Abstract: Apparatus for the destruction of inactivation of microbes by subjecting them to a high potential gradient. The apparatus includes a processing chamber containing spaced apart electrodes, at least one solid insulating barrier dividing the space within the chamber, the barrier having at least one passageway such that no fluid can pass through the chamber without flowing through the passageway, and a voltage source for providing a pulse of voltage.

Abstract: Various chemical disinfectants, such as chlorine, have a broad capability for destroying or deactivating microbes, but can produce harmful disinfection by-products. They also result in residual contamination by the disinfecting chemical. The application of high potential gradients to a liquid medium containing microbes also has a powerful disinfecting action. The combination of chemical disinfectants with the electric process leads to a compound process of great effectiveness, whereby the electrical process acts with greater efficiency and the amounts of chemical disinfectant required are substantially reduced.

Abstract: A charging apparatus constructed to provide a continuous ac voltage and periodic pulses between the corona electrodes and non-corona electrodes contained therein.

Abstract: An improved procedure is disclosed for the electrostatic precipitation of particulates entrained in a stream of gas between corona electrodes and collecting electrodes. The underlying dc field which serves to charge the particulates and transport them out of the stream is relatively uniform and therefore can be relatively high, while the corona which is required to yield ions to charge the entrained particulates is provided by a high repetitively pulsed electric field between the corona electrodes and the collecting electrodes. Embodiments are presented which suggest the manner in which conventional precipitators may be adapted to the present invention.

Abstract: An improved procedure is disclosed for supplying the power to an electrostatic precipitation system of the type wherein an underlying dc field serves to charge the particulates and transport them out of the stream of gas, while the corona which is required to yield ions to charge the entrained particulates is provided by a high, repetitively pulsed, electric field between the corona electrodes and collecting electrodes. The present disclosure reduces overall power input by connecting the corona electrodes in series and applying very narrow, frequent and high-amplitude pulses to one end of the series-connected cathode wire structure so that the pulses are propagated along the structure, thereby pulse-charging only a small portion of the precipitator at any given instant of time.