Patent ID: 8545692

Claim:
An apparatus for electrochemical modification of liquid streams employing at least one electrolytic cell which comprises at least one anode assembly including at least one anode compartment arranged to contain a liquid electrolyte anolyte, a plurality of electrically conducting anode particulates forming an anode particulate bed, and a current feeder device in at least intermittent contact with the anode particulate bed, where the anode particulates are in motion and the anode particulates motion is substantially independent of the bulk flow of the anolyte; at least one cathode assembly including at least one cathode compartment arranged to contain: a liquid electrolyte catholyte, a plurality of electrically conducting cathode particulates forming a cathode particulate bed, and a current collector device in at least intermittent contact with said cathode particulates where the cathode particulates are in motion and the particulates motion is substantially independent of the bulk flow of the catholyte; at least one separator arranged to separate the cathode compartment and the anode compartment, to confine the anode particulates bed and the cathode particulates bed, and to constrain flows of the electrolytes through the anode particulate bed and the cathode particulate bed, and to facilitate ionic conduction of current between the anode particulate bed and the cathode particulate bed; at least one particulate conveyance system arranged to manipulate the anode particulate bed and the cathode particulate bed motions; at least one system for substantially independent circulations of the liquid electrolyte anolyte and the liquid electrolyte catholyte relative to each other through the electrolytic cell; and at least one system for driving unidirectional electric current supported by the liquid streams from the anode assembly through the anolyte and the separator into the catholyte and to the cathode assembly; and wherein the at least one particulate conveyance system is arranged to selectively transport the anode particulates from the at least one anode compartment into the at least one cathode compartment and the cathode particulates from the at least one cathode compartment into the at least one anode compartment substantially independently from the motions of the liquid electrolyte anolyte and the liquid electrolyte catholyte.