SMALL ION EXCHANGE WATER PURIFIER

RESEARCH WILL BE CONDUCTED INTO THE FEASIBILITY OF MAKING A 12 OZ. SIZE DEVICE THAT DEMINERALIZES POTABLE WATER BY AN ION EXCHANGE PROCESS WITH A DEIONIZATION CAPABILITY OF AT LEAST 1 GRAM EQUIVLENT OF NACL. THE PRODUCT WATER WILL BE OF ONE MEGOHM SPECIFIC RESISTANCE OR BETTER REGARDLESS OF WHETHER THE DEVICE IS OPERATED VERTICALLY OR HORIZONTALLY. WE PROPOSE TO OVERCOME THE PROBLEM OF PRODUCT WATER QUALITY DEGRADATION DUE TO CHANNELING WHEN AN ION EXCHANGE COLUMN IS NOT OPERATED IN THE VERTICAL BY EMBEDDING A MIXTURE OF STRONG ACID AND STRONG BASE RESINS IN A HYDROPHILIC OPEN CELL FOAM. THE FOAM WILL PROVIDE A UNIFORM WATER FLOW THROUGH THE ION EXCHANGE BEADS VIA THE OPEN-CELLED CHANNELS. THE OPEN CELL FOAM WILL BE MADE OF SEVERAL RESING TYPES COMMONLY USED IN THE INDUSTRY AND DEEMED SUITABLE FOR THIS APPLICATION. AT LEAST ONE ALTERNATIVE METHOD TO THE FOAM TECHNIQUE WILL BE EVALUATED. STRONG ACID/STRONG BASE ION EXCHANGE RESINS WILL BE UTILIZED BECAUSE THEY ARE KNOWN TO PRODUCE THE DESIRED WATER QUALITY.