Classifications

• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C02—TREATMENT OF WATER, WASTE WATER, SEWAGE, OR SLUDGE
  • C02F—TREATMENT OF WATER, WASTE WATER, SEWAGE, OR SLUDGE
  • C02F1/00—Treatment of water, waste water, or sewage
  • C02F1/46—Treatment of water, waste water, or sewage by electrochemical methods
  • C02F1/461—Treatment of water, waste water, or sewage by electrochemical methods by electrolysis
  • C02F1/46104—Devices therefor; Their operating or servicing
  • C02F1/46109—Electrodes
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C02—TREATMENT OF WATER, WASTE WATER, SEWAGE, OR SLUDGE
  • C02F—TREATMENT OF WATER, WASTE WATER, SEWAGE, OR SLUDGE
  • C02F1/00—Treatment of water, waste water, or sewage
  • C02F1/46—Treatment of water, waste water, or sewage by electrochemical methods
  • C02F1/461—Treatment of water, waste water, or sewage by electrochemical methods by electrolysis
  • C02F1/463—Treatment of water, waste water, or sewage by electrochemical methods by electrolysis by electrocoagulation
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C02—TREATMENT OF WATER, WASTE WATER, SEWAGE, OR SLUDGE
  • C02F—TREATMENT OF WATER, WASTE WATER, SEWAGE, OR SLUDGE
  • C02F1/00—Treatment of water, waste water, or sewage
  • C02F1/46—Treatment of water, waste water, or sewage by electrochemical methods
  • C02F1/461—Treatment of water, waste water, or sewage by electrochemical methods by electrolysis
  • C02F1/46104—Devices therefor; Their operating or servicing
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C02—TREATMENT OF WATER, WASTE WATER, SEWAGE, OR SLUDGE
  • C02F—TREATMENT OF WATER, WASTE WATER, SEWAGE, OR SLUDGE
  • C02F1/00—Treatment of water, waste water, or sewage
  • C02F1/46—Treatment of water, waste water, or sewage by electrochemical methods
  • C02F1/461—Treatment of water, waste water, or sewage by electrochemical methods by electrolysis
  • C02F1/46104—Devices therefor; Their operating or servicing
  • C02F1/46109—Electrodes
  • C02F2001/46119—Cleaning the electrodes
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C02—TREATMENT OF WATER, WASTE WATER, SEWAGE, OR SLUDGE
  • C02F—TREATMENT OF WATER, WASTE WATER, SEWAGE, OR SLUDGE
  • C02F1/00—Treatment of water, waste water, or sewage
  • C02F1/46—Treatment of water, waste water, or sewage by electrochemical methods
  • C02F1/461—Treatment of water, waste water, or sewage by electrochemical methods by electrolysis
  • C02F1/46104—Devices therefor; Their operating or servicing
  • C02F1/46109—Electrodes
  • C02F2001/46123—Movable electrodes
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C02—TREATMENT OF WATER, WASTE WATER, SEWAGE, OR SLUDGE
  • C02F—TREATMENT OF WATER, WASTE WATER, SEWAGE, OR SLUDGE
  • C02F1/00—Treatment of water, waste water, or sewage
  • C02F1/46—Treatment of water, waste water, or sewage by electrochemical methods
  • C02F1/461—Treatment of water, waste water, or sewage by electrochemical methods by electrolysis
  • C02F1/46104—Devices therefor; Their operating or servicing
  • C02F1/46109—Electrodes
  • C02F2001/46152—Electrodes characterised by the shape or form
  • C02F2001/46171—Cylindrical or tubular shaped

Definitions

• the present invention concerns an Electrolytic Cell (EC) apparatus, designed to treat wastewater ( Figure 1 ).
• the electrolytic cell is enclosed within a cylindrical outer housing (16), a removable upper cover (15) and a bottom baseplate (6).
• the purpose of this patent is to describe the components of an electrolytic cell, capable of producing coagulants on-site, while with the utilization of an integrated mechanism, the homogeneous consumption of the sacrificial anode is ensured.
• the EC is able to operate in conditions of relatively high pressures (1 to 10 bar) and with a low and predictable maintenance frequency.
• Electrodes frequency of replacement largely depends not only on the applied current density but also on the physicochemical characteristics of the fluid that is treated. The effect of the two aforementioned parameters leads to increased uncertainty regarding the prediction of electrodes’ useful operational life. Consequently, the operator has to take into account that the costs on anode replacement and chemicals for acid cleaning are variable and cannot be estimated with safety. In the above, it should be also added any sudden shutdowns of the electrocoagulation units due to maintenance and the reduced wastewater treatment efficiency.
• the rotation of the cathode prevents the deposition of compounds at the surface of the anode while there is no provision to keep the distance between the electrodes stable.
• the cathode’s height should be constantly observed by the operator in order to perform the necessary adjustments to maintain a stable electrode distance as the consumable anode’s thickness decreases.
• the effect of cathodic deposits (whose effect is particularly visible in aqueous wastewater with high content of calcium and magnesium ions) has not been considered by the inventor. These deposits have a serious effect on the power consumption of the electrolytic cell due to the gradual increase of the cathodic potential.
• the invention presented in detail below is capable to successfully address the aforementioned problems, providing the user with reliable and uninterrupted operation over a wide range of wastewater compositions and flow rates.
• it is simpler in design and easier in maintenance since it includes only two non-rotating electrodes.
• the distance increase between them, (due to anode consumption) has been taken into account through the incorporation of a mechanically rotating spacer.
• This spacer is in contact with the top of the anode supporting the weight of the cathode and maintains the distance between them constantly stable.
• its rotation and continuous contact with both electrodes prevents the deposition of solids on the surface of both of the anode and the cathode.
• the EC has also been tested and proved to operate efficiently under conditions of high pressure and of high concentration of pollutants.
• Figure 1 Exact arrangement of the components of this invention is presented in Figure 1. The most important of the above are the anode displayed in Figure 2, the cathode presented in Figure 3 and the cathode’s support plate presented in Figure 4.
• Figures 5, 5.1 and 5.2 refer to the spacer and its means of rotation, provided by an axis constructed of plastic ( Figure 5) (9).
• Apparatus of the present invention ( Figure 1), capable of effectively treating liquids of a wide range of pollutant loads, consists of a cylindrical monopolar electrolytic cell with a consumable anode (3) and a non-consumable cathode (4). It is enclosed within a top cover, bottom plate and a cylindrical middle shell, having a bottom inlet (1) and an upper outlet (2).
• the two electrodes have a specified distance between them, equal to the rotating spacer’s thickness (5), creating a zone in which the wastewater is treated.
• Rotation to the spacer is provided by an electric motor which is not displayed in the present patent’s figures.
• the liquid’s direction is from the bottom inlet to the treatment zone, flowing between the two electrodes and after passing through the perimeter of the cathode, it exits the electrocoagulation cell from the top cover’s outlet.
• the anode plate ( Figure 2) (3) is permanently fixed to the bottom base plate of the electrochemical cell ( Figure 1) (6) through a specified number of two (2) to four (4) bolts which act as current collectors (Figure 2) (12), Electric current is supplied to the anode plate by a respective number of cables which are securely connected to the current collectors.
• Anode plate s material of construction may be aluminum or iron and it has a cylindrical shape. Its overall dimensions such as diameter and thickness may vary, as they depend on the application in which the invention will be used and on the operational lifetime and the required consumption rate of the anode.
• Cathode plate ( Figure 3) is positioned in a predetermined distance (3 to 10 mm) above the anode plate, equal to the thickness of the spacer ( Figure 1) (5), being able to move only vertically due to the total force applied. This force is the result of its weight and buoyancy force, as it is always completely immersed in the liquid that flows through the electrolytic cell.
• Cathode plate material of construction may be stainless steel or titanium and has a cylindrical shape with a cylindrical opening in the center ( Figure 3). It has a completely smooth surface without holes, cavities or other blemishes.
• the upper surface of the cathode will be securely fixed to a disc ( Figure 4) of the same dimensions, constructed of plastic ( Figure 1) (7).
• a plastic cover (Figure 1) (14) will securely fit preventing the liquid from flowing through the center of the support plate.
• This plastic cover will have a length equal to the expected drop of the cathode and a diameter of at least 40 mm greater than the spacer’s rotation axis diameter.
• the spacer ( Figure 5), positioned between the two electrodes ( Figure 1) (3) and (4) may have four (4), six (6) or eight (8) arms ( Figures 5, 5 - 1 , 5 - 2). Its thickness may be between 3 to 10 mm and it will be made of plastic materials. The length of each arm should be equal or greater than the outer electrode diameter.
• the spacer will have a free vertical movement due to the total force applied to the cathode. Its slow and steady rotation (of 10 rpm) will guarantee the homogeneous electrodissolution of the anode, and at the same time, it will allow the free flow of liquid between the two electrodes.
• the spacer’s rotation is provided by a shaft (Figure 1) (9) that will pass through the center of the bottom plate of the EC and will be securely connected to the gear motor (not displayed in the present document).
• Aforementioned shaft will have a shape that will allow the downward movement of the spacer due to the consumption of the anode.
• Its materials of construction will be a plastic / metal combination, so that the plastic part (Figure 5) (9a) will be in contact with the liquid and the metallic part (Figure 5) (9b) will be the non-wetted.
• the axis will have a mechanical seal (Figure 1) (10) at the bottom plate of the EC.
• Electrocoagulation Cell s housing is constructed from non-conductive materials that will be resistant to conditions of high pressures and high temperature and also to a highly corrosive environment as well. Suitable materials of construction may be steel epoxy coated, plastic or a combination thereof. In the top cover of the cell there are sealing provisions (Figure 1) (13) for the cathode’s current supply cables to keep the cell watertight.

Landscapes

• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
• Electrochemistry (AREA)
• General Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Hydrology & Water Resources (AREA)
• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Environmental & Geological Engineering (AREA)
• Water Supply & Treatment (AREA)
• Organic Chemistry (AREA)
• Water Treatment By Electricity Or Magnetism (AREA)
• Separation Using Semi-Permeable Membranes (AREA)

Priority Applications (3)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

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Family Applications (1)

Country Status (5)

Families Citing this family (2)

Citations (4)

Family Cites Families (4)

• 2018
  • 2018-06-08 GR GR20180100249A patent/GR1009590B/el active IP Right Grant
• 2019
  • 2019-05-16 EP EP19733861.9A patent/EP3802438A1/en not_active Withdrawn
  • 2019-05-16 KR KR1020217000159A patent/KR20210016460A/ko unknown
  • 2019-05-16 WO PCT/GR2019/000035 patent/WO2019234459A1/en unknown
  • 2019-05-16 CN CN201980038936.4A patent/CN112272656A/zh active Pending

Patent Citations (5)

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