Patent ID: 8133382

Claim:
A method of electrocoagulation treatment of a liquid comprising salinated water, said method comprising the steps of: providing a housing including a lower portion defining a reaction chamber, a base, and an upper portion defining a development chamber; arranging a plurality of reaction plates within said reaction chamber, the plates being vertically disposed therein and spaced apart from one another creating gaps between adjacent reaction plates, said reaction plates being consumed over time due to electrocoagulation taking place within said reaction chamber; providing at least a pair of reaction plate tabs connected to selected ones of the plurality of reaction plates, the reaction plate tabs extending through the housing, and the reaction plate tabs being connected to a source of power; applying a line voltage to the at least a pair of reaction plate tabs to create an electric field within the reaction chamber; passing a stream of the salinated water vertically through the reaction chamber in the gaps between reaction plates; conducting electrocoagulation of the liquid stream to cause the reaction plates to give up ions whereby the reaction plates are consumed over time, resulting in separation of salt-laden water from freshwater; collecting salt-laden water droplets on the surfaces of the reaction plate due to said conducting step; generating a flow of salt-laden water from the surfaces of the reaction plates to the base thus collecting an amount of salt-laden water in the base; selectively draining the salt-laden water collected in the base; and passing separated fresh water out of the reaction chamber and through an outlet.