Aqueous treatment apparatus utilizing precursor materials and ultrasonics to generate customized oxidation-reduction-reactant chemistry environments in electrochemical cells and/or similar devices

Abstract

An electrochlorination and electrochemical system for the on-site generation and treatment of municipal water supplies and other reservoirs of water, by using a custom mixed oxidant and mixed reductant generating system for the enhanced destruction of water borne contaminants by creating custom oxidation-reduction-reactant chemistries with real time monitoring. A range of chemical precursors are provided that when acted upon in an electrochemical cell either create an enhanced oxidation, or reduction environment for the destruction or control of contaminants. Chemical agents that can be used to control standard water quality parameters such as total hardness, total alkalinity, pH, total dissolved solids, and the like are introduced via the chemical precursor injection subsystem infrequently or in real time based on sensor inputs and controller set points.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A virtual anode for use in an electrochemical cell, said virtual anode comprising an ultraviolet light source, an electrolytic coating, a modulated, high-frequency alternating current source, a modulated, high-frequency direct current source and an automatic solid-state cleaning system. 
     
     
         2 . The virtual anode of  claim 1  powered by said ultraviolet light source continuously along the full arc length of said ultraviolet light source; said source emitting ultraviolet light in the range from about 172 to 365 nanometers. 
     
     
         3 . The virtual anode of  claim 1  wherein said automatic solid-state cleaning system comprises an electrolytic coating powered via skin effect leakage current from said modulated, high-frequency direct current source of  claim 1  in accordance with  claim 2  in the range of about 400 Hz to 300 kHz. 
     
     
         4 . The virtual anode of  claim 3  wherein said electrolytic coating is deposited on the quartz surface of said ultraviolet light source with a thickness in the range from about 30 to 300 nanometers and where said source is powered with said modulated, high-frequency alternating current source of  claim 1  to maintain cold-spot temperature and ultraviolet light output in the ultraviolet light source. 
     
     
         5 . The virtual anode of  claim 3  further comprising a quartz surface over said source with said electrolytic coating deposited on said quartz surface. 
     
     
         6 . The virtual anode of  claim 5  wherein said quartz surface comprises a quartz sleeve adapted to slide over said source. 
     
     
         7 . The virtual anode of  claim 3 , wherein said electrolytic coating comprises a material selected from the group consisting of: boron-doped diamond, iridium oxide, titanium sub-oxide, doped aluminum oxide, doped silicon oxide, platinum metal, silica carbide, and tantalum carbide. 
     
     
         8 . A method of cleaning an ultraviolet light source comprising the step of providing an automatic solid-state cleaning system that cleans near uniformly along the entire arc length of said UV light source. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the step of providing an automatic solid-state cleaning system comprises passing a modulating, high-frequency DC skin effect current source through the quartz wall of said ultraviolet light source and/or quartz sleeve surrounding said virtual anode as leakage current. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9  further including the step of using ultraviolet light from said ultraviolet light source virtual anode to catalyze oxidation or reduction reactions near uniformly along the entire arc length of said ultraviolet light source in said electrochemical cell by generating free radicals from organic or inorganic compounds in said aqueous solution while simultaneously providing disinfection of said aqueous solution. 
     
     
         11 . An apparatus for generating a customized oxidant and/or reductant and/or reactant/catalyst mix in at least one electrochemical cell for treating water or aqueous solutions from a reservoir, said apparatus comprising:
 (a) an inlet operatively connected to said reservoir by a supply circulation system allowing the transport of said water or aqueous solution from said reservoir to said inlet;   (b) an injector assembly comprising a venturi injector, an inlet port operatively connected to said pump, a precursor inlet, and an outlet port, said outlet port operatively connected to a cell inlet of said at least one electrochemical cell;   (c) a manifold operatively connecting to at least one component selected from the group consisting of: an ozone source, a source of at least one chemical precursor, and an air source to said precursor inlet of said injector assembly;   (d) a variable power supply operatively connected to said at least one electrochemical cell, said at least one electrochemical cell including a cell outlet operatively connected to said supply circulation system;   (e) ultrasonic emitters in the KHz and/or MHz ranges attached to said electrolytic cell, or series of cells, or different ultrasonic transmitters placed sequentially along said sides of a single electrolytic cell, or a single ultrasonic emitter operating in a sweep frequency mode; and   (f) a control system including a control unit in communication with at least one sensor for monitoring and generating at least one signal to said control unit based on at least one property of said water or aqueous solution, said at least one sensor located to operatively monitor said water or aqueous solution, said control unit including a microprocessor configured to regulate said at least one property in real-time response to said at least one signal;   wherein said sensor being self-cleaning and operated as said virtual anode;   wherein said control unit operatively connected to at least one component selected from the group said ozone source, said source of at least one chemical precursor, said air source, and said variable power supply, said control unit configured to selectively regulate the power supplied to and the operation of any component of said at least one component group in real-time response to said at least one signal.