Ion-generator control apparatus and method

Abstract

An apparatus and method for controlling and isolating ion generation from target metal ion precipitation and flocculation rely on an ion generator and a precipitation reactor distinct, separated, optimized, and otherwise independent from each other as to flow regime and contained fluid at all times. No co-habitation of ion generation and precipitation nor their flow regimes is permitted in a single unit. Plug flow at hyper turbulence in the ion generator contrasts with quiescent to laminar flows in the precipitation reactor. Insulating coatings and uneven surface retreat (decay, sacrifice, removal) at sacrificial anodes are replaced by a uniform, electro-machined, anodic surface by controlling against conventional “over driving” of ionizing currents. A precipitation reactor is optimized by a dwell time effective to precipitate and flocculate heavy target metal precipitants and sacrificial ions relying on weak forces therein, overwhelmed by inertial forces in the ion generator upstream.

1 . A method of controlling a system, configured as an electrochemical reactor system comprising a generator and a precipitator, the method comprising:
 selecting a reactor of an electrochemical type comprising a generator, of an ion generation type having a first volume, and a precipitator, having a second volume, the first and second volumes being separate and distinct from one another, the generator being operable to connect to a source of a flow comprising a liquid containing a target ion to be removed from the flow, and the generator operably connected to pass the flow into the precipitator;   connecting the reactor to receive the flow;   measuring an input parameter characterizing a property of the flow, upstream from the reactor;   passing the flow through the generator in a hyper-turbulent condition;   generating anodic ions at an anode in the generator by passing a current of electrons between the anode and a cathode in the generator;   isolating, mechanically, the anodic ions against flocculation of reaction products, formed thereby with the target ions, by maintaining the hyper-turbulent condition in a plug flow throughout the first volume except for a boundary layer at the anode;   measuring an output parameter characterizing the property downstream from the generator, and   controlling a generation rate of the anodic ions by controlling the current.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the property is selected from a mass flow rate, volume flow rate, temperature, density, pH, total dissolved solids, total suspended solids, electrical conductivity, a concentration of a constituent of the flow, degree of clarification, and pressure, corresponding to the flow. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the generation rate is controlled based on a difference between the output parameter and the input parameter. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising optimizing the number of the anodic ions generated at the anode by controlling the current. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the system further comprises:
 a current source operably connected to the generator to provide the current;   a pump providing the flow;   a pH adjuster upstream from the precipitator;   a flocculant source upstream from the precipitator, and a clarifier downstream from the precipitator, the clarifier effective to remove flocculated reaction products from the flow.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising resisting fouling of the anode by:
 creating mechanical shear in the boundary layer sufficient to separate reaction products flocculated together in the generator; and   limiting space and dwell time in the boundary layer sufficiently to resist flocculation of reaction products proximate the anode.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein isolating the anodic ions comprises limiting a space available for reaction proximate the anode by maintaining the boundary layer sufficiently comparatively negligibly thin with respect to the flow, and limiting the time available for reaction proximate the anode by maintaining the flow in a hyper-turbulent condition in the generator. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the flow in the hyper-turbulent condition corresponds to a value of Reynolds number therein closer to an order of magnitude above that of laminar flow than to that of laminar flow. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising optimizing the number of the anodic ions generated at the anode by controlling the current based on maintaining an electrical conductivity at a pre-determined value in the flow, corresponding to maintaining a combination of electrical conductivity, electrical current, and mass flow rate within an operating region outside excess capital, excess maintenance, and excess fouling calculated for the system and the flow. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 establishing an output value of current as a function of capital, maintenance, and fouling;   establishing a value for each of excess capital, excess maintenance, and excess fouling corresponding to the electrochemical reactor system and the flow; and   adjusting the electrical current to a level effectively eliminating fouling of the anode, based the output parameter.   
     
     
         11 . A method of controlling a system, configured as an electrochemical reactor system comprising a generator and a precipitator, the method comprising:
 selecting a reactor of an electrochemical type comprising a generator, of an ion generation type having a first volume, and a precipitator, having a second volume, the first and second volumes being separate and distinct from one another, the generator being operable to connect to a source of a flow comprising a liquid containing a target ion to be removed from the flow, and the generator operably connected to pass the flow into the precipitator;   connecting the reactor to receive the flow;   measuring an input parameter in the flow, upstream from the reactor, the input parameter being selected from a mass flow rate, volume flow rate, temperature, density, pH, total dissolved solids, total suspended solids, turbidity, electrical conductivity, concentrations of constituents of the flow, degree of clarification, and pressure, corresponding to the flow;   passing the flow through the generator in a hyper-turbulent condition;   generating anodic ions at an anode in the generator by passing electrons in a current between the anode and a cathode in the generator;   isolating, mechanically, the anodic ions against flocculation with the target ions by maintaining the hyper-turbulent condition in a plug flow throughout the first volume except for a comparatively thin laminar boundary layer at the anode;   measuring an output parameter in the flow, downstream from the reactor, the output parameter being selected from the mass flow rate, volume flow rate, temperature, density, pH, total dissolved solids, total suspended solids, turbidity, electrical conductivity, concentrations of constituents of the flow, degree of clarification, and pressure, corresponding to the input parameter; and   controlling a generation rate of the anodic ions by manipulating the current provided, based on a difference between the output parameter and the input parameter.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising setting a flow rate of the flow through the generator corresponding to a Reynolds number therein comparatively far greater than a value of a transition region Reynolds number. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the flow rate corresponds to a value of the Reynolds number through the generator greater than 20,000. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the electrochemical reactor system comprises a pump controlling at least one of the pressure and a flow rate into the generator. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising optimizing the number of the anodic ions generated at the anode by controlling the current based on maintaining an electrical conductivity at a pre-determined value in the flow. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the pre-determined value corresponds to maintaining a combination of electrical conductivity, electrical current, and mass flow rate within an operating region outside excess capital, excess maintenance, and excess fouling. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising establishing an output value of current as a function of capital, maintenance, and fouling. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising establishing a value for each of excess capital, excess maintenance, and excess fouling corresponding to the electrochemical reactor system and the flow. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 11 , comprising adjusting the electrical current to a level effectively eliminating fouling of the anode, based on the output parameter. 
     
     
         20 . A method of controlling a reactor of an electrochemical type, configured to remediate a flow of liquid containing target ions to be removed from the flow, the method comprising:
 providing a pump, generator of sacrificial ions, current source, precipitator, and controller, all operably connected to remediate a flow containing a target ion to be removed therefrom, the flow being driven by the pump through the generator and passing through the precipitator;   controlling at least one of head (pressure), velocity, mass flow rate, volumetric flow rate, and turbulence in the flow;   generating the sacrificial ions at an anode in the generator;   controlling the current source to urge the sacrificial ions by a current of electrons passing between the anode and a cathode in the generator;   controlling the pump to provide plug flow condition at a hyper-turbulent value of a Reynolds number in the generator at all times during effective operation of the generator;   separating the precipitator downstream from the generator as a second volume separate and distinct from a first volume define in and by the generator;   sensing a parameter characterizing at least one of a flow condition, a characteristic of the liquid, and a constituent of the flow;   controlling the number of sacrificial ions in the flow by altering the current from the current source, based on a difference between a first value of the parameter, detected upstream from the generator, and a second value of the parameter, detected downstream from at least one of the generator and the precipitator; wherein   the flow condition is selected from a mass flow rate, volume flow rate, temperature, density, pH, total dissolved solids, total suspended solids, turbidity, electrical conductivity, concentrations of constituents of the flow, degree of clarification, and pressure, corresponding to the flow; and   the constituent is selected from the target ion, the sacrificial ion, a material in the flow that is lighter than the liquid, and a material in the flow that is heavier than the liquid.