Electrolytic activation of fluids

Abstract

A unipolar liquid activation apparatus with an anode cell ( 40 ), a cathode cell ( 41 ), and a direct current power supply ( 43 ), the anode cell having an anode ( 46 ), a liquid inlet ( 50 ) and an anolyte outlet ( 51 ), the cathode cell having a cathode ( 47 ), a liquid inlet ( 52 ) and a catholyte outlet ( 53 ), means to electrically connect the anode and cathode respectively to the direct current power supply. The cells can also include connected solution electrodes ( 44, 49 ). Alternatively the anode and cathode can be compound electrodes ( 81, 83 ) with means to electrically connect the inner anode electrode and the inner cathode electrode. The anode cell and cathode cell may be adjacent to each other and electrically connected by an electronic membrane ( 104 ) in contact respectively with the anode and cathode and allowing flow of electrons only from the cathode to the anode. The unipolar activation apparatus may also be an anode ( 141 ) and a cathode ( 142 ) electrically isolated from each other but connected to a DC power source.

1 . A unipolar liquid activation apparatus including an anode cell, a cathode cell, and a direct current power supply, 
 the anode cell having an anode, a liquid inlet and an anolyte outlet,    the cathode cell having an cathode, a liquid inlet and a catholyte outlet,    means to electrically connect the anode and cathode respectively to the direct current power supply,    means to supply fluid to the anode and cathode cells, and    means to recover the activated anolyte from the anode cell and the activated catholyte from the cathode cell.    
     
     
         2 . A unipolar liquid activation apparatus as in  claim 1  wherein the anode cell further includes a first solution electrode and the cathode cell includes a second solution electrode and further including means to electrically connect the first solution electrode and the second solution electrode.  
     
     
         3 . A unipolar liquid activation apparatus as in  claim 1  wherein the anode is a compound anode, the compound anode having an inner anode electrode and an outer electrode being the anode and separated by and in intimate contact with an electrolytic membrane or internal electrolyte, the cathode is a compound cathode, the compound cathode having an inner cathode electrode and a outer electrode being the cathode and separated by and in intimate contact with an electrolytic membrane or internal electrolyte and means to electrically connect the inner anode electrode to the inner cathode electrode.  
     
     
         4 . A unipolar liquid activation apparatus as in  claim 2  wherein the anode cell and cathode cell are adjacent to each other and the first and second solution electrodes and the means to electrically connect the first solution electrode and the second solution electrode together comprise a common first and second solution electrode being an electronic membrane in contact respectively with the anode and cathode and allowing flow of electrons only from the cathode to the anode.  
     
     
         5 . A unipolar liquid activation apparatus as in  claim 4  wherein the electrical resistance of the electronic membrane in contact with the anode and cathode electrode is very high resulting in the anode electrode being electrically isolated from the cathode electrode.  
     
     
         6 . A unipolar liquid activation apparatus as in  claim 1  wherein the anode electrode and the cathode electrode are cylindrical incorporating internal surface enhancement features such as gauze or expanded metal connected to the electrodes.  
     
     
         7 . A unipolar liquid apparatus as in  claim 6  wherein the positive terminal of the DC power source is connected to the anode electrode and the negative positive terminal of the DC power source is connected to the cathode electrode.  
     
     
         8 . A unipolar liquid apparatus as in  claim 6  wherein the ends of the anode and cathode electrodes are connected to electrically non-conducting inlet and outlet.  
     
     
         9 . A unipolar liquid apparatus as in claims  1  wherein the means to supply fluid to the anode and cathode cells includes means to feed at least one of a liquid, a gas or a solid or a mixture thereof.  
     
     
         10 . A unipolar liquid activation apparatus as in  claim 1  wherein the means to electrically connect the first solution electrode and the second solution electrode is a wire between the respective cells.  
     
     
         11 . A unipolar liquid activation apparatus as in  claim 1  wherein the cathode and anode have a high surface area to increase the contact area with the respective liquids.  
     
     
         12 . A method of sterilisation of liquid including the step of passing streams of the liquid through respective electrolytic cells, the electrolytic cells being an anode cell having an anode, a liquid inlet and an anolyte outlet and a cathode cell having an cathode, a liquid inlet and a catholyte outlet, a direct current power supply electrically connected to the anode and cathode respectively, 
 means to supply liquid to the anode and cathode cells, and    means to recover the activated anolyte from the anode cell and the activated catholyte from the cathode cell.