Electrosorption purification system with battery driven regeneration

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018065870-A1
Application number	US-201615560315-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 16, 2016
Priority date	Apr 3, 2015
Publication date	Mar 8, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

The invention provides an electronic domestic appliance ( 1000 ) comprising a decalcifying apparatus ( 1 ) for purifying an aqueous liquid, wherein the electronic domestic appliance ( 1000 ) comprises an electronic connector ( 110 ) for connecting to an external AC power source wherein the electronic connector ( 110 ) is functionally coupled with the DC power supply ( 100 ), the electronic domestic appliance ( 1000 ) further comprising a functional element ( 1600 ) wherein purified aqueous liquid is applied and/or stored.

First claim

1 . A decalcifying apparatus configured to decalcify an aqueous liquid, wherein the decalcifying apparatus comprises:
a DC power supply configured to convert AC power from an external AC power source into DC power; a battery unit comprising a rechargeable battery; an electrosorption cell unit comprising a treatment section for said aqueous liquid, wherein the treatment section comprises (a) a first electrosorption electrode arrangement comprising a first electrosorption electrode, (b) a second electrosorption electrode arrangement comprising a second electrosorption electrode, and (c) a first treatment section opening for introduction of the aqueous liquid; wherein the decalcifying apparatus is configured to operate during part of its operation time in a purification stage wherein a first DC potential difference between the first electrosorption electrode and the second electrosorption electrode is applied using one or more of (i) the DC power supply and (ii) the rechargeable battery; and wherein the decalcifying apparatus is configured to operate during part of its operation time in a regeneration stage, being switchable between a first setting (a)—wherein a second DC potential difference between the first electrosorption electrode and the second electrosorption electrode is applied using the rechargeable battery, wherein the second DC potential difference has a sign opposite of the first DC potential difference, and a second setting (b) wherein the first electrosorption electrode and the second electrosorption electrode are electrically short circuited.

2 . The decalcifying apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the decalcifying apparatus is configured to operate during part of its operation time in said purification stage wherein said first DC potential difference between the first electrosorption electrode and the second electrosorption electrode is applied using the DC power supply.

3 . The decalcifying apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the decalcifying apparatus is configured to charge the rechargeable battery via the DC power supply during at least part of a purification stage, wherein the decalcifying apparatus is configured to operate during part of its operation time in said purification stage wherein said first DC potential difference between the first electrosorption electrode and the second electrosorption electrode is applied using the DC power supply and the rechargeable battery, wherein the DC power supply is configured to provide a lower current than the rechargeable battery.

4 . The decalcifying apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a current controller configured to control the current through the treatment section during one or more of (i) the purification stage, and (ii) the regeneration stage.

5 . The decalcifying apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the decalcifying apparatus is configured to operate during part of its operation time in an idle stage, wherein, either (a) an impedance of at least 1 kΩ between the first electrosorption electrode and the second electrosorption electrode is applied, or wherein (b) a current controller is configured to minimize the current below 1 mA, wherein the decalcifying apparatus further comprises a voltage meter, configured to measure the capacity of the electrosorption cell unit during at least part of the idle stage.

6 . The decalcifying apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a control unit configured to control one or more of (i) the potential difference between the first electrosorption electrode and the second electrosorption electrode and (ii) the current through the treatment section, as function of one or more of (a) a battery status, (b) capacity of the treatment section, (c) a parameter representative of an ion concentration in the aqueous liquid, and (d) the mass rate at which the aqueous liquid is treated.

7 . The decalcifying apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the control unit is configured to switch the decalcifying apparatus to the regeneration stage as function of one or more of (a) capacity of the treatment section, (b) the time of the day, (c) the day of the week, (d) a fluid level in one or more of an inlet reservoir, a waste reservoir, and a purified water reservoir, and (e) artificial intelligence of the control unit on use of the decalcifying apparatus gathered during the operation of the decalcifying apparatus.

8 . The decalcifying apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first electrosorption electrode arrangement comprises said first electrosorption electrode and a first ion selective membrane, and wherein the second electrosorption electrode arrangement comprises said second electrosorption electrode and a second ion selective membrane, wherein one of the first ion selective membrane and the second ion selective membrane is selective for one or more cations and wherein the other is selective for one or more anions.

9 . The decalcifying apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a first cell comprising said first electrosorption electrode arrangement, and a second cell comprising said second electrosorption electrode arrangement, wherein the first cell and the second cell are separated by a water splitting membrane or by an electrically floating electrode.

10 . The decalcifying apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the treatment section comprises said first treatment section opening and a second opening wherein the treatment section is configured as flow-through cell.

11 . The decalcifying apparatus according to claim 1 , comprising a plurality of electrosorption cell units, wherein the decalcifying apparatus is configured to purify the aqueous liquid in a first electrosorption cell unit and regenerate a second electrosorption cell unit simultaneously during at least part of the operation time of decalcifying apparatus, and wherein the decalcifying apparatus is further configured to alternate purification stages and regeneration stages of the respective electrosorption cell units.

12 . An electronic domestic appliance comprising the decalcifying apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the electronic domestic appliance comprises an electronic connector for connecting to an external AC power source, wherein the electronic connector is functionally coupled with the DC power supply, the electronic domestic appliance further comprising a first appliance opening in fluid connection with the first treatment section opening, for introduction of aqueous liquid to the electronic domestic appliance, and a functional element wherein purified aqueous liquid is applied and/or stored.

13 . The electronic domestic appliance according to claim 12 , wherein the electronic domestic appliance comprises one selected from the group consisting of a floor steam cleaner, a food steamer, a kettle, a coffee maker, an espresso maker, a tea maker, a water carbonator, a water softener, a water purifier, a steam iron, and an air humidifier.

14 . The electronic domestic appliance according to claim 12 , further comprising one or more of (i) an inlet reservoir for storage of the aqueous liquid, the inlet reservoir configured in fluid connection with the first appliance opening and the first treatment section opening, and (ii) a waste reservoir)))) for storage of aqueous liquid produced during the regeneration stage, the waste reservoir configured in fluid connection with the treatment section.

Assignees

• Koninkligke Philips N V
• Koninklijke Philips Nv

Inventors

• Verschueren Alwin Rogier Martijn
• Boersma Joldert Maria
• Kooijker Klaas
• Van Der Kamp Gertrude Rioette
• Wielstra Ytsen
• Duineveld Paulus Cornelis
• Van Roemburg Franciscus Maria Johannes

Classifications

• C02F1/4602 Primary

  for prevention or elimination of deposits · CPC title

• C02F1/4691 Primary

  Capacitive deionisation · CPC title

• C02F2201/4614

  Current · CPC title

• C02F2303/16

  Regeneration of sorbents, filters · CPC title

• C02F2201/46135

  Voltage · CPC title