A variable electro-precipitator (VEP) is a
waste water remediation unit using
electrocoagulation. The differences between a standard electrocoagulation (EC) unit and a variable Electro-precipitation unit are in the enhanced flow path and the unit
electrode
An electrode is an electrical conductor used to make contact with a nonmetallic part of a circuit (e.g. a semiconductor, an electrolyte, a vacuum or air). Electrodes are essential parts of batteries that can consist of a variety of materials de ...
connections. The variable electro-precipitator's flow path has been designed to maximize retention time and to increase the
turbulence
In fluid dynamics, turbulence or turbulent flow is fluid motion characterized by chaotic changes in pressure and flow velocity. It is in contrast to a laminar flow, which occurs when a fluid flows in parallel layers, with no disruption between ...
of the water within the unit. This design aids in increasing the amount of effective treatment per gallon of
water
Water (chemical formula ) is an inorganic, transparent, tasteless, odorless, and nearly colorless chemical substance, which is the main constituent of Earth's hydrosphere and the fluids of all known living organisms (in which it acts as a ...
.
A major design weakness of the electrocoagulation units is the method used in connecting the electrode to the
power source. These designs cause overheating, resulting in premature failure of the electrocoagulation reaction chamber. VEP reaction chambers are designed to resolve these performance issues by changing all electrode connections from the standard wet connection (inside the chamber) to an external dry connection. The VEP is cooler-operating, and has a longer chamber life than an electrocoagulation unit.
References
Water treatment
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