Patent ID: 7763157

Claim:
An electrodeionization device having an ion concentration compartment, ion depletion compartment, and first and second fluid flow paths that flow parallel between the ion concentration and ion depletion compartments but flow serially within each compartment, the electrodeionization device comprising: i) an anode assembly having one or more of electrode plates; ii) a cathode assembly having one or more of electrode plates; and iii) a channel grouping, including one or more ion depletion compartments arranged in an alternating sequence with one or more ion concentration compartments, the channel grouping interposed between the anode and cathode assembly wherein each anode and cathode assembly is paired with only one channel grouping, a) each ion depletion compartment including, an anode side and a cathode side having an anion permeable membrane attached to the anode side and a cation permeable membrane attached to the cathode side, and a plurality of stacked serially arranged and sequentially linked fluid accessible ion depletion channels which contain an ion exchange material for releasing ions from a fluid passing therethrough when a current is generated between the anode and cathode assemblies, wherein each ion depletion compartment is configured such that a first portion of a fluid stream flowing into each compartment will sequentially flow into each ion depletion channel, and a second portion of the fluid stream will bypasses each ion depletion channel and travel through a first conduit bypassing any adjacent ion concentration compartments, and b) each ion concentration compartment including, an anode side and a cathode side having a cation permeable membrane attached to the anion side and an anion permeable membrane attached to the cation side and, a plurality of stacked serially arranged and sequentially linked fluid accessible ion concentration channels which contain an ion exchange material for migrating ions into a fluid passing therethrough when a current is generated between the anode and cathode assemblies, wherein each ion concentration compartment is configured such that a first portion of a fluid stream flowing into each compartment will sequentially flow into each ion concentration channel, and a second portion of the fluid stream will bypasses each ion concentration channel and travel through a second conduit bypassing any adjacent ion depletion compartments, wherein said first fluid flow path configured to introduce fluid into and release fluid from each said ion depletion compartment substantially contemporaneously, wherein said second fluid flow path configured to introduce fluid into and release fluid from each said ion concentration compartment substantially contemporaneously.