ELECTROCHEMICAL ION EXCHANGE TREATMENT OF FLUIDS
A fluid treatment apparatus (100) for treating a fluid comprises an electrochemical cell (102) having fluid orifices (124, 125) to receive and release fluid, and a fluid passageway connecting the orifices with a water-splitting ion exchange membrane (110) is exposed to the fluid in the passageway. First and second electrodes (106, 108) are positioned about the membrane (110) . The apparatus also comprises a controller (170) to control and operate a power supply (114) and valve system (118) . The power supply (114) supplies a current to the first and second electrodes (106, 108) at sufficiently high current density to result in bacteriostasis, deactivation, or a reduction in the microorganisms in the fluid. The controller (170) can also operate a set of cells to deionize fluid and regenerate the cells.