A water stream is passed between two juxtaposed similar ion exchange membranes (AEMs or CEMs), forming an ion depletion and ion enrichment zones when an electric field is applied. As cations are selectively transferred through the CEMs, for example, anions are relocated in order to achieve electro-neutrality, resulting in the concentration drop (increase) in ion depletion (enrichment) zone. Trifurcation of the output channel allows collection of concentrated, dilute and intermediate streams, with the intermediate stream serving as input to the next stage of a serialized implementation.

A method and device for using electrokinetic forces for thickening or dewatering municipal biosolids is provided. The method uses chlorine dioxide to accelerate and improve the efficiency of electrokinetic dewatering.

The current invention is an apparatus for concentrating ions in a water stream and a method for using the apparatus to concentrate ions for detection and/or removal.

The apparatus is comprised of an electrically charged barrier, a distal electrode having an electrical charge with a sign opposite to the electrical charge of the barrier, and a proximate electrode having an electrical charge with a sign corresponding to the electrical charge of the barrier. The apparatus further includes a moving water stream which is processed to comprise an ion-depleted stream and an ion-concentrated stream located between the distal electrode and the first surface, a first diversion structure to divert the ion-concentrated stream, a second diversion structure to divert the ion-depleted stream, and an electrical power source operatively coupled with the distal and proximate electrodes.

Described herein are systems, apparatus, and methods for electrolyzing liquids to create beneficial compositions, such as life enhancing compositions.

The invention relates to an electrochemically assisted ion exchange water treatment device. Disclosed is a water treatment device comprising a first inlet feeding water into line L.sub.0; a prefiltration unit; a water treatment unit comprising an electrochemical cell assembly comprising of at least one electrochemical cell; and a reverse osmosis unit, wherein the electrochemical cell assembly and the reverse osmosis unit are connected in parallel; a wastewater line for discarding wastewater from the electrochemical cell, through the waste water outlet; a wastewater line for discarding reject water from the reverse osmosis unit, through the reject water outlet; a carbon filtration unit positioned on line L.sub.0 downstream of the point N; and an outlet for dispensing treated water. The invention provides a device which gives significantly higher recovery of treated water.

According to the method and device for a membrane-based processing of ambient water-group species, the species are captured in a space environment by an ionic liquid disposed on a presenting face of a semipermeable membrane. To seamlessly process the captured species for in-situ resource utilization without need of moving parts, they are urged to pass through the membrane by a predetermined electric potential difference applied between opposite sides of the membrane via electrode contacts; an initial storage envelope is provided by an impermeable membrane attached to a back face of the semipermeable membrane. The device can be stowed in a manner of rolled plastic and deployed by unrolling. The device can also be configured as a scientific instrument to monitor a flux of ambient water-group species impinging in the space environment using electrical measurements.

A desalination apparatus includes a membrane assembly disposed between a first fluid container and a second fluid container and in fluid contact with a first aqueous solution in the first fluid container and a second aqueous solution in the second fluid container. The membrane assembly includes a semipermeable membrane having a first side to be in fluid contact with the first aqueous solution and having a second side to be in fluid contact with the second aqueous solution; an electrode assembly disposed adjacent the second side of the semipermeable membrane and to contact the second aqueous solution; and power circuitry to apply charge to the electrode assembly to provide an ion concentration at the second side of the semipermeable membrane that is at least equal to the ion concentration on the first side of the semipermeable membrane.

An electrokinetic purification device includes at least three channels and a turbulence-reduction component for reducing turbulence with the concentration polarization (CP) zone. The main channel includes a pair of electrodes in contact with a solvent stream entering and exiting the main channel. A waste diversion channel branches from the main channel, allowing flow-through of a high concentration portion of the stream. A turbulence-reduction component comprised of a neutrally charged porous is placed across the entire interior cross section of the main channel and in contact with the upstream surface of the permselective material. The clean solvent discharge channel branches from the main channel, allowing flow-through of a low concentration portion of the stream.

According to the method and device for a membrane-based processing of ambient water-group species, the species are captured in a space environment by an ionic liquid disposed on a presenting face of a semipermeable membrane. To seamlessly process the captured species for in-situ resource utilization without need of moving parts, they are urged to pass through the membrane by a predetermined electric potential difference applied between opposite sides of the membrane via electrode contacts; an initial storage envelope is provided by an impermeable membrane attached to a back face of the semipermeable membrane. The device can be stowed in a manner of rolled plastic and deployed by unrolling. The device can also be configured as a scientific instrument to monitor a flux of ambient water-group species impinging in the space environment using electrical measurements.

Described herein, is a method of dewatering a slurry, the slurry being tailings from bitumen extraction of mined oil sand. The slurry is passed through at least one electro-kinetic thickener having a voltage gradient to separate water from the slurry to produce a dewatered slurry. The electro-kinetic thickener may comprise an auger to move the slurry downstream. The auger has a conductive component in the form of a wire, ribbon or rod as an anode (positive electrode) to attract negatively-charged slurry particles and to repel the positively-charged cations and associated water. The auger is shafted or shaftless. The electro-kinetic thickener may also comprise a porous drum having the auger disposed therein. The porous drum is a cathode (negative electrode) to repel the negatively-charged slurry particles, attract the positively-charged cations and associated water, and allow the water to pass through the porous drum.