Apparatus for controlling an electrolytic cell in a water purification system

• US 9,145,311 B2
• Filed: 12/11/2012
• Issued: 09/29/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Anthony Elmer Greene
• Original Assignee: Anthony Elmer Greene
• Inventors: Greene, Anthony Elmer
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, Nicholas A
• Application Number:
  US13/711,611
• Publication Number:
  US 20140158525A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,022 Days
• Field of Search: 204/228.1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/46104 Devices therefor; Their operating or servicing
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2201/46125 Electrical variables
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2209/005 Processes using a programmable logic controller [PLC]
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2209/006 comprising a software program or a logic diagram
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2209/008 comprising telecommunication features, e.g. modems or antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 1/04 Constant-current supply systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y02W 10/37 using solar energy

Abstract

A system comprises a water purification system having an electrolytic cell to receive a flow of waste water. A power source supplies power to the electrolytic cell. The power source at least comprises an H-bridge controller to apply power to the electrolytic cell. A device senses an amount of current being supplied to the H-bridge controller. An analog-to-digital device outputs a digital signal representative of the sensed current. A processor processes the digital signal and outputs a plurality of pulse width modulated control signals for the H-bridge controller. The control signals control the H-bridge controller to apply the power during a first period of time with a current in a first direction to maintain an average for the sensed current, and to apply the power during a second period of time with the current in a second direction to maintain the average.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

an H-bridge circuit device, in which said H-Bridge comprising a control signal receiver, wherein said H-bridge circuit device being configured to apply power to an electrical load;

a power supply, said power supply being configured to supply said power applied to said electrical load; and

a circuit board, in which said circuit board comprising at least one programmable circuit board, wherein said programmable circuit board being configured to process a current sense for substantially controlling and regulating a current flow into said H-bridge circuit device while said H-bridge circuit device applies power to said electrical load, said at least one programmable circuit board comprising;

a current sense device being configured to sense an amount of current being supplied to said H-bridge circuit device, said current sense device producing an analog signal feedback indicative of said sensed current;

a current sense signal limiting and amplification device being configured to at least one of limit and amplify said analog signal feedback;

an analog-to-digital conversion device in serial communication with said current sense signal limiting and amplification device, said analog-to-digital conversion device being configured to convert said analog signal feedback from said current sense signal limiting and amplification device, from an analog signal feedback to a digital signal feedback, representative of said sensed current and output said digital signal feedback;

a first processor device, in which said first processor device comprising a feedback processing microcontroller, wherein said feedback processing microcontroller is in parallel communication with said analog-to-digital conversion device being configured to at least receive said digital signal feedback, wherein said feedback processing microcontroller being configured to process at least a portion of said digital signal feedback and output at least one control signals to said H-bridge circuit device based on an amplitude or amperage of said digital signal feedback, and wherein at least a portion of said control signals being pulse width modulated; and

a software component, in which said software component comprising at least one software component embedded in a non-transitory computer readable medium of said programmable circuit board, wherein said software component instructs said feedback processing microcontroller to process said digital signal feedback from said analog-to-digital conversion device, and in which said software component further instructs said feedback processing microcontroller to adjust a duty cycle of said pulse width modulated control signal based on said amplitude or amperage of said digital signal feedback to generally ensure that said supplied power flowing through said H-Bridge circuit device does not exceed a maximum capacity of said H-Bridge circuit device and, thereby, mitigate damage to said H-Bridge circuit device or mitigate power failure to said electrical load.

2. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, in which said current sense device further comprises a current sense resistor in series with a negative supply voltage of said H-bridge circuit device, and in which said apparatus further comprising a heat sink external to said circuit board for mounting said current sense resistor, and in which said analog-to-digital conversion device comprises a flash ADC for a faster conversion time, a faster access time, and a higher throughput feedback for said processing microcontroller to process.

3. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, in which said programmable circuit board further comprising a timer processor in communication with said first processor, in which said timer processor comprising a programmable timer, wherein said timer processor being configured to generate timing intervals for longer time period of operation, wherein said timer processor is further configured to lessen long delay errors.

4. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, in which said programmable circuit board further comprising an optical isolation device in parallel communication with said first processor, in which said optical isolation device being configured to communicate isolated control signals to said H-bridge circuit device, and wherein said optical isolation device being configured to isolate a negative voltage ground and control signal of said first processor from a negative voltage ground and control signal receiver of said H-bridge circuit, wherein an output control signal level of said optical isolation device is an isolated control signal level for output to said H-bridge circuit device.

5. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, in which said programmable circuit board further comprising an input-output processor being configured to at least interface said first processor with an external devices.

6. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, in which said electrical load comprises at least one of a resistive-capacitive load, a resistive load, a capacitive load, and an inductive load, and in which said electrical load further comprises at least one of an electrolytic cell, an electrochemical cell, a galvanized cell, a battery, and a motor controller.

7. The apparatus as recited in claim 6, in which said electrolytic cell comprises at least one axial flow electrolytic cell, wherein said duty cycle of said pulse width is adjusted to charge said electrolytic cell to a predetermined voltage level and maintain the electrolytic cell voltage to said predetermined voltage level, and in which said motor controller comprises a DC motor controller, wherein said H-bridge circuit device is configured to apply power to said at least one of electrolytic cell and motor controller in a plurality of directions.

21. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

a first storage tank, said first storage tank comprising at least one first storage tank being configured to retain a quantity of waste water;

a pump unit being configured to draw waste water from a storage tank; and

a driver unit being configured to control at least said pump unit.

8. A system comprising:

a first storage tank, said first storage tank comprising at least one first storage tank being configured to retain a quantity of waste water;

a pump unit being configured to draw waste water from said first storage tank;

an electrolytic cell, said electrolytic cell comprising at least one electrolytic cell in communication with said pump unit, wherein said electrolytic cell comprising at least two electrodes configured to be submersed in the flow of the waste water, and wherein said electrodes being configured to accept power in an electrolysis process to at least substantially purify the waste water;

a second storage tank, said second storage tank comprising at least one second storage tank being configured to retain said processed waste water; and

a regulated power source being configured to supply regulated power to said electrolytic cell, said regulated power source at least comprising;

an H-bridge circuit device, in which said H-Bridge comprising a control signal receiver, wherein said H-bridge circuit device being configured to apply said regulated power to said electrolytic cell;

a current sense device being configured to sense an amount of current being supplied to said H-bridge circuit device, said current sense device producing an analog signal feedback indicative of said sensed current;

a current sense signal limiting and amplification device being configured to at least one of limit and amplify said analog signal feedback indicative of said sensed current;

an analog-to-digital conversion device in communication with said current sense signal limiting and amplification device, wherein said analog-to-digital conversion device being configured to convert said analog signal feedback from said current sense signal limiting and amplification device, to a digital signal feedback representative of said sensed current and output said digital signal feedback; and

a first processor in communication with said analog-to-digital conversion device to at least receive said digital signal, in which said first processor being configured to process said digital signal feedback and output control signals for said H-bridge circuit device to charge said electrolytic cell to a predetermined voltage level and maintain the electrolytic cell voltage to said predetermined voltage level, wherein at least a portion of said control signals being pulse width modulated, and wherein said first processor adjusts a duty cycle of said pulse width modulated control signals communicated to said H-bridge circuit device based on an amplitude or amperage of said digital signal feedback, and in which said adjustment of said duty cycle of said pulse width modulated control signals being operative to charge said electrolytic cell to a predetermined voltage level and maintain said electrolytic cell charge voltage to said predetermined voltage level.

9. The system as recited in claim 8, further comprising a valve system being configured to enable adjustment of a flow rate into said electrolytic cell.

10. The system as recited in claim 8, further comprising a valve system being configured to enable a flow of processed waste water back to said pump unit to be further processed.

11. The system as recited in claim 8, further comprising a driver unit being configured to control at least said pump unit.

12. The system as recited in claim 8, in which said current sense device further comprises a current sense resistor in series with a negative supply voltage of said H-bridge circuit device, and in which said apparatus further comprising a heat sink external to said circuit board for mounting said current sense resistor.

13. The system as recited in claim 8, further comprising a timer processor in communication with said first processor, in which said timer processor comprising a programmable timer, wherein said timer processor being configured to generate timing intervals for longer time period of operation, wherein said programmable timer processor is further configured to reduce long delay errors.

14. The system as recited in claim 8, further comprising an optical isolation device being configured to communicate said control signals to said H-bridge circuit device, and wherein said optical isolation device being configured to isolate a negative voltage ground and control signal of said first processor from a negative voltage ground and control signal receiver of said H-bridge circuit, wherein an output control signal level of said optical isolation device is an isolated control signal level for output to said H-bridge circuit device.

15. The system as recited in claim 8, further comprising an input-output processor being configured to at least interface said first processor with an external devices.

16. The system as recited in claim 15, in which said input-output processor is in communication with said driver unit for at least controlling said pump unit.

17. A system comprising:

a first storage tank, said first storage tank comprising at least one first storage tank being configured to retain a quantity of waste water;

a pump unit being configured to draw waste water from said first storage tank;

a driver unit being configured to control at least said pump unit;

an electrolytic cell, said electrolytic cell comprising at least one axial flow electrolytic cell in communication with said pump unit, in which said axial flow electrolytic cell comprising at least two electrodes configured to be submersed in the flow of the waste water, and wherein said electrodes being configured to accept power in an electrolysis process to at least substantially purify the waste water;

a second storage tank, said second storage tank comprising at least one second storage tank being configured to retain said processed waste water;

a first valve system being configured to enable adjustment of a flow rate of said waste water;

a second valve system being configured to enable a flow of processed waste water back to said pump unit to be further processed; and

a regulated power source being configured to supply the power to said electrolytic cell, said regulated power source at least comprising;

an H-bridge circuit device, in which said H-Bridge comprising a control signal receiver, wherein said H-bridge circuit device being configured to apply regulated power to said electrolytic cell;

a current sense device being configured to sense an amount of current flowing through said H-bridge circuit device, and in which said current sense device comprising a current sense resistor in series with a negative supply voltage of the H-bridge circuit device;

a current sense signal limiting and amplification device in communication with said current sense device, in which said current sense signal limiting and amplification device being operable for amplifying or limiting a received voltage across said current sense resistor, and wherein said current sense device producing said voltage and converting said voltage to an analog signal feedback indicative of said sensed current;

an analog-to-digital conversion device in communication with said current sense signal limiting and amplification device, and in which said analog-to-digital conversion device being configured to convert said analog signal feedback to a digital signal feedback representative of said voltage across said current sense resistor and output said digital signal feedback;

a first processor in communication with said analog-to-digital conversion device to at least receive said digital signal, wherein said first processor being configured to process said digital signal feedback and output a plurality of control signals for said H-bridge circuit device, and wherein at least a portion of said control signals being pulse width modulated, in which said first processor is configured to adjust a duty cycle of said pulse width modulated control signals based on an amplitude or amperage of said digital signal feedback, said control signals being operative to charge said electrolytic cell and maintain an electrolytic cell voltage level;

an optical isolation device, in which said optical isolation device being configured to isolate a negative voltage ground and control signal of said first processor from a negative voltage ground and control signal receiver of said H-bridge circuit, wherein an output control signal level of said optical isolation device is an isolated control signal level for output to said H-bridge circuit device;

a timer processor in communication with said first processor, wherein said timer processor being configured to generate timing intervals for longer time period of operation to reduce errors; and

an input-output processor being configured to at least interface said first processor with said driver unit for at least controlling said pump unit, and with external devices.

18. The system as recited in claim 17, further comprising a plurality of filters being configured to filter said water flow throughout the system.

19. The system as recited in claim 17, further comprising a plurality of liquid level sensors coupled to said first storage tank and said second storage tank, said liquid level sensors being in communication with said input-output processor.

20. The system as recited in claim 17, in which said first valve system and said second valve system comprise at least electrically controllable valves in communication with said driver unit.