Methods and circuits for a device for interrupting concentration-related polarisation phenomenon and for self-cleaning of electromembrane processes by application of asymmetric inverse-polarity pulses with high intensity and variable frequency are described. The device, a bipolar switch, is based on the use of solid-state electronics to carry out polarity inversion in a range of frequencies, intensities and pulse widths to prevent or reduce formation of precipitates on the surfaces of the membranes. The inversion protocol, with a frequency that varies as a function of the appearance of dirt on the membranes, as measured by the decrease in voltage or electrical resistance of the membrane cell during electromembrane processes, is also provided. This device and configuration provides application of modulated and stable high-intensity pulses using a second power source. Electromembrane processes can be updated by replacing electrodes, suitable for polarity inversion, and adding a second power source and the bipolar switch described.

The present disclosure relates to a method for reducing water consumption in tartaric stabilization of wine by electrodialysis, comprising the following steps: passing an aqueous stream comprising a weak organic acid between a tank and an electrodialysis module; feeding the electrodialysis module with a stream of wine to be treated so that potassium bitartrate or calcium tartrate pass from the wine to be treated to the aqueous stream which flows between the tank and the electrodialysis module, so that during the passage of the aqueous stream through the electrodialysis module, the potassium bitartrate or calcium tartrate initially present in the wine stream are transferred to the aqueous stream and discarding the aqueous stream when it reaches a certain potassium bitartrate or calcium tartrate saturation point.

The present disclosure relates to a method for reducing water consumption in tartaric stabilization of wine by electrodialysis, comprising the following steps: passing an aqueous stream comprising a weak organic acid between a tank and an electrodialysis module; feeding the electrodialysis module with a stream of wine to be treated so that potassium bitartrate or calcium tartrate pass from the wine to be treated to the aqueous stream which flows between the tank and the electrodialysis module, so that during the passage of the aqueous stream through the electrodialysis module, the potassium bitartrate or calcium tartrate initially present in the wine stream are transferred to the aqueous stream and discarding the aqueous stream when it reaches a certain potassium bitartrate or calcium tartrate saturation point.

An apparatus and method for abating scale formation during the purification and demineralization of water in an electrochemical deionization apparatus. In the apparatus and method, scale forming ions in a raw water feed are precipitated at a controlled location remote from the deionization chambers of the deionization apparatus. Concentrate water produced during the deionization process to produce demineralized product water is acidified and circulated through the deionization apparatus to prevent scale formation and build-up in the deionization apparatus.

An apparatus and method for abating scale formation during the purification and demineralization of water in an electrochemical deionization apparatus. In the apparatus and method, scale forming ions in a raw water feed are precipitated at a controlled location remote from the deionization chambers of the deionization apparatus. Concentrate water produced during the deionization process to produce demineralized product water is acidified and circulated through the deionization apparatus to prevent scale formation and build-up in the deionization apparatus.

Ion-selective separation by shock electrodialysis is performed by applying a voltage differential between electrodes across a porous medium to selectively draw a first species in a liquid toward at least one of the electrodes to a greater degree than a degree to which a second species in the liquid is drawn toward the same electrode. The voltage differential creates a shock in the charged-species concentration in the bulk volume of the liquid within pore channels of the porous medium, wherein the concentration of the first species in a depleted zone of the liquid bulk volume between the shock and the ion-selective boundary is substantially lower than the concentration of the second species in the liquid bulk volume between the shock and the first electrode. A dilute stream including the second species is extracted from the depleted zone separate from a concentrated stream including the first species.

Ion-selective separation by shock electrodialysis is performed by applying a voltage differential between electrodes across a porous medium to selectively draw a first species in a liquid toward at least one of the electrodes to a greater degree than a degree to which a second species in the liquid is drawn toward the same electrode. The voltage differential creates a shock in the charged-species concentration in the bulk volume of the liquid within pore channels of the porous medium, wherein the concentration of the first species in a depleted zone of the liquid bulk volume between the shock and the ion-selective boundary is substantially lower than the concentration of the second species in the liquid bulk volume between the shock and the first electrode. A dilute stream including the second species is extracted from the depleted zone separate from a concentrated stream including the first species.

This invention provides a membrane electrode material and its preparation method, as well as the application of the material into lithium extraction by adsorption-electrochemical coupling method. The membrane electrode material is described as MnO@C. The preparation steps are as follows: LiMn.sub.2O.sub.4 is firstly obtained by calcining lithium carbonate and manganese carbonate, which is then dispersed in hydrochloric acid solution. After stirring and separating, the solid products are dried to obtain λ-MnO.sub.2. The λMnO.sub.2 is added to the raw material of Mn-MOF-74, and then the Mn-MOF-74 coated λ-MnO.sub.2 can be obtained by hydrothermal reaction. By further calcining Mn-MOF-74 coated λ-MnO.sub.2 in nitrogen atmosphere, the membrane capacitor/electrode material can be obtained as MnO@C. The material is fabricated into an adsorption film electrode plate and assembled into an adsorption-electrochemical coupling lithium extraction device. The pure lithium solution can be obtained in the recovery pool through the combined lithium extraction and lithium recovery process. In this invention, the thickness of the carbon coating layer in the electrode material is adjustable. Adsorption-electrochemical coupling technology takes the advantages of both adsorption and electrochemical lithium intercalation, which can extract and recover lithium resources with high capacity. Thus, this invention not only achieves high-efficiency separation of lithium resources, but also opens up a new way for the extraction of lithium resources.

Disclosed are systems and processes for the removal and conversion of pollutants in water. A system includes a set of electrodes with at least one electrode having an integrated catalyst material. The system is operatable in a first, electrodialysis mode in which one or more pollutants are separated from a feedwater stream, and a second electrolysis mode in which the separated pollutant(s) are catalytically converted into benign products by way of the catalyst material of the electrode. Electrodialysis and electrolysis are therefore carried out using the same unit.

Disclosed are systems and processes for the removal and conversion of pollutants in water. A system includes a set of electrodes with at least one electrode having an integrated catalyst material. The system is operatable in a first, electrodialysis mode in which one or more pollutants are separated from a feedwater stream, and a second electrolysis mode in which the separated pollutant(s) are catalytically converted into benign products by way of the catalyst material of the electrode. Electrodialysis and electrolysis are therefore carried out using the same unit.