Method of electrodialyzing aqueous solutions and apparatus therefor

Claim 1

THE METHOD OF TREATING AN ELECTROLYTIC SOLUTION TO MODIFY THE ELECTROLYTIC CONCENTRATION THEREOF COMPRISING CONTACTING SAID SOLUTION WITH (1) A BARRIER COMPRISING AS AN ESSENTIAL PART EXTENDING SUBSTANTIALLY THROUGHOUT, A PREDOMINANT AMOUNT OF A CATION EXCHANGE RESIN WHICH COMPRISES: AN INSOLUBLE INFUSIBLE SYNTHETIC ORGANICC POLYMERIC MATRIX, IONIC GROUPS DISOCIABLE INTO A FREE MOBILE CATION CHEMICALLY BONDED TO SAID MATRIX IMPARTING A NEGATIVE CHARGE THERETO, AND WATER IN GEL RELATIONSHIP WITH SAID MATRIX, SAID GROUPS HAVING A DISSOCIATION CONSTANT OF AT LEAST 10-5 AND BEING PRESENT IN AN AMOUNT OF AT LEAST 0.3 MILLIEQUIVALENT PER GRAM OF DRY RESIN, AND SAID WATER BEING PRESENT IN AN AMOUNT OF AT LEAST 15% OF THE WEIGHT OF DRY RESIN, AND (2) A SECOND BARRIER COMPRISING AS AN ESSENTIALLY PART EXTENDING SUBSTANTIALY THROUGHOUT, A PREDOMINANT AMOUNT OF AN ANION EXCHANGE RESIN WHICH COMPRISES: AN INSOLUBLE INFUSIBLE SYNTHETIC ORGANIC POLYMERIC MATRIX, IONIC GROUPS DISSOCIABLE INTO A FREE MOBILE ANION CHEMICALLY BONDED TO SAID MATRIX IMPARTING A POSITIVE CHARGE THERETO, AND WATER IN GEL RELATIONSHIP WITH SAID MATRIX, SAID GROUPS HAVING A DISSOCIATION CONSTANT OF AT LEAST 10-5 AND BEING PRESENT IN AN AMOUNT OF AT LEAST 0.3 MILLIEQUIVALENT PER GRAM OF DRY RESIN, AND SAID WATER BEING PRESENT IN AN AMOUNT OF AT LEAST 15% OF THE WEIGHT OF DRY RESIN, AND PASSING A DIRECT ELECTRIC CURRENT BETWEEN SAID BARRIERS AND THROUGH SAID SOLUTION.

Claim 2

THE METHOD OF TREATING AN ELECTROLYTIC SOLUTION TO MODIFY THE ELECTROLYTIC CONCENTRATION THEREOF COMPRISING CONTACTING SAID SOLUTION WITH (1) A BARRIER COMPRISING AS AN ESSENTIAL PART EXTENDING SUBSTANTIALLY THROUGHOUT, A PREDOMINANT AMOUNT OF A CATION EXCHANGE RESIN WHICH COMPRISES: AN INSOLUBLE INFUSIBLE SYNTHETIC ORGANICC POLYMERIC MATRIX, IONIC GROUPS DISOCIABLE INTO A FREE MOBILE CATION CHEMICALLY BONDED TO SAID MATRIX IMPARTING A NEGATIVE CHARGE THERETO, AND WATER IN GEL RELATIONSHIP WITH SAID MATRIX, SAID GROUPS HAVING A DISSOCIATION CONSTANT OF AT LEAST 10-5 AND BEING PRESENT IN AN AMOUNT OF AT LEAST 0.3 MILLIEQUIVALENT PER GRAM OF DRY RESIN, AND SAID WATER BEING PRESENT IN AN AMOUNT OF AT LEAST 15% OF THE WEIGHT OF DRY RESIN, AND (2) A SECOND BARRIER COMPRISING AS AN ESSENTIALLY PART EXTENDING SUBSTANTIALY THROUGHOUT, A PREDOMINANT AMOUNT OF AN ANION EXCHANGE RESIN WHICH COMPRISES: AN INSOLUBLE INFUSIBLE SYNTHETIC ORGANIC POLYMERIC MATRIX, IONIC GROUPS DISSOCIABLE INTO A FREE MOBILE ANION CHEMICALLY BONDED TO SAID MATRIX IMPARTING A POSITIVE CHARGE THERETO, AND WATER IN GEL RELATIONSHIP WITH SAID MATRIX, SAID GROUPS HAVING A DISSOCIATION CONSTANT OF AT LEAST 10-5 AND BEING PRESENT IN AN AMOUNT OF AT LEAST 0.3 MILLIEQUIVALENT PER GRAM OF DRY RESIN, AND SAID WATER BEING PRESENT IN AN AMOUNT OF AT LEAST 15% OF THE WEIGHT OF DRY RESIN, AND PASSING A DIRECT ELECTRIC CURRENT BETWEEN SAID BARRIERS AND THROUGH SAID SOLUTION.