Patent Application
20180134586
The present invention generally relates to an alkaline water composition and a process for producing the alkaline water.
There have been various attempts to enhance alkaline drinking water. One such process is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,572,902. The process includes a step of dissolving an alkaline salt of cations and anions in the initial stream to produce a feed stream including the initial stream containing the cations and the anions of the alkaline salt and a residual of undissolved alkaline salt. The next step of the process is electrolyzing the feed stream to dissociate the water into hydrogen ions and hydroxide ions and to produce the alkaline water adjacent to the cathode and the acidic water adjacent to the anode. Then, the alkaline water and the acidic water are removed.
The U.S. Pat. No. 6,572,902 also discloses an alkaline water composition including a plurality of sodium ions, a plurality of carbonate ions, and a plurality of bicarbonate ions.
The invention provides for such a method wherein the step of dissolving the alkaline salt in the initial stream is further defined as adding the alkaline salt of a lower alkyl carboxylic acid to the initial stream in a range from 26 ppm to 1321 ppm to produce the feed stream and allow the alkaline water obtained from the step of applying the potential to have a low pH at the low end of the range and a high pH at high end of the range.
The invention provides for an alkaline water composition defining a total alkalinity of between 40 ppm and 510 ppm and a total dissolved solids of between 58 ppm and 1000 ppm and including zero hydroxide ions
The invention provides an alkaline water that has zero hydroxide ions. The present invention also provides for an alkaline water that is resistant to pH changes.
The invention provides for a process of making the alkaline water that eliminates hydroxide ions generated during the step of electrolyzing the water to produce the alkaline water with zero hydroxide ions and is resistant to pH changes.
Other advantages of the present invention will be readily appreciated, as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:
Referring to the Figures, wherein like numerals indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views, a schematic flowchart of the process for producing an alkaline water and acidic water in accordance with the present invention is best shown in
One aspect of the present invention provides a process for producing the alkaline water having a pH of between 10.0 and 12.0 and acidic water from an initial stream of water having a TDS content of between 0 ppm and 10 ppm. The process uses an electrolysis machine having at least one cathode, at least one anode, and at least one filter of porous membrane. The filter of porous membrane has a particle size of no more than 1 μm. The initial stream of water having the TDS content of between 0 ppm and 10 ppm may be obtained by sending tap water through series of filtration system and/or purification system, e.g. ultrafilters and reverse osmosis systems. Alternatively, the initial stream of water having a TDS content of between 0 ppm and 10 ppm may be directly purchased from a manufacturer.
The process includes a step of heating the initial stream to a predetermined temperature of at least 150° F. It should be appreciated that the initial stream may be heated by using any heating source such as but not limited to a water heater. After heating the initial stream of water, an alkaline salt of cations and anions is dissolved in the initial stream to produce a feed stream containing the cations, the anions of the alkaline salt, and a residual of undissolved alkaline salt.
The next step of the process includes removing the residual of undissolved alkaline salt from the feed stream by filtering the feed stream through the at least one filter of porous membrane having a particle size of no more than 1 μm. Alternatively, a plurality of filters may be disposed in series with one another to remove the residual of undissolved alkaline salt from the feed stream. Then, the feed stream is sterilized. The step of sterilizing the feed stream is further defined as heating the feed stream to a boiling temperature of at least 212° F. for at least three minutes to sterilize the feed stream and eliminate bacteria. It should be appreciated that the feed stream may be sterilized by other methods such as but not limited to ultraviolet (UV) purification. Next, the cathode, the anode, and the electrolysis machine are sterilized. The step of sterilizing the cathode, the anode, and the electrolysis machine is further defined as washing the electrolysis machine and the cathode and the anode with an alkaline solution having a pH of at least 11.5. It should be appreciated that the cathode, the anode, and the electrolysis machine can be sterilized by other methods such as but not limited to UV purification and/or using an autoclave.
In the next step of the process, the feed stream is directed through the electrolysis machine at a predetermined flow rate of three liters per minute. The feed stream is then electrolyzed to dissociate the water into hydrogen ions and hydroxide ions and to produce the alkaline water adjacent to the cathode and acidic water adjacent to the anode. The step of electrolyzing the feed stream further includes a step of inserting the cathode and the anode into the feed stream in a spaced relationship and a step of applying an electric potential between the cathode and the anode. Without being bound by theory, by applying the electrical potential between the cathode and the anode, the electric potential between the cathode and the anode causes individual water molecules to dissociate into hydrogen ions and hydroxide ions. At the same time, the applied electrical potential produces a current between the cathode and the anode to allow the hydrogen ions to migrate to the anode to produce the acidic water and the hydroxide ions to migrate to the cathode to produce the alkaline water.
The alkaline water is then removed. After removing the alkaline water, the alkaline water is isolated from ambient air and the acidic water to prevent the alkaline water from interacting with the ambient air and the acidic water. It should be appreciated that the alkaline water can be stored under a negative atmosphere to prevent the interaction between the alkaline water and the ambient air. Because the alkaline water tends to react with the carbon dioxide in the ambient air thereby reducing the pH of the alkaline water, by storing the alkaline water in the negative atmosphere, the alkaline water is isolated from the ambient air to prevent the interaction between the carbon dioxide and the alkaline water to preserve the pH of the alkaline water. At the same time, the acidic water is removed. After removing the acidic water, as the acidic water is isolated from ambient air and the alkaline water to prevent the acidic water from interacting with the ambient air and the alkaline water. It should be appreciated that the acidic water can be stored under a negative atmosphere to prevent the interaction between the acidic water and the ambient air.
The step of dissolving the alkaline salt in the initial stream is further defined as adding the alkaline salt of a lower alkyl carboxylic acid of sodium propionate to the initial stream. The sodium propionate is added in a range from 26 ppm to 1321 ppm to produce the feed stream containing the cations of sodium and anions of propionate and the residual of undissolved alkaline salt of sodium propionate. The added sodium propionate allow the alkaline water obtained from the step of applying the potential to have a low pH at the low end of the range and a high pH at the high end of the range. In other words, the amount of sodium propionate added to the initial stream has a direct relationship with the pH of the alkaline water. For example, a low amount of sodium propionate, e.g. 26 ppm, added to the initial stream produces the alkaline water having the low pH, e.g. 10.0, and a high amount of sodium, e.g. 1321 ppm, added to the initial stream produces the alkaline water having the high pH, e.g. 12.0.
The step of applying the electrical potential is further defined as applying the electrical potential of between 0.5V and 50V between the cathode and the anode. The application of the electric potential causes the migration of the hydrogen ions toward the anode to produce the acidic water having the pH between 4.0 and 5.0. In addition, the application of the electric potential causes migration of the hydroxide ions toward the cathode to produce the alkaline water having the pH between 10.0 and 12.0. At the same time, the application of the electric potential dissociates the anions of propionate into hydrogen gas, carbon dioxide, and ethylene and to allow the carbon dioxide, the hydrogen gas, and the hydroxide ions to react to produce carbonate ions and bicarbonate ions dissolved in the alkaline water. Without being bound by theory, bicarbonate ions may also react with the hydroxide ions to produce carbonate ions and water molecules. The alkaline water obtained from the process contains the sodium ions being present between 10 ppm and 150 ppm, the carbonate ions being present between 31 ppm and 440 ppm, and the bicarbonate ions being present between 9 ppm and 70 ppm. The alkaline water also includes zero hydroxide ions and defines the total alkalinity between 40 ppm and 510 ppm and the total dissolved solids between 58 ppm and 1000 ppm.
It is another aspect of the present invention to provide alkaline water composition. The alkaline water composition includes a plurality of sodium ions being present between 10 ppm and 150 ppm, a plurality of carbonate ions being present between 31 ppm and 440 ppm, and a plurality of bicarbonate ions being present between 9 ppm and 70 ppm. The alkaline water composition also includes zero hydroxide ions and defines the total alkalinity between 40 ppm and 510 ppm and the total dissolved solids between 58 ppm and 1000 ppm. The alkaline water has the pH between 10.0 and 12.0, the hardness rating between 3.5 and 10.0, and the Langelier Index between 0.37 and 2.20. The alkaline water composition also has an Oxidation-Reduction Potential (ORP) of between −220 mV and −280 mV to provide anti-corrosion and anti-oxidant properties to the alkaline water.
For a better understanding and of the present invention, exemplary examples of the present invention are set forth below. The exemplary examples are for illustrative purpose only and do not in limit the scope of the present invention.
The initial stream of water having a TDS of 0 ppm is directly purchased from Arrowhead Distilled. The initial stream is heated to 150° F. 0.25 g (26 ppm) of sodium propionate is added to the initial stream to produce a feed stream. The residual of undissolved sodium propionate is removed from the feed stream through the first filter having the particle size of no more than 1 μm. Then, feed stream is sterilized by heating the feed stream to a boiling temperature of at least 212° F. for at least three minutes to remove eliminate bacteria from the feed stream. The feed stream is electrolyzed by applying an electric potential of 34.32V to produce the alkaline water adjacent to the cathode and the acidic water adjacent to the anode. The results were analyzed by the Western Environmental Testing Laboratory. The composition of the alkaline water and the properties of the alkaline water is set forth in the Table 1 and Table 2, respectively, below:
The initial stream of water having a TDS of 0 ppm is directly purchased from Arrowhead Distilled. The initial stream is heated to 150° F. 4 g (400 ppm) of sodium propionate is added to the initial stream to produce a feed stream. The residual of undissolved sodium propionate is removed from the feed stream through the first filter having the particle size of no more than 1 μm. Then, feed stream is sterilized by heating the feed stream to a boiling temperature of at least 212° F. for at least three minutes to remove eliminate bacteria from the feed stream. The feed stream is electrolyzed by applying an electric potential of 21.15V to produce the alkaline water adjacent to the cathode and the acidic water adjacent to the anode. The results were analyzed by the Western Environmental Testing Laboratory. The composition of the alkaline water and the properties of the alkaline water is set forth in the Table 3 and Table 4, respectively, below:
The initial stream of water having a TDS of 0 ppm is directly purchased from Arrowhead Distilled. The initial stream is heated to 150° F. 0.5 g (66 ppm) of sodium propionate is added to the initial stream to produce a feed stream. The residual of undissolved sodium propionate is removed from the feed stream through the first filter having the particle size of no more than 1 μm. Then, feed stream is sterilized by heating the feed stream to a boiling temperature of at least 212° F. for at least three minutes to remove eliminate bacteria from the feed stream. The feed stream is electrolyzed by applying an electric potential of 32V to produce the alkaline water adjacent to the cathode and the acidic water adjacent to the anode. The results were analyzed by the Western Environmental Testing Laboratory. The composition of the alkaline water and the properties of the alkaline water is set forth in the Table 5 and Table 6, respectively, below:
The initial stream of water having a TDS of 0 ppm is directly purchased from Arrowhead Distilled. The initial stream is heated to 150° F. 2.5 g (250 ppm) of sodium propionate is added to the initial stream to produce a feed stream. The residual of undissolved sodium propionate is removed from the feed stream through the first filter having the particle size of no more than 1 μm. Then, feed stream is sterilized by heating the feed stream to a boiling temperature of at least 212° F. for at least three minutes to remove eliminate bacteria from the feed stream. The feed stream is electrolyzed by applying an electric potential of 20V to produce the alkaline water adjacent to the cathode and the acidic water adjacent to the anode. The results were analyzed by the Western Environmental Testing Laboratory. The composition of the alkaline water and the properties of the alkaline water is set forth in the Table 7 and Table 8, respectively, below:
Obviously, many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings and may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described while within the scope of the appended claims. That which is prior art in the claims precedes the novelty set forth in the “characterized by” clause. The novelty is meant to be particularly and distinctly recited in the “characterized by” clause whereas the antecedent recitations merely set forth the old and well-known combination in which the invention resides. These antecedent recitations should be interpreted to cover any combination in which the inventive novelty exercises its utility. The use of the word “said” in the apparatus claims refers to an antecedent that is a positive recitation meant to be included in the coverage of the claims whereas the word “the” precedes a word not meant to be included in the coverage of the claims. In addition, the reference numerals in the claims are merely for convenience and are not to be read in any way as limiting.
This application claims the benefit of a provisional patent application having the serial number of 62/162,197 filed on May 15, 2015.
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/US2016/030900 | 5/5/2016 | WO | 00 |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62162197 | May 2015 | US |
