Electrolytic drying apparatus

Claim 1

AN APPARATUS FOR DRYING A FLOWING FLUID COMPRISING IN COMBINATION A CLOSED CONDUIT PROVIDED WITH FLUID INLET AND OUTLET PORTS AXIALLY SPACED ONE FROM ANOTHER, AT LEAST ONE ELECTRODE PAIR WITHIN SAID CONDUIT CONSISTING OF ALTERNATELY DISPOSED PERFORATE ELECTRICAL CONDUCTORS DISPOSED OUT OF CONTACT WITH EACH OTHER BETWEEN SAID FLUID INLET AND OUTLET PORTS, SUCCESSIVE ONES OF WHICH CONSTITUTE ANODE ELEMENTS AND CATHODE ELEMENTS, A DILIQUENSCENT HYGROSCOPIC SUBSTANCE WHICH IS ELECTRICALLY CONDUCTIVE ONLY WHEN WET SPANNING SAID CONDUCTORS OVER A LENGTH SUFFICIENT TO ABSORB A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF WATER FROM SAID FLUID IN THE COURSE OF PASSAGE OF SAID FLUID IN PROXIMITY TO SAID CONDUCTORS, A DIRECT CURRENT POWER SOURCE OF VOLTAGE SUFFICIENT TO ELECTROLYZE ABSORBED WATER IN SAID DELIQUESCENT HYGROSCOPIC SUBSTANCE AND ELECTRICAL LEADS CONNECTING SAID POWER SOURCE ACROSS SAID ELECTRODE PAIRS.