Patent ID: 6117660
Filing Date: 2000-09-12
Classification: C12M,C12N

Abstract:
A method of treating material with electrical fields and an added treating substance, comprising the steps of:arranging a plurality of electrodes in an array of locations around the material to be treated, connecting the electrodes to outputs of an electrode selection apparatus,connecting inputs of the electrode selection apparatus to outputs of an electrical pulser apparatus,contacting the material with the added treating substance,applying electrical pulses to the electrode selection apparatus, wherein electrical pulses applied to the electrode selection apparatus are in a sequence of at least three non-sinusoidal electrical pulses, having field strengths equal to or greater than 100 V/cm, to the material, wherein the sequence of at least three non-sinusoidal electrical pulses has one, two, or three of the following characteristics: (1) at least two of the at least three pulses differ from each other in pulse amplitude; (2) at least two of the at least three pulses differ from each other in pulse width; and (3) a first pulse interval for a first set of two of the at least three pulses is different from a second pulse interval for a second set of two of the at least three pulses, androuting applied pulses through the electrode selection apparatus in a predetermined sequence to selected electrodes in the array of electrodes, whereby the material is treated with the added treating substance and with electrical fields of sequentially varying directions.