Method and apparatus for capacitive deionization and electrochemical purification and regeneration of electrodes

Patent · Thu Dec 31 23:00:00 EST 1998

OSTI ID:872523

Farmer, Joseph C ^[1]

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1. Tracy, CA

An electrically regeneratable electrochemical cell (30) for capacitive deionization and electrochemical purification and regeneration of electrodes includes two end plates (31, 32), one at each end of the cell (30). Two end electrodes (35, 36) are arranged one at each end of the cell (30), adjacent to the end plates (31, 32). An insulator layer (33) is interposed between each end plate (31, 32) and the adjacent end electrode (35, 36). Each end electrode (35, 36) includes a single sheet (44) of conductive material having a high specific surface area and sorption capacity. In one embodiment, the sheet (44) of conductive material is formed of carbon aerogel composite. The cell (30) further includes a plurality of generally identical double-sided intermediate electrodes (37-43) that are equidistally separated from each other, between the two end electrodes (35, 36). As the electrolyte enters the cell, it flows through a continuous open serpentine channel (65-71) defined by the electrodes, substantially parallel to the surfaces of the electrodes. By polarizing the cell (30), ions are removed from the electrolyte and are held in the electric double layers formed at the carbon aerogel surfaces of the electrodes. As the cell (30) is saturated with the removed ions, the cell (30) is regenerated electrically, thus significantly minimizing secondary wastes.

• Research Organization: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-48
• Assignee: Regents of University of California (Oakland, CA)
• Patent Number(s): US 5954937
• OSTI ID: 872523
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

/205/204/
30
31
32
33
35
36
37-43
44
65-71
adjacent
aerogel
aerogel composite
apparatus
arranged
capacitive
capacitive deionization
capacity
carbon
carbon aerogel
cell
channel
composite
conductive
conductive material
continuous
defined
deionization
double
double layer
double-sided
electric
electric double
electrically
electrochemical
electrochemical cell
electrochemical purification
electrode
electrodes
electrolyte
embodiment
enters
equidistally
flows
formed
held
identical
insulator
insulator layer
intermediate
interposed
layer
layers
layers formed
material
method
minimizing
parallel
plate
plates
plurality
polarizing
purification
regeneratable
regenerated
regeneration
removed
saturated
secondary
secondary waste
secondary wastes
separated
serpentine
serpentine channel
sheet
significantly
single
sorption
sorption capacity
specific
specific surface
substantially
substantially parallel
surface
surfaces
wastes