Apparatus and method for purifying a fluid

Abstract

Apparatus for purifying a fluid, which comprises at least one ion absorption cell (2) with an operating chamber (4, 5) at its interior through which a first operative fluid (F1) flows and an evacuation chamber (13, 13') through which a second operative fluid (F2, F2') flows and which is separated from the operating chamber (4,5) by a filtering non-ion-selective filtering membrane (100). A three-dimensional porous electrical conductor (18) is housed in the evacuation chamber (13, 13') and is traversed by the second operative fluid (F2, F2'). Two electrodes (A, B) have the aforesaid operating chamber (4, 5) and evacuation chamber (13, 13') interposed, and are supplied with opposite polarities in order to generate an operative electric field in the operating chamber (4, 5) and a limited electric field in the evacuation chamber (13, 13'), the latter with value lower than the operative electric field, due to the shielding effect of the three-dimensional porous electrical conductor (18). The charged particles contained in the operating chamber (4, 5) are susceptible of traversing the non-ion-selective filtering membrane (100) under the action of the operative electric field generated by the electrodes (A, B), and be evacuated by the second operative fluid (F2, F2') in the evacuation chamber (13, 13'), in which they are subjected to the action of the limited electric field.

Description

technical field [0001] The invention relates to a device for purifying a fluid and in particular a method for purifying a fluid by means of the aforementioned device according to the preambles of the independent claims. [0002] In more detail, the device and method according to the invention are intended to be used advantageously for the removal of ionized particles from fluids, for the purpose of recovering or removing such particles. These particles may typically consist of salt ions dissolved in a liquid, or of metal ions such as industrial process fluids, or of polarizable organic matter. [0003] The device may be intended for a variety of applications both in industrial and domestic areas, such as the desalination of sea water, the softening of hard water with particularly hard water, the removal of salts (such as chlorides and sulfates) from water and the removal of e.g. Nitrates, nitrites, ammonia, heavy metals, organic matter (whether possessing an intrinsic charge ...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

[0016] The first disadvantage lies in the fact that a device with a flow capacitor has intermittent and therefore discontinuous operation, which has a strong negative impact on its production efficiency / output

Such a disadvantage is inherent in the principle of operation of such devices per se, resulting in the unit purifying the fluid at times varying between 50% and 75% of its operation, due to the need to subject the electrodes to the different steps indicated above in order to Operate on ions (adsorb ions, neutralize ions, remove ions) at specific times and modes

[0017] Additionally, the alternation of operating steps and regeneration steps creates queues of diluent fluid that cannot be utilized, further exacerbating the negative impact on unit performance

[0018] The second disadvantage lies in the fact that within the unit a high salinity concentration can be achieved with the subsequent precipitation of the salt, thus forming scale

[0026] The first disadvantage of the electrodialysis unit is that in order to prevent the semipermeable membrane from being contaminated by ions, a large number of expedients must be used, which can provide filtration systems, use of chemical reagents, and temporary interruptions in the operation of the electrodialysis unit. Modifications such as polarity reversal

Such a device has the same limitations as the other devices described above

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