In-situ delivery systems for reaction product abatement in electrochemical cells

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018257961-A1
Application number	US-201615760400-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 16, 2016
Priority date	Sep 18, 2015
Publication date	Sep 13, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

An electrochlorination system comprising an electrochemical cell including a housing having an inlet, an outlet, and an anode-cathode pair disposed within the housing, a source of a chloride-containing aqueous solution having an outlet fluidly connectable to the inlet of the electrochemical cell, and a source of an oxidizing agent fluidly connectable to the source of chloride-containing aqueous solution upstream of the electrochemical cell.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An electrochlorination system comprising:
an electrochemical cell including a housing having an inlet, an outlet, and an anode-cathode pair disposed within the housing; a source of a chloride-containing aqueous solution having an outlet fluidly connectable to the inlet of the electrochemical cell; and a source of an oxidizing agent fluidly connectable to the source of chloride-containing aqueous solution upstream of the electrochemical cell.

2 . The electrochlorination system of claim 1 , wherein the outlet of the housing of the electrochemical cell is fluidly connectable to a point of use.

3 . The electrochlorination system of claim 2 , wherein a disinfectant compound generated in the electrochemical cell is fluidly connected to the point of use through the outlet of the housing.

4 . The electrochlorination system of claim 3 , further comprising a controller configured to regulate introduction of the oxidizing agent into the chloride-containing aqueous solution based at least on one or more of a flow rate of the chloride-containing aqueous solution, a concentration of chloride in the chloride-containing aqueous solution, or an oxidation-reduction potential of a liquid in the point of use.

5 . The electrochlorination system of claim 2 , wherein the point of use includes one of a shipboard system, a drilling platform system, an aquatics system, a drinking water system, or a downhole of an oil drilling system.

6 . (canceled)

7 . The electrochlorination system of claim 1 , wherein the source of the chloride-containing aqueous solution includes one of seawater, brackish water, or brine.

8 . The electrochlorination system of claim 1 , wherein the source of the oxidizing agent includes a gas separation system.

9 . The electrochlorination system of claim 1 , further comprising an oxygenation system configured to mix the oxidizing agent with the chloride-containing aqueous solution upstream of the electrochemical cell.

10 . The electrochlorination system of claim 9 , wherein the oxygenation system includes one or more of an aeration vessel, a dissolved air flotation pump, a mixing vessel, or a venturi.

11 . The electrochlorination system of claim 1 , further comprising a conduit configured to deliver the chloride-containing aqueous solution from the source of chloride-containing aqueous solution to the inlet of the housing and including an injection point for the oxidizing agent.

12 . The electrochlorination system of claim 1 , further comprising a controller configured to regulate introduction of the oxidizing agent into the chloride-containing aqueous solution based at least on a concentration of a chlorine-based disinfectant compound generated in the electrochemical cell.

13 . The electrochlorination system of claim 12 , wherein the controller is further configured to regulate the concentration of the chlorine-based disinfectant compound generated in the electrochemical cell based at least on an oxidation-reduction potential of liquid in a point of use fluidly connectable to the outlet of the housing of the electrochemical cell.

14 . The electrochlorination system of claim 1 , further comprising a controller configured to regulate introduction of the oxidizing agent into the chloride-containing aqueous solution based at least on one or more of temperature in the electrochemical cell, pH of the chloride-containing aqueous solution, or pH of a disinfection solution generated in the electrochemical cell.

15 . The electrochlorination system of claim 1 , further comprising a controller configured to regulate introduction of the oxidizing agent into the chloride-containing aqueous solution based at least on one or more of an amount of gaseous hydrogen present in the electrochemical cell, a concentration of hydrogen dissolved in the chloride-containing aqueous solution, a concentration of oxygen dissolved in the chloride-containing aqueous solution, or a concentration of oxygen dissolved in a disinfection solution generated in the electrochemical cell.

16 . The electrochlorination system of claim 1 , further comprising a controller configured to regulate one or more of a current across the anode-cathode pair or a voltage applied across the anode-cathode pair based at least partially on a flow rate of the chloride-containing aqueous solution and a rate of introduction of the oxidizing agent into the chloride-containing aqueous solution.

17 . The electrochlorination system of claim 1 , further comprising a controller configured to introduce the oxidizing agent into the chloride-containing aqueous solution in an amount sufficient to sustain electron donation to the oxidizing agent rather than to water molecules in the chloride-containing aqueous solution at a surface of a cathode of the anode-cathode pair during operation of the electrochemical cell.

18 . The electrochlorination system of claim 1 , further comprising a controller configured to introduce the oxidizing agent into the chloride-containing aqueous solution in an amount sufficient to prevent formation of hydrogen gas in the electrochemical cell during operation of the electrochemical cell.

19 . The electrochlorination system of claim 18 , wherein the controller is configured to introduce the oxidizing agent into the chloride-containing aqueous solution in an amount sufficient to prevent formation of hydrogen gas at a cathode of the anode-cathode pair during operation of the electrochemical cell.

20 . The electrochlorination system of claim 1 , further comprising a controller configured to introduce the oxidizing agent into the chloride-containing aqueous solution in an amount approximately stoichiometric with a quantity of chlorine-based disinfectant compound produced in the electrochemical cell.

21 . The electrochlorination system of claim 1 , further comprising a controller configured to introduce the oxidizing agent into the chloride-containing aqueous solution in an amount sufficient to provide for substantially all free hydrogen in the electrochemical cell to be oxidized.

22 . (canceled)

23 . (canceled)

24 . The electrochlorination system of claim 1 , wherein the oxidizing agent includes one or more of gaseous oxygen, air, oxygen-enriched air, ozone, or hydrogen peroxide.

25 . The electrochlorination system of claim 1 , wherein the anode-cathode pair is disposed substantially concentrically within the housing about a central axis of the housing and defines an active area between an anode and a cathode of the anode-cathode pair, an active surface area of at least one of the anode and the cathode having a surface area greater than a surface area of an internal surface of the housing.

26 . (canceled)

27 . The electrochlorination system of claim 25 , wherein the anode-cathode pair includes a plurality of concentric electrode tubes and gaps defined between adjacent electrode tubes.

28 . (canceled)

29 . (canceled)

30 - 45 . (canceled)

Assignees

• Evoqua Water Tech Llc

Inventors

• Gifford Joseph D
• Griffis Joshua
• Dukes Simon P
• Liang Li-Shiang
• Shaw Michael J
• Wilkins Frederick C

Classifications

• C02F2201/4618

  Supplying or removing reactants or electrolyte · CPC title

• C02F2103/008

  Originating from marine vessels, ships and boats, e.g. bilge water or ballast water · CPC title

• C02F2103/08

  Seawater, e.g. for desalination · CPC title

• C02F1/74

  with air (aeration of stretches of water C02F7/00) · CPC title

• C02F2201/4612

  Controlling or monitoring · CPC title