IP Library Granted Patent US 12,239,941
Granted Patent B2
US 12,239,941 · App. 17/357,155 · Granted Mar 4, 2025

System for redox shuttle solution monitoring

Inventor: Eugene S. Beh (Palo Alto, CA)
Assignee: Xerox Corporation
B01D61/54B01D53/263B01D61/422B01D61/46B01D61/463B01D61/48C02F1/008C02F1/4693C02F1/4695F24F3/1417C02F2303/16
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,239,941
App. No.
17/357,155
Granted
Mar 4, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

An electrodialysis apparatus comprises a first reservoir wherein salt dissolved in solvent is reduced below a threshold concentration and a second reservoir wherein the salt concentration increases. A first electrode contacts a first solution of a first redox-active electrolyte material, and a second electrode contacts a second solution of a second redox-active electrolyte material. A first type of membrane is disposed between the first and second reservoirs and a second type of membrane is disposed between the first electrode and the first reservoir and between the second electrode and the second reservoir. A color measuring device is coupled to at least one of the solutions, and a control system is configured to modify the value of a property of at least one of the first and second solutions in response to detecting a color value of one of the solutions exceeding a threshold color value.

Claims (17)

1. An electrodialysis apparatus, comprising:

a first reservoir comprising an input and an output, wherein concentration of salt dissolved in solvent in the first reservoir is reduced below a threshold concentration during an operation mode;

a second reservoir comprising an input and an output, wherein concentration of salt dissolved in the solvent in the second reservoir increases in concentration during the operation mode;

a first electrode in contact with a first solution of a first redox-active electrolyte material having at least one property having a first value, wherein the first electrode is configured to have a reversible redox reaction with the first redox-active electrolyte material;

a second electrode in contact with a second solution of a second redox-active electrolyte material having at least one property having a second value, wherein the second electrode is configured to have a reversible redox reaction with the second redox-active electrolyte material;

a first type of membrane disposed between the first and second reservoirs;

a second type of membrane, different from the first type, disposed between the first electrode and the first reservoir and disposed between the second electrode and the second reservoir;

a color measuring device coupled to at least one of the first solution and the second solution for detecting a color value of the first solution or the second solution; and

a control system configured to modify the value of the at least one property of the first solution or the second solution in response to the color measuring device detecting a color value of the first solution or the second solution exceeding a threshold color value, wherein the at least one property of the first solution or the second solution is state of charge (SOC).

2. The electrodialysis apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising an electrical energy source coupled to the first and second electrodes and the control system is coupled to the electrical energy source and configured to control the energy source to apply a pulse at a predetermined potential between the first and second electrodes in response to the color measuring device detecting a color value of the first solution or the second solution exceeding a threshold color value to modify the at least one property.

3. The electrodialysis apparatus of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first solution and the second solution is one or both of ferrocyanide and ferricyanide.

4. The electrodialysis apparatus of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first solution and the second solution is [BTMAP-Fc] 2+/3+ .

5. The electrodialysis apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the color measuring device is a colorimeter.

6. The electrodialysis apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the color measuring device is a spectrophotometer.

7. The electrodialysis apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the threshold color value indicates a pH below 7.

8. The electrodialysis apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the threshold color value indicates a pH above 9.

9. The electrodialysis apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first solution and the second solution form a single redox shuttle cycled between the first and second electrodes.

Assignments (8)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 6, 2026
From: XEROX CORPORATION
To: GENESEE VALLEY INNOVATIONS, LLC
Reel/Frame 075020/0755 →
SECOND LIEN NOTES PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jul 2, 2025
From: XEROX CORPORATION
To: U.S. BANK TRUST COMPANY, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 071785/0550 →
FIRST LIEN NOTES PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Apr 11, 2025
From: XEROX CORPORATION
To: U.S. BANK TRUST COMPANY, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 070824/0001 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Feb 13, 2024
From: XEROX CORPORATION
To: CITIBANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 066741/0001 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 20, 2023
From: XEROX CORPORATION
To: JEFFERIES FINANCE LLC, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 065628/0019 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE REMOVAL OF US PATENTS 9356603, 10026651, 10626048 AND INCLUSION OF US PATENT 7167871 PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 064038 FRAME 0001. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded Jun 28, 2023
From: PALO ALTO RESEARCH CENTER INCORPORATED
To: XEROX CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 064161/0001 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 20, 2023
From: PALO ALTO RESEARCH CENTER INCORPORATED
To: XEROX CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 064038/0001 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 24, 2021
From: BEH, EUGENE S.
To: PALO ALTO RESEARCH CENTER INCORPORATED
Reel/Frame 056676/0143 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20220410070A1 · Dec 29, 2022
References Cited (83)
US 2672024A · McGrath · 1954 [cited by applicant]
US 4163716A · Turnbull · 1979 [cited by examiner]
US 4593534A · Bloomfield · 1986 [cited by applicant]
US 4984434A · Peterson et al. · 1991 [cited by applicant]
US 6187201B1 · Abe et al. · 2001 [cited by applicant]
US 7083730B2 · Davis · 2006 [cited by applicant]
US 7992855B2 · Awano · 2011 [cited by applicant]
US 8142633B2 · Batchelder et al. · 2012 [cited by applicant]
US 8769972B2 · Bahar · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 8801910B2 · Bazant et al. · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 8999132B2 · Bazant et al. · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 9340436B2 · Sahu et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 9640826B2 · Yan et al. · 2017 [cited by applicant]
US 9670077B2 · Volkel et al. · 2017 [cited by applicant]
US 9673472B2 · Volkel et al. · 2017 [cited by applicant]
US 9905876B2 · Schubert et al. · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 10550014B2 · Desai et al. · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 10821395B2 · Beh · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 10822254B2 · Desai et al. · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 20050183956A1 · Katefidis · 2005 [cited by applicant]
US 20120138468A1 · Sivan · 2012 [cited by examiner]
US 20150232348A1 · Jepson · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 20190240614A1 · Beh · 2019 [cited by examiner]
US 20200070094A1 · Hussaini et al. · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 20200161685A1 · Song et al. · 2020 [cited by applicant]
CA 2312798A1 · 1999 [cited by examiner]
GB 2520259A · 2015 [cited by applicant]
WO 2014181898 · 2014 [cited by applicant]
WO 2018032003 · 2018 [cited by applicant]
WO 2018119280 · 2018 [cited by applicant]
English translation of JP H0751682 (Year: 1995). [cited by examiner]
US Dept. of Energy, “Energy Savings Potential and RD&D Opportunities for Commercial Building HVAC Systems”, Dec. 2017, 172 pages. [cited by applicant]
US Dept. of Interior/US Geological Survey, Estimated Use of Water in the United States in 2010, 2014, 64 pages. [cited by applicant]
Vermaas et al., “High Efficiency in Energy Generation from Salinity Gradients with Reverse Electrodialysis”, ACS Sustainable Chem. Eng., Jan. 2013, pp. 1295-1302. [cited by applicant]
Viswanathan et al., “Cost and performance model for redox flow batteries”, Journal of Power Sources, vol. 247, Dec. 23, 2012, pp. 1040-1051. [cited by applicant]
Woods, “Membrane processes for heating, ventilation, and air conditioning”, Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, vol. 33, 2014, pp. 290-304. [cited by applicant]
Ye et al., “Performance of a mixing entropy battery alternately flushed with wastewater effluent and seawater for recovery of salinity gradient energy”, Energy Environ. Sci. 2014, 7 (7), 2295-2300. [cited by applicant]
Zhang et al., “A Natural Driven Membrane Process for Brackish and Wastewater Treatment: Photovoltaic Powered ED and FO Hybrid System”, Environmental Science and Technology, Sep. 4, 2013, pp. 10548-10555. [cited by applicant]
Huang et al., “Reversible chemical delithiation/lithiation of LifePO [cited by applicant]
International Patent Application No. PCT/US2022/072987, filed Jun. 16, 2022; International Search Report / Written Opinion issued Oct. 4, 2022; 20 pages. [cited by applicant]
“Lazard's Levelized Cost of Storage—Version 2.0.” 2016, 46 pages. [cited by applicant]
Al-Jubainawi et al., “Factors governing mass transfer during membrane electrodialysis regeneration of LiCl solution for liquid desiccant dehumidification systems”, Sustainable Cities and Society, vol. 28, Aug. 26, 2016. [cited by applicant]
Al-Karaghouli et al., “Energy consumption and water production cost of conventional and renewable-energy-powered desalination processes”, Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 2013, 24, 343-356. [cited by applicant]
Anderson et al., Capacitive deionization as an electrochemical means of saving energy and delivering clean water. Comparison to present desalination practices: Will it compete?:, Electrochimica Acta 2010, 55 (12), 3845-… [cited by applicant]
Arellano et al., “Effects of pH on the degradation of aqueous ferricyanide by photolysis and photocatalysis under solar radiation”, Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells 2010, 94 (2), 327-332. [cited by applicant]
Ashrae Standard, “Method of Testing for Rating Desiccant Dehumidifiers Utilizing Heat for the Regeneration Process”, 2007. [cited by applicant]
Bajpayee et al., “Very low temperature membrane-free desalination by directional solvent extraction”, Energy Environ. Sci. 2011, 4 (5), 1672. [cited by applicant]
Beh et al., “A Neutral pH Aqueous Organic-Organometallic Redox Flow Battery with Extremely High Capacity Retention” ACS Energy Lett, Feb. 2017, pp. 639-644. [cited by applicant]
Btmap-Vi et al., “Ordering and Customer Service Neutral pH Aqueous Redox Flow Battery Materials”, Jan. 1, 2017, pp. 639. [cited by applicant]
Dai, “Increasing drought under global warming in observations and models”, Nat. Clim.Change 2013, 3 (1), 52-58. [cited by applicant]
Darling et al., “Pathways to low-cost electrochemical energy storage: a comparison of aqueous and nonaqueous flow batteries”, Energy Environ. Sci. 2014, 7 (11), 3459-3477. [cited by applicant]
Desai et al., “Electrochemical Desalination of Seawater and Hypersaline Brines with Coupled Electricity Storage”, ACS Energy Lett. Mar. 2, 2018, pp. 375-379. [cited by applicant]
Desalination Experts Group, “Desalination in the GCC”, 2014, 47 pages. [cited by applicant]
Dipaola, “Saudi Arabia Gets Cheapest Bids for Solar Power in Auction” Bloomberg, Jan. 16, 2018, 3 pages. [cited by applicant]
Gong et al., “A zinc-iron redox-flow battery under $100 per kWh of system capital cost”, Energy & Environmental Science, 2015. 5 pages. [cited by applicant]
Gong et al., All-Soluble All-Iron Aqueous Redox-Flow Battery, ACS Energy Letters, Jan. 2016, pp. 89-93. [cited by applicant]
Gowin, “Examining the economics of seawater desalination using the DEEP code”, Nuclear Power Technology Development Section, I. A. E. A., Ed. Vienna, Austria, 2000. [cited by applicant]
Gu et al., “A multiple ion-exchange membrane design for redox flow batteries”, Energy Environ. Sci. 2014, 7 (9), 2986. [cited by applicant]
Hilbert et al., “Correlations between the Kinetics of Electrolytic Dissolution and Deposition of Iron: I . The Anodic Dissolution of Iron”, Journal of The Electrochemical Society 1971, 118 (12), 1919-1926. [cited by applicant]
Howell et al., “Overview of the DOE VTO Advanced Battery R&D Program”, Jun. 6, 2016 24 pages. [cited by applicant]
Hu et al., “Long-Cycling Aqueous Organic Redox Flow Battery (AORFB) toward Sustainable and Safe Energy Storage”, Journal of the American Chemical Society 2017, 139 (3), 1207-1214. [cited by applicant]
John et al., “Seasonal cycles of temperature, salinity and water masses of the western Arabian gulf”, Oceanol. Acta 1990, 13 (3), 273-281. [cited by applicant]
Khawaji et al., “Advances in seawater desalination technologies”, Desalination 2008, 221 (1-3), 47-69. [cited by applicant]
Kozubal et al., “Low-Flow Liquid Desiccant Air-Conditioning: Demonstrated Performance and Cost Implications” NREL Technical Report, Sep. 2014, 104 pages. [cited by applicant]
La Mantia et al., “Batteries for efficient energy extraction from a water salinity difference”, Nano Lett. 2011, 11 (4), 1810-3. [cited by applicant]
Lee et al., “Desalination of a thermal power plant wastewater by membrane capacitive deionization”, Desalination 196, 2006, pp. 125-134. [cited by applicant]
Lee et al., “Rocking chair desalination battery based on Prussian blue electrodes”, ACS Omega 2017, 2 (4), 1653-1659. [cited by applicant]
Li et al., “Photovoltaic-electrodialysis regeneration method for liquid desiccant cooling system”, Solar Energy, vol. 83, 2009, pp. 2195-2204. [cited by applicant]
Logan et al., “Membrane-based processes for sustainable power generation using water”, Nature 2012, 488, 313. [cited by applicant]
Loutatidou, et al., “Capital cost estimation of RO plants: GCC countries versus southern Europe”, Desalination 2014, 347, 103-111. [cited by applicant]
Malhotra et al., “Use cases for stationary battery technologies: A review of the literature and existing projects”, Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 56, 2016, pp. 705-721. [cited by applicant]
McGovern et al., “On the cost of electrodialysis for the desalination of high salinity feeds”, Applied Energy 136, Dec. 2014, pp. 649-661. [cited by applicant]
Moore et al., “Evaporation from Brine Solutions Under Controlled Laboratory Conditions; Report 77 for the Texas Water Development Board”, May 1968, 77 pages. [cited by applicant]
Nair et al., “Water desalination and challenges: The Middle East perspective: a review”, Desalin. Water Treat. 2013, 51 (10-12), 2030-2040. [cited by applicant]
Oren, “Capacitive deionization (CDI) for desalination and water treatment—past, present and future (a review)”, Desalination 2008, 228 (1-3), 10-29. [cited by applicant]
Pasta et al., “A desalination battery” Nano Lett.2012, 12 (2), 839-43. [cited by applicant]
Patil et al., “Diffusivity of some zinc and cobalt salts in water”, J. Chem. Eng. Data 1993, 38 (4), 574-576. [cited by applicant]
Sadrzadeh et al., “Sea water desalination using electrodialysis”, Desalination 2008, 221 (1), 440-447. [cited by applicant]
Schaetzle et al., “Salinity Gradient Energy: Current State and New Trends”, Engineering, vol. 1, Issue 2, Jun. 2016, pp. 164-166. [cited by applicant]
Scialdone et al., “Investigation of electrode material—redox couple systems for reverse electrodialysis processes—Part II: Experiments in a stack with 10-50 ce”, Journal of Electroanalystical Chemistry, vol. 704, Jun. 1… [cited by applicant]
Scialdone et al., “Investigation of electrode material—Redox couple systems for reverse electrodialysis processes. Part I: Iron redox couples”, Journal of Electroanalytical Chemistry 2012, 681 (Supplement C), 66-75. [cited by applicant]
Stillwell et al., “Predicting the specific energy consumption of reverse osmosis desalination”, Water 2016, 8 (12). [cited by applicant]
Urban, “Emerging Scientific and Engineering Opportunities within the Water-Energy Nexus”, Joule, Dec. 20, 2017, pp. 665-688. [cited by applicant]