Background Art A typical non-conductive fluid to be cleaned may be as an industrial oil such as used for machinery, an energy transmitter in hydraulic systems, an insulator in electrical transformers and other electrical devices, non-conductive food products such as vegetable oils and fats, and pharmaceutical products such as fish oils, and herb and seed extracts.

When lubricating and hydraulic oils become contaminated, the particles of dirt cause abrasive wear and fatigue on the machine and ultimately lend to machine failure.

When electrical oil becomes contaminated it no longer acts effectively as an insulator in a transformer. It is normal practice to change oil and oil filters when it becomes contaminated.

Lubrication and other oils must be maintained as clean as possible to obtain maximum oil and component life. It is generally recognized that the number of particles larger that five microns in one millimeter of lubricating oil must be kept below 150 to maximize component and lubrication oil life.

Particles five microns and smaller have been conclusively shown to be the major cause of abrasive wear and fatigue that leads to component failure. Adequate regular or hazardous waste generation and reduce or eliminate equipment wear due to contaminants in the oil.

Vegetable oils and fats are extensively used in cooking worldwide. During normal deep fat frying, cooking oils and fats eventually become contaminated with carbonaceous particles, which deteriorate the taste of the food, and must be changed out frequently thereby becoming the single most costly component of the process.

Filters are effective to a degree and have extended the life of cooking oils and fats by the removal of larger particulate. Extending their life further by reducing sub-micron carbon particles generated by frying would yield enormous savings.

It has long been known to remove particulate with mechanical filters. These mechanical filters, however, are not effective with particles smaller than five microns because their pore size is too great. Additionally, the filter must be large and bulky to avoid an excessive pressure drop within the fluid system.

Electrostatic separation technology has been established as a viable means to perform better cleaning of non-conducting fluids. Electrostatic separation technology is based on passing some of the fluid to be cleaned through each of opposite electrostatic fields created by high voltage to charge electrically the particulate matter entrained in the purification fluids. This produces an electrostatic reaction whereupon oppositely charged particles flocculate. The resultant flocculated particles are larger in size than the original constituent particles and are more easily captured. A filter media of a selected pore size may be used to capture and retain these flocculated particles. Thus particulate matter of submicron size may be extracted from fluids, thereby producing fluids with a cleanliness level that is unattainable by mechanical filter.

The following United States Patents are representative of the prior art for electrostatic fluid filtration: 4,594, 138 6/1986 Thompson 5,332, 485 7/1994 Thompson 5,571, 399 11/1996 Allen 5,788, 827 9/1998 Munson While these electrostatic fluid filters have been designed and are available, most of the devices and apparatus are expensive to construct, use bulky and heavy pressure vessels, have complicated rigid structures, or are difficult to service and maintain.

Pressure vessels have a propensity to accumulate water, which is heavier than oil, causing problems or even shutting down the purification process. Rigid charging and mixing system designs typically require several rigid canisters or vessels to separately house the charging, mixing and collecting functions, with rigid electrodes, which depend upon particulate matter to impinge on its polarized surface as they are swept by, in order to impart the requisite charge. Some patents describe electrodes wherein the fluids pass through rigid perforated electrodes. The independent rigid vessel system designs require a large structural frame to support them and rigid piping to connect between the vessels.

These costly and bulky prior designs have found limited success in some specific high value applications, but are not affordable in mass markets.

All vehicles and most machinery already have as part of their required mechanisms motors, pumps, filters, controls etc. They also have structural elements, beams and supports, and some unutilized internal spaces in various locations within the mechanism's external envelope. The flexible and conformable electrostatic filter of the present invention is ideally constructed to take advantage of these existing attributes on equipment and vehicles. It is intended that the flexible and conformable modular electrostatic filter of this present invention be designed with such shape as to fit synergistically with the mechanism it is being integrated with, including the symbiotic use of its motors, pumps, filters, controls, structural members and unoccupied and unutilized internal spaces.

In addition to cleanliness of the lubricants, many apparatus require stable temperature at a preferred value to function efficiently and consistently. Some apparatus function in both extremely hot and extremely cold environments at various periods, and depend upon lubricating fluids to maintain a constant operating temperature. Also, the viscosity of the lubricating fluids is directly related to the temperature, which further dictates the sliding clearances and pressure required to circulate effectively in the machinery. This in turn dictates cost, size, complexity and consistency of performance.

Heat exchangers and temperature controllers are typically added to apparatus when needed. These added components, however, can be bulky, heavy and costly. The application of heat exchange technology, in combination with and concurrent with electrostatic purification provides a unique and desirable result. Taking advantage of the required mechanical structure for fluid purification as well as temperature control offers a synergistic advantage that can yield space and cost savings.

The following United States Patents are representative of prior art for plate heat exchangers: 6,338, 383 1/2002 Abdulnour et al 6,247, 508 6/2001 Blomgren et al 6,237, 679 5/2001 Vestergren 6,182, 748 2/2001 Brost et al 6,167, 954 1/2001 Martins 6,164, 372 12/2001 Persson 6,098, 701 8/2001 Blongren 6,082, 445 7/2000 Duga 6,016, 865 1/2000 Blongren 5,964, 280 10/1999 Weh Many of the apparatus that require both temperature control and fluid purification are compact and do not have available space for a bulky, rigid external cleaning system coupled to a similarly bulky and rigid temperature conditioning system, or space to incorporate rigid and bulky canisters or heavy pressure vessels, rigid electrodes or rigid mixing chambers. Vehicle lubrication systems where small size, lightweight and physically conformable systems and temperature control are required are a primary example. Many other application environments are sensitive to size, weight, on-board mobility, time, temperature and cost. The ability to combine these desired characteristics into a single small, compact, conformable and modular design is highly valued.

Typical electrostatic fluid purification systems function in parallel with the main fluid circuit. This technique takes a portion of dirty fluid from one sump through the electrostatic purification system, and returns the cleaned fluid to its reservoir where it merges with the remainder of dirty fluid. After many passes through the purification system, the entire fluid reservoir is clean. Some systems however require that the purification system be in series with the normal fluid circuit. This demands a purifying system that can perform at potentially high flow rates. Also, some parallel systems have dirt contamination rates so large that a high capacity system is required. Furthermore, typical electrostatic fluid purification systems do not address temperature control, nor do they address the efficiencies of modular design and construction.

Accordingly, it is a principal object of this invention to provide a flexible and conformable modular electrostatic fluid purification system whose external dimensions and shape can be designed to fit synergistically with the mechanism it is being integrated with, to include the symbiotic use of its motors, pumps, filters, controls, structural members and unutilized spaces.

It is a further object of this invention to provide, with this same design and construction, a low-cost standard modular electrostatic fluid purification system that can be effectively used either in series or in parallel with the fluid circuit, having flow rates that may range from very small to very large.

It is an additional object of this invention to provide, with this same design and construction, the ability to accommodate cooling or heating of the fluid concurrent with cleaning so as to maintain a desired temperature of the fluid when such is desired.

It is another object of this invention to provide a stand alone complete system with all required functions self-contained in a basic module called a plate.

It is yet a further object of this invention to provide a standard modular device so that the same design unit can be replicated and paralleled to provide the desired flow rate, no matter how large or small, with little or no additional component design required.

It is yet an additional object of this invention to provide a standard modular device of significantly lower cost, and rapid order delivery without extraordinary inventory.

It is yet another object of this invention to provide a fluid path for the charging and mixing processes required for electrostatic cleaning that do not require an additional separate external housing or containment vessel.

A further object of this invention to provide mixing chambers so as to enhance the cleaning of the fluid, to provide turbulent mixing action and rapid and efficient agglomeration of oppositely charged particulate matter.

An additional object of this invention to provide a physically conformable fluid path, containing a chamber with flexible and physically conformable opposite polarity electrodes, a turbulence-initiating junction, a mixing chamber wherein rapid agglomeration occurs, and that are economical to construct.

Another object of this invention to provide a simple economical means of passing high voltage wires from the electrodes inside the charging chambers to the power supply outside, while maintaining the continence of the fluid circuit.

Other objects of the present invention and features and advantages thereof will be made apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawing figures.

Disclosure of Invention The present invention achieves the above objects, among others, by providing, in a preferred embodiment, a system for electrostatic removal of particulate matter from non-conductive fluid to be purified, comprising: at least one top and at least one bottom element sheets with one side of each at least one top and at least one bottom element sheet formed in mirror image of the other, each providing one-half of a channel, so that when the at least one top and at least one bottom element sheets are bonded together, they form a complete channel and a series of fluid purification channels; the pattern on the at least one top and the at least one bottom element sheets providing a purification fluid path channel that splits the fluid flow into two forks; the pattern on the at least one top and the at least one bottom element sheets forming two charging channels created to accommodate two oppositely charged flexible electrodes to charge particulate matter in the purification fluid; the pattern on the at least one top and the at least one bottom element sheets providing a purification fluid path channel that recombines the two forks at a turbulence-initiating junction to enhance flocculation of oppositely charged particles in the combined two forks; the pattern on the at least one top and the at least one bottom element sheets providing a fluid path channel that allows mixing of the purification fluid containing oppositely charged particles so as to encourage flocculation; flexible and physically conformable charging electrodes housed in each one of the charging channels created by the at least one top and the at least one bottom sheets, the electrodes being connected to a power supply that provides positive and negative voltage to the electrodes; and the at least one top and the at least one bottom element sheets providing a means of ingress and egress of purification fluid to and from the system.

Brief Description of Drawings Understanding of the present invention and the various aspects thereof will be facilitated by reference to the accompanying drawing figures, provided for purposes of illustration only and not intended to defined the scope of the invention, on which: Figure 1 shows a schematic of a typical non-conductive fluid purification system, with a typical heat exchange system.

Figure 2 shows an exploded view of the preferred embodiment of the modular plate fluid purification and heat exchange system.

Figures 3A-3D show one typical plate in a sequence of partial views for clarity of presentation, showing first the purification circuits, then separately the islands that create the heat exchange circuits.

Figure 3A shows a conforming purification pathway for one plate, the heat exchange fluid pathway being suppressed. These pathways conduct the purification fluid.

Figure 3B shows a cross-sectional view of the conforming purification pathway.

Figure 3C shows only the raised islands that, together with the internal purification fluid channels (here suppressed), create a channel for the external heat exchange fluid to flow.

Figure 3D shows a cross-sectional view of a raised island.

Figure 3E shows the purification fluid pathways of Figure 3A combined with the raised islands of Figure 3C. The complete design and flows of the cleaning and heat exchange circuits are seen, including the necessary elements of the process.

Figure 3F shows a cross-sectional view of the total plate in figure 3E with both purification and heat exchange fluid pathways.

Figure 3G shows a cross-sectional view at section D-D of Figure 3E detailing how the external heat exchange fluid crosses over the internal purification fluid channel.

Figure 3H shows an enlarged cross-sectional view of the fluid paths at section B- B of Figure 3E highlighting the multiple heat exchange fluid pathways and purification fluid pathways created by bonding and stacking plates together.

Figure 31 shows a cross-sectional view illustrating the ingress for the purification fluid, and how they connect all the purification plates together in parallel to form a common feed channel to all the purification plates simultaneously. This construction is typical of the egress for the fluid to be purified as well.

Figure 3J shows a cross-sectional view illustrating the ingress for the heat exchange fluid, and how they connect all the purification plates together in parallel to form a common feed channel for the heat exchange fluid simultaneously. This construction is typical of the egress for the heat exchange as well.

Figure 4A illustrates the turbulence inducing junction configuration and high voltage wire connection to the power supply source.

Figure 4B illustrates an alternate junction configuration and high voltage wire connection to the power supply source.

Figure 5A shows a detailed view of the flexible electrode comprised of four wires wound in alternately reverse lay and progressively larger internal and external diameters so as to permit inserting each coiled wire inside the others.

Figure 5B shows a cross-section view of Figure 5A.

Figure 5C is a table, which describes the wire size and physical make-up of the individual coiled wires.

Figure 5D shows how the flexible electrode is located inside the fluid pathway and how the high voltage wire is connected to the electrode.

Figure 6A shows ten purification plates stacked one on top of the other and connected in parallel to form a module of a specific capacity. Also shown are the motorized pump, power source and controls, collection filter and temperature controller.

Figure 6B shows multiple configurations of ganging two standard modules.

Figure 7A illustrates alternate configurations of the mixing chamber pathway.

Figure 7B illustrates alternate cross-sections of the purification fluid pathways.

Figure 8 shows an alternate embodiment of the heat exchange portion of the plate system wherein the islands are cut out to permit the heat exchange fluid to flow perpendicular to the plate or stack of plates.

Figures 9A through 9E illustrate alternate embodiments of the flexible electrode.

Figure 10 illustrates an alternate embodiment of the module incorporating additional heat exchange plates made of stainless steel for enhanced heat exchange capability and positioned after the plastic purification plates.

Figure 11A illustrates how the preferred embodiment is integrated with a mechanism, in this case a marine diesel engine, by incorporating the purification and heat exchange functions into the existing heat exchangers.

Figure 11B illustrates an alternate embodiment of the module's exterior shape and configuration, portraying the flexible and conformable electrostatic device being integrated with a mechanism by routing it along its structural supports.

Figure 12 illustrates an alternate embodiment of stacking plates using a rubber gasket instead of bonding.

Best Mode for Carrving Out the Invention Figure 1 illustrates a system diagram of the electrostatic filter with heat exchange of the present invention. A non-conductive fluid inlet 100 is connected to a fluid splitter 101, which splits the fluid into two distinct paths 102 and 103. Charging electrodes 104 and 105 are contained within the charging chambers 106 and 107 wherein the fluid flows past the electrodes. Particulate in the fluid passes the electrodes where a net positive charge is impinged on particulate passing electrode 105 and a net negative charge is impinged on particulate passing electrode 104 through the power supplied by power supply 112. The power supply 112 is a source of DC electrical potential, with a voltage in the range of 5000 to 50,000 volts both positive and negative. The two fluid paths containing the charged particulate are joined through a turbulence initiator 108. The particulate agglomerates in connector 108 and in the mixing chamber 109 to be collected by a filter, after passing through egress port 110, to the collection filter 111.

Figure 1 also illustrates a system diagram of the heat exchange circuit, whose use is optional, but is integral with the electrostatic filter design and construction. A heat exchange inlet 113 provides access for the heat exchange medium to flow in heat exchange channels 114 and 115, completely surrounding and separate from the fluid purification circuit 100-110, so that heating or cooling can simultaneously occur on all sides. These fluid paths then join up and exit via the egress port 116. A temperature controller 117 keeps the heat exchange medium at the desired temperature so as to keep the fluid being purified at the desired temperature.

Figure 2 shows an exploded view of the preferred embodiment of a standard modular plate fluid purification and heat exchange system. It is comprised of a stack of formed and bonded plastic plates 201-204 held between two metal covers 206 and 207.

The metal covers serve to protect the plastic plates, and provide a mechanical platform for the flanged pipes 209-212 that connect to the pumps and external fluid apparatus. The purification fluid enters the system at flanged pipe 209 and flows immediately to all of the purification plates 201-204, entering each plate at ingress position 201A for each plate. For ease of description this figure illustrates only four plates with only one plate showing 100% of the fluid circuits. The fluid progresses simultaneously through each of the purification plates, flowing through various steps, to be described in Figure 3E, called the charging chambers, the turbulence-initiating junction, the mixing chamber and exiting at position 201B, simultaneously from all the plates through the common egress at flanged pipe 210. Connection ports 213 provide the means of connecting high voltage to the electrodes.

The heat exchange fluid enters the system at flanged pipe 211 and flows immediately to the backside of (in between) all the purification plates 201-204 at ingress position 201C for each plate. The heat exchange fluid flows simultaneously between all the purification plates, through its own circuit configured to be in close proximity to the purification fluid pathways and separated only by the thickness of the plastic sheet. The two fluids cannot meet or intermix, each having their own discreet circuit pathway, to be described in Figure 3E, and separated by the thickness of the plastic sheet. The heat exchange fluid then collects at the egress position 201D of each plate and from all the plates through the common egress at flanged pipe 212.

Top plate 202 has a plain non-embossed plastic sheet 214 bonded to the plate so that the heat exchange fluids are contained and do not contact the metal cover. The bottom plate 204 also has a plain non-embossed plastic sheet 205 bonded to plate 204, here shown separated from plate 204 for clarity.

If additional temperature conditioning is desired within the stack, additional plates including metallic plates, may be added to the stack (to be described in Figure 10) either before or after the plastic plates, depending upon the application.

Figure 3A shows the conforming purification fluid pathway only for plate 201, the heat exchange fluid pathway being suppressed. Figure 3B is a cross-sectional view of the fluid plate 201. In Figure 3A the purification fluid pathway is comprised of the ingress 201A, two separate fluid pathways 302 and 303, two separate charging chambers 304 and 305, two separate charging electrodes 306 and 307, a connecting path 308 and 309 to the turbulence-initiating junction 310, two passageways 311 and 312 for opposite polarity high voltage wires 318 and 319 that connect with electrodes 306 and 307 and exit to the outside via ports 320 and 321, a connection from the turbulence-initiating junction 310 to the mixing chamber 313, continuing on to the egress 201B. The separate by-pass channel 315 provides a short-circuit fluid path between ingress and egress ports to protect the system from overpressure. The overpressure by-pass valve 316 in this embodiment is a valve with 75-psi crack pressure. In this embodiment, the formed and bonded plastic sheets are made of 0.090 inch thick Polycarbonate with a dielectric strength of 380 volts per mil and continuous operating temperature of 266 degrees F. The two plates are bonded with epoxy base insulating adhesive capable of 400 degrees F continuous duty. Other suitable materials and adhesives of higher or lower dielectric strength or continuous operating temperature or thickness can also be used.

Figure 3B shows a cross-sectional view of plate 201, the plate being cut at 317 Section A-A. Two mirror image formed plastic sheets 331 and 332, to be described in Figure 3H are bonded so that purification fluid pathways 302-305,308, 309 and 313 are created.

Figure 3C shows only the islands on plate 201, of which 322-326 are representative, protruding outward from the bonded plastic sheets in the same direction as and positioned to be close to the purification fluid channels (not shown) so as to create heat exchange fluid pathways (to be described in Figure 3E). The purpose of Figure 3C is to show these islands alone, without the complicating purification fluid pathways, in order to show the nature, shape and number of them. The heat exchange fluid ingress is at port 201C. The heat exchange fluid flows through the heat exchange fluid channels created by the formed purification fluid pathways (here suppressed) projecting outward, and islands (of which 322-326 are representative) also projecting outwards, between which the heat exchange fluid is constrained to flow. The heat exchange pathways eventually merge and egress at 201D.

Figure 3D illustrates a cross-sectional view of island 322 of plate 201, and how the island projects upwards on formed plastic sheet 331 and downwards on the mirror image formed plastic sheet 332.

Figure 3E shows the purification fluid pathway and heat exchange fluid pathway both together as they are normally found on the formed and bonded mirror image plastic sheets that make plate 201. As explained in Figure 3A, the purification fluid ingress 201A leads to the separate channels 302 and 303 which lead the fluid to flow through channels 304 and 305 passed electrodes 306 and 307 so the particulate matter therein can be charged, onward through channels 308 and 309 to the turbulence initiating junction 310, and onward through the mixing chamber 313 and egress port 201B. Bypass channel 315 is activated when overpressure valve 316 opens. High voltage electrical wires 318 and 319 connect to the electrodes 306 and 307 and pass through channels 308 and 309 and 311 and 312 and exit to the outside via ports 320 and 321.

The heat exchange fluid ingress 201C leads to multiple channels formed by the protrusion of the purification fluid pathways 302-305,308, 309 and 313, and the protrusion from the islands (of which 322-326 are representative). These channels connect to each other both in series and parallel as shown by the arrows, sometimes crossing over the purification fluid channels at specific crossover points to be described in Figure 3G. They collect and egress at 201D.

Figure 3F shows a cross-sectional view Section A-A of Figure 3E taken at line 317. Plate 201 is comprised of two mirror image formed plastic sheets 331 and 332.

Purification ports 302-305 and 308,309 and 313 and islands 322-325 can be seen, as well as heat exchange channel 327 formed between channel 304 and island 322, and heat exchange channel 328 formed between channel 313 and island 324.

Figure 3G shows a cross-sectional view Section D-D of Figure 3E illustrating how the crossover is accomplished. The purification fluid channel 302 is circular in cross-section as signified by the circular dotted line 334. The heat exchange fluid channels 333 cross over and under purification fluid channel 302, causing the purification channel to be truncated and have a cross-sectional shape as depicted by the dotted lines 335. The two heat exchange fluid channels 333 intersect and encroach upon the now truncated cross-section shape 335 fluid channel 302 thereby creating a path permitting the heat exchange fluid to cross over into the next adjacent channel.

Figure 3H is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the fluid paths taken at Section B-B of Figure 3E, showing the construction of the preferred embodiment of Figure 2.

Only three plates are shown for the purpose of clearly illustrating the purification and heat exchange fluid channels that result when two plastic sheets are formed in mirror images and bonded together. Shown are top metal cover 207 and bottom metal cover 206 sandwiching three plates 201-203. Non-embossed plastic sheets 214 and 205 are bonded to plates 202 and 203 respectively to complete the channels for the heat exchange circuits without the fluids touching the metal covers. Plastic sheets 331 and 332 are formed in mirror images so that each provides one half of the purification fluid pathways 302A- 302C and 303A-303C, and heat exchange fluid pathways represented by 336-341 (not all-inclusive). Plates 201-203 are stacked and bonded together with adhesive to form a structure called a stack. The cleaning capacity of this standard modular stack is a multiple of the capacity of each standard plate employed. By stacking the plates, separate channels represented by 336-339 are created through which the heat exchange fluid flows. In the preferred embodiment, the resulting purification fluid channels are round in cross-section with a 3/8-inch diameter. The channels could be any suitable cross-sectional shape such as oval, rectangular, omega, etc. , and any suitable cross-sectional area, depending upon the application and such parameters as viscosity of the fluid, temperature, flow rate and pressure.

Figure 31 shows a cross-sectional view at Section C-C of Figure 3E and the preferred embodiment of Figure 2 with only three plates represented for clarity. This cross-sectional view is typical of the purification fluid ingress and egress. The cross- sectional view shows how the stacked and bonded plates connect together in parallel to form a common feed channel 201A through which the purification fluid funnels simultaneously into the fluid pathways 302A-302C and 303A-303C. The fluid enters via flanged pipe 209, passing through and anchored to the cover 207. Rubber seals 352 and 353 preserve the fluid continence at this transition. The fluid continues through the previously described channels until it exits the module. The separate heat exchange fluid channels 360-367 are seen surrounding the common feed channel.

Figure 3J shows a cross-sectional view at Section E-E of Figure 3E and the preferred embodiment of Figure 2 with only three plates represented for clarity. This cross-sectional view is typical of the heat exchange fluid ingress and egress. The cross- sectional view shows how the stacked and bonded plates connect together in parallel to form a common feed channel 201C through which the heat exchange fluid enters and funnels simultaneously into the fluid pathways 329A-329D. The fluid enters via flanged pipe 211, passing through and anchored to the cover 207. Rubber seals 354 and 355 preserve the fluid continence at this transition. The fluid continues through the previously described channels until it exits the module. Purification fluid channels 313A and 313B can also be seen.

Figure 4A illustrates the turbulence-inducing junction where the two charging chambers merge into a single mixing chamber so that oppositely charged particles can agglomerate. This configuration also shows how the two opposite polarity high voltage wires pass easily from inside the charging chambers to the outside. This special configuration is designed to funnel the fluids from the two charging chambers 308 and 309 to the turbulence initiating junction 310, whose junction initiates a swirling turbulent action as the two streams merge. The cross-sectional area of the merging fluids reduces to half in the turbulence-inducing chamber 310 creating a large back pressure, thereby speeding the fluid onward and increasing turbulence. The entrance and exit ports have a 2: 1 area reduction (from. 221 to. 110 square inches) creating a large backpressure which in turn induces and increases the violent turbulent swirling. This action initiates frequent and strong collisions of the oppositely charged particulate, and rapid agglomeration, completing the agglomeration cycle as the particulate careens down the mixing chamber 313 at a high velocity. This high velocity swirling turbulence down the mixing chamber provides many more occasions for the oppositely charged and not charged particulate to collide and agglomerate in a minimum of time. The restrictions 404 and 405 augment the swirling turbulent action. This turbulence-initiating action serves to reduce the length of the main mixing chamber and the residence time required for the opposite charges to fully encounter each other and agglomerate.

This special configuration also incorporates channels 311 and 312, through which high voltage wires 318 and 319 can be connected to the external power supply (not shown), via solid terminals 410 and 411 while maintaining fluid continence. The high voltage wire is fastened to the internal ends of the solid terminals. The external ends of the solid terminals provide easy access to the outside by passing through ports 320 and 321. The plastic sheets forming ports 320 and 321 are formed tightly around the solid terminal in diminishing diameter concentric rings with annular depressions to form a cone. The terminals are bonded to maintain continence. The rubber connecting cables 414 and 415, having mating concentric rings and annular projections, which engage and remain solidly connected to ports 320 and 321 despite vibrations or shocks and protect against rain and moisture. The solid terminal ends 410 and 411 enter the cylindrical contact 416 to complete the connection to the power supply (not shown).

Figure 4B illustrates an alternative junction configuration and high voltage wire connection to the power supply source. The purification fluid ingress at 201A passes into a chamber 420 where the fluid splits and proceeds through the system via channels 302 and 303. High voltage wires 318 and 319 connect the electrodes with the external power supply (not shown), via solid terminals 410 and 411 while maintaining fluid continence.

The high voltage wire is fastened to the internal ends of the solid terminals. The external ends of the solid terminals provide easy access to the outside by passing through ports 320 and 321. The plastic sheets forming ports 320 and 321 are formed tightly around the solid terminal in diminishing diameter concentric rings with annular depressions to form a cone. The terminals are bonded to maintain continence. The remainder of the electrical connection to the power supply works as illustrated in Figure 4A.

Figure 5A shows the layout of the flexible electrodes contained in each plate. The electrodes are used to charge the particles in the fluid as they pass by. The flexible high voltage electrode is comprised of wires 501,502, 503 and 504 coiled in the form of a springs, with wire size, spring diameter, pitch and direction of lay that permits inserting one spring inside another as shown in Figure 5B. The number of inter-laced springs, their materials, and their lengths are determined by the application. In this embodiment, the material is stainless steel. Other appropriate materials are those that are electrical conductors with an affinity for wetting, and the ability to retain their spring shape and flexibility. In certain cases, it may be desirable to electroplate or otherwise coat the springs with materials that improve their ability to impart a charge.

The interlaced springs are designed to provide a labyrinth through which the dirty non-conducting fluid flows while destroying laminar flow. As the fluid traverses the labyrinth, it encounters the springs 501,502, 503 and 504 and is forced around the wires at an accelerated rate. Dirt particles that cannot negotiate the direction change around the wire are propelled into the wire with its high voltage polarity thereby picking up a charge.

Those particles that manage to go around the first barriers are also accelerated and centrifugally directed towards and collide with the next wire, and so on. The high voltage impressed on the wound coils of the spring electrodes present an electric field, which imposes a force on both ionic particles and charge-neutral dipole matter and agitates particulate, further causing more and more dirt particles to be charged effectively and efficiently along the length of the electrode.

As the manufacturing technology of spring winding is highly advanced, the resulting interlaced, flexible, highly efficient high voltage electrode is significantly low in cost, easy to design, and readily procurable. The interlaced springs are easily assembled, and allow easy bending to conform to its geometric design. In this embodiment, the electrodes are laid in a serpentine fluid path configuring the electrode in a serpentine pattern. The electrode is flexible and can conform to many other configurations such as spiral or even straight.

In this embodiment, the electrode is comprised of four interlaced springs, 501, 502,503 and 504. The spring material is stainless steel, with equal wire diameters of. 025 inches. Wire 501 is wound in a right hand lay with a pitch of 30.3 coils per inch, an inside diameter of. 075 inches, and an outside diameter of. 125 inches. Wire 502 is wound in a left hand lay with a pitch of 19.2 coils per inch, providing an inside diameter of. 138 inches and outside diameter of. 188 inches. Coiled wire 501 can be readily inserted into coiled wire 502 leaving a space of. 0065 inches per side between the two, and more varied labyrinth because of the oppositely wound lays and different pitches as shown in Figure 5B. This continues in like fashion for wires 503 and 504, where the outside diameter of wound coil 504 of. 313 inches fits into the formed fluid pathway with an inside diameter of. 375 inches. In its coiled spring configuration, the electrode is able to flex and conform to any shape the formed fluid pathway assumes.

Figure 5C indicates the lay, wire size, coil OD and coils-per-inch for this embodiment. The number of coils, length, wire size and coil OD can vary depending on the cleaning application. A larger capacity system may require more coils with larger diameters and/or longer length. A smaller capacity system may require less coils or shorter lengths. In addition to being interlaced, they may be placed side by side in two's or three's or more, either parallel to one another or twisted along a central axis.

Figure 5D shows for the preferred embodiment how the flexible electrodes 505 and 506 lie in the serpentine pathways 507and 508. The individual electrode wires are bunched and connected electrically and mechanically via step down butt splices 509 and 510 to the high voltage wires 511 and 512.

Figure 6A illustrates a modular plate purification system with motor and pump 616, power source and controls 619, collection filter 617, and temperature controller 618 connected. Ten purification plates 601-610 are shown stacked and bonded one on top of the other and connected in parallel. Metal covers 611on top and 612 on bottom of the stack protect the purification plates and anchor the flanged pipes that connect to the pumps and other apparatus. In the preferred embodiment each standardized purification plate (601 being representative) can process 100 gallons of fluid per hour. The ten plates connected in parallel will process a total of 1000 gallons per hour. Purification plates are not limited to 100 gallons per hour flow rate and can be formed to process from very low to very high flow rates. Likewise, stacks are not limited to ten plates. They can have more or less plates.

Figure 6B also shows two identical purification plate modules ganged together side by side represented by 613 with a common pump 616 to form a system with twice the fluid cleaning and heat exchanging capacity as each module. Alternatively, modules with different capacities can be ganged so as to customize fluid flow rates for the application. As depicted in Figure 6B, they can be arranged one in back of the other represented by 614, or stacked one on top of the other represented by 615, or in any combination and number to satisfy the application. A single pump or multiple pumps can be used.

Figure 7A illustrates alternate configurations of the mixing chamber pathway.

701 shows a criss-cross pattern, 702 a serpentine pattern, 703 a straight line chamber.

Any combination may be employed.

Figure 7B illustrates various alternative pathway and chamber cross-section configurations such as 705 vertical constriction, 706 rectangular, 707 triangular, 708 oval, 709 infinity symbol, 710 omega symbol. The fluid pathways are not limited to circular shape and can be virtually any size or cross-section.

Figure 8 shows an alternate embodiment for achieving heat exchange whereby holes are cut where the islands portrayed in Figure 3C are shown. A few of these island shaped cutouts are represented by 800, the remainder by the cross-hatched areas. The heat exchange fluid is directed perpendicular to the plate and flows through the island shaped cut holes. This can work with a single plate or a stack and with air or gases as well as with liquids.

Figure 9A-9E illustrate alternate embodiments of the flexible electrode as: 901 a wire bristle brush, 902 as fine mesh wire screens rolled up, 903 as closed mesh spiral wires interlaced to look like a wire grip, 904 as a metal lace configuration rolled up, or 905 as continuous metal shavings like scouring pads. Any metal material that is physically conformable can be used as a flexible electrode.

Figure 10 illustrates an alternate embodiment of the module incorporating additional heat exchange plates made of stainless steel or other suitable metal for enhanced heat exchange capability. As in Figure 6, the module shows the motor and pump 616 and ten plates stacked and bonded 601-610. Four additional metal plates 617- 620 have been added at the egress side of the purification circuit (ingress side of the heat exchange circuit). These plates can be metal, as the electrical considerations do not extend beyond the individual purification plate. Metal covers 611 and 612 protect the stack and provide a mechanical platform for the flanged pipes that connect to the pumps and external fluid apparatus.

Figure 11A illustrates how the preferred embodiment is integrated with a mechanism, in this case a marine diesel engine, by incorporating the module into the existing heat exchangers 1100 and 1101.

Figure 11B illustrates an alternate embodiment of the module's exterior shape and configuration 1102, portraying its flexible and conformable capability being integrated with a mechanism by routing it along the mechanism's structural supports 1103 and mechanical devices 1104. Purification fluid enters at 1110, flows through the module to charge and flocculate the particulate, exits the module and passes through the collection filter 1108 and exiting at 1109. The heat exchange fluid enters at 1106, flows through the module to control the purification fluid temperature 1105, exits the module and passes through the radiator and exiting at 1107.

Figure 12 illustrates an alternate embodiment of stacking plates into a module. As in Figure 3H, plates 201-203 are stacked one on top of the other, but instead of bonding them, they are interleaved with rubber sheets 1200 and 1201. The rubber sheets 1202 and 1203 are used to finish off the stack between the top plate 202 and the non-embossed plastic sheet 214, and the bottom plate 203 and the non-embossed plastic sheet 205.

Metal covers 206 and 207 apply pressure and clamp them together.

Spatially orienting terms such as"upper","lower","outer","inwardly", <BR> <BR> outwardly", "vertical", "horizontal", and the like, when used herein, refer to the positions of the respective elements shown on the accompanying drawing figures and the present invention is not necessarily limited to such positions.

It will thus be seen that the objects set forth above, among those elucidated in, or made apparent from, the preceding description and drawing figures are efficiently attained and, since certain changes may be made in the above construction without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown on the accompanying drawing figures shall be interpreted as illustrative only and not in a limiting sense.

It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention herein described and all statements of the scope of the invention that, as a matter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.