Electrochemical processing of fluids

Abstract

An electrochemical process and device for the controlled and uniform heating of electrically-conductive fluids, the process or device having at least one reactor and at least one power source with at least one electrode and at least one additional conductive material for direct heating of the fluid and for producing electrochemical changes of the fluid to result in at least one property change of the fluid and at least one product.

1 . A fluid processing device comprising:
 at least one reactor having an interior reactor surface and an exterior reactor surface,   at least one applicator comprising at least one power source and at least one electrode and at least one additional conductive material for direct heating of a feedstock and for producing electrochemical changes in said feedstock,   wherein said direct heating causes at least one property change of said feedstock and at least one product.   
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein said power source operates at a frequency domain selected from the group consisting of direct current, alternating current, radio frequency, and microwave domains. 
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising controls for monitoring or adjusting the power and or frequency of the power source. 
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one amendment which is amended to said feedstock to alter the feedstock's electrical conductivity. 
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein said device is capable of withstanding supercritical temperatures and pressures. 
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one amendment which is amended to said feedstock to promote electrochemical reactions in the fluid. 
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the feedstock is selected from the group consisting of water, biomass, fossil fuels, seawater, contaminated fluids, slurries, emulsions, pastes, liquids, gases, plasmas, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         8 . An electrochemical processing system consisting of one or more power sources, one or more electrodes and at least one additional conductive material in contact with an electrically conductive fluid to be processed, wherein the fluid is contained within a closed containment vessel for batch processing or in a pipe for continuous flow-through processing, the vessel or pipe being made of materials able to withstand supercritical temperatures and pressures wherein the electric field passes between the electrode and the additional conductive material throughout the fluid to heat the fluid to temperatures as high as supercritical to enhance the reactivity of the process. 
     
     
         9 . The electrochemical processing system of  claim 8 , wherein said power source operates at a frequency domain selected from the group consisting of direct current, alternating current, radio frequency, and microwave domains. 
     
     
         10 . The electrochemical processing system of  claim 8 , wherein said power source is able to rapidly control fluid temperature to optimize chemical reactions and prevent overheating. 
     
     
         11 . The electrochemical processing system of  claim 8 , wherein a frequency of said power source can be adjusted to suit the dynamics of the chemical reactions and optimize yield of desirable products. 
     
     
         12 . An electrochemical process for promoting reactions in a fluid by applying an electric field to said fluid that causes direct and uniform heating of said fluid to any desired temperature and pressure, even up to and beyond supercritical domain, as well as causing electrochemical reactions to produce the sought after property changes of said fluid,
 wherein the temperature, power, frequency, time and flowrate may be varied.   
     
     
         13 . A process for heating a fluid to any desired temperature and pressure up to and beyond supercritical domain by applying an electric field through which the current of the electric field causes direct heating of said fluid to change properties of said fluid. 
     
     
         14 . The process of  claim 13 , wherein the temperature, power, frequency, time and flowrate may be varied. 
     
     
         15 . The process of  claim 13 , wherein said power source operates at a frequency domain selected from the group consisting of direct current, alternating current, radio frequency, and microwave domains. 
     
     
         16 . The process of  claim 13 , wherein said property changes are physical. 
     
     
         17 . The process of  claim 13 , wherein said property changes are chemical. 
     
     
         18 . The process of  claim 13 , wherein said heating utilizes a coaxial system. 
     
     
         19 . The process of  claim 13 , wherein the fluid is selected from the group consisting of water, biomass, fossil fuels, seawater, contaminated fluids, slurries, emulsions, pastes, liquids, gases, plasmas, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         20 . The process of  claim 13 , wherein one or more amendments are combined with the fluid to provide a conductivity for a combined fluid which is measurably different from the conductivity of the uncombined fluid. 
     
     
         21 . The process of  claim 13 , wherein the heating of the fluid is immediate and spontaneous. 
     
     
         22 . An electrochemical process for heating a fluid by applying an electric field through which the current of the electric field causes direct heating of said fluid to change properties of said fluid and said heating causes physical and chemical reactions to take place such that products are produced that did not exist in the fluid prior to heating. 
     
     
         23 . The process of  claim 22 , wherein at least a portion of said fluid contains algae and said byproducts include Hydrogen, Hydrocarbons (C1-C6), Alkyl Esters, Triglycerides, Quinolines, Ketones, Sterols and Fatty Acids. 
     
     
         24 . The process of  claim 22 , wherein at least a portion of said fluid contains at least one member of a group consisting of brown coal, lignite, sub-bituminous, bituminous, and anthracite coal slurries, waste coal and pond coal fines and said products include hydrocarbons, fuels, high grade coal, sulfur, ash, and other minerals. 
     
     
         25 . The process of  claim 22 , wherein at least a portion of said fluid contains at least one member of a group consisting of woody crops, herbaceous crops, the seeds of oil crops. 
     
     
         26 . The process of  claim 22 , wherein at least a portion of said fluid contains at least one member of a group consisting of algae, woody crops, herbaceous crops, the seeds of oil crops and at least one member of a group consisting of brown coal, lignite, sub-bituminous, bituminous, and anthracite coal slurries, waste coal and pond coal fines.