A system and a method for separation of ions from ions-containing medium is disclosed herein, that utilizes capacitive-faradaic fuel cells (CFFC) particles coated at least partially with catalysts capable of catalyzing redox reactions provided a reductant (fuel) and/or an oxidant, thereby polarizing the particles to more effectively absorb charged species (ions) from the water upon introducing, e.g., H.sub.2 gas or O.sub.2 gas, in the medium during the adsorption or regeneration. The same concept is utilized in a hybrid electrochemical cell for providing a system and a method for generating and converting electrochemical energy.

The polarization and turbulent water ionizer intended for white and sanitary conveniences comprising a hollow body with a system of through-flow openings for inlet and outlet of water fitted with systems of electrodes arranged inside in an alternating manner, made of differently conductive materials and stabilized within spacers is further resolved in a manner where the cylindrical or flat electrodes (1) of the anode and of the electrodes (2) of the cathode have turbulent openings (3) and/or deflected turbulent fans (4), where the hollow body (5) is fitted with a shield (6) protecting against electromagnetic field. In one embodiment the axes of the cylindrical electrodes (1) of the anode and of the electrodes (2) of the cathode are arranged inside the hollow body (5) and oriented perpendicularly to the through-flow openings (7). In the other case, the axes of the flat electrodes (1) of the anode and of the electrodes (2) of the cathode are arranged inside the hollow body (5) and oriented axially with reference to the through-flow openings (7). The shield (6) protecting against electromagnetic field applied on the inner side of the hollow body (5) refers to a metallic grid/gauze and/or a metallic plate.

A buoyant hydrodynamic pump is disclosed that can float on a surface of a body of water over which waves tend to pass. Embodiments incorporate an open-bottomed tube with a constriction. The tube partially encloses a substantial volume of water with which the tube's constriction interacts, creating and/or amplifying fluid-flow oscillations therein in response to wave action. Wave-driven oscillations result in periodic upward ejections of portions of the water inside the tube that can be collected in a reservoir that is at least partially positioned above the mean water level of the body of water, or pressurized by compressed air or gas, or both. Water within such a reservoir may return to the body of water via a turbine, thereby generating electrical power (making the device a wave engine), or the device's pumping action can be used for other purposes such as water circulation, propulsion, dissolved minerals extraction, or cloud seeding. Methods are disclosed for manufacture of hydrogen at sea and for delivery of said hydrogen using a ship. Methods are disclosed for filling a hydrogen-loaded carrier ship at sea.

Processing water regeneration equipment includes a waste liquid treatment apparatus that treats waste liquid discharged from a processing apparatus for processing a workpiece by use of processing water, and a fuel cell apparatus that causes a chemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen to produce electricity and water. The waste liquid treatment apparatus includes a positive electrode and a negative electrode disposed in a tank for reserving the waste liquid, and a hydrogen production unit that supplies electric power to the positive electrode and the negative electrode to produce hydrogen. The fuel cell apparatus causes a chemical reaction between the hydrogen produced by the hydrogen production unit and oxygen in the air to produce electricity and water, and the electricity and water thus produced are utilized in the processing apparatus.

The physical water treatment device, in particular in a flexible water inlet (1), comprises at least one pair of electrodes (2) for water galvanization and at least one means for inserting and fixing the electrodes (2). The means for inserting and fixing the electrodes (2) together with the electrodes (2) form an integral body (3), the resulting shape of which is adapted for the insertion into the flexible water inlet (1). The integral body (3) completely blocks the flexible water inlet (1) and is hollow so that the water flowing through the flexible inlet (1) flows through the electrodes (2) of the integral body (3). The electrodes (2) form a flow-through galvanization system in the integral body (3).

An improved bio-electrochemical wastewater treatment process and system (1) is disclosed. An electrode assembly (4) is defined by interconnecting a set of electrode modules (5). Each electrode module (5) has a first electrode of an anode-cathode pair coated with electrogenic microbes adapted to generate electrons via the consumption of organic matter in wastewater. An electrode module (5) has a second electrode of the anode-cathode pair, and a body, supporting and separating the first and second electrodes. Each electrode module (5) also comprises an interface for physically connecting the module with at least one other of the set.

The invention relates to an electrolytic reactor, in particular for separating phosphate from phosphate-containing liquids and/or recovering phosphate salts, comprising an inlet (16) for an electrolysis liquid and a flow channel (20) adjoining same, a magnesium metering unit (12) comprising two electrodes (22, 24) of different polarity being arranged in the flow channel (20), at least one of the two electrodes (22, 24) being a sacrificial electrode (20), wherein the magnesium metering unit (12) is designed as a free-level reactor and a mixing/sedimentation unit (14) being connected downstream of the magnesium metering unit (12) in the direction of flow, said mixing/sedimentation unit having a feed inlet (40) for the phosphate-containing liquids and an outlet (26) for the purified liquid for the obtained phosphate product.

The present invention relates to an electrochemical device for releasing ions, comprising an electrical circuit comprising a first electrode and a second electrode adapted for providing a galvanic cell when the electrodes are exposed to a fluid constituting an electrolyte, and a boost converter adapted for amplifying a potential generated between the first and the second electrode. The electrical circuit further comprises a third electrode connected with an output side of the boost converter, wherein the second and the third electrode constitutes an electrolytic cell powered by the galvanic cell when the electrodes are exposed to a fluid. The present invention further relates to devices, such as a toothbrush or a shaver, adapted for being used in connection with a fluid, comprising such electrochemical device for releasing ions.

The invention relates to a bioactive composition for killing cells, comprising at least a first and a second half cell, the half cells being in electrically conductive contact with each other at least by their respective surfaces such that short-circuit elements are generated in the presence of water and oxygen. According to the invention the first half cell comprises at least one semiconductive compound of at least one transition metal element, which exhibits multiple oxidation states and allows a change of the oxidation states by means of catalytically active centers, so that oxygen is reduced and active oxygen species are produced at the first half cell, and wherein the second half cell comprises at least one electrically conductive silver semiconductor which absorbs electrons emitted by the cells or organic material. By means of particles coated with the composition according to the invention, for example, E. coli bacteria can be effectively and reliably killed with both a ruthenium oxide/silver chloride version (a-c) and a ruthenium oxide/silver sulfide version (d-f).

For bio-electrically generating electric power from organic ingredients of a waste water flowing in a flow direction, an anode is immersed in the waste water in a first spatial area, and oxygen is supplied to a cathode which is electrically connected to the anode and arranged in a second spatial area delimited from the first spatial area by means of a proton-permeable membrane. A voltage between the anode and the cathode is increased by a DC/DC converter located at the anode and the cathode, and a further voltage between a further anode in said or a further first spatial area and a further cathode in said or a further second spatial area is increased by a further DC/DC converter located at the further anode and the further cathode. A DC voltage link is charged with the DC/DC converter and the further DC/DC converter connected in parallel to the DC voltage link.