| CPC C02F 1/46109 (2013.01) [C02F 2001/46161 (2013.01); C02F 2305/08 (2013.01)] | 18 Claims |
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1. An apparatus comprising:
a conduit including an inlet to receive a liquid and an outlet to discharge the liquid;
a first porous electrode, a second porous electrode, and a third porous electrode disposed in the conduit between the inlet and the outlet;
a first porous separator interposed between the first porous electrode and the second porous electrode;
a second porous separator interposed between the second porous electrode and the third porous electrode; and
a power source configured to provide power to the first porous electrode, the second porous electrode, and the third porous electrode,
wherein while the liquid is flowing through the conduit, the power source supplies a first polarity of voltage to the first porous electrode and the third porous electrode, and supplies a second polarity of voltage to the second porous electrode, the second polarity being opposite to the first polarity,
wherein each of the first porous electrode, the second porous electrode, and the third porous electrode includes a porous support having a plurality of pores and first nanostructures disposed on a surface of the porous support around the pores, wherein the first nanostructures include nanowires and/or nanotubes, and axes of the nanowires and/or nanotubes are substantially parallel to the surface of the porous support,
wherein the power source provides a voltage difference of about 20 Volts to about 40 Volts between the first polarity of voltage and the second polarity of voltage, and
wherein a bacterial, virus and protozoa inactivation efficiency of the apparatus is at least about 95% and up to 99.999%.
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