Abstract:
Embodiments disclosed herein include a generator for making hypochlorite from chloride salts and water. The generator includes an anode comprising a translucent tube coupled to a color coded electrode that terminates in a connector, having a chamfered tip, for connecting with a power source; and a cathode comprising a translucent tube coupled to a color coded electrode that terminates in a connector, having a chamfered tip, for connecting with a power source.

Description:
FIELD 
     Inventive subject matter disclosed herein relates to a chlorine generator and to embodiments for disinfecting surfaces and liquids under adverse conditions. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Chlorine gas is expensive and difficult to transport and store. Materials such as hypochlorite, in an aqueous medium, have a short half life with decreasing potency over time. The electrolytic reaction of brine is as follows:
 
2NaCl (aq) +2H 2 O (l) →2Na +   (aq) +2OH −   (aq) Cl 2(g) H 2(g)  
 
     SUMMARY 
     Embodiments disclosed herein include a generator for making hypochlorite from chloride salts and water. The generator includes an anode comprising a translucent tube coupled to a color coded electrode that terminates in a connector, having a chamfered tip, for connecting with a power source; and a cathode comprising a translucent tube coupled to a color coded electrode that terminates in a connector, having a chamfered tip, for connecting with a power source. The generator also includes an indicator positioned within at least one of the anode or cathode for indicating the extent of making hypochlorite. The generator further includes a coupler, having an X-shape, comprising inlets for receiving the translucent tubes from each of the anode and cathode and positioned so that the translucent tubes form a V-shape, and opposing inlets for receiving anode and cathode elements, respectfully. The generator additionally includes a power source comprising one or more couplers for supplying power to the generator; a tripod for positioning the anode and cathode; and a bracket for dissipating of heat mounted on the tripod. 
    
    
     
       DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a top plan view of one V-shaped embodiment of the chlorine generator of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  illustrates a top plan view of connectors for connecting electrodes of the chlorine generator to a power source. 
         FIG. 3  illustrates a perspective view of the V-shaped chlorine generator, mounted on a tripod, with power cables connected to externally exposed electrodes. 
         FIG. 4  illustrates a perspective view of the power cables and electrodes of  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 5  illustrates a perspective view of an anode connection of the generator embodiment of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 6  illustrates a perspective view of a storage compartment inside one of the legs of the tripod shown in  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 7  illustrates a top perspective view of the tripod of  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 7A  illustrates a front plan view of a cooling bracket mounted on the tripod of  FIG. 7 . 
         FIG. 7B  illustrates a side perspective view of the cooling bracket of  FIG. 7A . 
         FIG. 7C  illustrates a top view of the cooling bracket of  FIG. 7A . 
         FIG. 7D  illustrates a top plan view of a fan mount for the cooling bracket of  FIG. 7A . 
         FIG. 8  illustrates a perspective view of a cooling bracket incorporated into a trailer hitch mount bracket. 
         FIG. 9A  illustrates the V-shaped generator of  FIG. 1 , mounted on the tripod of  FIG. 7 , with a floating ball showing the degree of chemical reaction at the beginning of a reaction. 
         FIG. 9B  illustrates the V-shaped generator of  FIG. 1 , mounted on the tripod of  FIG. 7 , with a floating ball showing the degree of chemical reaction at a mid-point of a reaction. 
         FIG. 9C  illustrates the V-shaped generator of  FIG. 1 , mounted on the tripod of  FIG. 7 , with a floating ball showing the degree of chemical reaction at the end of a reaction. 
         FIG. 10  illustrates the components of the V-shaped generator of  FIG. 1  and tripod of  FIG. 7 . 
         FIG. 11  illustrates a burp plate component of the V-shaped generator. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The following detailed description includes references to embodiments, which are described in enough detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention. The embodiments may be combined, other embodiments may be utilized, or structural, and logical changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. The following detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of the inventive subject matter is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents. 
     In this document, the terms “a” or “an” are used to include one or more than one and the term “or” is used to refer to a nonexclusive “or” unless otherwise indicated. In addition, it is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein, and not otherwise defined, is for the purpose of description only and not of limitation. Furthermore, all publications, patents, and patent documents referred to in this document are incorporated by reference herein in their entirety, as though individually incorporated by reference. In the event of inconsistent usages between this document and those documents so incorporated by reference, the usage in the incorporated reference should be considered supplementary to that of this document; for irreconcilable inconsistencies, the usage in this document controls. 
     The chlorine generator disclosed herein provides point-of-use generation of sodium hypochlorite and other oxidants from basic salts and DC power via a portable, batch generating device. The generator, one embodiment of which is illustrated at  10  in  FIG. 1 , includes a pair of electrodes  11 A and  11 B that include translucent tubes  12 A and  12 B, respectively, that each terminate at an electrode end  14 A and  14 B, respectively. The electrodes  11 A and  11 B are an anode and a cathode, respectively. The anode and cathode include a marking or color difference for clearly delineating cathode from anode to avoid reversing polarity, as shown for one embodiment in  FIG. 5 . The speed of the reaction is determined by the amount of DC current applied to the generator. The greater the current, the faster the reaction. 
     The generator embodiments disclosed herein require no expensive batteries or pumps or control circuits or sensors or indicator lights or switches or printed circuit boards. The generator embodiments are easily scalable for a variety of batch sizes by varying pipe diameter or length or both. Generator embodiments are usable in areas where there is no active power grid. 
     The translucent tubes  12 A and  12 B are made of either glass or ceramic or plastic. The tubes  12 A and  12 B allow visual inspection by a user to verify that the tubes have been loaded correctly prior to initiating an electrolysis reaction. Visual inspection of the tubes is also used to determine when reaction is completed. A visual determination of fluid displacement in the tubes  12 A and  12 B is used to determine when the electrolytic reaction is completed. 
     While a V-shape is shown in  FIG. 1  for the positioning of the tubes and electrodes, generator embodiments disclosed herein include X-shape, H-shape, U-shape or flexible tubing with electrodes separated and positioned at a bottom of the generator allowing separate gasses produced by the anode and cathode to be captured in separate chambers positioned proximal to the electrodes. One of the electrodes is capped, shown at  16  and the other electrode is open, shown at  18 , not capped. 
     The generator  10  is scalable to accommodate batch sizes of hypochlorite required by the end user. Size embodiments range from small portable generators for individual use up to large, truck mounted generators for producing large quantities of hypochlorite. However, the generator is not a hand-held device, to avoid solution from bubbling over a user of the generator. The generator  10  produces hypochlorite through a batch flow process and not a continuous flow process. 
     The generator  10  requires no control circuitry for controlling a DC power source, such as a battery, solar generator or DC converter. One generator embodiment is powered by a solar generator, such as a solar panel, thereby avoiding the cost and hassle of batteries. The generator  10  does not include semi-permeable membranes to separate various gasses produced during the chemical reaction. Electrodes  14 A and  14 B are replaceable, serviceable and cleanable in the field without tools or special equipment. 
     The electrodes  14 A and  14 B are carbon/graphite based and are tapered or chamfered in order to concentrate and improve power flow. Copper electrodes are not employed in the generator  10  because of the tendency of copper to corrode and leak. The generator  10  does not include catalysis materials such as platinum and titanium. 
     Electrodes  14 A and  14 B have an exposed connector for connection to a power source, as shown at  20  in  FIG. 2 . Electrodes  14 A and  14 B are sealed to prevent oxidant solution from leaking from the generator. Power cables  22  connected to the externally exposed electrodes are illustrated in  FIGS. 3 and 4 . 
     Embodiments of the generator  10  include a tripod stand, shown at  24  in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , and at  24  in  FIG. 7 . For some embodiments shown in  FIG. 6 , legs of the tripod are made of PVC, are hollow and are usable for storing spare electrodes, cleaning and maintenance supplies and spare salt. Other embodiments do not include a stand but may be hung from trees or objects using rope, straps, twine, vines, and so forth during operation. 
     Adding more current to the electrodes produces a faster reaction, but also produces more heat of reaction. When polymeric materials are used in the generator, heat must be dissipated to cool the device. In one embodiment, heat is dissipated through an aluminum mounting bracket, shown at  30  in  FIGS. 3 and 4 . Other views of the bracket are shown in  FIGS. 7A, 7B and 7C . While aluminum is described, it is understood that other heat conducting materials are usable for the bracket. It has surprisingly been found that minimal contact between the bracket and electrodes, such as shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5 , is sufficient to cool the generator over a range of reaction rates. For some embodiments, cooling fans are mounted to the generator with the bracket  30 , as shown in  FIG. 7D . 
     For some embodiments, the bracket  30  is incorporated into a trailer hitch mount bracket, shown in  FIG. 8 , to use the weight of a vehicle to support the larger and heavier device while in use. 
     For some embodiments, a user views the liquid level of salt solution in the generator. For other embodiments, floating balls or dye are added to the electrolyte solution tube (capped side) to enable a user to visually determine reaction completion from a distance. Floating ball(s) are retained in the capped tube using a perforated disk at the bottom of the capped tube.  FIG. 9A  shows the electrolyte level, denoted by the position of the ball, at the beginning of the reaction;  FIG. 9B  shows the position of the ball in the middle of the reaction.  FIG. 9C  shows the position of the ball at the reaction conclusion. 
     The operation of the generator  10  is manual. A user mixes salt, NaCl or KCl into water in a container until the water can dissolve no more salt and undissolved salt remains in the bottom of the container, to make a saturated salt solution. The saturated salt solution is poured into the open tube  12 A of the generator. Saturated solution is added until the tube with the cap,  12 B, is filled with saturated solution. Excess saturated solution is poured out by rotating the capped tube. This ensures that only the capped tube has the salt solution in it, thereby ensuring that the correct amount of saturated solution has been loaded into the generator. The generator is then returned to a V-position, such as is shown in  FIG. 1 . The salt solution remains in the capped tube. 
     For some embodiments, the generator is attached to the tripod or is suspended from an overhead structure to maintain the V-orientation during operation. For embodiments that include a floating ball, the ball is in the position shown in  FIG. 9A   
     The DC power source is connected to the electrodes to begin the reaction. The positive power cable is connected to the capped side of the generator in the current embodiment. As the reaction continues, the chlorine gas produced at eh anode rises in the capped tube and displaces the salt solution, moving the floating ball downward, shown in  FIG. 9B . Once the floating ball and corresponding solution level in the capped tube reaches the bottom of the generator, the reaction is complete and the maximum amount of sodium hypochlorite has been produced. 
     The hypochloride solution is then poured out of the generator for use in purification, sterilization or is returned to the capped tube, by tipping the generator, for increasing the concentration of hypochlorite by another batch run. 
     The generator can be taken apart for cleaning or storage or shipping as sown in  FIG. 10 . The generator includes quick disconnect fittings. For some embodiments, flexible clear tubing is used to reduce the size of the generator. 
     The generator enables a user to halt or pause a reaction without losing progress of a batch. For instance, if a solar panel is used to supply electricity and is shut down by a cloud or nightfall, the user may restart the reaction when sunlight is available without starting over. Furthermore, the reaction does not need to be constantly monitored. 
     The generator withstands electromagnetic pulses because there are no complex control circuits, printed circuit boards, sensors, indicator lights, pumps, or switches being used. The oxidant solution obtained from the batch process is usable for water purification, laundry purposes, weed and vegetation killer, mildew remover, equipment sterilization, chemical weapon, disinfectant, and so forth. 
     Concentration of hypochlorite in the oxidant solution is increased by repeatedly subjecting it to the batch process. One embodiment of the generator produces a hypochlorite solution having a concentration of five ppm chlorine when added to a fifty gallon drum of water of a 250 ppm solution when added to one gallon of water. 
     All components of the generator are easily inspectable, cleanable and replaceable. The generator is cleaned using a bottle brush or similar device to remove hard water deposits. A vinegar solution is usable to clean the generator. 
     For some embodiments, the generator is usable to capture and utilize hydrogen at the cathode in addition to or instead of capturing chlorine generated at the anode of the generator. 
     The generator does not require pumps to move fluids. Instead, the generator utilizes gravity and pressure created during the electrolysis process. When the reaction is completed, the reaction product is poured out of the device. The dual clear tube design enables a user to view solution moving inside the device while pouring to avoid spills. 
     Larger embodiments of the generator include a “burp plate” to retain fluid in the angled pipe during the transition into a V-position after the addition of the saline solution. The “burp plate” is a chemically inert perforated plastic or ceramic disk that allows the gas produced by the anode to still enter the capped tube but helps keep the saline solution from flowing out of the capped tube while transitioning to the V-position before beginning the reaction. The “burp plate” is positioned directly above the anode chamber. 
     The embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention. Other embodiments may be utilized and formulation and method of using changes may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. The detailed description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of the invention is defined only by the appended claims, along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled. 
     It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes could be made to the embodiments described above without departing from the broad inventive concept thereof. It is understood, therefore, that this invention is not limited to the particular embodiments disclosed, but it is intended to cover modifications within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the present description