US3980541A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Electrode structures for electric treatment of fluids and filters using same
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1971-05-06
•
Granted: 1976-09-14
•
Expires: 1991-05-06
Abstract
Abstract Composite electrode structures are disclosed employing mutually opposed electrodes spaced apart to define a fluid treatment region through which a fluid is passed for treatment by an electric field established between the electrodes. Resistive electrodes serve to localize the effect of electrical shorts between the electrodes. Refractory electrodes and insulators permit operation in high temperature environments. Non-uniform sheet and/or filamentary electrodes are disclosed for producing a substantial non-uniformity in the electric field within the treatment region for producing forces on particles having no net charge. A floating electrode between driven electrodes allows formation of an induced electric field in the treatment region while reducing the possibility of electrical shorts. Paper electrodes and paper insulators permit fabrication of an inexpensive electrode structure. Moisture is removed from the treated fluid by loading either or both the insulator and electric structures with a hygroscopic electrolyte and passing a current through the electrolyte to convert the moisture into elemental oxygen and hydrogen.
Inventors
- 👤 Harry E. Aine
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 14:55
CPC Classifications
B; B01; B01D; B01D35/00; B01D35/06; B01D17/00; B01D17/06; B03; B03C; B03C5/00; B03C5/02; B03C5/022; B03C5/024; B03C2201/00; B03C2201/02
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 49
Claim 1
Independent Claim
144 words
In an electrical fluid treating apparatus for treating non-electrolytic fluids, first and second electrode means spaced apart to define at least a portion of a composite electrode structure having an electrical treatment region through which a stream of non-electrolytic fluid is to pass for treatment, insulator means for insulating said first electrode from said second electrode to permit an electrical field to be established between said electrodes in said treatment region, resistive means incorporated in at least one of said electrode means in such a manner that, in the presence of an electrical short between said electrodes through the non-electrolytic fluid to be treated in said treatment region, said resistive means drops the applied potential across said resistive means in a localized portion of said resistive electrode structure such that less than one-tenth of said treatment region is effectively shorted by said electrical short.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
144 words
In an electrical fluid treating apparatus for treating non-electrolytic fluids, first and second electrode means spaced apart to define at least a portion of a composite electrode structure having an electrical treatment region through which a stream of non-electrolytic fluid is to pass for treatment, insulator means for insulating said first electrode from said second electrode to permit an electrical field to be established between said electrodes in said treatment region, resistive means incorporated in at least one of said electrode means in such a manner that, in the presence of an electrical short between said electrodes through the non-electrolytic fluid to be treated in said treatment region, said resistive means drops the applied potential across said resistive means in a localized portion of said resistive electrode structure such that less than one-tenth of said treatment region is effectively shorted by said electrical short.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
65 words
The apparatus of claim 1 including, contactor electrode means for contacting opposite sides of said composite electrode structure such that a short between said electrodes causes the shorting current to flow from one contactor electrode means to the other contactor electrode means through said resistive electrode from one side edge of the composite electrode structure to the opposing side edge of said composite electrode structure.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
26 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein each of said first and second electrodes is sheet shaped and disposed with their broad sides in mutually opposed relation.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
51 words
The apparatus of claim 3 including, contactor grid means disposed for making electrical contact to a side edge of at least one of said sheet shaped electrodes and being pervious to fluid flow therethrough into said electrical treatment region between the mutually opposed broad sides of said first and second electrodes.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
23 words
The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said sheet shaped electrodes each comprise a web of insulative material coated with an electrically conductive material.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
15 words
The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said sheet shaped electrodes are made of conductive paper.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
16 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said first and second electrodes are made of refractory material.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
22 words
The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said refractory material is selected from the class consisting of ceramic, asbestos, carbon, glass and quartz.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
27 words
The apparatus of claim 3 wherein each of said sheet shape first and second electrodes is perforated with a multitude of perforations to facilitate fluid flow therethrough.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
66 words
The apparatus of claim 3 wherein at least one of said sheet shaped first and second electrodes is corrugated with the mean peak-to-peak depth of said corrugations being greater than one-fourth of the mean spacing between said first and second sheet electrodes, and each corrugations being arranged relative to the opposed electrode surface such as to produce a substantial non-uniform electric field between opposed electrode surfaces.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
14 words
The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said refractory material includes a carbon impregnated ceramic.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
53 words
The apparatus of claim 3 including a strip of electrically conductive material disposed on at least one of said sheet shaped electrodes to render said strip portion of said electrode more electrically conductive than the adjacent regions of said sheet shaped electrode to facilitate making of electrical contact to said sheet shaped electrode.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
26 words
The apparatus of claim 12 wherein said strip of electrically conductive material is disposed along at least one marginal side edge of said sheet shaped electrode.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
17 words
The apparatus of claim 12 wherein said strip of electrically conductive material comprises a strip of carbon.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
35 words
The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said perforations have a mean minor lateral dimension in the plane of said sheet electrode which is greater than one-fourth of the mean spacing between the opposed sheet electrodes.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
23 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said insulator means includes a sheet of insulative material interposed between said first and second sheet electrodes.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
13 words
The apparatus of claim 16 wherein said sheet of insulative material is perforated.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
27 words
The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said insulator means includes a fibrous web of insulative material interposed in the space between said first and second sheet electrodes.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
16 words
The apparatus of claim 16 wherein said sheet of insulative material includes a sheet of paper.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
25 words
The apparatus of claim 16 wherein said sheet of insulative material is refractory and selected from the class consisting of ceramic, glass, asbestos, and quartz.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
35 words
The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said sheet shaped electrodes each comprise a web of insulative material coated with a conductive material selected from the class consisting of metallic salts, conductive polymers, carbon, and metals.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
122 words
The apparatus of claim 1 including, third floating electrode means interposed between said first and second electrode means in spaced relation therefrom to define at least one fluid passageway therebetween, said third electrode means being disposed in electrically insulative and in change inducing relationship with said first and second electrode means such that an electrical potential applied across said first and second electrode means induces a charge distribution in said floating electrode means of opposite polarity to the charge distribution produced in said first and second electrode means in response to the applied potential, whereby an electrical treating field is produced in said fluid passageway between said third floating electrode means and at least one of said first and second electrode means.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
22 words
The apparatus of claim 22 wherein said floating electrode means includes a plurality of floating electrode portions electrically isolated from each other.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
65 words
The apparatus of claim 22 including second resistive means incorporated in said floating electrode means in such a manner that an electrical short between said floating electrode means and one of said other electrode means in said treatment region serves to drop the applied potential across said second resistive means such that less than one-tenth of said treatment region is effectively shorted by said short.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
20 words
The apparatus of claim 22 wherein said first, second and third electrodes are made of an electrically conductive fibrous web.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
74 words
In an electrical fluid treating apparatus for treating non-electrolytic fluids, means forming first and second electrodes spaced apart to permit a stream of non-electrolytic fluid to pass therebetween, means forming an insulative structure disposed in the space between said electrodes to permit a voltage to be established between said electrodes, the improvement wherein, said first and second electrodes are sheets of conductive paper interleaved with said insulative structure to form a composite electrode structure.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
74 words
In an electrical fluid treating apparatus for treating non-electrolytic fluids, means forming first and second electrodes spaced apart to permit a stream of non-electrolytic fluid to pass therebetween, means forming an insulative structure disposed in the space between said electrodes to permit a voltage to be established between said electrodes, the improvement wherein, said first and second electrodes are sheets of conductive paper interleaved with said insulative structure to form a composite electrode structure.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
23 words
The apparatus of claim 26 wherein said first paper sheet conductive electrode includes a sheet of aluminum foil supported upon a paper web.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
131 words
In an electrofilter apparatus for removing particulate contaminates from an electrically resistive fluid, first and second sheet shaped electrodes spaced apart with their broad sides in mutually opposed relation to define a composite electrode structure having an electrical filtering region through which a stream of fluid is to pass for electric filter treatment, insulator means interposed in the space between said mutually opposed broad sides of said electrodes for insulatively supporting said first and second sheet electrodes from each other in spaced relation and to permit an electric field to be established between said electrodes in said treatment region, at least one of said sheet shaped electrodes being electrically non-uniform such as to produce a substantial non-uniformity in the electric field intensity established in said filter treatment region between said electrodes.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
131 words
In an electrofilter apparatus for removing particulate contaminates from an electrically resistive fluid, first and second sheet shaped electrodes spaced apart with their broad sides in mutually opposed relation to define a composite electrode structure having an electrical filtering region through which a stream of fluid is to pass for electric filter treatment, insulator means interposed in the space between said mutually opposed broad sides of said electrodes for insulatively supporting said first and second sheet electrodes from each other in spaced relation and to permit an electric field to be established between said electrodes in said treatment region, at least one of said sheet shaped electrodes being electrically non-uniform such as to produce a substantial non-uniformity in the electric field intensity established in said filter treatment region between said electrodes.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
48 words
The apparatus of claim 28 wherein said electrical non-uniformity of said electrode comprises a substantial variation in the spacing between the mutually opposed broad sides of said first and second electrodes, whereby a substantial non-uniformity in the electric field intensity is produced in the electric filter treatment region.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
50 words
The apparatus of claim 36 wherein said variation in the spacing between said first and second electrodes comprises a corrugation of said electrically non-uniform electrode with the peak-to-peak amplitude of the corrugation of said sheet electrode being greater than one-quarter of the mean spacing between said first and second electrodes.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
44 words
The apparatus of claim 28 wherein said non-uniformity of said electrode comprises a repetitive discontinuity of said electrode structure in the plane of the sheet electrode such as to produce a substantial non-uniformity in the electric field intensity in the electric filter treatment region.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
56 words
The apparatus of claim 31 wherein said discontinuity of said electrode structure comprises a periodic discontinuous pattern of said electrode, said periodic pattern having mean lateral dimensions in the plane of said sheet electrode sufficiently large such as to produce a substantial non-uniformity of the electric field in the electric treatment region between said sheet electrodes.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
15 words
The apparatus of claim 28 wherein said insulative means includes a web of insulative material.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
17 words
The apparatus of claim 33 wherein said web of insulative material includes a sheet of insulative paper.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
35 words
The apparatus of claim 28 wherein said insulator means includes a sheet of insulative material interposed between said first and second electrode with each of its broad sides facing a broad side of said electrodes.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
21 words
The apparatus of claim 35 wherein said insulator means includes a coating of insulative material coating one of said sheet members.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
32 words
The apparatus of claim 28 wherein said non-uniform electrode includes a porous web structure at the surface thereof adjacent the electric filtering region for trapping particulate contaminants forced toward said non-uniform electrode.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
16 words
The apparatus of claim 28 wherein said non-uniform electrode comprises an electrically conductive porous fibrous web.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
15 words
The apparatus of claim 28 wherein said non-uniform electrode includes a sheet of conductive paper.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
132 words
In an electrofilter apparatus for removing particulate contaminates from an electrically resistive fluid, first and second sheet shaped electrodes disposed in spaced apart relation with their broad sides in mutually opposed relation to define a composite electrode structure having an electric filtering region through which a stream of fluid is to pass for electric filter treatment, insulator means for insulatively supporting said first and second sheet electrodes in spaced relation and to permit an electrical field to be established between said electrodes in said treatment region, at least one of said sheet shaped electrodes being perforated according to a certain pattern of perforations, said perforations of said pattern being sufficiently large such as to produce a substantial non-uniformity of the electric field in the electric field treatment region between said sheet electrodes.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
132 words
In an electrofilter apparatus for removing particulate contaminates from an electrically resistive fluid, first and second sheet shaped electrodes disposed in spaced apart relation with their broad sides in mutually opposed relation to define a composite electrode structure having an electric filtering region through which a stream of fluid is to pass for electric filter treatment, insulator means for insulatively supporting said first and second sheet electrodes in spaced relation and to permit an electrical field to be established between said electrodes in said treatment region, at least one of said sheet shaped electrodes being perforated according to a certain pattern of perforations, said perforations of said pattern being sufficiently large such as to produce a substantial non-uniformity of the electric field in the electric field treatment region between said sheet electrodes.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
50 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein, said first and second electrode means comprise filamentary conductive electrodes intertwined to define a composite electrode structure having an electrical treating region defined by the space between said intertwined electrode means and through which a stream of fluid is to pass for electrical treatment.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
16 words
The apparatus of claim 41 wherein said first and second filamentary electrode means are twisted together.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
155 words
In a method for electrically treating a fluid stream the steps of: spacing apart first and second electrode structures to define a composite electrode structure having an electrical treatment region through which a stream of dielectric fluid is to be passed for treatment; insulating said first and second electrode structures to permit an electrical field to be established between said electrodes in said treatment region; applying an electrical potential across said first and second electrodes for establishing an electrical field in the treatment region; incorporating electrical resistance in at least one of said electrode structures in such a manner that, in the presence of an electrical short between said electrodes through the dielectric fluid to be treated in said treatment region, said electrical resistance drops the applied potential across said resistance in a localized portion of said electrode structure such that less than 1/10th of said treatment region is effectively shorted by said electrical short.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
155 words
In a method for electrically treating a fluid stream the steps of: spacing apart first and second electrode structures to define a composite electrode structure having an electrical treatment region through which a stream of dielectric fluid is to be passed for treatment; insulating said first and second electrode structures to permit an electrical field to be established between said electrodes in said treatment region; applying an electrical potential across said first and second electrodes for establishing an electrical field in the treatment region; incorporating electrical resistance in at least one of said electrode structures in such a manner that, in the presence of an electrical short between said electrodes through the dielectric fluid to be treated in said treatment region, said electrical resistance drops the applied potential across said resistance in a localized portion of said electrode structure such that less than 1/10th of said treatment region is effectively shorted by said electrical short.
Claim 49
Dependent Claim
88 words
The method of claim 43 wherein said first and second electrode structures are sheet-shaped and disposed with their broad sides in mutually opposed relation, and including the step of corrugating at least one of said sheet-shaped first and second electrode structures with a mean peak-to-peak depth of said corrugations being greater than 1/4 of the mean spacing between said first and second sheet electrode structures, such corrugations being arranged relative to the opposed electrode surface such as to produce a substantial non-uniform electric field between opposed electrode surfaces.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US647334A
Cited
US1373273A
Cited
US2588111A
Cited
US2573967A
Cited
US2816067A
Cited
US3117920A
Cited
US3252885A
Cited
US3324026A
Cited
US3445376A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1979-09-14 | 1980-03-15 | 1980-09-14 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1983-09-14 | 1984-03-15 | 1984-09-14 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1987-09-14 | 1988-03-15 | 1988-09-14 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |