Patent ID: 6126811
Filing Date: 2000-10-03
Classification: C02F

Abstract:
An electrocatalytic process for the deoxygenation of water from various sources said process comprising the steps of:simultaneously generating an electric field in a stream of water and contacting the stream of water, with a catalyst in the same reaction volume by passing the stream of water continuously through a bed of the catalyst placed in a cathode compartment of an electrolytic cell which comprises the cathode compartment and an anode compartment which are provided, in the case of the former, with at least one electrode operating as a cathode and, in the case of the latter, with at least one electrode operating as an anode and which are separated by a wall permeable only to cations, the catalyst being electrically conducting;passing a conductive aqueous solution of an anolytic component composed of at least one compound chosen from alkali metal hydroxides, acids and alkali metal or alkaline earth metal salts continuously into the anode compartment of the electrolytic cell, the said aqueous solution having a concentration of anolytic component of between 0.01 mol and 5 mol per liter;establishing an electric potential between the cathode and the anode of the electrolytic cell by maintaining the local electrode potential of the cathode compartment at values, with respect to the standard hydrogen electrode, of between +0.3 volt and -2 volts, in order to consume, in the cathode compartment, the oxygen dissolved in the stream of water being treated, and under conditions such that the potential of the anode compartment takes values, with respect to the standard hydrogen electrode, greater than 0.4 volt, in order to decompose an amount of the aqueous anolytic component solution appropriate for allowing the passage, into cathode compartment, of the required amount of cations for ensuring the electrical neutrality of the treated stream of water exiting from the cathode compartment.