CA1321975C - Process for treating an aqueous liquid and an apparatus for carrying out said process - Google Patents
Process for treating an aqueous liquid and an apparatus for carrying out said processInfo
- Publication number
- CA1321975C CA1321975C CA000546843A CA546843A CA1321975C CA 1321975 C CA1321975 C CA 1321975C CA 000546843 A CA000546843 A CA 000546843A CA 546843 A CA546843 A CA 546843A CA 1321975 C CA1321975 C CA 1321975C
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- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- liquid
- electrodes
- connector
- electrically
- voltage source
- Prior art date
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- Prevention Of Electric Corrosion (AREA)
Abstract
Abstract A process and an apparatus are provided for treating an aqueous liquid, to remove boiler scale and corrosion and to prevent the formation of boiler scale and corrosion in vessels and pipes through which the treated liquid flows.
During the treatment the liquid is passed through a treatment chamber (1) that is located between two electrodes (4, 5) that are opposite each other and which are electrically insulated from the liquid. A d.c. high-tension source (8) is connected with the high-tension connector (7) to the electrodes (4, 5) and with the other high-tension connector (10) is electrically connected to the liquid.
During the treatment the liquid is passed through a treatment chamber (1) that is located between two electrodes (4, 5) that are opposite each other and which are electrically insulated from the liquid. A d.c. high-tension source (8) is connected with the high-tension connector (7) to the electrodes (4, 5) and with the other high-tension connector (10) is electrically connected to the liquid.
Description
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The present invention relates to a process for treating an aqueous liquid, in which this liquid is subjected to the effects of an electrical field as it flows between two electrodes that are located opposite each other and are separated from the liquid by an insulating material, in particular for removing boiler scale and corrosion in the vessels or pipe systems through which the treated liquid flows, or to prevent the formation of such scale and corrosion. In addition, the present invention also relates to an apparatus Por carrying out this process, said apparatus comprising a treatment chamber that has an inlet and an outlet and two electrodes arranged opposite each other on the two sides of the processing chamber and being electrically insulated from the processing chamber, and an source for high-voltage electricity that is connected to said electrodes.
Because of substances of various kinds that are contained in water, in particular lime that may be dissolved in water, boiler scale and corrosion are caused in vessels and pipes within which water is subjected to physical effects such as, for example, intensive heating in hot-water boilers and steam boilers. It is known that c~unter-measures can be adopted against the unwanted precipitates from substances contained in water, which result in boiler scale, and against the formation oP corrosive characteristics of water in that, prior to being Ped into vessels or pipes within which it is exposed to ~s extraordinary conditions, the water can be exposed to the effect ,.,,, ~ .
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of an electrical field. By this means it is possible to reduce, to a greater or lesser extent, the tendency for substances dissolved in the water to precipitate and for the water to develop corrosive characteristics, and it is also possible to further reduce the degree to which boiler scale and corrosion occur in vessels and pipes because they are supplied with untreated water, by supplying such vessels or pipes ~ith water treated as discussed above; the degree of effectiveness of the treatment of water or aqueous liquids with electrical fields depends to a significant degree on the physical conditions acting on the water or the aqueous solution after such preliminary treatment; thus, for example, the effect that can be achieved with techniques that have become known up to know falls the more, the higher the thermal load to which the pretreated water is subjected. Various known devices have only a slight effect, and very often these apparatuses are of a relatively costly construction and require constant and costly maintenance, and for these reasons alone are scarcely suitable for general use. Many of these apparatuses require that a special pre-filter be installed ahead of them, and this results inaddit.ional procurement and maintenance costs.
It is the task of the present invention to create a process and an apparatus of the type described in the introduction hereto, with which it is possible to achieve a better effect .
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than is possible with known technologies of the type discussed herein, and which can be realised in a simple manner at lower cost.
The process according to the present invention, of the type discussed in the introduction hereto, is characterized in that the liquid that is to be treated is subjected to the electrical field effect generated by a high-voltage dc potential with one pole on the two named opposing electrodes that are insulated from the liquid, and with the other pole connected electrically to the liquid. The objectives set out above can be achieved very well using this process. It can be assumed that the advantageous properties of the process according to the present invention stem from the fact that the water, or aqueous liquid, undergoes changes in the area of the boundary layer that flows along the insulation of the electrodes or the electrodes, and that this change or these changes acts or act very stronly against the precipitation of content substances from the liquid and the creation of corrosive properties in the liquid. In this connection, it can be stated that aqueous liquids respond to the field effect described herein because water molecules are themselves dipoles and the content substances contained in the water (either dissolved or not) are present in the form of positive or negative ions and can thus be oriented in accordance with the polarity. Thus, during the preparation of boiling water with rod-type heating elements, in practical tests the deposits that result when water with a high lime content is , 1~21975 heated could be reduced by pretreatment of the water at a quantity determined for the preparation of boiling water to one-quarter compared to the use of water that was untreated; in addition to this, when water pretreated by the process according to the present invention was used, this brought the added effect that the ~uantity of deposits that occured on the rod-type heater elements during the preparation of boiling water did not exceed a specific limiting value even after a longer period of operation. It was also possible to establish the fact that deposits or boiler scale that had formed previously when untreated water was used for the preparation of boiling water were clearly diminished during the subsequent use of water that had previously been treated with the process according to the present invention. It seemed that, for the achievable effect, it is not so much the absolute value of the high-voltage d.c.
potential that is used as much as the electrical field strengths on the electrodes or in the insulation of these compared to the liquid, which also forms an electrode and, in connection with this, the charge densities that occur in the fluid and the electrode area that are influential. The distance between the electrodes that are opposite each other is also important.
It is also an advantage for the objectives to be achieved, namely, the most extensive possible deferment of the precipitation of substances contained in the liquid, if the liquid in the area of the electrodes is held at a negative potential relative to the electrodes. However, one can also :
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''' , 1321g75 keep the liquid in the area of the electrodes at a positive potential and thus counter a migration of liquid particles or substances contained in the liquid into the insulation that covers the electrodes. It is preferred that the liquid be maintained at ground potential.
In connection with the above cited measures, foreseen in the process according to the present invention, with regard to the field effect that results from this, it is also advantageous if the liquid is also subjected to the field effect between two essentially flat, conductively connected electrodes and the liquid flowing between these. In this way, it is possible to optimize the distance between the two electrodes that are opposite each other in a simple way.
The effect of the treatment of liquid by the process according to the present invention can also be improved significantly if the liquid in the area of the electrodes is subjected to a change in direction of approximately 180 degrees.
The process according to the present invention, of the type described in the introduction hereto, is characterized in that the two opposing electrodes are connected electrically to each other and!one connection of the electrical high-voltage source is connected to both electrodes, and the other connection for the electrical high-voltage source is connected with a connector electrode that produces an electrically conductive connection to the liquid, and in that the high-voltage source is a d.c. high-voltage source. This apparatus makes it possible to achieve a : ,.
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very good processing effect with a very simple construction and a relatively low high voltage. In this connection, it is also favourable if the positive connection of the high-voltage source is connected with the electrodes that are electrically insulated from the liquid, and the negative connection of the high-voltage source is connected to the connector electrode that constitutes the electrically conductive connection to the liquid.
A favourable form for the surface of the liquid that flows along the electrodes can be achieved in a simple manner if one provides for the fact that one of the two electrodes that are connected electrically to each other is arranged on a flat side of a treatment chamber that is configured in the shape of a flat can. The processing effect achieved with the apparatus can be further improved, in a simple manner, if one foresees that a U-shaped cross-flow path is formed in the treatment chamber by means of a cross-piece and the openings for the ingress and the egress of the liquid are adjacent, each being on one side of the cross piece.
The treatment of aqueous liquids with the process according to the present invention and with the apparatus according to the present invention is not only significant with regard to avoiding the precipitation of substances contained in the water and deferring the appearance of corrosion phenomena in the vessels or in the pipe systems through which the liquid flows, and for the subsequent reduction of boiler scale and corrosion damage that has already occured; the changes in the properties .. 6 ,., . . ~
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themselves that occur can be used in various other areas. As an example, the treatment according to the present invention makes it possible to condition the water in swimming pools by using a smaller quantity and number of chemical additives than has been the case up to now; thus, it is possible to achieve a specific disinfection effect with a smaller quantity of added chlorine than is possible with untreated water, and one can correct the pH value of the water in a swimming pool by the addition of a smaller ~uantity of pH- or p~+ additives.
It is stated most emphatically that during the process according to the present invention there is practically no electrical current between the liquid that is connected electrically to a high-voltage potential relative to the insulated electrodes and the electrically insulated electrodes;
there may possibly be a negligible leakage current that is extemely small through the finite insulation resistance to the insulating material that covers the electrodes.
In the process according to the present invention, the treatment effect is influenced essentially by the field strength and by the charge density on the surface layer of the liquid to be treated that is proximate to the insulated electrodes.
The present invention is descrihed in greater detail below on the basis of examples that are shown in the illustration appended hereto. These drawings show the following:
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Figure 1: A first embodiment of an apparatus according to the present invention, this being in plan view;
Figure 2: This embodiment in cross-section on the line II-II in figure l;
Figure 3: This embodiment in cross-section on the line III-III in figure l;
~igure 4: The circuit of a high-voltage source provided for the present invention;
Figure 5 and figure 6 show a further embodiment in two cross sections, with figure 5 being a cross-section on tha line V-V in figure 6, and figure 6 being a cross-section on the line VI-VI in figure 5.
The embodiment of an apparatus according to the present invention that is shown in figures 1 to 3 has a treatment chamber 1 through which the liquid to be treated flows. Inlet and outlet openings 2, 3 are provided for the liquid to be treated. The direction of flow can be in either direction. On each side of the treatment chamber 1 there are two electrodes 4, 5, and these are electrically insulated from the treatment chamber 1. The electrodes are connected to each other electrically by the line 6. One connection 7 of an electrical high-voltage source 8 is connected to the electrodes 4, 5. The high-voltage source 8 is supplied with electrical energy, for example, from the electrical supply network, through its terminals ~. The other high-voltage connection 10 of the high-, .
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voltage source 8 is connected to a connector electrode 11 that forms an electrical connection to the aqueous liquid within the treatment chamber 1. As is shown in the case illustrated in figures 1 to 3, the connector electrode can be a single electrode that is arranged in the treatment chamber l; however, this connector electrode can also be formed by other metallic conductive components that are in contact with the liquid flowing through the treatment chamber 1, for example, by metal tubes that lead to the outlet or inlet openings of the apparatus.
The high-voltage source 8 can be in the form of a condensor-rectifier-cascade circuit, as is shown in figure 4.
However, other configurations of the high-voltage sources can be considered, such as the so-called combination circuits with a high-voltage output, and if so desired, one can also provide the high-voltage source with an isolating transformer for galvanic separation of the power supply.
The treatment chamber is in the form of a flat can that is configure~ from two plastic halves 14, 15. The electrodes are imbedded in the flat wall sides 16, 17 of the two halves 14, 15.
The half sections 14, 15 are arranged between two clamping plates 1~, 20 that are held together by means of clamping bolts 21. The clamping plates 18, 20 press the two half sections 14, 15 together, and a gasket 22 is interposed between the edges of the half sections 14, 15 that face each other.
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It is expedient that these clamping plates 18, 20 be connected electrically to ground potential. These clamping plates 18, 20 are in contact, either directly or indirectly through pipes that lead to the inlet and outlet for the liquid, with the liquid and so these clamping plates can also act as electrodes that produce the electrically conductive connection to the liquid.
Within the treatment chamber 1 there is a cross-piece 23 that is formed by ribs that are molded onto the two half sections 14, 15, and this cross-piece forms a U-shaped flow through the treatment chamber 1, as is indicated by the arrow 24 in figure 1, this path leading from the inlet opening to the outlet opening. These openings 2, 3 are adjacent to each other, one on each side of the cross-piece 23.
In practical versions of the apparatuses that were provided for the treatment of water by way of preventing the formation of boiler scale or by the elimination of boiler scale, respectively, a high-tension voltage of between 3.5 and 6 kV, preferably of 5 kV, was used. The partitions 16, 17 that separates the electrodes 4, 5 from the water in the treatment chamber l were thus 3 mm thick.
In view of the fact that there is practically no flow of current--or at most an extremely small one-- between the electrically insulated electrodes and the liquid, when a high-tension source that is galvanically connected to the current supply is used the electrode that is in contact with the liquid .... . ....
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need only be connected to ground potential and only the connection of the high-tension source that leads the high tension relative to ground need be connected to the insulated electrodes 4, 5. This provides a potential connection from the high-tension source through the constantly available ground connection of the power supply to the electrode that is at ground potential, which creates an electrically conductive connection to the liquid. Thus, for example, in the high-tension source 8 as shown in figure 4 the connection lOa can be eliminated since the high-tension connection 10 is at ground potential and a potential connection to the connector lO is provided through the ground connection of a power supply network that is connected to the terminal 9.
In the embodiment of an apparatus according to the present invention shown in figures 5 and 6, the treatment chamber 1 is elongated and is in the form of a chamber within a plastic vessel 26, within the walls 27, 28 of which the electrodes 4, 5 are imbedded. In the same way as in the embodiment shown in figures 1 to 3, the electrodes 4, 5 are connected to each other electrically by the conductor 6, and are connected to one high-tension connectlon 7 of a high-tension source 8; the other high-tension connector 10 of the high-tension source 8 is connected to a metal inlet pipe 29 through which passes liquid that is flowing into the treatment chamber 1. In this case., too, the high-tension source 8 can be configured in various forms, as has ; been discussed above.
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The present invention relates to a process for treating an aqueous liquid, in which this liquid is subjected to the effects of an electrical field as it flows between two electrodes that are located opposite each other and are separated from the liquid by an insulating material, in particular for removing boiler scale and corrosion in the vessels or pipe systems through which the treated liquid flows, or to prevent the formation of such scale and corrosion. In addition, the present invention also relates to an apparatus Por carrying out this process, said apparatus comprising a treatment chamber that has an inlet and an outlet and two electrodes arranged opposite each other on the two sides of the processing chamber and being electrically insulated from the processing chamber, and an source for high-voltage electricity that is connected to said electrodes.
Because of substances of various kinds that are contained in water, in particular lime that may be dissolved in water, boiler scale and corrosion are caused in vessels and pipes within which water is subjected to physical effects such as, for example, intensive heating in hot-water boilers and steam boilers. It is known that c~unter-measures can be adopted against the unwanted precipitates from substances contained in water, which result in boiler scale, and against the formation oP corrosive characteristics of water in that, prior to being Ped into vessels or pipes within which it is exposed to ~s extraordinary conditions, the water can be exposed to the effect ,.,,, ~ .
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of an electrical field. By this means it is possible to reduce, to a greater or lesser extent, the tendency for substances dissolved in the water to precipitate and for the water to develop corrosive characteristics, and it is also possible to further reduce the degree to which boiler scale and corrosion occur in vessels and pipes because they are supplied with untreated water, by supplying such vessels or pipes ~ith water treated as discussed above; the degree of effectiveness of the treatment of water or aqueous liquids with electrical fields depends to a significant degree on the physical conditions acting on the water or the aqueous solution after such preliminary treatment; thus, for example, the effect that can be achieved with techniques that have become known up to know falls the more, the higher the thermal load to which the pretreated water is subjected. Various known devices have only a slight effect, and very often these apparatuses are of a relatively costly construction and require constant and costly maintenance, and for these reasons alone are scarcely suitable for general use. Many of these apparatuses require that a special pre-filter be installed ahead of them, and this results inaddit.ional procurement and maintenance costs.
It is the task of the present invention to create a process and an apparatus of the type described in the introduction hereto, with which it is possible to achieve a better effect .
?
~.32~9~
than is possible with known technologies of the type discussed herein, and which can be realised in a simple manner at lower cost.
The process according to the present invention, of the type discussed in the introduction hereto, is characterized in that the liquid that is to be treated is subjected to the electrical field effect generated by a high-voltage dc potential with one pole on the two named opposing electrodes that are insulated from the liquid, and with the other pole connected electrically to the liquid. The objectives set out above can be achieved very well using this process. It can be assumed that the advantageous properties of the process according to the present invention stem from the fact that the water, or aqueous liquid, undergoes changes in the area of the boundary layer that flows along the insulation of the electrodes or the electrodes, and that this change or these changes acts or act very stronly against the precipitation of content substances from the liquid and the creation of corrosive properties in the liquid. In this connection, it can be stated that aqueous liquids respond to the field effect described herein because water molecules are themselves dipoles and the content substances contained in the water (either dissolved or not) are present in the form of positive or negative ions and can thus be oriented in accordance with the polarity. Thus, during the preparation of boiling water with rod-type heating elements, in practical tests the deposits that result when water with a high lime content is , 1~21975 heated could be reduced by pretreatment of the water at a quantity determined for the preparation of boiling water to one-quarter compared to the use of water that was untreated; in addition to this, when water pretreated by the process according to the present invention was used, this brought the added effect that the ~uantity of deposits that occured on the rod-type heater elements during the preparation of boiling water did not exceed a specific limiting value even after a longer period of operation. It was also possible to establish the fact that deposits or boiler scale that had formed previously when untreated water was used for the preparation of boiling water were clearly diminished during the subsequent use of water that had previously been treated with the process according to the present invention. It seemed that, for the achievable effect, it is not so much the absolute value of the high-voltage d.c.
potential that is used as much as the electrical field strengths on the electrodes or in the insulation of these compared to the liquid, which also forms an electrode and, in connection with this, the charge densities that occur in the fluid and the electrode area that are influential. The distance between the electrodes that are opposite each other is also important.
It is also an advantage for the objectives to be achieved, namely, the most extensive possible deferment of the precipitation of substances contained in the liquid, if the liquid in the area of the electrodes is held at a negative potential relative to the electrodes. However, one can also :
:
. .
' , : ' .
''' , 1321g75 keep the liquid in the area of the electrodes at a positive potential and thus counter a migration of liquid particles or substances contained in the liquid into the insulation that covers the electrodes. It is preferred that the liquid be maintained at ground potential.
In connection with the above cited measures, foreseen in the process according to the present invention, with regard to the field effect that results from this, it is also advantageous if the liquid is also subjected to the field effect between two essentially flat, conductively connected electrodes and the liquid flowing between these. In this way, it is possible to optimize the distance between the two electrodes that are opposite each other in a simple way.
The effect of the treatment of liquid by the process according to the present invention can also be improved significantly if the liquid in the area of the electrodes is subjected to a change in direction of approximately 180 degrees.
The process according to the present invention, of the type described in the introduction hereto, is characterized in that the two opposing electrodes are connected electrically to each other and!one connection of the electrical high-voltage source is connected to both electrodes, and the other connection for the electrical high-voltage source is connected with a connector electrode that produces an electrically conductive connection to the liquid, and in that the high-voltage source is a d.c. high-voltage source. This apparatus makes it possible to achieve a : ,.
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very good processing effect with a very simple construction and a relatively low high voltage. In this connection, it is also favourable if the positive connection of the high-voltage source is connected with the electrodes that are electrically insulated from the liquid, and the negative connection of the high-voltage source is connected to the connector electrode that constitutes the electrically conductive connection to the liquid.
A favourable form for the surface of the liquid that flows along the electrodes can be achieved in a simple manner if one provides for the fact that one of the two electrodes that are connected electrically to each other is arranged on a flat side of a treatment chamber that is configured in the shape of a flat can. The processing effect achieved with the apparatus can be further improved, in a simple manner, if one foresees that a U-shaped cross-flow path is formed in the treatment chamber by means of a cross-piece and the openings for the ingress and the egress of the liquid are adjacent, each being on one side of the cross piece.
The treatment of aqueous liquids with the process according to the present invention and with the apparatus according to the present invention is not only significant with regard to avoiding the precipitation of substances contained in the water and deferring the appearance of corrosion phenomena in the vessels or in the pipe systems through which the liquid flows, and for the subsequent reduction of boiler scale and corrosion damage that has already occured; the changes in the properties .. 6 ,., . . ~
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themselves that occur can be used in various other areas. As an example, the treatment according to the present invention makes it possible to condition the water in swimming pools by using a smaller quantity and number of chemical additives than has been the case up to now; thus, it is possible to achieve a specific disinfection effect with a smaller quantity of added chlorine than is possible with untreated water, and one can correct the pH value of the water in a swimming pool by the addition of a smaller ~uantity of pH- or p~+ additives.
It is stated most emphatically that during the process according to the present invention there is practically no electrical current between the liquid that is connected electrically to a high-voltage potential relative to the insulated electrodes and the electrically insulated electrodes;
there may possibly be a negligible leakage current that is extemely small through the finite insulation resistance to the insulating material that covers the electrodes.
In the process according to the present invention, the treatment effect is influenced essentially by the field strength and by the charge density on the surface layer of the liquid to be treated that is proximate to the insulated electrodes.
The present invention is descrihed in greater detail below on the basis of examples that are shown in the illustration appended hereto. These drawings show the following:
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132197~
Figure 1: A first embodiment of an apparatus according to the present invention, this being in plan view;
Figure 2: This embodiment in cross-section on the line II-II in figure l;
Figure 3: This embodiment in cross-section on the line III-III in figure l;
~igure 4: The circuit of a high-voltage source provided for the present invention;
Figure 5 and figure 6 show a further embodiment in two cross sections, with figure 5 being a cross-section on tha line V-V in figure 6, and figure 6 being a cross-section on the line VI-VI in figure 5.
The embodiment of an apparatus according to the present invention that is shown in figures 1 to 3 has a treatment chamber 1 through which the liquid to be treated flows. Inlet and outlet openings 2, 3 are provided for the liquid to be treated. The direction of flow can be in either direction. On each side of the treatment chamber 1 there are two electrodes 4, 5, and these are electrically insulated from the treatment chamber 1. The electrodes are connected to each other electrically by the line 6. One connection 7 of an electrical high-voltage source 8 is connected to the electrodes 4, 5. The high-voltage source 8 is supplied with electrical energy, for example, from the electrical supply network, through its terminals ~. The other high-voltage connection 10 of the high-, .
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voltage source 8 is connected to a connector electrode 11 that forms an electrical connection to the aqueous liquid within the treatment chamber 1. As is shown in the case illustrated in figures 1 to 3, the connector electrode can be a single electrode that is arranged in the treatment chamber l; however, this connector electrode can also be formed by other metallic conductive components that are in contact with the liquid flowing through the treatment chamber 1, for example, by metal tubes that lead to the outlet or inlet openings of the apparatus.
The high-voltage source 8 can be in the form of a condensor-rectifier-cascade circuit, as is shown in figure 4.
However, other configurations of the high-voltage sources can be considered, such as the so-called combination circuits with a high-voltage output, and if so desired, one can also provide the high-voltage source with an isolating transformer for galvanic separation of the power supply.
The treatment chamber is in the form of a flat can that is configure~ from two plastic halves 14, 15. The electrodes are imbedded in the flat wall sides 16, 17 of the two halves 14, 15.
The half sections 14, 15 are arranged between two clamping plates 1~, 20 that are held together by means of clamping bolts 21. The clamping plates 18, 20 press the two half sections 14, 15 together, and a gasket 22 is interposed between the edges of the half sections 14, 15 that face each other.
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It is expedient that these clamping plates 18, 20 be connected electrically to ground potential. These clamping plates 18, 20 are in contact, either directly or indirectly through pipes that lead to the inlet and outlet for the liquid, with the liquid and so these clamping plates can also act as electrodes that produce the electrically conductive connection to the liquid.
Within the treatment chamber 1 there is a cross-piece 23 that is formed by ribs that are molded onto the two half sections 14, 15, and this cross-piece forms a U-shaped flow through the treatment chamber 1, as is indicated by the arrow 24 in figure 1, this path leading from the inlet opening to the outlet opening. These openings 2, 3 are adjacent to each other, one on each side of the cross-piece 23.
In practical versions of the apparatuses that were provided for the treatment of water by way of preventing the formation of boiler scale or by the elimination of boiler scale, respectively, a high-tension voltage of between 3.5 and 6 kV, preferably of 5 kV, was used. The partitions 16, 17 that separates the electrodes 4, 5 from the water in the treatment chamber l were thus 3 mm thick.
In view of the fact that there is practically no flow of current--or at most an extremely small one-- between the electrically insulated electrodes and the liquid, when a high-tension source that is galvanically connected to the current supply is used the electrode that is in contact with the liquid .... . ....
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need only be connected to ground potential and only the connection of the high-tension source that leads the high tension relative to ground need be connected to the insulated electrodes 4, 5. This provides a potential connection from the high-tension source through the constantly available ground connection of the power supply to the electrode that is at ground potential, which creates an electrically conductive connection to the liquid. Thus, for example, in the high-tension source 8 as shown in figure 4 the connection lOa can be eliminated since the high-tension connection 10 is at ground potential and a potential connection to the connector lO is provided through the ground connection of a power supply network that is connected to the terminal 9.
In the embodiment of an apparatus according to the present invention shown in figures 5 and 6, the treatment chamber 1 is elongated and is in the form of a chamber within a plastic vessel 26, within the walls 27, 28 of which the electrodes 4, 5 are imbedded. In the same way as in the embodiment shown in figures 1 to 3, the electrodes 4, 5 are connected to each other electrically by the conductor 6, and are connected to one high-tension connectlon 7 of a high-tension source 8; the other high-tension connector 10 of the high-tension source 8 is connected to a metal inlet pipe 29 through which passes liquid that is flowing into the treatment chamber 1. In this case., too, the high-tension source 8 can be configured in various forms, as has ; been discussed above.
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Claims (11)
1. A process for treating an aqueous liquid, in which this liquid is subjected to the effects of an electrical field as it flows between two facing electrodes separated from the liquid by an insulating material, for removing boiler scale and corrosion in vessels or pipe systems through which the treated liquid flows, or for preventing the formation of such scale and corrosion in said vessels or pipe systems, characterized in that the liquid to be treated is subjected to the electrical field effect formed between (a) two essentially flat electrodes (4, 5) connected to each other electrically and (b) the liquid that flows between these electrodes, said field effect being generated by a high-voltage d.c. potential with one pole on said two facing electrodes that are insulated from the liquid, and with the other pole connected electrically to the liquid.
2. A process as defined in claim 1, wherein the liquid between the electrodes is kept at a negative potential relative to the electrodes (4, 5).
3. A process as defined in claim 1, wherein the liquid is maintained at ground potential.
4. A process as defined in claim 1, wherein the liquid between the electrodes is made to change direction by approximately 180 degrees.
-Page 1 of Claims-
-Page 1 of Claims-
5. An apparatus for carrying out the process defined in claim 1, with a treatment chamber (1) having an inlet opening (2) and an outlet opening (3), and having two electrically insulated electrodes (4, 5) arranged opposite each other on both sides of the treatment chamber and insulated from said chamber, and also having an electrical high-voltage source (8) that is connected to the electrodes (4, 5), wherein the high-voltage source (8) is a d.c. high-voltage source that is provided with an electrically positive connector and with an electrically negative connector and wherein the two electrodes (4, 5) that are opposite each other are connected to each other electrically and one connector (7) of the electrical high-voltage source (8) is connected to the two electrodes (4, 5) and the other connector (10) of the electrical high-voltage source (8) is connected with a connector electrode (11; 18, 20; 29) that forms an electrically conductive connection to the liquid.
6. An apparatus as defined in claim 5, wherein one connector of the high-voltage source (8) is a positive connector (7) and is connected with the electrodes that are electrically insulated from the liquid, and the other connector of the high-tension source is a negative connector (10) and is connected to the connector electrode (11; 18, 20; 29) that forms the electrically conductive connection to the liquid.
7. An apparatus as defined in claim 6, wherein the connector electrode (11; 18, 20; 29) that forms the electrically conductive connection to the liquid is connected to ground -Page 2 of Claims-potential.
8. An apparatus as defined in claim 6, wherein each of the two electrically insulated electrodes (4, 5) that are connected to each other is arranged on one flat side of the treatment chamber (1) that is configured in the shape of a flat can.
9. An apparatus as defined in claim 8, wherein a U-shaped flow path is created within the treatment chamber (1) by a cross-piece (23) and the openings (2, 3) for the ingress and the egress of the liquid are arranged adjacent to each other, one on each side of said cross-piece.
10. An apparatus as defined in claim 8, wherein the connector electrode which provides the electrically conductive connection to the liquid is a metal tube which leads to the inlet or outlet opening of the apparatus.
11. An apparatus according to claim 8, 9 or 10, wherein the can is made from two can halves (14, 15) in whose flat wall sides are embedded the insulated electrodes (4, 5) and which is arranged between two metal clamping plates (18, 20) and compressed by the same.
-Page 3 of Claims-
-Page 3 of Claims-
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| ATPCT/AT86/00055 | 1986-09-15 | ||
| PCT/AT1986/000055 WO1987004422A1 (en) | 1986-01-21 | 1986-09-15 | Process and device for treating an aqueous liquid |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA1321975C true CA1321975C (en) | 1993-09-07 |
Family
ID=3682338
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA000546843A Expired - Fee Related CA1321975C (en) | 1986-09-15 | 1987-09-14 | Process for treating an aqueous liquid and an apparatus for carrying out said process |
Country Status (3)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| AU (1) | AU606037B2 (en) |
| CA (1) | CA1321975C (en) |
| ES (1) | ES2005011A6 (en) |
Family Cites Families (2)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GB1274902A (en) * | 1968-05-09 | 1972-05-17 | Arthur Shelley King | Treatment of fluids with electric fields |
| US4073712A (en) * | 1976-11-19 | 1978-02-14 | Electrostatic Equipment Company | Electrostatic water treatment |
-
1986
- 1986-09-15 AU AU63705/86A patent/AU606037B2/en not_active Ceased
-
1987
- 1987-09-14 ES ES8702643A patent/ES2005011A6/en not_active Expired
- 1987-09-14 CA CA000546843A patent/CA1321975C/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| AU606037B2 (en) | 1991-01-31 |
| AU6370586A (en) | 1987-08-14 |
| ES2005011A6 (en) | 1989-02-16 |
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| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| MKLA | Lapsed |