E-Cell MK-3

Introduction

Electrodeionization, also known as EDI, is an electrolytic process that removes ions from water. GE's EDI system removes residual salts as well as ionizable aqueous species. These systems cover many applications including power generation, microelectronics, food and beverage production, and chemical and pharmaceutical manufacturing.

Benefits

Environmental Benefit - Did you know:

Electrodeionization requires electrical power to produce high quality water. The latest E-Cell MK-3 system uses significantly less electrical power for the same product flow rate than GE's previous models.

Operating Benefit - Did you know:

The no-brine injection and once-through design of GE's E-Cell MK-3 EDI system, makes it significantly simpler to operate than a system using GE's previous EDI technology. Based on GE's total 2007 EDI stack sales, the once-through design of the E-Cell MK-3 system could eliminate the use of over 250,000 kg of salt per year, equivalent to the contents of over 2 million standard salt shakers.

Detailed Information

Ultra high purity water with less waste, using less power

The environmental challenge

The handling of acid and caustic chemicals and the neutralization of regeneration wastewater is becoming an important regulatory issue. Within the pharmaceutical, power and microelectronics industries, there is a move to remove or at least minimize the amount of chemicals handled, and which need to be neutralized.

GE's innovative solution

E-Cell MK-3 stacks have been designed to allow a simpler system configuration requiring less power than the E-Cell MK-2E system.

The E-Cell MK-3 design, compared to GE's previous system, contains fewer components that make it simpler to operate. The E-Cell MK-3 design also consumes dramatically less power and goes longer between cleanings to remove hardness, a common component of water.

Environmental impact

Based on total 2007 GE EDI system and component (stack) sales, E-Cell MK-3 systems could save over 10,000 MWh of electricity per year compared to systems using GE's previous EDI technology, avoiding the emission of over 6,000 metric tons of CO2 from traditional U.S. grid sources. This amount is equivalent to the annual impact of removing 1,200 passenger cars from U.S. roads.

Cutting costs