecules.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the electrolyte fluid recirculates between the electrodes of the reaction vessel and through a fluid reservoir.

5. The method of claim 4, comprising obtaining a sample of the electrolyte fluid from the fluid reservoir.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising adding ozone to the electrolyte fluid.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the voltage wave shape is a stepped square wave that reverses polarity from a positive voltage to a negative voltage with a duty cycle.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the duty cycle of the voltage wave shape is in a range from 50% to 100%.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the duty cycle of the voltage wave shape is in a range from 80% to 100%.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the duty cycle of the voltage wave shape is 100%.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the voltage wave shape is a stepped square wave with a frequency less than 1 mHz.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the electrolyte fluid includes charge-carrying ions.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the electrolyte fluid comprises dissolved sodium chloride (NaCl) with a concentration of 2% or less.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the electrolyte fluid comprises dissolved potassium hydroxide (KOH) with a concentration of 2% or less.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the electrolyte fluid comprises dissolved sodium hydroxide (NaOH) with a concentration of 2% or less.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the organic molecules include cellulose.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the organic molecules include polysaccharides.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the organic molecules include lignin.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the organic molecules include hemicellulose.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the organic molecules include proteins.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein the organic molecules include algae.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein the organic molecules include a virus.

23. The method of claim 1, wherein the organic molecules include bacterium.

24. The method of claim 1, wherein the organic molecules are within wastewater.

25. The method of claim 1, wherein the electrolyte fluid is less than 50 degrees Celsius.

26. The method of claim 1, wherein the electrolyte fluid is less than 30 degrees Celsius.

27. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one bifunctional electrode and two monofunctional electrodes define a plurality of cells in the reaction vessel.

28. The method of claim 1, wherein the electrodes includes a first set of electrodes consisting of the at least one bifunctional electrode between the two monofunctional electrodes in series with a second set of electrodes consisting of at least one bifunctional electrode between two monofunctional electrodes, wherein the electrolyte fluid sequentially flows through the first set of electrodes and the second set of electrodes.

29. The method of claim 7, wherein the voltage wave shape is a stepped square wave with a frequency less than 0.1 mHz.

30. The method of claim 1, wherein the porous metal components secured to the substrates of the monofunctional and bifunctional electrodes are corrugated.

31. The method of claim 13, wherein the electrolyte fluid comprises dissolved sodium chloride (NaCl) with a concentration of 1% or less.

32. The method of claim 14, wherein the electrolyte fluid comprises dissolved potassium hydroxide (KOH) with a concentration of 1% or less.

33. The method of claim 15, wherein the electrolyte fluid comprises dissolved sodium hydroxide (NaOH) with a concentration of 1% or less.