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3.3. FEM-3 cell, devices and technologies using it, RPE reactors fitted with FEM-3 cells

V.M. Bakhir and Yu.G. Zadorozhny. A device for electrochemical treatment of water. Russian patent # 2078737. Filed 26.05.1994, published 10.05.97. A flow-through electrochemical modular cell of FEM-3 type.
V.M. Bakhir, Yu.G. Zadorozhny. Electrochemical Cell. US Patent № 5,635,040, filed 11.03.1996, pbl. 3.06.1997. A flow-through electrochemical modular cell of FEM-3 type .
V.M. Bakhir, Yu.G. Zadorozhny. Electrochemical Cell. US Patent № 5,783,052, filed 1997, pbl. 21.07.1998. The patent is given for engineering solutions described in RF patent # 2078737, USA patent 5,635,040, and supplemented by a number of essential characteristics. A flow-through electrochemical modular cell of FEM-3 type .
V.M. Bakhir, Yu.G. Zadorozhny. Electrochemical Cell. International Application WO 97/38942, international filing date 18.04.1996, international publication date 23.10.1997. The Application was filed under the Patent Cooperation Treaty ( РСТ ) and contains engineering solution described in Russian patent # 2078737. A flow-through electrochemical modular cell of FEM-3 type .
V.M. Bakhir, Yu.G. Zadorozhny, T.B. Barabash. A device for electrochemical treatment of water . RF certificate for useful model # 3600. Filed 17.11. 1995, published 16.02.1997. EMERALD- М device for water purification, technological process of water purification different from the process described in RF patent # 2038323 by the presence of a new stage of water treatment in mixing reactor positioned between the outlet of electrochemical reactor anodic chamber and dechlorination reactor.
V.M. Bakhir, Yu.G. Zadorozhny, T.B. Barabash. A device for electrochemical treatment of water . RF certificate for useful model # 3599. Filed 22.11.1995, published 16.02.1997. EMERALD-S device for water purification; SAPPHIRE technological process of water purification different from the process described in RF patent # 2040477 by the presence of a new stage of water treatment in mixing reactor positioned between the outlet of electrochemical reactor anodic chamber and dechlorination reactor.
V.M. Bakhir, Yu.G. Zadorozhny, T.B. Barabash. A device for electrochemical treatment of water . RF certificate for useful model # 3601. Filed 27.11.1995, published 16.02.1997 STEL device for producing electrochemically activated sterilizing, disinfectant and washing solution (AN anolyte) supplied with appliances for salt consumption economy, reduced anolyte mineralization and better operating stability.
V.M. Bakhir, Yu.G. Zadorozhny, T.B. Barabash. A device to produce washing and disinfectant solutions. RF patent # 2088539. Filed 31.05.1995, published 27.08.1997. STEL device for producing electrochemically activated sterilizing, disinfectant and washing solution (ANK anolyte), technological process including initial solution cathodic treatment, separating a part of catholyte and hydrogen bubbles with adhesive particles of heavy metal hydroxides followed by anodic catholyte treatment.
V.M. Bakhir, Yu.G. Zadorozhny. Apparatus for Electrochemical Treatment of Water and/or Water Solutions, USA Patent № 5 628 888, Publication Date 13.05 1997, Assignee: Rscecat, USA, Inc., Las Vegas, Nev. STEL device for producing electrochemically activated sterilizing, disinfectant and washing solution (ANK anolyte), technological process of ANK anolyte production.
V.M. Bakhir, Yu.G. Zadorozhny, T.B. Barabash. Apparatus for Electrochemical Treatment of Water and/or Water Solutions, USA Patent № 5 871 623, Publication Date 16.02 1999, Assignee: Rscecat, USA, Inc., Las Vegas, Nev. STEL device for producing electrochemically activated sterilizing, disinfectant and washing solution (ANK anolyte), technological process of ANK anolyte production.
V.M. Bakhir, Yu.G. Zadorozhny. Apparatus for Electrochemical Treatment of Water and / or Water Solutions, International Application Published Under PCT № WO 98/50309, International Filing Date 6.05.1997, International Publication Date 12.11.1998, Applicant - Bakhir V. M. STEL device for producing electrochemically activated sterilizing, disinfectant and washing solution (ANK anolyte), technological process of ANK anolyte production.
V.M. Bakhir, Yu.G. Zadorozhny, T.B. Barabash. A device to produce washing and disinfectant solutions. RF patent # 2076847. Filed 7.03.1995, published 10.04.1997. STEL-type device for producing electrochemically activated sterilizing, disinfectant and washing solution (AN anolyte), technological process whose characteristic feature is introduction into the reactor's electrode chambers of electrolysis gases liberated from solutions at the outlets from the electrode chambers of the same reactor.
V.M. Bakhir, Yu.G. Zadorozhny, T.B. Barabash. A device to produce washing and disinfectant solutions. RF patent # 2079575. Filed 31.05.1995, published 20.05.1997 STEL device for producing electrochemically activated sterilizing, disinfectant and washing solution (AN anolyte), technological process characterized by air introduction into initial solution.
V.M. Bakhir, Yu.G. Zadorozhny, T.B. Barabash. A device for electrochemical treatment of water and water solutions. Decision to issue a patent pursuant to application for RF patent # 95110168, priority from 30.06.1995.STEL-NEPTUN - type device for producing electrochemically activated sterilizing, disinfectant and washing solution (ANK anolyte) whose hydraulic circuit includes four flow-through diaphragm electrochemical reactors.
V.M. Bakhir and Yu.G. Zadorozhny. A device for obtaining products of anodic oxidation of alkaline or alkaline-earth metal chloride solution. RF patent # 2088693. Filed 9.02.1996, published 27.08.1997. AQUACHLOR technological process for synthesis of gaseous mixture of oxidants - chlorine, chlorine dioxide and ozone.
V.M. Bakhir and Yu.G. Zadorozhny. A device for electrochemical treatment and purification of water and /or water solutions. RF patent # 2091320. Filed 9.02.1996, published 27.09.1997. EMERALD-MF device for water purification, technological process of water purification composed of cathodic water conditioning, air introduction into water after it leaves the cathodic chamber and feeding air-water mixture into the flotation reactor, after leaving which water is subjected to anodic treatment in the same electrochemical reactor and is later dechlorinated in a catalytic reactor.
V.M. Bakhir, Yu.G. Zadorozhny. A device for electrochemical purification of water and/or water solutions. RF patent # 2096337. Filed 05.09.1996, published 04.06.1997. EMERALD- К F device for water purification, technological process of water purification including cathodic treatment of water in one reactor, separating gaseous hydrogen bubbles with adhesive heavy metal hydroxide particles in flotation reactor, anodic treatment of water in another reactor and its subsequent dechlorination, the pressure in both working chambers of the reactors being higher than that in auxiliary ones.
D.M. Morozov, Yu.G. Zadorozhny, V.M. Bakhir. A way to make anode. RF patent # 2096529. Filed 26.09.1996, published 12.10.1997. Technology of coating the anode of FEM-3 module.
S.A. Panicheva, V.M. Bakhir, Yu.G. Zadorozhny. A way to cleanse and sterilize endoscopes. RF patent # 2115435. Filed 05.09.1996, published 20.07.1998. Technology of cleansing and sterilization of flexible endoscopes with changing рН value of low-mineralized АNК anolyte in the process of cleansing, respective changing active ingredients' composition (gradual transition from active chlorine compounds to peroxycarbonate ones) and cathode protection of endoscope metal parts.
S.A. Panicheva, V.M. Bakhir, Yu.G. Zadorozhny. A device to cleanse and sterilize endoscopes. RF patent # 2113859. Filed 05.09.1996, published 27.06.1998. Endosteril device with vertical chamber for endoscope cleansing.
S.A. Panicheva, V.M. Bakhir, Yu.G. Zadorozhny, M.V. Byalko and V.Yu. Ryzhnev. A device to cleanse and sterilize endoscopes. RF patent #2113860. Filed 26.09.1996, published 27.06.1998. ENDOSTERIL-type device with a horizontal chamber of endoscope cleansing and impeller booster of washing anolyte flows.
V.M. Bakhir and Yu.G. Zadorozhny. A device for electrochemical treatment of water and/or water solutions. RF patent # 2141454. Filed 29.04.98, published 20.11.99. Flow-through electrochemical reactor made up of FEM-3 modules, of RPE-F type with flexible suspension of FEM modules.
N. Tsikoridze, V.M. Bakhir, Yu.G. Zadorozhny, Yu.N. Yakovlev, B.V. Maleev, S.A. Panicheva, V.I. Vtorenko. A method of indoor disinfection. RF patent # 2148414. Filed 29.10.1998, published 10.05.2000. Technology of ANK-type anolyte application in the form of mist.
V.M. Bakhir and Yu.G. Zadorozhny. A way to produce disinfectant solution – ANK-R neutral anolyte. RF patent # 2155719. Filed 25.12.1998, published 10.09.2000. Technology of producing electrochemically activated sterilizing, disinfectant and washing solution, the essence of which is that a concentrated water-salt solution is fed to the cathodic chamber of electrochemical reactor and the pressure in it is maintained on a level lower than that in the anodic chamber either due to vacuuming the cathodic chamber, or due to elevated pressure in the anodic chamber of electrochemical reactor.
V.M. Bakhir, Yu.G. Zadorozhny , S.A. Panicheva. A method of producing disinfectant solution – AND neutral anolyte. RF patent # 2148027. Filed 01.02.1999, published 27.04.2000. Technology of producing AND-type electrochemically activated sterilizing, disinfectant and washing solution including double consecutive anodic treatment of catholyte in two reactors, initial solution to be supplied to the first anodic chamber being obtained by mixing water with a small amount of catholyte generated from concentrated water-salt solution in the cathodic chambers of the reactors.
V.M. Bakhir, Yu.G. Zadorozhny , S.A. Panicheva. A method of producing disinfectant solution – AND neutral anolyte. RF patent # 2157793. Filed 01.02.1999, published 20.10.2000. Technology of producing electrochemically activated sterilizing, disinfectant and washing solution of AND type, the gist of which is that ANK-type anolyte undergoes repeated electrochemical exposure in conformity with the diagram of AN-type anolyte production.
Ye.N. Bolotsky, V.N. Bolotsky, V.M. Bakhir, Yu.G. Zadorozhny. A way to keep bees. RF patent # 2156060. Filed 04.02.1999, published 20.09.2000. Complex technology of beekeeping, including medical treatment, with the help of activated ANK-type anolyte and K-type catholyte.
A.A. Kochetkova, V.I. Tuzhilkin, O.A. Mayachenko, A.Yu. Kolesnov, M.V. Gernet, S.A. Panicheva, T.V. Rodina. A method of producing gelling additive. RF patent # 2073013. Filed 28.11.1994, published 10.02.1997. Low-mineralized anolyte of A type is used in the technology of pectin production.
V.M. Bakhir, Yu.G. Zadorozhny. Electrochemical cell. European patent specification # EP 0 842 122 B1, published 16.08.2000. FEM-3 cell.
V.M. Bakhir, Yu.G. Zadorozhny. A method of drinking water treatment. RF patent # 2149835. Filed 08.06.1999, published 27.05.2000. AMETHYST, AGAT, TOPAZ technological processes of water purification, whose characteristic feature is using electro-kinetic reactor for removal of positively charged colloidal particles of iron- and heavy metal hydroxides.
V.M. Bakhir, Yu.G. Zadorozhny. Reactor for electrochemical treatment of liquids. RF patent # 2153474. Filed 29.10.1998, published 27.07.2000. The reactor's collectors are made up of identical sections assembled with the help of nipple joints.
V.M. Bakhir. A method of non-chemical changing of physical-chemical properties of water and /or water solutions. RF patent # 2155717. Filed 28.01.2000, published 10.09.2000. The principle and technology of non-contact electrochemical activation.
V.M. Bakhir, Yu.G. Zadorozhny. Apparatus For Obtaining Products By Anode Oxidation Of Dissolved Chlorides Of Alkaline Or Alkaline-Earth Metals. US Patent Application # 08/820,260 Aquachlor Formal Application, March 19, 1998 . AQUACHLOR technological process for synthesis of gaseous mixture of oxidants – chlorine, chlorine dioxide and ozone.
V.M. Bakhir, Yu.G. Zadorozhny, T.B. Barabash. Apparatus For Electrochemical Treatment Of Water And/Or Water Solutions. US Patent Application # 09/076,656, May 12, 1998 . A STEL-type device to produce electrochemically activated sterilizing and washing solution (АNК anolyte).
V.M. Bakhir, Yu.G. Zadorozhny. Apparatus for Obtaining the Anodic Oxidation Products of a Solution of Alkaline or Alkaline-Earth Metal Chlorides. International Application Published Under PCT № WO 99/11840, International Filing Date 2.09.1997, International Publication Date 11.03.1999. AQUACHLOR technologic process and device supplemented with systems and methods increasing the invention's technical-and-economic efficiency and technical excellence.

C o m m e n t s: As compared to FEM-2 and FEM-1 cells, FEM-3, despite their similar functional purpose, is an innovative product, as due to the vital differences in its design it is free of the problems arising in connection with the presence of bipolar areas on the surface of the electrodes. This makes it universal and allows a much wider scope of application in various electrochemical systems as compared to FEM-2 and FEM-1. The table below presents the main differences between FEM-1, FEM-2 and FEM-3 that show FEM-3's advantages as a commercially produced all-purpose standard product for various types of electrochemical systems.

FEM-3 cell and RPE reactors composed of the units of such cells have the following specific feature. FEM-3s can be used for implementing any technological processes developed for FEM-1 and FEM-2 cells simultaneously ensuring better technical and economic indicators of such processes. However, previous-generation FEM cells cannot be used in the technologies developed for FEM-3 cells either for reasons that make such a replacement technically and technologically impossible or because the technical and economic parameters of the processes implemented using FEM-1 or FEM-2 cells turn out to be worse than those involving the use of FEM-3s.

Basic technical and technological differences of FEM modular cells

Technical and technological characteristics	FEM-1	FEM-2	FEM-3
FEM cell weight, g	220	200	130
Number of ring seals, pcs	10	10	4
Number of bushes, pcs	2	2	2
Number of heads, pcs	0	0	2
Number of collectors, pcs	2	2	0
Complexity of FEM cell assembly	high	medium	low
Complexity of RPE-L-type reactors assembly	medium	medium	low
Compactness of RPE-L reactors	satisfactory	satisfactory	good
Complexity of RPE-М-type reactor assembly	high	medium	low
Compactness of RPE-М-type reactors	unsatisfactory	unsatisfactory	good
Complexity of RPE-F-type reactor assembly	high	high	low
Compactness of RPE-F-type reactors	unsatisfactory	unsatisfactory	good
Possibility of assembly of RPE-S-type reactors	no	no	yes
Possibility of changing configuration of inlet and outlet connections by pivot turn of the heads and/or bushes	no	no	yes
Probability of damaging diaphragm during FEM cell dismantling	high	medium	no
Possibility of replacing the inner electrode without removing the diaphragm	no	no	yes
Risk of electrochemical erosion of the anode in the area of liquid feeding (discharging) into the electrode chamber of the outer electrode	high	medium	no
Risk of induced polarization of the outside surface of the outer electrode	high	medium	no
Probability of reducing concentration of heterogeneous carriers of active charged particles in the areas of abrupt change of configuration of electric lines of force (in outlets of the outer electrode)	high	medium	no
Accuracy of coaxial diaphragm positioning in the interelectrode space	low	low	high
Guarantee of impermeability of electrode chambers separation by the diaphragm during assembly	no	no	yes
Possibility of spontaneous shift of diaphragm as a result of ring seal deformation due to electrochemical process factors	yes	yes	no
Probability of deformation, embrittlement and reduction of electrocatalytic activity of the cathode due to hydrogen pickup	high	high	no
Presence of critical areas of blocking liquid convective flow in the outer electrode chamber (three phases “gas bubbles–charged metal-liquid” in narrow spaces near inlet and outlet)	yes	yes	no
Heat exchange with environment	good	good	excellent

It should be noted that numerous attempts have been made on the world and Russian market of electrochemical technologies of illegal use of patents for FEM-3 cell and technologies involving the use thereof.

A detailed description of that phenomenon and relevant case studies are given in the article by T.B.Barabash “ECA Intellectual Property and Protection of Consumers” published in the Papers of the Second International Symposium dedicated to the development of electrochemical activation systems and technologies (Moscow, VNIIIMT, 1999).

On of the several examples given in the said article was the fact of stealing the AQUACHLOR technology. That case has been fairly settled by now: in the autumn of 2000 Rospatent's Chamber of Appeals issued a decision to cancel the RF patent held by the Sterilox company which duplicated the invention made earlier by V.M. Bakhir and Yu. G. Zadorozhny, patented in Russia and in other countries and described in various open sources of information long before the Sterilox patent was filed.

It seems appropriate to dwell on a relatively recently discovered phenomenon in the area of violation of the rights of both the authors of original ECA-related patents and users of products comprising FEM-3 cells and FEM-3s proper. The most appropriate term to describe the above phenomenon is a zoological one – mimicry.

To succeed in mimicry, one or several patents are used which protect limited solutions aimed at solving insignificant and irrelevant tasks. As a rule, such patents do not describe essential features of electrochemical reactor. However, drawings in such patents are very similar to the original FEM cell or are an almost exact copy thereof. Differences in the drawings from the original patents and the mimicry-patents striving to look as the original ones can be identified by experts only and may be a different form of the inner electrode (a straight tube screw-threaded at the ends instead of a bar with a specially developed profile in the original cell), a different form of the diaphragm sealing (shaped profile instead of a simple ring as in the original product), a different form and positioning of connections (tangential input instead of direct one) etc.

When a potential buyer is presented such a patent with a drawing that looks like the original FEM-3 cell and the FEM-3 cell proper that was not made in accordance with the original technology and whose performance characteristics do not meet the standard, the buyer cannot competently tell the original product he has never seen from the offered one and, in certain cases, after many failures and disappointments, finally finds the authors and have his problems settled by obtaining an expert consultation and buying an original product.

A patent is known that claims a flow-through electrochemical reactor made up of the modular cells very similar to FEM-3s, however, the protected object in said patent is a system for detecting liquid leaks from the modular electrochemical elements which may be necessary if the inner electrode of the FEM-3 cell is an open-ended tube and is absolutely useless if FEM-3 cells are made according to the original technology.

Note that FEM-3 size and ratio of its electrode chambers dimensions are essential. They are protected by original patents the numbers of which are given in the list of references above, and the use of any other similar-purpose product whose sizes are within the protected range is the use of FEM-3 cell or an essential part thereof.

Therefore, if you are offered to buy electrochemical reactors or systems containing electrochemical reactors in the form of coaxially positioned electrodes separated by a ceramic diaphragm whose outside diameter is within 15- 20 mm and length varies from 140 to 300 mm , and if when asked about the patent protection of the product no reference is made to any of the patent numbers listed above it can be positively asserted that the offered product is not an original one.