Patent ID: 11884562
Assignee: THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AS REPRESENTED BY THE SECRETARY OF THE ARMY
Field: Environmental technology (Chemistry)
Classification: CPC C | IPC C

Claim 15:
16. An apparatus for removing urea from an aqueous solution, the apparatus comprising:
a container having an interior and being configured to maintain a reaction environment comprising a quantity of the aqueous solution;
at least one urea oxidation electrode disposed in the interior of the container;
at least one water reduction electrode disposed in the interior of the container, the water reduction electrode being configured to produce a hydroxide anion concentration in a volume containing a portion of the aqueous solution, wherein the apparatus is configured to provide for the aqueous solution in the volume to be in contact with at least a portion of the urea oxidation electrode;
at least one counter electrode disposed in the interior of the container for maintaining a charge balance with currents passing at the water reduction electrode and the urea oxidation electrode; and
at least one power supply configured to apply one or more voltages between the counter electrode and the water reduction electrode and between the urea oxidation electrode and the counter electrode,
wherein the concentration of hydroxide anions is sufficiently high in the aqueous solution in the volume contacting at least the portion of the urea oxidation electrode such that urea removal from the aqueous solution, by electrolytic breakdown of urea, proceeds at a sufficiently high rate as to be practically useful when the apparatus is in operation.