IMPROVED CHLORINE FEEDER FOR REVERSE OSMOSIS WATER PURIFICATION UNITS

THE PROGRAM'S GOAL IS TO DEVELOP A SAFE, RELIABLE SYSTEM FOR THE ON-SITE PRODUCTION OF SODIUM HYPOCHLORITE FOR DIRECT USE WITH THE REVERSE OSMOSIS WATER PURIFICATION UNIT. HYPOCHLORITES ARE WELL KNOWN FOR THEIR DISINFECTING POWER. THE PROPOSED METHOD, HOWEVER, REQUIRES THE DEVELOPMENT OF A SUITABLE FLOW-THROUGH ELECTROCHEMICAL REACTOR WITH THE FOLLOWING CHARACTERISTICS: 1) LIGHT WEIGHT AND SMALL VOLUME, 2) LOW COST, 3) ELIMINATES OR SAFELY MANAGES ANY BYPRODUCT HYDROGEN, 4) CAPABLE OF BEING ACTIVATED INSTANTANEOUSLY ON DEMAND, 5) INHERENTLY SAFE, LOW MAINTENANCE OPERATION, 6) SAFELY DISPOSES (REACTS) RESIDUAL HYPOCHLORITE AND 7) LOW POWER/VOLTAGE OPERATION. THE METHODOLOGY FOR PHASE I WOULD BE TO CONDUCT SINGLE CELL STUDIES OF THE EFFECT ON EFFICIENCY OF SODIUM HYPOCHLORITE PRODUCTION AND CELL VOLTAGE BY CERTAIN REACTOR OPERATING PARAMETERS AND CELL CHARACTERISTICS INCLUDING ELECTRODE STRUCTURES AND CELL SEPARATORS. MATHEMATICAL MODELS WOULD BE DEVELOPED INTERACTIVELY WITH THE SINGLECELL TESTING. THE RESEARCH COULD RESULT IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF SEVERAL NOVEL CONCEPTS INCLUDING 1) THE USE OF AN OXYGEN (AIR) DEPOLARIZED ELECTRODE TO LOWER CELL VOLTAGE AND AVOID THE HYDROGEN EVOLUTION REACTION AND 2) THE ELECTROCHEMICAL REDUCTION OF SODIUM HYPOCHLORITE TO SODIUM CHLORIDE FOR SAFE DISPOSAL.