Power efficient flow through capacitor system

Abstract

The invention features a flow-through capacitor system that achieves enhanced power efficiency by sequential control and actuation of at least two or more flow-through capacitor cells within the flow-through capacitor system. Alternatively or in addition, power efficiency is enhanced by integrating the purification stages of the system, for example, by placing more than one cell within a single cell casing. Preferably, integrated stage flow-through capacitors are controlled sequentially.

1 . A flow-through capacitor system comprising a plurality of flow-through capacitor cells, each of said plurality of cells in electrical communication with a charge cycle sequence controller.  
     
     
         2 . The flow-through capacitor system of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of current collectors and a flow spacer shared among said plurality of current collectors.  
     
     
         3 . The flow-through capacitor system of  claim 1 , which is operated such that multiple concentration bands exist simultaneously within a given material layer.  
     
     
         4 . The flow-through capacitor system of  claim 1 , further comprising a conductivity controlled valve between at least two of said plurality of current collectors.  
     
     
         5 . The flow-through capacitor system of  claim 1 , further comprising a flow stream parallel to at least two of said plurality of current collectors, with continuous purification and concentration streams directed to separate collection paths.  
     
     
         6 . The flow-through capacitor system of  claim 4 , wherein fluid is manipulated to form adjacent purification and concentration streams that are separately collected without need for a valve.  
     
     
         7 . The flow-through capacitor system of  claim 1 , wherein valves are individually triggered with charge cycles in order to produce a purified product stream.  
     
     
         8 . The flow-through capacitor system of  claim 1 , wherein said flow-through capacitor system has a staging efficiency of 50% or more.  
     
     
         9 . The flow-through capacitor system of  claim 2 , wherein said flow-through capacitor system has a power efficiency of 50% or more.  
     
     
         10 . The flow-through capacitor system of  claim 1 , wherein the charge cycles of individual cells are synchronized to correspond with the arrival of a segment of purified water traveling serially through multiple cells.  
     
     
         11 . The flow-through capacitor system of  claim 1 , wherein voltage is incremented in a step wise fashion as cells are sequentially powered by adding them in series.  
     
     
         12 . The flow-through capacitor system of  claim 1 , wherein cells are powered by sequentially switching them together in parallel.  
     
     
         13 . The flow-through capacitor system of  claim 1 , whereby the voltage varies along the flow path.  
     
     
         14 . The flow-through capacitor system of  claim 1 , wherein charged capacitor cells are used to power discharged capacitor cells.  
     
     
         15 . The flow-through capacitor system of  claim 14 , comprising a DC to DC converter between cells or groups of cells.  
     
     
         16 . The flow-through capacitor system of  claim 1 , wherein individual flow-through capacitor cells, or groups of cells, are controlled in a timed sequence.  
     
     
         17 . The flow-through capacitor system of  claim 16 , wherein each of said cells is contained in a cell holder and each cell holder contains no more than one of said cells, said cell holder being a container, a cartridge holder, or a casing.  
     
     
         18 . The flow-through capacitor system of  claim 16 , wherein the charge cycles between individual flow-through capacitor cells are either asynchronous or out of phase by at least one quarter second.  
     
     
         19 . The flow-through capacitor system of  claim 16 , wherein the charge cycles are actuated by a timer, a conductivity reading, a voltage, or pH.  
     
     
         20 . The flow-through capacitor system of  claim 16 , wherein valves to individual cells or groups of cells that dispose of waste, deliver purified fluid, or which recycle in flow loops are triggered synchronously or asynchronously together with the above charge cycles.  
     
     
         21 . The flow-through capacitor system of  claim 16 , comprising for reducing peak wattage by at least  30 %.  
     
     
         22 . The flow-through capacitor system of  claim 16 , wherein each of said cells is actuated between one and 359 degrees out of phase.  
     
     
         23 . The flow-through capacitor system of  claim 16 , wherein sequential operation of charge cycles follows the direction of flow.  
     
     
         24 . The flow-through capacitor system of  claim 16 , comprising a power management system for sharing power between the flow through capacitor cells, said power management system comprising one or more of a battery, a fuel cell, and a generator.  
     
     
         25 . The flow-through capacitor system of  claim 16 , wherein failed or short circuited cells are bypassed by means of a sensing circuit.  
     
     
         26 . The flow-through capacitor system of  claim 16 , wherein either the purified product or concentrated waste segments of water from one or more cells or cell groups are combined together.  
     
     
         27 . The flow-through capacitor of  claim 26 , wherein said system achieves better than  40 % recovery or purification.  
     
     
         28 . The flow-through capacitor of  claim 26 , wherein said segments of water are combined through a manifold.  
     
     
         29 . The flow-through capacitor system of  claim 16 , wherein a dead volume due to the flow spacer is larger than the dead volume between the capacitor cell and the inside of the cartridge holder.  
     
     
         30 . The flow-through capacitor system of  claim 2 , wherein two or more cells are contained within a single cell holder, said cell holder being a container, a cartridge holder, or a casing.  
     
     
         31 . The flow-through capacitor system of  claim 30 , wherein the plurality of current collectors bracket a stack of true series electrode assemblies.  
     
     
         32 . The flow-through capacitor system of  claim 10 , wherein current declines with each successive charge cycle.  
     
     
         33 . The flow-through capacitor system of  claim 10 , wherein at least one of said cells differs in size from at least one other of said cells.  
     
     
         34 . A method of charging a flow through capacitor system, comprising providing a source of DC power and distributing said DC power in sequential fashion to individual flow through capacitor cells in order to minimize a capacitive charging power surge.  
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 34 , further comprising using a voltage or amperage sensor to control sequence of actuation among a group of cells.