CN115974240A

CN115974240A - Membrane capacitive deionization electrode assembly, housing structure, module and method for treating liquid

Info

Publication number: CN115974240A
Application number: CN202111201941.8A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 连伯悦; 何志钊; T·D·韦特; J·E·弗莱彻; 王远
Original assignee: NewSouth Innovations Pty Ltd; Jiangsu Xinyi China Australia Environmental Technology Co ltd
Current assignee: NewSouth Innovations Pty Ltd; Jiangsu Xinyi China Australia Environmental Technology Co ltd
Priority date: 2021-10-15
Filing date: 2021-10-15
Publication date: 2023-04-18

Abstract

The invention relates to a membrane capacitive deionization electrode assembly, a housing structure, a module and a method of treating a liquid. A membrane capacitance deionization electrode assembly comprising a flexible anion electrode, an anion exchange membrane, a cation exchange membrane, a flexible cation electrode, and a spacer, wherein the anion electrode comprises at least one anion electrode extension extending outwardly from an edge of the anion electrode, the cation electrode comprises at least one cation electrode extension extending outwardly from an edge of the cation electrode in opposite directions to each other, the cation electrode extension comprises a cation electrode connection part, and/or the anion electrode extension comprises an anion electrode connection part, so as to supply power to the cation electrode and/or the anion electrode. The invention has the advantages of reducing the structural complexity of the module and ensuring lower contact resistance and sealed structure.

Description

Membrane capacitive deionization electrode assembly, housing structure, module and method of treating liquid

Technical Field

The present invention relates to capacitive deionization technology, and more particularly, to a membrane capacitive deionization electrode assembly, a housing structure for an electrode assembly, a module including a membrane capacitive deionization electrode assembly and a housing structure, and a method of treating a liquid to be treated using a membrane capacitive deionization electrode assembly.

Background

Water resource shortages are becoming more and more serious due to economic development, population growth and climate change. Conventional techniques for desalination of sea water include Electrodialysis (ED) and Membrane Distillation (MD), but both require high cost and energy consumption and cannot compete with the main technique for desalination of sea water, reverse Osmosis (RO). However, fouling and high pressures limit the application of reverse osmosis processes, particularly when treating high hardness water, because the need to frequently replace reverse osmosis membranes and use high pressure pumps increases capital and operating costs.

The Capacitive Deionization (CDI) technology is developed at present, and is a desalination technology which saves energy, has good reproducibility and does not have secondary pollution. The CDI uses a porous carbon material as an electrode, and when brine flows between the electrodes, ions are adsorbed and fixed to the electrodes due to the action of an electric field force, thereby reducing the brine content.

Membrane Capacitive Deionization (MCDI) is an emerging desalination technology for seawater desalination and ion selective removal and recovery. Compared with the traditional reverse osmosis membrane process and electrodialysis, the MCDI has the advantages of low energy consumption, low chemical consumption, high water recovery rate and the like.

Disclosure of Invention

The present invention provides a new technique for configuring and providing membrane capacitive deionization electrode assemblies and housing structures therefor, and related modules and methods, to better configure the electrode assembly structures for increased capacity and wastewater filtration.

The invention provides a membrane capacitive deionization electrode assembly, comprising,

a flexible anion electrode for attracting anions in the liquid to be treated in the channel;

an anion exchange membrane disposed adjacent to the anion electrode for passing anions and preventing cations;

a cation exchange membrane spaced from the anion exchange membrane by channels for passing cations and preventing anions; and

a flexible cation electrode disposed adjacent to the cation exchange membrane for attracting cations in the liquid to be treated in the channel;

a spacer sheet located in a flow path of liquid constituted between both the anion exchange membrane and the cation exchange membrane for spacing the anion exchange membrane and the cation exchange membrane and guiding a flow of liquid;

wherein the anion electrode comprises at least one anion electrode extension which extends outwards from the edge of the anion electrode, wherein the cation electrode comprises at least one cation electrode extension which extends outwards from the edge of the cation electrode, and the directions of extension of the anion electrode extension and the cation electrode extension are opposite to each other.

Wherein the cation electrode extension comprises a cation electrode connection and/or the anion electrode extension comprises an anion electrode connection, the cation electrode connection being connected to or integral with the cation electrode extension and being capable of extending angularly inwardly therefrom, the anion electrode connection being connected to or integral with the anion electrode extension and being capable of extending angularly inwardly therefrom so as to supply power to the cation and/or anion electrodes.

In one aspect, the cation electrode extension includes an opening for the cation electrode at its interior and/or the anion electrode extension includes an opening for the anion electrode at its interior for assisting in securing the membrane capacitive deionization electrode assembly through the opening when installed.

In one aspect, the cationic electrode connection portion is formed in a paddle shape by cutting the cationic electrode extension portion, and the anionic electrode connection portion is formed in a paddle shape by cutting the anionic electrode extension portion.

In one aspect, the cationic electrode and the cationic electrode extension are graphite sheets or metal sheets and the anionic electrode extension are graphite sheets or metal sheets.

In one aspect, the cation electrode extension includes an edge opening for the cation electrode, the edge opening for the cation electrode being located adjacent to or in communication with the opening of the cation electrode extension; and/or the anionic electrode extension includes an edge opening for the anionic electrode, the edge opening for the anionic electrode being located adjacent to or in communication with the opening of the anionic electrode extension.

In one aspect, the membrane capacitive deionization electrode assembly comprises through holes to allow treated liquid to flow out of the membrane capacitive deionization electrode assembly through the through holes.

The present invention also provides a case structure for an electrode assembly, the case structure including

A top plate at the top;

a bottom plate at the bottom;

a peripheral casing located between and connected to peripheral portions of the top plate and the bottom plate, the top plate, the bottom plate, and the peripheral casing forming an inner space for an electrode assembly;

a positive and a negative part, respectively, located in the space enclosed by the peripheral casing, the positive and negative parts being coupled, in use, to a positive and a negative respectively of a power supply for electrically coupling with the electrodes of an electrode assembly when mounted thereon; and

at least two fixing structures made of a non-conductive material, the fixing structures being respectively located in a space surrounded by the outer peripheral casing and spaced apart from the positive and negative electrode parts to assist in mounting the electrode assembly;

wherein the fixing structure includes an upper portion and a lower portion, a lower surface of the upper portion being inclined, an upper surface of the lower portion being inclined and corresponding to an inclination of the lower surface of the upper portion, so that the upper portion moves outward relative to the lower portion along an upper surface of the lower portion.

In an aspect, the case structure further includes a plurality of fixing posts located within the internal space and between the positive and negative electrode parts to assist in mounting of the electrode assembly.

In one aspect, the upper portion of the fixed structure is fixed to the lower portion at a displaced position offset from the lower portion.

In one aspect, the upper portion of the securing structure includes an aperture for securing the upper portion to the lower portion through the aperture.

In one aspect, the apertures include two circular apertures and an elongated aperture positioned between the two circular apertures.

In one aspect, the inwardly facing surfaces of the positive and negative parts are planar surfaces and the surface of the fixation structure opposite the positive and negative parts is planar.

In one aspect, the housing structure further comprises a gasket located between the top plate and the peripheral housing or/and between the bottom plate and the peripheral housing.

In one aspect, the housing structure further includes a positive conductive device coupled to the positive part and a negative conductive device coupled to the negative part.

In one aspect, the housing structure is connected to a positive conductive device coupled to the positive part via one of the top plate, the bottom plate, and the peripheral housing and a negative conductive device coupled to the negative part via one of the top plate, the bottom plate, and the peripheral housing.

In one aspect, the positive and negative conductive means couple the positive and negative parts, respectively, in a sealed manner to avoid contact with the liquid to be treated in the housing structure.

The invention also proposes a module comprising at least one membrane capacitive deionization electrode assembly as described above and a housing structure as described above, the membrane capacitive deionization electrode assembly being arranged on said base plate, the anion electrode extension and/or the anion electrode connection contacting the positive pole part of the housing structure, and the cation electrode extension and/or the cation electrode connection contacting the negative pole part of the housing structure.

In one aspect, the number of the membrane capacitive deionization electrode assemblies is two or more, and a plurality of the membrane capacitive deionization electrode assemblies are sequentially stacked to form a set of the membrane capacitive deionization electrode assemblies or a plurality of sets of the membrane capacitive deionization electrode assemblies, wherein each of the membrane capacitive deionization electrode assemblies is sequentially disposed in the housing structure in a forward and reverse alternately reversed manner.

In one aspect, the membrane electrode assembly further comprises a separator, and the plurality of sets of membrane capacitor deionization electrode assemblies are arranged in a multi-layer structure, and each layer is separated by the separator.

In one aspect, the apparatus further comprises a top support plate comprising at least one sealing portion on a body thereof, the sealing portion being a protrusion having a hollow portion, wherein at least one of the positive and negative conductive devices is sealingly coupled to at least one of the positive and negative parts by inserting the at least one of the positive and negative conductive devices into the hollow portion and inserting the protrusion into a top opening of the at least one of the positive and negative parts.

In one aspect, the top support plate includes a plurality of mounting recesses in the main body for seating the mounting posts when the mounting posts are configured to snap into the mounting recesses to aid in positioning.

The invention also proposes a method of treating a liquid to be treated using a membrane capacitive deionization electrode assembly as described above or a module as described above, the liquid to be treated being caused to flow through the membrane capacitive deionization electrode assembly after the latter has been energised, whereby particles containing anions and cations are adsorbed to the anion and cation electrodes.

By utilizing the MCDI electrode assembly, the shell structure, the module and the method, the structural complexity of the module is reduced, the problem of low production efficiency is solved, a lower contact resistance and a sealed structure are ensured, and the functions of water desalination, wastewater recovery and the like are effectively realized.

Drawings

Exemplary embodiments of the present invention are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. In which is shown:

fig. 1 illustrates a schematic view of an electrode assembly for deionization, which is a Membrane Capacitive Deionization (MCDI) electrode assembly, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 2 shows a schematic view of a module for the electrode assembly as described in fig. 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 3 shows a schematic top view of a module including an MCDI electrode assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 shows a schematic diagram of an example test cycle representing changes in TDS during the cycle, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 5 shows a schematic diagram of a module including an MCDI electrode assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 6 shows an enlarged structural view of a module according to another embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 7 illustrates an exploded view of a module including a plurality of sets of MCDI electrode assemblies according to another embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 8 is an exploded structural view illustrating an internal structure of a module including a plurality of sets of MCDI electrode assemblies according to another embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 9 shows an assembled schematic view of the internal structure of a module including multiple sets of MCDI electrode assemblies according to another embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 10 shows an assembled structural schematic of a module including a plurality of sets of MCDI electrode assemblies according to another embodiment of the present invention, in which only half of the module is shown to clearly show the interior thereof.

Fig. 11 shows an assembled cross-sectional schematic view of a module including multiple sets of MCDI electrode assemblies according to another embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 12 shows a schematic of a monolithic electrode according to another embodiment of the invention showing an anion electrode extension, an anion electrode connection, a cation electrode extension, and a cation electrode connection.

Fig. 13 shows a schematic diagram of a peripheral housing and positive, negative, positive and negative conductive means in a module including multiple sets of MCDI electrode assemblies according to another embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 14 shows an enlarged schematic view of a positive electrode member and a positive electrode conductive device in a module including multiple sets of MCDI electrode assemblies according to another embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 15 shows a schematic front view of a separator in a module including multiple sets of MCDI electrode assemblies according to another embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 16 shows a schematic backside view of a separator in a module including multiple sets of MCDI electrode assemblies according to another embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 17 shows a schematic diagram of an internal structure in a module including only one set of MCDI electrode assemblies according to another embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 18 shows a schematic view of a bottom support plate of a module including an MCDI electrode assembly according to another embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 19 shows an enlarged schematic view of a positive conductive device of a module including an MCDI electrode assembly according to another embodiment of the present invention.

Description of the reference numerals

1-anion electrode, 101-anion electrode extension, 102-anion electrode connection, 103-opening, 104-edge opening, 2-anion exchange membrane, 3-spacer, 4-cation exchange membrane, 5-cation electrode, 501-cation electrode extension, 502-cation electrode connection, 503-opening, 504-edge opening;

9-top plate, 10-bottom plate, 11-anode conducting device, 12-peripheral shell, 13-gasket, 14-anode part, 15-anode side acrylic block, 16-anode side, 17-fixing column, 18-cathode side acrylic block, 19-cathode side basic block, 20-cathode part, 21-cathode conducting device, 22-screw nut, 23-screw nut, 24-water outlet and 25-water inlet;

1301-bottom surface, 1303-positioning component, 1304-positive base block, 1305-negative base block, 1307-convex structure, 1309-through hole, 1311-concave, 601-separator, 603-flexible electrode sheet, 1001-electrode side, 1003-extending side portion, 1005-opening, 1007-opening, 1009-through hole portion, 607-positive component, 608-negative component, 609-mounting top plate, 611-peripheral housing, 605-acrylic block, 615-bottom plate, 617-top plate, 619-top support plate, 621-positive base block, 623-connecting strip;

1101-positive electrode conducting device, 1103-negative electrode conducting device, 1105-first recess, 1107-second recess, 1109-gasket, 1111-gasket, 1601-main body, 1603-mounting recess, 1605-sealing part, 1607-through hole.

Detailed Description

The detailed description set forth below is intended as a description of various configurations of the subject technology and is not intended to represent the only configurations that the subject technology may take. The accompanying drawings are incorporated herein and constitute a part of the detailed description. The detailed description includes specific details for the purpose of providing a thorough understanding of the subject technology. It will be apparent, however, to one skilled in the art that the subject technology is not limited to the specific details set forth herein and may be practiced using one or more embodiments. In one or more instances, structures and components are shown in block diagram form in order to avoid obscuring the concepts of the subject technology. One or more embodiments of the present disclosure consist of one or more the figures are shown and/or described in connection with one or more figures.

One embodiment of the invention relates toAn MCDI electrode assembly. As shown in fig. 1, the MCDI electrode assembly includes a multi-layer mechanism to deposit anions and cations from a medium, such as a liquid medium, flowing therethrough. The MCDI electrode assembly includes an anion electrode 1, which may be fabricated by coating a carbon slurry on graphite sheets. The carbon slurry is formed by mixing activated carbon, carbon black and polyvinylidene fluoride into a 1-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP) solvent. The carbon coating formed by applying the carbon slurry to the graphite sheet, the graphite sheet and its carbon coating may be rectangular, square, parallelogram, hexagonal, octagonal, circular, oval, etc. in shape, depending on the desired shape of the electrode assembly and module. In this embodiment, the graphite sheet and its carbon coating are rectangular in shape, 10-50cm, 15-45cm, 20-40cm, 25-35cm, etc. in length and 5-40cm, 10-35cm, 15-30cm, 20-25cm, etc. in width, for example, 23X 19cm in area ² . Of course the length and width may be made larger or smaller as desired.

As shown in FIG. 1, the graphite sheet of this embodiment further comprises, on its side edges, an anion electrode extension 101 extending along the long sides of the graphite sheet as an anion electrode and a cation electrode extension 501 extending from the cation electrode on the other side, and the extension may be slightly smaller or smaller in size than the graphite sheet, for example, 5 to 30cm, 9 to 25cm, 12 to 20cm, 15 to 18cm or the like in length and 2 to 20cm, 6 to 16cm, 10 to 15cm, 12 to 14cm or the like in width, for example, 5X 8cm in area ² . Of course the length and width may be made larger or smaller as desired. The interior of the sheet-like extension optionally has an opening 103 through which a portion of its interior is connected or integrally connected at one end to a portion of the exterior of the extension and is separated at the other end, and a portion of the interior of the extension may be folded up or down to form the opening and the anionic electrode connection 102. The openings 103 may be square to maximize the area of the graphite sheet. The opening may be circular, rectangular or triangular in any suitable shape and the cut-in of the opening may be curved to curl at an angle to the electrode to form a contact site for power supply. Furthermore, the opening can be used for connecting the power supply circuit in addition to the fixing function. Of course, the openings may be absent. As shown in fig. 1, the anion electrode connection part 102 is folded toward the inside of the electrode assembly so that the electrodes are stacked. Optionally, the anion electrode connection is formed by cutting the anion electrode extension to form an opening for the anion electrode and a paddle portion for the anion electrode, the paddle portion for the anion electrode being part of the anion electrode extension. Preferably, to prevent further tearing of the graphite sheet by inward cutting when the connection is made, an edge opening 104 is formed in the graphite sheet, for example by cutting a punch, the diameter of which is adapted to the size of the anionic electrode extension 101 and anionic electrode connection 102, for example by forming a 1-5mm punch in the extension. The edge aperture 104 may be located at the edge of the cut opening, at a location in communication with the opening, between the two sides of the connection. For example, the edge opening 104 can be located at an opening on one side of the connecting portion connected to the graphite sheet, at openings on both sides of the side of the connecting portion connected to the graphite sheet, at an intermediate position of the side of the connecting portion connected to the graphite sheet, and the like. Preferably, the anion electrode also comprises a through-hole 6 to allow treated fluid or liquid, such as water, to flow out of the MCDI electrode assembly via the through-hole. The through hole of the anion electrode may be located at the center of the electrode and have a diameter of 0.5 to 5cm, for example, 1cm, 2cm, 3cm, 4cm, or the like, or may be located at another position, but is not limited thereto.

In the MCDI electrode assembly, further comprising an anion exchange membrane 2 positioned below and stacked with the anion electrode, the anion exchange membrane 2 is in a sheet shape, preferably, the same shape as the anion electrode 1. The anion exchange membrane enables anions to pass through and blocks cations from passing through in the adsorption stage, so that the adsorbed anions are prevented from being desorbed; in the regeneration stage, the desorbed ions are not re-adsorbed to the electrodes due to the blockage of the ion exchange membrane. The anion exchange membrane 2 may be made of commercially available suitable materials such as CJMA-4 and CJMC-4 from Chemjoy Polymer materials, inc. In this embodiment, the anion exchange membrane is rectangular in shape, whichThe shape and size of the negative electrode may be the same as those of the negative electrode, or may be set as required, for example, the length is 10 to 50cm, 15 to 45cm, 20 to 40cm, 25 to 35cm or the like, the width is 5 to 40cm, 10 to 35cm, 15 to 30cm, 20 to 25cm or the like, and the area is 23X 19cm or the like ² . Preferably, the anion exchange membrane further comprises an opening to allow treated medium, such as water, to flow out of the MCDI electrode assembly through the opening, which corresponds to the opening of the anion electrode, for example, which may be located at the center of the electrode, and has a diameter of 0.5-5cm, such as 1cm, 2cm, 3cm, 4cm, etc., without limitation.

The MCDI electrode assembly further includes a cation exchange membrane 4 and a cation electrode 5 corresponding to the anion electrode 1 and the anion exchange membrane 2. The cation electrode 5 may also be made by coating graphite sheets with a carbon paste, which, as mentioned above, preferably has a shape and structure corresponding to the anion electrode 1, although other shapes, such as rectangular, square, parallelogram, hexagonal, octagonal, circular, oval, etc., may be selected, depending on the desired electrode assembly and module shape. The cation electrode 5 also includes a cation electrode extension 501 extending along the long sides of the graphite sheet, and the cation electrode extension 501 may be located on the side opposite to the position of the anion electrode extension 101 of the anion electrode 1. The size and dimensions of the cation electrode extension 501 may correspond to those of the anion electrode extension 101, or may be different from those of the anion electrode extension 101. The dimensions of the cation electrode extension 501 may be slightly smaller or smaller than the graphite sheet used as the cation electrode, e.g., 5-30cm, 9-25cm, 12-20cm, 15-18cm, etc., in length, 2-20cm, 6-16cm, 10-15cm, 12-14cm, etc., in width, e.g., 5 x 8cm in area ² . Of course the length and width may be made larger or smaller as desired. The inside of the sheet-shaped cation electrode extension 501 has an opening 503, a portion of the inside thereof is connected or integrally connected at one end with a portion of the outside of the cation electrode extension 501 and is separated at the other end, and a portion of the inside of the cation electrode extension 501 may be folded up or down to form an opening and a cation electrode connectionAnd a portion 502. The opening may be circular, rectangular or triangular in any suitable shape and the cut-in of the opening may be curved to curl at an angle to the electrode to form a contact site for power supply. Furthermore, the opening can also be used for the connection of the supply circuit in addition to the fixing function. As shown in fig. 1, the cation electrode connecting part 502 is folded toward the inside of the electrode assembly so that the electrodes are stacked. The positive ion electrode connecting portion may be extended from the positive ion electrode extending portion without an opening, as long as it can be sandwiched between the positive electrode member and the fixing member. In the absence of an opening, the cation electrode connection may be integral with the cation electrode extension or joined together in a suitable manner. Optionally, the cation electrode connection portion is formed by cutting the cation electrode extension to form an opening for the cation electrode and a paddle portion for the cation electrode, the paddle portion for the cation electrode being a part of the cation electrode extension. Preferably to prevent further tearing of the graphite sheet by inward cutting during formation of the cation electrode connection, an edge opening 504 is formed in the graphite sheet, for example by cutting a punch, the diameter of which is adapted to the size of the extension and connection, for example by forming a 1-5mm punch in the extension. The edge apertures 504 may be located at the edge of the cut-to-form opening, at a location in communication with the opening, between the sides of the connection. For example, the edge opening 504 can be located at an opening on one side of the cation electrode connecting portion connected to the opening, at openings on both sides of the side of the cation electrode connecting portion connected to the graphite sheet, at a position intermediate the side of the cation electrode connecting portion connected to the graphite sheet, and the like. Preferably, the anion electrode further comprises a through hole to allow treated medium, such as water, to flow out of the MCDI electrode assembly via the through hole. The through-hole of the anion electrode may be located in the centre of the electrode or at any other suitable location, and may have a diameter of 0.5-5cm, for example 1cm, 2cm, 3cm, 4cm, etc., without limitation. The cation electrode connecting part, the cation electrode extending part, the anion electrode connecting part and the anion electrode extending part can adopt graphite sheets or carbon cloth, have conductivity, and are difficult to be easily dissolved in salt waterCorrosion, or other conductive materials

In the MCDI electrode assembly, a cation exchange membrane 4 is further included above and stacked with the cation electrode, the cation exchange membrane 4 being similar to the anion exchange membrane 2. The cation-exchange membrane 4 is in the form of a sheet, preferably, the same shape as the cation electrode 5. The cation exchange membrane allows cations to pass through and blocks anions from passing through in an adsorption stage, and the adsorbed cations are prevented from being desorbed; in the regeneration stage, the desorbed ions are not re-adsorbed to the electrodes due to the blockage of the ion exchange membrane. Between the cation exchange membrane and the anion exchange membrane there is a liquid to be treated. The cation exchange membrane 4 may be made of the same material as the anion exchange membrane, and may be made of commercially available suitable materials, such as CJMA-4 and CJMC-4 from Chemjoy polymer materials ltd. In the present embodiment, the cation exchange membrane is rectangular, and the shape and size thereof may be the same as those of the cation electrode, or may be provided as needed, for example, the length thereof is 10 to 50cm, 15 to 45cm, 20 to 40cm, 25 to 35cm or the like, the width thereof is 5 to 40cm, 10 to 35cm, 15 to 30cm, 20 to 25cm or the like, and the area thereof is 23X 19cm ² . Preferably, the cation exchange membrane further comprises an opening to allow treated medium, such as water, to flow out of the MCDI electrode assembly through the opening, which corresponds to the opening of the cation electrode, for example, which may be located at the center of the electrode, with a diameter of 0.5-5cm, such as 1cm, 2cm, 3cm, 4cm, etc., without limitation.

The MCDI electrode assembly also optionally includes a spacer 3 between the cation exchange membrane and the anion exchange membrane, the spacer 3 serving to provide a flow path for a liquid to be treated, such as water, between the cation exchange membrane and the anion exchange membrane, which is a mesh structure to facilitate water flow between the cation exchange membrane and the anion exchange membrane. The spacer 3 may be made of nylon, for example, or other suitable material, and may have dimensions greater than, equal to, or smaller than the cation/anion exchange membranes. For example, the spacer is rectangular, e.g., 10-50cm, 15-45cm, 20-40cm, 25-35cm, etc. in length and 5-40cm, 10-35cm, 15-30cm, 20-25cm, etc., in width, e.g., in areaIs 23 x 19cm ² . Preferably, the spacer 3 further comprises an opening to allow treated medium, such as water, to flow out of the MCDI electrode assembly through the opening, which corresponds to an opening of the cation exchange membrane/anion exchange membrane, which may be located, for example, at the center of the electrode, with a diameter of 0.5-5cm, such as 1cm, 2cm, 3cm, 4cm, etc., without being limited thereto.

During operation, a liquid or fluid, such as water, enters the MCDI electrode assembly from the outer edge of spacer 3, flows through spacer 3 between the cation and anion exchange membranes, and then exits through the channel formed by opening 6 of anion electrode 1, the opening of anion exchange membrane 2, the optional spacer 3, and/or the channel formed by the opening of optional spacer 3, the opening of cation exchange membrane 4, and the opening in cation electrode 5.

Fig. 2 illustrates a case structure for an electrode assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention. The module includes the following parts in a state where the electrode assembly is not mounted. The housing structure comprises a shell comprising a top plate 9, a bottom plate 10 opposite and spaced from the top plate, and a peripheral shell 12, the top plate and the bottom plate being connected by the peripheral shell 12 on their outer sides, either detachably for replacement or sealingly, e.g. by bolting, by snapping, by hinging etc. As shown in fig. 2, for example, the top plate and the bottom plate are connected together to be sealed by screws, the number of which is 10, for example. Preferably, gaskets, for example non-conductive gaskets, for example silicone gaskets, are provided at the joints at which the peripheral housing is connected to the top plate and the bottom plate, respectively, for watertight sealing between the peripheral housing and the top plate and between the peripheral housing and the bottom plate.

The housing structure includes within its shell a positive part 14 and a negative part 20. The positive electrode member is located on an inner side of the peripheral casing, and the negative electrode member is located on another inner side of the peripheral casing opposite to the positive electrode member. The positive and negative parts are coupled to external positive and negative conductive means 11, 21, respectively, through two openings of the peripheral envelope. As shown in fig. 2, a positive part 14, for example in the form of a graphite block, is coupled to a positive conducting means 11, for example a positive copper rod, and a negative part 14, for example in the form of a graphite block, is coupled to a negative conducting means 21, for example a negative copper rod. The openings of the peripheral envelope may correspond to the dimensions of the positive and negative conductive means 11 and 21, respectively, so that the positive and negative copper rods can be received therein, for example, with diameters of 1-10mm, 2-9mm, 3-8mm, 4-7mm, 5-6mm, etc. The positive electrode conducting device 11 is connected to a positive electrode member 14, such as a graphite block, after passing through the peripheral envelope, optionally with the positive electrode conducting device 11 and the positive electrode member 14 being screwed together by means of a screw nut 22 to enhance the contact between the positive electrode conducting device 11 and the positive electrode member 14. The negative conducting means 21 is attached to the negative part 20 after passing through the peripheral envelope, for example a graphite block, optionally by means of a screw nut 23 connecting the negative conducting means 21 with the negative part 20 to enhance the contact between the negative conducting means 21 and the negative part 20. The positive electrode member, the negative electrode member, the positive electrode conductive device, and the negative electrode conductive device are merely distinguished representations, which may indirectly couple one of the positive and negative electrodes of the MCDI electrode assembly according to circumstances. When there are a plurality of MCDI electrode assemblies, the plurality of MCDI electrode assemblies are arranged in a reverse order. For example, the positive electrode component is connected with a plurality of anionic electrodes positioned at the upper part of the MCDI electrode assemblies with the odd arrangement number and a plurality of anionic electrodes positioned at the lower part of the MCDI electrode assemblies with the even arrangement number; the negative electrode component is connected with a plurality of cation electrodes positioned at the lower part of the MCDI electrode assemblies with the odd arrangement number and a plurality of cation electrodes positioned at the upper part of the MCDI electrode assemblies with the even arrangement number, and the like. For example, the positive electrode member connects the upper anion electrode of the first MCDI electrode assembly, the lower anion electrode of the second MCDI electrode assembly, and the upper anion electrode of the third MCDI electrode assembly; the negative electrode member connects the lower cation electrode of the first MCDI electrode assembly, the upper cation electrode of the second MCDI electrode assembly, the lower cation electrode of the third MCDI electrode assembly, and so on. Or in any other suitable manner.

Optionally, gaskets 13 are provided between the positive and negative

conductive devices

14, 21 and the peripheral housing 12, respectively, to prevent liquid from contacting the positive and negative

conductive devices

11, 21. The gasket 13 may be an insulating gasket, preferably a resilient gasket, such as a silicon gasket, or a gasket of any suitable material. In this embodiment, two silicon gaskets are used. The gasket 13 may completely cover and surround the positive electrode conductive device 11 and the negative electrode conductive device 21, for fixing the total height of the stacked electrode sheets. Further, the gasket may also serve to seal the positive electrode conductive device 11 and the negative electrode conductive device 21 from the liquid.

The housing structure also includes at least two fixed structures located within the peripheral housing 12, the fixed structures being made of a non-conductive material. As shown, the fixing structures are respectively located in the spaces surrounded by the outer peripheral casing and spaced apart from the positive and negative electrode parts to assist in mounting the electrode assembly. The fixing structure includes an upper portion movable relative to a lower portion, a lower surface of the upper portion being inclined, and an upper surface of the lower portion being inclined and corresponding to the inclination of the lower surface of the upper portion, so that the upper portion moves outwardly along the upper surface of the lower portion.

As shown in fig. 5, a positive-side acrylic block 15 for corresponding to a positive electrode member, which represents an upper portion of the fixing structure, and a negative-side acrylic block 18 for corresponding to a negative electrode member, which represents an upper portion of another fixing structure, are respectively shown in the drawing. The positive side acrylic block 15 and the negative side acrylic block 18 are located on the inside 7 of the positive electrode member 14 and the negative electrode member 20, respectively. A positive electrode-side base block 16 for supporting the positive electrode-side acrylic block 15 as a lower part of the fixing structure and a negative electrode-side base block 19 for supporting the negative electrode-side acrylic block 18 as a lower part of the fixing structure are respectively shown in fig. 5. As shown in fig. 6, the upper surface of the positive-side base block 16 is inclined, and the lower surface of the positive-side acrylic block 15 has a corresponding inclination. The positive-side acrylic block 15 and the negative-side acrylic block 18 have angles extending upward at angles of 5 ° to 30 ° in a direction toward the inside of the case to match the slopes of the upper surfaces of the positive-side base block 16 and the negative-side base block 19 on the bottom plate 1.

During installation, the opening in the cation electrode extension is first installed on the positive electrode-side acrylic block 15, the cation electrode connection part is then placed in the gap between the positive electrode member 14 and the positive electrode-side acrylic block 15, and the positive electrode-side acrylic block 15 is moved along the upper surface of the positive electrode-side base block toward the outside and slid downward until the cation electrode connection part is closely abutted against the positive electrode member 14. The negative-side acrylic block 18 is similarly operated. After mounting, the anion electrode connection portion 102/cation electrode connection portion 502 is sandwiched between the positive electrode side acrylic block 15/negative electrode side acrylic block 18 and the positive electrode member 14/negative electrode member 20, and the anion electrode connection portion 102/cation electrode connection portion 502 is pressed against the positive electrode member 14/negative electrode member 20 by the positive electrode side acrylic block 15/negative electrode side acrylic block 18 to achieve enhancement of the respective electrical contacts between the anion electrode connection portion 102/cation electrode connection portion 502 and the positive electrode member 14/negative electrode member 20. After connection, the anion electrode connection portion 102 and the cation electrode connection portion 502 do not displace or vibrate at all even at the maximum flow rate of the fluid. Thus, not only fixation but also contact conduction by pressing the anionic electrode connecting portion/cationic electrode connecting portion of, for example, carbon paper onto the positive electrode member/negative electrode member of, for example, graphite block is possible. Therefore, the requirement for extremely low contact resistance is met, the resistance is guaranteed to be below 0.02ohm, and therefore the assembly can effectively operate.

The positive-side acrylic block 15 and the negative-side acrylic block 18 are mounted to the base plate 10. The acrylic block can be installed in a removable mode through screws, buckles, bonding and the like, and can also be installed in a welding mode, a hinging mode and the like. Optionally, the upper portions of the positive-side acrylic block 15 and the negative-side acrylic block 18 include holes for fixing the positive-side acrylic block 15 and the negative-side acrylic block 18 to the positive-side base block 16 and the negative-side base block 19 through the holes. For example, the holes may be holes at the intermediate positions of the upper surfaces of the positive-side acrylic block 15 and the negative-side acrylic block 18 or holes at other suitable positions, allowing holes to be passed through and screwed to the base plate by, for example, screws. The holes may be of any suitable shape, for example circular, oval, etc. For example, the holes may be in the form of kidney holes, including circular holes on both sides and elongated holes located between and communicating with the circular holes. For example, the hole may be in the form of a hole partially opened on one side so that the positive-side acrylic block 15 and the negative-side acrylic block 18 are fixed after being moved. The positive-side base block 16 and the negative-side base block 19 are located below the positive-side acrylic block 15 and the negative-side acrylic block 18 to support the positive-side acrylic block 15 and the negative-side acrylic block 18. The positive electrode side base block 16 and the negative electrode side base block 19 are fixed to the base plate, for example, by one or more screws or by an adhesive point, a welding point, a hinge device, a snap device, or the like, respectively. In the present embodiment, the positive electrode base block 16 and the negative electrode base block 19 are bonded to the base plate 10 to provide support for the positive electrode side acrylic block 15 and the negative electrode side acrylic block 18, respectively.

The surfaces of the positive electrode member and the negative electrode member facing the inside of the case structure are flat surfaces, and the surfaces of the positive electrode-side acrylic block 15/the negative electrode-side acrylic block 18 opposite to the positive electrode member/the negative electrode member are flat surfaces. Thus, after the cation electrode connection part is interposed between the positive electrode member 14 and the positive electrode side acrylic block 15, the positive electrode side acrylic block is slid until it closely abuts against the positive electrode member 14, thereby bringing the cation electrode connection part, the positive electrode side acrylic block, and the positive electrode member 14 into large-area contact, reducing the contact resistance, and maximizing the current. Similarly, after the anionic electrode connecting portion is interposed between the negative electrode member 20 and the negative electrode side acrylic block 18, the negative electrode side acrylic block is slid until it closely abuts against the negative electrode member 20, so that the anionic electrode connecting portion, the negative electrode side acrylic block, and the negative electrode member 20 are brought into contact over a large area, the contact resistance is reduced, and the current is maximized.

The distance between the positive electrode member 14 and the negative electrode member 20 and the positive electrode side acrylic block 15 and the negative electrode side acrylic block 18 can also be adjusted by adjusting the thickness of the gasket 13.

Fig. 3 shows a schematic top view of a module including an MCDI electrode assembly placed in the middle of the module according to an embodiment of the invention. As shown in fig. 3, the MCDI electrode assembly is fixedly mounted to the base plate 10, and in the present embodiment, the MCDI electrode assembly is fixed by 8 fixing posts 17 on the base plate 10 and aligned when the number of MCDI electrode assemblies is plural. The fixing posts 17 define the position of the MCDI electrode assembly by restraining the outer edges of the MCDI electrode assembly when the electrode assembly is mounted, and the fixing posts 17 may also cooperate with other structural parts of the case structure to fix the position of the other case structure when the MCDI electrode assembly is stacked. Of course, other suitable fixing structures may be used instead of the fixing posts. Each MCDI unit will be placed one by one in sequence in order to be assembled into a complete module. For example, the first MCDI electrode assembly is disposed in the order of the cation electrode 5, the cation exchange membrane 4, the spacer 3, the anion exchange membrane 2, and the anion electrode 1, which are disposed in this order from the bottom up. The cation electrode extension 501 and the anion electrode extension 101 pass through the negative side base block 19 and the positive side base block 16, respectively. The second MCDI electrode assembly is placed in the order of anion electrode 1, anion exchange membrane 2, spacer 3, cation exchange membrane 4 and cation electrode 5, which is opposite to the order of the first MCDI electrode assembly, from the bottom up. This prevents direct contact between the anion electrode and the cation electrode, and prevents short-circuiting. The number of MCDI electrode assemblies may be 1-20 pairs, for example, 3-15 pairs, 5-10 pairs, etc., without being limited thereto. During installation, pairs of MCDI electrode assemblies are first placed, followed by the anion electrode connection 102 and the cation electrode connection 502 flipped inward, and then a peripheral housing, e.g., circular, with the positive 14 and negative 20 electrode members and the positive 11 and negative 21 electrode conducting means is installed to provide electrical contact. Then, more MCDI electrode assemblies may be further stacked at the bottom, the number of which may be, for example, 3 to 15 pairs. When stacked, the inverted anion electrode connection 102 and cation electrode connection 502 are in contact with the positive electrode member 14 and the negative electrode member 20. With the MCDI electrode assembly installed, the connection between the anion and cation electrodes of the electrode assembly is made through electrical contact between the anion electrode connection 102 and the positive electrode member 14, respectively. A positive electrode part 14 coupled to the positive electrode conducting means 11 is in contact with the anion electrode connection part 102 at the anion electrode of the electrode assembly to achieve conduction of the anion electrode 1, and a negative electrode part 20 coupled to the negative electrode conducting means 21 is in contact with the cation electrode connection part 502 at the cation electrode of the electrode assembly to achieve conduction of the cation electrode 5. After all MCDI electrode assemblies are placed, the anion electrode connection part 102 and the cation electrode connection part 502 are pressed to the positive electrode member 14 and the negative electrode member 20 using the positive side acrylic block 15 and the negative side acrylic block 18, respectively. In this embodiment, two screws may be used to fix the position of the acrylic blocks 15, 18. The top plate 9 is then placed on top of the module, as shown in this embodiment, with 10 bolts sealing the module. Of course any other suitable means for sealing the module may be used, such as snap-engagement, welding, hinging, gluing, etc. A medium, such as water, enters the MCDI electrode assembly through two water inlets 25 and flows radially through the spacer 3 and then out of the module through a water outlet 24. In addition, the module design also accommodates stacking of multiple MCDI's.

In operation of an MCDI module including an MCDI electrode assembly, water is pumped from a reservoir into the MCDI module by two peristaltic pumps. The water treated by the MCDI module can be analyzed using a conductivity probe. The output of the conductivity probe was converted to total dissolved solids according to the NaCl calibration. In this embodiment, the electrode assembly is powered by a dc power supply. Of course, other suitable means of supplying power may be used. The positive part 14 and the negative part 20 are connected to the positive conducting means 11 and the negative conducting means 21, respectively, which can be connected directly or through a conducting structure, such as a cable. As shown in fig. 4, the electrode voltage and conductivity were recorded as a function of time.

Another embodiment of the present invention relates to a stack structure of an MCDI electrode assembly and a structure of an associated case. As shown in fig. 7, each MCDI electrode assembly is similar to that shown in fig. 1, including a flexible anion electrode for attracting anions in the liquid to be treated in the channel. And an anion exchange membrane disposed adjacent to the anion electrode for passing anions and blocking cations. A cation exchange membrane spaced from the anion exchange membrane by channels for passing cations and blocking anions. And a flexible cation electrode disposed adjacent to the cation exchange membrane for attracting cations in the liquid to be treated in the channel. And a spacer sheet, which is located in a flow path of a liquid such as water formed between the anion exchange membrane and the cation exchange membrane, for spacing the anion exchange membrane from the cation exchange membrane and guiding a flow of the liquid flowing through the anion exchange membrane and the cation exchange membrane. The anion electrode comprises at least one anion electrode extension part extending outwards from the edge of the anion electrode, wherein the cation electrode comprises at least one cation electrode extension part extending outwards from the edge of the cation electrode, and the extension directions of the anion electrode extension part and the cation electrode extension part are opposite to each other. The extension part plays a role in conducting electricity, and in the stacked structure, a plurality of groups of electrode plates are adopted, each group of electrodes are connected in parallel, and the electrodes are conducted through the respective cation electrode extension part and the anion electrode extension part.

The cation electrode extension includes a flexible cation electrode connection portion and the anion electrode extension includes a flexible anion electrode connection portion, the cation electrode connection portion being connected to or integral with the cation electrode extension and extending from the cation electrode extension angularly toward the interior of the electrode assembly and the anion electrode connection portion being connected to or integral with the anion electrode extension and extending from the anion electrode extension angularly toward the interior of the electrode assembly so as to provide power to the cation and/or anion electrodes. The cation electrode connection portion and the anion electrode connection portion in the present embodiment each further include an opening portion communicating with the outside for providing an upper portion of the fixed structure.

The materials, shapes, sizes, etc. of the anion electrode, the cation exchange membrane, and the anion exchange membrane in the MCDI electrode assembly may be the same as, similar to, or different from those in the previous embodiments.

As shown in fig. 7, the stacked structure of the MCDI electrode assembly includes a plurality of spaced-apart MCDI electrode assemblies, in which a 5-layer structure is shown. Each layer is separated by a separator 601. The spacer 601 is shown in fig. 15 and 16. The separator 601 includes a bottom surface 1301 of a size larger than the MCDI electrode assembly to carry the MCDI electrode assembly. A plurality of locating members 1303 are provided on the separator for fixing the position of the MCDI electrode assembly by abutting against the outer edges of the MCDI electrode assembly to assist in mounting the electrode assembly. A positive electrode-side base block 1304 and a negative electrode-side base block 1305 are provided on the lowermost separator for supporting the upper portions of the fixed structures, such as the positive electrode-side acrylic block and the negative electrode-side acrylic block, thereabove. The separator also optionally includes a plurality of raised structures 1307 for spacing the cation and anion electrode extensions of each layer separately after installation. The middle of the baffle includes a through hole 1309 to aid in the flow of media out. The back of the partition includes depressions 1311 corresponding to the positions of the fixing posts to be caught by the contact of the fixing posts with the depressions to position the partitions when the plurality of partitions are mounted.

As shown in fig. 17, the MCDI electrode assemblies are sequentially arranged upside down while being stacked, whereby the cation electrode of the first MCDI electrode assembly corresponds to the position of the anion electrode of the second MCDI electrode assembly, and the cation electrode of the second MCDI electrode assembly corresponds to the position of the anion electrode of the third MCDI electrode assembly, so that the MCDI electrode assemblies are arranged in a stack. The flexible electrode sheet 603 on the uppermost MCDI electrode assembly of each layer serves as the top uppermost electrode, and the separator 601 serves as the spacing structure. The flexible electrode sheet 603 includes an electrode side 1001, an extending side 1003, an opening 1005, an opening 1007, and a through hole 1009, as shown in fig. 12. The electrode side 1001 is a rectangular structure, the extension side portion 1003 is located at one side of the electrode side, and an opening 1005 is located in the extension side portion 1003 for allowing the acrylic block and the base block in the fixing structure to pass through the opening. The open opening portion 1007 is located on the side of the extended side portion opposite to the electrode side portion and does not communicate with the opening portion, thereby facilitating the passage of the positive electrode member and the negative electrode member therethrough. The through hole part 1009 is located at the middle or other suitable portion of the electrode for allowing fluid to flow in or out therefrom.

As shown in fig. 8 and 9, a set of a plurality of MCDI electrode assemblies are sequentially disposed on the separator at the time of stacking, and each of the set of MCDI electrode assemblies is sequentially turned over to be stacked. Each set of MCDI electrode assemblies is provided as one layer, and 5 layers of MCDI electrode assemblies may be stacked in this embodiment.

The outer casing of the MCDI electrode assembly includes at least two fixed structures within the peripheral housing 607, the fixed structures being made of a non-conductive material. As shown in fig. 6 and 7, fixing structures are respectively located in the space surrounded by the outer peripheral casing 607 and spaced apart from the positive and

negative electrode parts

607 and 608 to assist in mounting the electrode assembly. The positive and negative electrode members may be interchanged only to show their positions, not to limit their use to only the positive or negative electrode. The fixing structure includes an acrylic block 605 as an upper portion and a positive electrode-side base block 621 (shown in fig. 8) as a lower portion, one of the acrylic blocks being movable with respect to the positive electrode-side base block 621, the acrylic block being in the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped whose lower surface is inclined, and the upper surface of the positive electrode-side base block being inclined and corresponding to the inclination of the lower surface of the acrylic block so that the acrylic block moves outward along the upper surface of the positive electrode-side base block. The fixed structure may be of any suitable material having good mechanical properties and being non-corrosive in a medium such as salt water. An acrylic block 605 may be provided through the openings of the cation and anion electrode extensions of the multi-layer MCDI electrode to help secure the multi-layer electrode, and this acrylic block 605 also abuts the outer edge of the separator to help secure the position of the separator.

The two acrylic blocks 605 of the fixing structure are connected by a connection bar 623, which is connected to the top surface of the positive side base block of the fixing structure, by providing a hole on the top surface and locking with the hole of the connection bar to connect the positive side base block of the fixing structure.

The acrylic blocks 605 of the fixed structure are respectively located inside the positive electrode member 607 and the negative electrode member 608 for closely contacting the cation electrode extension and the anion electrode extension and/or the cation electrode connection part and the anion electrode connection part with the positive electrode member 607 and/or the negative electrode member 608 over a large area. Wherein the cation electrode extension and anion electrode extension and/or the cation electrode connection and anion electrode connection of the electrode assembly in each layer of the MCDI electrode assembly extend downward to be sandwiched between two acrylic blocks 605 and the positive and

negative electrode members

607 and 608 of the fixed structure. The cation electrode extension and the anion electrode extension and/or the cation electrode connection and the anion electrode connection may overlap slightly in this order after the sandwiching. In the embodiment of fig. 6, the surfaces of the positive electrode member 607 and the negative electrode member 608 as the inner sides are pressed along the surfaces of the acrylic block 605 of the fixed structure as the outer sides with respect to the MCDI electrode assembly with the cation electrode connection part and the anion electrode connection part angled to the cation electrode extension part and the anion electrode extension part, respectively, or preferably almost perpendicular thereto. In order to maximize the contact, the surface of the acrylic block 605 of the fixing structure as the outer side and the surfaces of the positive electrode part 607 and the negative electrode part 608 as the inner side are preferably both flat, and the largest contact surface can be achieved at the time of mounting, for example, the surface of the acrylic block 605 of the fixing structure as the outer side is almost completely in contact with the surfaces of the positive electrode part 607 and the negative electrode part 608 as the inner side. The shape of the other surface of the acrylic block 605 and the other surfaces of the positive electrode part 607 and the negative electrode part 608 of the fixing structure may be other suitable shapes, and is not limited to a plane. The lower surface of the fixed structure is inclined, and the upper surface of the lower part has a corresponding inclination. The acrylic block has an angle extending upward at an angle of 5 ° to 30 ° in a direction toward the inside of the housing to match the inclination of the upper surface of the lower portion.

The assembled module comprising a plurality of sets of MCDI electrode assemblies is shown in fig. 10 and 11, in which a top plate 617 and a bottom plate 615 are engaged with a peripheral case to enclose the module comprising the MCDI electrode assemblies, and a cation electrode connection part and an anion electrode connection part are respectively sandwiched between a fixing structure (particularly, an upper part of the fixing structure, i.e., an acrylic block) and a positive electrode part 607 and a negative electrode part 608 at both sides, and the acrylic block is slid toward the outside along the inclined lower surface on the upper surface of the base block until abutting against the positive electrode part 607 and the negative electrode part 608, so that the cation electrode connection part and the anion electrode connection part closely and widely contact the positive electrode part 607 and the negative electrode part 608, reducing contact resistance. The positive electrode conductive device 11 and the negative electrode conductive device 21 are inserted into the positive electrode part 607 and the negative electrode part 608, respectively, for supplying power thereto. The MCDI electrodes are closely arranged to provide as many MCDI electrodes as possible within a limited space to maximize ion removal. The cation electrode extension and the anion electrode extension may be sandwiched between the fixing structure on both sides and the positive electrode member 607 and the negative electrode member 608 as necessary.

As shown in fig. 13 and 14, the positive electrode member 607 and the negative electrode member 608 are each a cylindrical member, and the surface of the inside thereof contacting the cation electrode connecting portion and the anion electrode connecting portion and/or the cation electrode extending portion and the anion electrode extending portion is a flat surface to enlarge the contact area. The positive and negative

conductive assemblies

1101, 1103 extend into the positive and negative members from the outside, such as from the top, or may enter from other locations. Alternatively, the upper portion of the positive electrode member in this embodiment has a first recessed portion 1105 and the upper portion of the negative electrode member has a second recessed portion 1107 such that the raised sealing portion 1605 of the top support plate is tucked into the first and second recessed portions and seals the positive and negative electrode conducting means 1101, 1103 therein. Alternatively, the positive part is connected to the peripheral housing by a gasket 1109 and the negative part is connected to the peripheral housing by another gasket 1111, thus being tightly connected to the housing. Of course, positive and negative

conductive devices

1101, 1103 and positive and negative components may also be connected in a suitable manner.

The top plate 617 and top support plate 619 are located above the acrylic block 605 and connecting bar 623 of the fixed structure. As shown in fig. 18, the top support panel 619 includes a main body 1601 including a plurality of mounting depressions 1603 for positioning the fixation posts to snap into when installed. The main body 1601 further includes two sealing portions 1605, as shown, for sealingly coupling the positive and negative electrode members with external positive and negative electrode conductive devices. Specifically, the sealing part 1605 is a convex structure having hollow parts, the inner diameter of which preferably corresponds to the outer diameter of the positive and negative electrode conductive devices for inserting the positive and negative electrode conductive devices therein. The top support plate 619 also has through holes 1607 through which the liquid to be treated enters through the tubes. When mounted, as shown in fig. 19, the raised seal is inserted into the first recess 1105 of the positive electrode member and the second recess 1107 of the negative electrode member to form a sealed structure, and the positive electrode conductor 1101 and the negative electrode conductor 1103 pass through the hollow structure inside the seal 1605 to supply power to the positive electrode member and the negative electrode member, while the seal protects the positive electrode conductor 1101 and the negative electrode conductor 1103 from the medium.

A bottom support plate, which is similar to or slightly different from the top support plate, is mounted below the MCDI electrode assembly opposite the top support plate.

A top plate 617 and a bottom plate 615 are provided on the exterior of the top support plate 619 and the bottom support plate 613, the top plate 617 and the bottom plate 615 being connected by a peripheral housing 611 on the outside thereof, which may be detachably connected for replacement or sealingly connected, for example by a bolt seal, by a snap-fit arrangement, by a hinge arrangement, etc. As shown in fig. 7, the top plate, the bottom plate, and the peripheral housing 611 are coupled together with screws to seal. Gaskets, such as non-conductive gaskets, e.g., silicone gaskets, are preferably provided at the juncture where the peripheral housing joins the top support plate 619 and the bottom support plate 613, respectively, for a water-tight seal between the peripheral housing and the top support plate and between the peripheral housing and the bottom support plate.

When the multi-layer MCDI electrode assembly is installed, a plurality of MCDI electrode assemblies are respectively arranged on each layer of MCDI electrode assembly and are arranged in an overlapping mode. As shown in fig. 8 and 9, the anion electrode extension and the cation electrode extension on each layer of the MCDI electrode assembly protrude toward both sides for power supply. The through-hole is located in the middle of the MCDI electrode assembly to allow a medium to flow. The two fixing structures are respectively positioned at two sides, the upper parts of the fixing structures respectively penetrate through the openings of the anion electrode extension parts and the cation electrode extension parts in the combination of the multi-layer MCDI electrode assemblies, and the lower surfaces of the upper parts are in contact with the upper surfaces of the lower parts of the fixing structures. The positive electrode member coupled to the positive electrode conducting means is in contact with the alternating anion and cation electrode connections and/or anion and cation electrode extensions of the plurality of MCDI electrode assemblies to enable conduction of the anion/cation electrodes, and the negative electrode member coupled to the negative electrode conducting means on the other side is in contact with the alternating cation and anion electrode connections and/or cation and anion electrode extensions of the plurality of MCDI electrode assemblies to enable conduction of the cation/anion electrodes.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the MCDI module is tested in a constant current mode, wherein a constant current is applied with a dc power supply. Current densities, e.g. 1.0mA/cm, can be applied ² 、1.5mA/cm ² And 2.0mA/cm ² . The incoming water TDS is nominally 2000ppm. At the beginning of the charging cycle, the TDS rapidly decreases to Δ TDS, where wastewater with a constant TDS (900 ppm) can be collected as shown in fig. 4. The charging cycle is typically performed at the time of use until the electrode voltage reaches 1.4V, at which time the applied current is cut off for a few seconds and the outgoing TDS slowly increases to the incoming TDS. A discharge current is then applied in the opposite direction to the charge current. The effluent TDS increases rapidly and remains constant again during the discharge phase.

In the MCDI module of the present invention, the design of the fixing structure, the positive electrode member and the negative electrode member, and the positive electrode conductive device 11 and the negative electrode conductive device 21, which are divided into two parts, can effectively ensure that the contact resistance is lower than 24M Ω and as low as 8.5M Ω. At a number of 19 pairs of electrodes and an applied current of 8.3A, it can be ensured that the transient voltage rises or falls below 0.45V, even as low as 0.20V, during charging and discharging. The overall design of the module ensures a Salt Adsorption Capacity (SAC) of at least 10mg/g and a Charge Efficiency (CE) of at least 80% when the 19 pairs of electrodes are charged and discharged at a current of 16.6A and a rate of 880mL/min and the feed water salinity of a single module is 2000ppm. SAC and CE for the 19-electrode pair were up to 18mg/g and 85%, respectively, using the apparatus of the present invention.

The MCDI module reduces the structural complexity of the module, solves the problem of low production efficiency, ensures that the contact resistance between a power supply and a single electrode is low, ensures that a metal conductor is completely sealed, and ensures that a flow channel between flow electrodes is uniform. The device and the method can effectively realize the applications of underground water desalination, waste water recovery and the like, such as the recovery of sewage, washing waste water or other industrial waste water of a power station and the like.

The term "comprising" as used in this specification means "at least partially comprising". In interpreting each statement in this specification that includes the word "comprising", features may also be present in addition to or in addition to the word. Related terms such as "include" and "include" should be interpreted in the same manner.

Many changes in construction and widely differing embodiments and applications of the invention will suggest themselves to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims. The disclosures and the descriptions herein are purely illustrative and are not intended to be in any sense limiting. Where specific integers are mentioned herein which have known equivalents in the art to which this invention relates, such known equivalents are deemed to be incorporated herein as if individually set forth.

As used herein, the term "and/or" means "and" or both.

In the description of this specification reference may be made to subject matter which is not within the scope of the appended claims. This subject matter should be readily recognized by those skilled in the art and may be helpful in putting the invention into practice as defined in the appended claims.

Although the present invention is generally defined as above, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the present invention is not limited thereto, and that the present invention also includes embodiments exemplified by the following examples.

The foregoing description of the invention includes preferred forms thereof. Modifications may be made thereto without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A membrane capacitive deionization electrode assembly, comprising,

2. The membrane capacitive deionization electrode assembly of claim 1, wherein the cation electrode extension comprises an opening for the cation electrode located inside it and/or the anion electrode extension comprises an opening for the anion electrode located inside it, said openings being used to help the membrane capacitive deionization electrode assembly to be fixed through the openings when installed.

3. The membrane capacitive deionization electrode assembly of claim 2, wherein the cationic electrode connection part is formed in a paddle shape by cutting the cationic electrode extension part, and the anionic electrode connection part is formed in a paddle shape by cutting the anionic electrode extension part.

4. The membrane capacitive deionization electrode assembly of any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein said cationic electrode and said cationic electrode extension are graphite sheets or metal sheets, and said anionic electrode extension are graphite sheets or metal sheets.

5. The membrane capacitive deionization electrode assembly according to claim 2 or 3,

the cation electrode extension includes an edge opening for the cation electrode, the edge opening for the cation electrode being located adjacent to or in communication with the opening of the cation electrode extension; and/or

The anion electrode extension includes an edge opening for the anion electrode, the edge opening for the anion electrode being located adjacent to or in communication with the opening of the anion electrode extension.

6. Membrane capacitive deionization electrode assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 3,

the membrane capacitive deionization electrode assembly includes through-holes to allow treated liquid to flow out of the membrane capacitive deionization electrode assembly through the through-holes.

7. A case structure for an electrode assembly, characterized in that the case structure comprises

A top plate located at the top;

a bottom plate at the bottom;

a peripheral casing located between and connected to peripheral portions of the top plate and the bottom plate, the top plate, the bottom plate and the peripheral casing forming an internal space for an electrode assembly;

8. The housing structure of claim 7, further comprising a plurality of securing posts located within the interior space and between the positive and negative electrode components to aid in the mounting of the electrode assembly.

9. The enclosure structure of claim 7, wherein the upper portion of the fixed structure is fixed to the lower portion at a displaced position offset from the lower portion.

10. The enclosure structure of any one of claims 7-9, wherein the upper portion of the securing structure comprises an aperture for securing the upper portion to the lower portion through the aperture.

11. The enclosure structure of claim 10, wherein the apertures comprise two circular apertures and an elongated aperture positioned between the two circular apertures.

12. The housing structure according to any one of claims 7 to 9, characterized in that the inwardly facing surfaces of the positive and negative electrode members are planar surfaces, and the surface of the fixing structure opposite to the positive and negative electrode members is planar.

13. The housing structure according to any of claims 7-9, characterized in that the housing structure further comprises a gasket between the top plate and the peripheral housing or/and between the bottom plate and the peripheral housing.

14. The housing structure according to any of claims 7 to 9, characterized in that it further comprises a positive conductive means coupled to the positive part and a negative conductive means coupled to the negative part.

15. The housing structure according to any of claims 7-9, characterized in that the housing structure is connected with a positive conductive means coupled with the positive part via one of the top plate, the bottom plate and the peripheral housing and a negative conductive means coupled with the negative part via one of the top plate, the bottom plate and the peripheral housing.

16. The housing structure according to claim 14, characterized in that the positive and negative conductive means couple the positive and negative parts, respectively, in a sealed manner to avoid contact with the liquid to be treated in the housing structure.

17. A module comprising at least one membrane capacitive deionization electrode assembly according to any of claims 1 to 6 and a housing structure according to any of claims 7 to 16, wherein the membrane capacitive deionization electrode assembly is arranged on said base plate with the anion electrode extension and/or the anion electrode connection contacting the positive pole piece of the housing structure and the cation electrode extension and/or the cation electrode connection contacting the negative pole piece of the housing structure.

18. The module according to claim 17, wherein the number of the membrane capacitive deionization electrode assemblies is two or more, and a plurality of membrane capacitive deionization electrode assemblies are sequentially stacked to form a set of membrane capacitive deionization electrode assemblies or a plurality of sets of membrane capacitive deionization electrode assemblies, wherein each membrane capacitive deionization electrode assembly is sequentially arranged in the housing structure in a forward direction and a reverse direction alternately reversed.

19. The module of claim 17, further comprising separators, the plurality of sets of membrane capacitive deionization electrode assemblies being arranged in a multi-layered structure, each layer being separated by a separator.

20. The module of claim 17, further comprising a top support plate including at least one sealing portion on a body thereof, the sealing portion being a protrusion having a hollow portion, wherein the at least one of the positive and negative conductive features is sealingly coupled to the at least one of the positive and negative parts by inserting the at least one of the positive and negative conductive features into the hollow portion and inserting the protrusion into a top opening of the at least one of the positive and negative parts.

21. The module of claim 20, wherein the top support plate includes a plurality of mounting recesses in the body thereof for positioning the mounting posts to snap into the mounting recesses when mounted to aid in positioning.

22. A method of treating a liquid to be treated using the membrane capacitive deionization electrode assembly of any of claims 1 to 6 or the module of any of claims 17 to 21,

after the membrane capacitive deionization electrode assembly is energized, a liquid to be treated is caused to flow through the membrane capacitive deionization electrode assembly, whereby particles containing anions and cations are adsorbed to the anion electrode and the cation electrode.