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Abstract

A water treatment apparatus that includes a cation exchange chamber containing a cation exchange resin and an anion exchange chamber containing an anion exchange resin. A bipolar interface is located between the resin chambers and defines a zone of water disassociation. A cathode communicates with the cation exchange chamber through a cation exchange membrane. An anode communicates with the anion exchange chamber through an anion exchange membrane. Dilution or flushing water flows through cathode and anode chambers and conveys captured ions to a drain or other waste connection. A baffle may be used in some configurations to divide a resin chamber into an exhausted resin region and a regenerated resin region and causes incoming water to flow through the exhausted resin region first. The exhausted resin region is located near its associated electrode, thus improving the electrical efficiency of the cell. In an alternate design, the apparatus includes a cathode/anode chamber, an anode chamber and an auxiliary electrode chamber disposed between the cathode/anode chamber and a cation exchange media chamber. An anion exchange membrane separates the cathode/anode chamber from the auxiliary electrode chamber. The anode chamber, cathode/anode chamber and auxiliary electrode chamber are energized in predetermined sequences to create both service cycles which produce softened water with reduced ionic content and cleaning cycles to de-scale the auxiliary electrode chamber and/or anion exchange membrane located between the cathode/anode chamber and the auxiliary electrode chamber.

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First Claim