Manifold compatible electrolytic cell (eo cell) with coplanar fluidic and electrical connection scheme

Abstract

An electrolytic ozone cell that a housing that includes an interfacial seal, a top plate, and bottom plate. The electrolytic ozone cell also includes an internal compartment that having a pair of contact plates, and a tolerance compressor. The tolerance compressor compresses an electrode-membrane-electrode stack that is disposed between the pair of contact plates and the tolerance compressor alters its shape in order to maintain compressive forces on the electrode-membrane-electrode stack.

1 . An electrolytic ozone cell comprising:
 a housing including:
 an interfacial seal; 
 a top plate; and 
 bottom plate; and 
   an internal compartment that includes at least:
 a pair of contact plates; 
 a tolerance compressor that compresses an electrode-membrane-electrode stack which includes a pair of electrodes and at least one proton exchange membrane,
 wherein the electrode-membrane-electrode stack is disposed between the pair of contact plates and the tolerance compressor is configured to alter the dimensions of the tolerance compressor responsive to thinning of the proton exchange membrane, in order to maintain compressive forces on at least the electrode-membrane-electrode stack. 
 
   
     
     
         2 . The electrolytic ozone cell of  claim 1 , wherein a housing of the electrolytic cell is configured to be coupled to a manifold assembly of an aqueous ozone ultrasonic scaler Systems such that it has a flush coplanar interface with the manifold surface. 
     
     
         3 . The electrolytic ozone cell of  claim 1 , wherein the pair of contact plates are titanium (Ti) contact plates. 
     
     
         4 . The electrolytic ozone cell of  claim 1 , wherein the pair of electrodes are boron dope diamond (BDD) electrodes. 
     
     
         5 . The electrolytic ozone cell of  claim 1 , wherein an electrode of the pair of electrodes is a perforated silicon plate with a boron doped diamond coating. 
     
     
         6 . The electrolytic ozone cell of  claim 5 , wherein the boron doped diamond coating has a thickness of between 1.00 nm up and 15 μm. 
     
     
         7 . The electrolytic ozone cell of  claim 1 , wherein the pair of electrodes and the proton exchange membrane form an electrode-membrane-electrode stack and the tolerance compressor provides compression for the electrode-membrane-electrode stack over a range of between 2 to 50% of the thickness of the tolerance compressor. 
     
     
         8 . The electrolytic ozone cell of  claim 1 , wherein the tolerance compressor is inert to ozone. 
     
     
         9 . The electrolytic ozone cell of  claim 1 , wherein the tolerance compressor is made from a closed-cell ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM) foam material. 
     
     
         10 . The electrolytic ozone cell of  claim 1 , wherein a path for water flow is based on a thickness and inner profile of a contact plate of the pair of contact plates. 
     
     
         11 . The electrolytic ozone cell of  claim 1 , wherein the electrolytic ozone cell comprises more than one pair of pair of electrodes. 
     
     
         12 . The electrolytic ozone cell of  claim 1 , wherein an electrical contact zone of a contact plate of the pair of contact plates is accessed through the top plate by a spring-loaded electrical contact so that the contact plate provides electrical current to an electrode of the pair of electrodes. 
     
     
         13 . The electrolytic ozone cell of  claim 1 , wherein a contact plate and an electrode are integrated together to form an electrode unit that provide provides direct electrical contact for a spring-loaded electrical contact. 
     
     
         14 . The electrolytic ozone cell of  claim 1 , wherein the cell is configured to control a velocity of water that flows over an area of bubble formation along triple phase boundaries (TPB) formed by an electrode-water-membrane intersection. 
     
     
         15 . The electrolytic ozone cell of  claim 12 , wherein the electrolytic ozone cell further includes an inner bottom gasket wherein the inner bottom gasket and the tolerance compressor seal off one or more surfaces of the pair of contact plates to create one or more dry electrical contact zones on the tabs of the pair of contact plates. 
     
     
         17 . The electrolytic ozone cell of  claim 1 , wherein the electrode-membrane-electrode stack includes one or more pairs of electrodes in the same cell. 
     
     
         18 . The electrolytic ozone cell of  claim 17 , wherein the one or more pairs are each independently controlled. 
     
     
         19 . An apparatus comprising:
 a water supply for delivering water to an electrolytic ozone cell;   a gas separator disposed in a recirculation loop of a fluid pathway that also contains the electrolytic cell; and   the electrolytic ozone cell;   wherein the electrolytic ozone cell further comprises:   a housing including:
 an interfacial seal; 
 a top plate; and 
 bottom plate; and 
   an internal compartment that includes at least:
 a pair of contact plates; 
 a tolerance compressor that compresses an electrode-membrane-electrode stack which includes a pair of electrodes and at least one proton exchange membrane, 
   wherein the electrode-membrane-electrode stack is disposed between the pair of contact plates and the tolerance compressor is configured to alter the dimensions of the tolerance compressor responsive to thinning of the proton exchange membrane, in order to maintain compressive forces on at least the electrode-membrane-electrode stack.   
     
     
         20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . (canceled) 
     
     
         22 . (canceled) 
     
     
         23 . (canceled) 
     
     
         24 . A computer system comprising:
 a processor configured to control an operation of an electrolytic ozone cell; and   the electrolytic ozone cell;   wherein the electrolytic ozone cell further comprises:   a housing including:
 an interfacial seal; 
 a top plate; and 
 bottom plate; and 
   an internal compartment that includes at least:
 a pair of contact plates; 
 a tolerance compressor that compresses an electrode-membrane-electrode stack which includes a pair of electrodes and at least one proton exchange membrane, 
   wherein the electrode-membrane-electrode stack is disposed between the pair of contact plates and the tolerance compressor is configured to alter the dimensions of the tolerance compressor responsive to thinning of the proton exchange membrane, in order to maintain compressive forces on at least the electrode-membrane-electrode stack.   
     
     
         25 . (canceled) 
     
     
         26 . (canceled)