US4728877A
Expired / Lapsed
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Method and apparatus for improving electrochemical processes
Assignee: Adaptive Instruments Corp
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Filing: 1986-06-10
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Granted: 1988-03-01
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Expires: 2006-06-10
Abstract
Abstract An electrochemical process and apparatus utilizing a positive and negative electrode. A current is periodically provided in a first direction between the electrodes through the electrolyte of the electrochemical process. The direction of the current is periodically reversed through the electrolyte to repolarize the electrodes, to at least decrease the electric double layer at the electrodes, and to exercise the electrolyte. The current is changed in response to voltage changes occuring across the electrodes caused by perturbations in the electrochemical process itself where the slope of the function representing the current change with respect to a voltage change caused by the perturbations is sufficiently large to enhance the repolarizing, the decreasing of the electric double layer and the exercizing of the electrolyte to thus effect improvement in the electrochemical process.
Inventors
- 👤 Hugh P. Adamson
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 03:08
CPC Classifications
H; H02; H02J; H02J7/00; H02J7/90; H02J7/927; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S320/00; Y10S320/25; Y10S320/31
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 44
Claim 1
Independent Claim
118 words
Apparatus for improving the operation of an electrochemical system utilizing at least one positive and at least one negative electrode, said apparatus comprising means for periodically applying a voltage across said electrodes to provide a current in a first direction between the electrodes through the electrolyte of the electrochemical system; means for periodically reversing the direction of the current through the electrolyte; and said means for periodically applying the voltage including current changing means for changing said current in response to voltage changes occurring across said electrodes caused by perturbations in said electrochemical process where the slope of the function representing the current change with respect to a voltage change caused by said perturbations is at least five.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
118 words
Apparatus for improving the operation of an electrochemical system utilizing at least one positive and at least one negative electrode, said apparatus comprising means for periodically applying a voltage across said electrodes to provide a current in a first direction between the electrodes through the electrolyte of the electrochemical system; means for periodically reversing the direction of the current through the electrolyte; and said means for periodically applying the voltage including current changing means for changing said current in response to voltage changes occurring across said electrodes caused by perturbations in said electrochemical process where the slope of the function representing the current change with respect to a voltage change caused by said perturbations is at least five.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
12 words
Apparatus as in claim 1 where said slope is at least ten.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
11 words
Apparatus as in claim 1 where said electrochemical system is faradaic.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
10 words
Apparatus as in claim 3 where said system is galvanic.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
17 words
Apparatus as in claim 4 where said system includes a battery which is charged by said apparatus.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
12 words
Apparatus as in claim 5 where said battery is a primary cell.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
12 words
Apparatus as in claim 5 where said battery is a secondary cell.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
12 words
Apparatus as in claim 5 where said battery is a fuel cell.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
51 words
Apparatus as in claim 5 where said current changing means includes a diode and where said means for periodically applying said voltage to said electrodes applies said voltage for a sufficient length of time to charge said battery to an endpoint voltage in the logarithmic region of operation of the diode.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
40 words
Apparatus as in claim 9 where said means for applying said voltage to said electrodes includes means for generating a series of voltage pulses for application to said electrodes where each pulse has a maximum voltage amplitude, V SET .
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
45 words
Apparatus as in claim 10 where said means for generating said series of voltage pulses includes means for providing a full-wave rectified waveform and means for limiting the amplitude of each cycle of the waveform to V SET for a predetermined portion of each cycle.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
48 words
Apparatus as in claim 10 where said means for generating said series of voltage pulses includes means for adjusting the magnitude to V SET such that V.sub.E.P. +V.sub.D2 >V.sub.SET where V E .P. equals said endpoint voltage, V D2 equals the upper limit voltage of said logarithmic range.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
34 words
Apparatus as in claim 12 where said means for adjusting the magnitude of V SET is so adjusted that V.sub.SET >V.sub.E.P. +V.sub.D1 where V D1 is the lower limit voltage of said logarithmic range.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
23 words
Apparatus as in claim 10 where said means for adjusting the magnitude of V SET is so adjusted that V.sub.SET =V.sub.E.P. +1 volt.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
20 words
Apparatus as in claim 9 where said means for periodically reversing the current direction through the electrolyte includes said battery.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
30 words
Apparatus as in claim 15 where said means for periodically applying voltage to said electrodes includes means for establishing a current path for said reverse direction current from said battery.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
33 words
Apparatus as in claim 10 where said diode is so disposed between said means for generating said series of voltage pulses and said battery that it is forward biased by said voltage pulses.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
44 words
Apparatus as in claim 17 where said means for applying said voltage includes a current path and where said means for periodically reversing the current includes said battery which reverse biases the diode and is discharged through said current path back to the battery.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
37 words
Apparatus as in claim 10 including means responsive to the temperature of said battery for adjusting V SET so that said endpoint voltage remains within the logarithmic range of the diode with temperature changes of the battery.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
32 words
Apparatus as in claim 5 including means responsive to the temperature of said battery for maintaining said endpoint voltage within the logarithmic range of the diode with temperature changes of the battery.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
10 words
Apparatus as in claim 3 where said system is electrolytic.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
13 words
Apparatus as in claim 21 where said system comprises an electrolytic synthesis system.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
12 words
Apparatus as in claim 21 where said system comprises an electroplating system.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
12 words
Apparatus as in claim 21 where said system comprises an electrorefining system.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
63 words
Apparatus as in claim 21 where said current changing means includes a diode and where said means for periodically applying said voltage provides a requisite amount of said current to effect the process of said electrolytic system, the magnitude of said current being less than the rated voltage of the diode to thus effect said process in the logarithmic range of the diode.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
40 words
Apparatus as in claim 25 where said means for applying said voltage to said electrodes includes means for generating a series of voltage pulses for application to said electrodes where each pulse has a maximum voltage amplitude, V SET .
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
45 words
Apparatus as in claim 26 where said means for generating said series of voltage pulses includes means for providing a full-wave rectified waveform and means for limiting the amplitude of each cycle of the waveform to V SET for a predetermined portion of each cycle.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
27 words
Apparatus as in claim 21 where said means for periodically reversing the current direction through the electrolyte includes a electrical current source connected to the electrolytic system.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
32 words
Apparatus as in claim 28 where said means for periodically applying said voltage to said electrodes includes means for establishing a current path for said reverse direction current from said electrolytic system.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
34 words
Apparatus as in claim 26 where said diode is so disposed between said means for generating said series of voltage pulses and said electrolytic system that it is forward biased by said voltage pulses.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
49 words
Apparatus as in claim 30 where said means for periodically reversing the current includes a electric current source connected to the electrolytic system which reverse biases the diode and which causes said reverse current to flow from the battery through the electrolytic system and then back to the battery.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
11 words
Apparatus as in claim 1 where said electrochemical system is non-faradaic.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
97 words
In an electrochemical process utilizing at least one positive and at least one negative electrode, the improvement of periodically applying a voltage across said electrodes to provide a current in a first direction between the electrodes through the electrolyte of the electrochemical process; periodically reversing the direction of the current through the electrolyte; and changing said current in response to voltage changes occurring across said electrodes caused by perturbations in said electrochemical process where the slope of the function representing the current change with respect to a voltage change caused by said perturbation is at least five.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
97 words
In an electrochemical process utilizing at least one positive and at least one negative electrode, the improvement of periodically applying a voltage across said electrodes to provide a current in a first direction between the electrodes through the electrolyte of the electrochemical process; periodically reversing the direction of the current through the electrolyte; and changing said current in response to voltage changes occurring across said electrodes caused by perturbations in said electrochemical process where the slope of the function representing the current change with respect to a voltage change caused by said perturbation is at least five.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
13 words
The improvements as in claim 33 where said slope is at least ten.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
12 words
The improvement as in claim 33 where said electrochemical process is faradaic.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
11 words
The improvement as in claim 35 where said process is galvanic.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
11 words
The improvement as in claim 35 where said process is electrolytic.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
12 words
The improvement as in claim 33 where said electrochemical process is non-faradaic.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
134 words
In an electrochemical process utilizing at least one positive and at least one negative electrode, the improvement of periodically providing a current in a first direction between the electrodes through the electrolyte of the electrochemical process, periodically reversing the direction of the current through the electrolyte to repolarize said electrodes, to at least decrease the electric double layer at said electrodes, and to exercise said electrolyte; and changing said current in response to voltage changes occurring across said electrodes caused by perturbations in said electrochemical process where the slope of the function representing the current change with respect to a voltage change caused by said perturbations is sufficiently large to enhance said repolarizing, said decreasing of the electric double layer and said exercising of the electrolyte to thus effect improvement in the electrochemical process.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
134 words
In an electrochemical process utilizing at least one positive and at least one negative electrode, the improvement of periodically providing a current in a first direction between the electrodes through the electrolyte of the electrochemical process, periodically reversing the direction of the current through the electrolyte to repolarize said electrodes, to at least decrease the electric double layer at said electrodes, and to exercise said electrolyte; and changing said current in response to voltage changes occurring across said electrodes caused by perturbations in said electrochemical process where the slope of the function representing the current change with respect to a voltage change caused by said perturbations is sufficiently large to enhance said repolarizing, said decreasing of the electric double layer and said exercising of the electrolyte to thus effect improvement in the electrochemical process.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
12 words
The improvement in claim 39 where said slope is at least five.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
12 words
The improvement in claim 40 where said slope is at least ten.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3614583A
Cited
US4385269A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1991-03-01 | 1991-08-31 | 1992-03-01 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1995-03-01 | 1995-08-31 | 1996-03-01 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1999-03-01 | 1999-08-31 | 2000-03-01 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |