CH718650B1 - Plant and process for the electrolysis of brine. - Google Patents

Abstract

A system is provided with a device for the electrolysis of brine, the system comprising a device with a single-comb electrolyzer and a control device. The single-chamber electrolyzer includes: a liquid inlet (12) for receiving a homogenized dilute brine with controlled concentration, dilution and temperature; at least one pair of electrodes (20, 22), each pair defining an anode (20) and a cathode (22) for facilitating electrolysis of the homogenized brine; and a liquid outlet (14) for discharging electrolyzed water from the electrolyzer. The device further comprises a power source for providing direct current to the electrodes to carry out the electrolysis and a control device for detecting the change in the voltage applied to the electrodes (20, 22). A process for the electrolysis of brine is also provided

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a system and a method for the electrolysis of brine.

BACKGROUND

[0002] Chlorinated water is a main component of disinfectants and cleaning agents. Chlorinated water is generally made by either adding chlorine gas to water or mixing bleach with water. However, it is difficult to control the amount of chlorine concentration that diffuses into the water. In addition, the traditional procedures are unsafe for those involved in the procedure.

In order to overcome the above-mentioned disadvantages, the brine is electrolyzed using a conventional electrolyzer with two chambers. In addition to the chlorine water, highly reactive caustic soda, chlorine gas and hydrogen gas are formed as by-products of the reaction, which are extremely unsafe for manual handling. Therefore, various precautionary measures must be taken by the operator.

[0004] In addition, the conventional devices for brine electrolysis are set up in such a way that they produce chlorinated water with a fixed proportion of brine solution. In particular, the initial operating conditions cannot be changed to achieve different chlorine concentrations in the electrolyzed water.

There is therefore a need for a device, a system and a method for the electrolysis of brine which overcome the above-mentioned shortcomings.

TASKS

[0006] Some of the objects of the present disclosure accomplished by at least one embodiment herein are the following:

[0007] One object of the present disclosure is to provide a system and a method for the electrolysis of brine.

Another object of the present disclosure is to provide a plant and method for electrolysis of brine to produce electrolyzed chlorinated water that is safe to handle.

A further object of the present disclosure is to provide a system and a method for the electrolysis of brine of different concentrations.

A further object of the present disclosure is to provide a plant and a method for the electrolysis of brine, which make it possible to add additives to the electrolyzed chlorinated water on site in order to improve the composition of the chlorinated water.

Additional objects and advantages of the present disclosure will become apparent from the following description, which is not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.

[0012] In a first aspect, the present disclosure relates to a plant with a device for the electrolysis of brine, the device comprising: o a single chamber electrolyzer comprising: a liquid inlet for receiving a homogenized dilute brine with controlled concentration , dilution and temperature; • at least one pair of electrodes, each pair defining an anode and a cathode, to facilitate the electrolysis of the homogenized brine; and • a liquid outlet for discharging electrolyzed water from the electrolyzer; o a power source to provide direct current to the electrodes to carry out the electrolysis; and o a control device for detecting the change in the voltage provided to the electrodes

In an embodiment of the device of the first aspect, the electrolyzer has at least one float switch, which is set up to detect the level of the brine before the start of the electrolysis and which is further set up to control the level of the electrolyzed water during and after the electrolysis in the chamber.

In an embodiment of the device of the first aspect, a control valve is provided at the liquid outlet of the chamber, the control valve being configured to discharge electrolyzed water with a certain residual chlorine concentration, NaOCl concentration and HOCl concentration through the liquid outlet.

In an embodiment of the device of the first aspect, the control device for checking the voltage is locally controlled.

In an embodiment of the device of the first aspect, the control device for checking the voltage is remotely controlled.

In one embodiment of the device of the first aspect, the chamber is made of an inert polymer material, typically polypropylene.

[0018] In an embodiment of the device of the first aspect, the device is portable.

[0019] In a second aspect, the present disclosure relates to a method for electrolysis of brine, the method comprising the following steps: Providing a single-chamber electrolyzer having a liquid inlet, at least one pair of electrodes, a liquid outlet, a power source connected to the electrodes and a control device; • Feeding a homogenized, diluted brine at a controlled concentration, dilution and temperature into the electrolyzer; • Ensure that the level of homogenized diluted brine in the electrolyzer is at a predetermined level; • Supplying a 12V DC power supply to the electrodes to enable electrolysis of the homogenized dilute brine, • Determining the concentration of residual chlorine and free radicals in the electrolyzed water; and • Discharging the electrolyzed water from the outlet when the residual chlorine concentration reaches a predetermined value.

In one embodiment of the process of the second aspect, the electrolyzed water contains 0 to 95% sodium hypochlorite.

In one embodiment of the process of the second aspect, the electrolyzed water contains 5 to 10% hypochlorous acid.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

A device and a system for the electrolysis of brine will now be described with the aid of the accompanying drawing, in which: Figure 1 shows a schematic view of the device according to a preferred embodiment of the present disclosure.

LIST OF REFERENCE SYMBOLS

100 Device 10 Chamber for the electrolyzer 12 Liquid inlet 14 Liquid outlet 16 Vent pipe 18 Inlet valve 20 Anode 22 Cathode 24 DC source

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Embodiments of the present disclosure will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Embodiments are provided to thoroughly and fully convey the scope of the present disclosure to those skilled in the art. Numerous details are presented relating to specific components and methods to provide a complete understanding of embodiments of the present disclosure. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the details provided in the embodiments should not be construed as limiting the scope of the present disclosure. In some embodiments, known methods, known device structures, and known techniques are not described in detail.

[0026] The terminology used in the present disclosure is intended merely to explain a particular embodiment and should not be construed as limiting the scope of the present disclosure. The forms “a,” “an,” and “the” used in this disclosure also include the plural forms unless the context clearly suggests otherwise. The terms “comprising,” “including,” “including,” and “having” are open transitional phrases and therefore specify the presence of certain features, elements, modules, units and/or components, but do not prohibit the presence or addition of one or more other features , elements, components and/or groups thereof.

[0027] When an element is referred to as "attached to", "connected to" or "coupled to" another element, it may be directly attached to, connected to or coupled to the other element.

A preferred embodiment of a device (100) of the present disclosure for electrolyzing brine will now be described with reference to Figure 1. The preferred embodiment does not limit the scope and scope of the present disclosure.

The device (100) is defined by a single electrolyzer chamber (10) with a liquid inlet (12), a liquid outlet (14) and a vent pipe (16).

The electrolyzer chamber (10) comprises at least a pair of an anode (20) and a cathode (22) which are arranged in the individual electrolyzer chamber (10). In one embodiment, the electrolyzer chamber (10) includes a plurality of pairs of anodes (20) and cathodes (22) arranged in the electrolyzer chamber (10).

In one embodiment, the anode (20) is a boron-doped diamond electrode (BDD), while the cathode (22) is a stainless steel electrode.

The BDD electrode is a stable electrode that has a service life of more than 10 years.

In a preferred embodiment, it is desirable that the saturated brine be diluted with a predetermined amount of water to prevent damage to the electrolyzer chamber (10) and the electrodes due to the high salt concentration of the brine.

The liquid inlet (12) is set up so that it receives a diluted brine mixture with a predetermined concentration and quantity. An inlet valve (18) is connected to the liquid inlet (12). The inlet valve (18) regulates the flow rate of the diluted brine that is delivered into the chamber (10) of the electrolyzer.

After the brine has been absorbed, a current of 12 V is passed through the electrodes to facilitate the electrolysis of the diluted brine mixture.

The electrolysis of the diluted brine is described as follows:

The diluted brine is a conductive liquid that contains free ions. Each electrode attracts ions whose charge is opposite to that of the electrode. More specifically, positively charged ions move to the stainless steel cathode (22), while negatively charged ions move to the BDD anode (20). The end product of the electrolysis process is near-neutral, electrolyzed chlorinated water containing 0 to 95% sodium hypochlorite and 5 to 10% hypochlorous acid. In one embodiment, the chlorine concentration in the electrolyzed chlorine water is 1000ppm. The pH value of chlorinated water is between 7.39 and 8.95.

Furthermore, the electrolyzed water contains easily dissolved free ozone radicals, hydroxyl radicals and other radicals, which are released after a few fractions of a second. In addition, hydrogen gas is released as a byproduct of the electrolysis process. The hydrogen gas and the released radicals are drained out of the chamber (10) through the vent pipe (16).

The electrolyzed chlorinated water is then passed through the liquid outlet (14) into a storage tank.

In one embodiment, the electrolyzed chlorinated water can be recirculated into the chamber (10) of the electrolyzer to achieve a higher chlorine concentration in the electrolyzed water of up to 10,000 ppm.

The present disclosure further provides a system that includes the device (100) and a control device (not shown).

The control unit is set up so that it is connected to the inlet valve (18) and the direct current source (24). The controller is arranged to store a set of predetermined rules and threshold parameter values corresponding to the flow rate of the diluted brine, the salt concentration and the current and voltage of the power supplied by the direct current source (24). The control device is set up to generate processing commands based on the rules and the values. The control unit is also set up to vary the inflow quantity and the concentration of the brine mixture in order to change the chlorine concentration in the electrolysis water. In one embodiment, the controller is set up to vary the concentration of the brine mixture to produce electrolyzed water that is 100% chlorinated. In one embodiment, the controller is configured to vary the concentration of the brine mixture to produce electrolyzed water with a reduced concentration of chlorine diffused therein. The control unit is additionally set up to monitor the voltage reversal in the device (100) in order to ensure a longer service life of the electrodes.

In a preferred embodiment, the apparatus of the present disclosure facilitates the addition of additives to the electrolysis water in situ, which improves the cleaning properties and aesthetics of a formulation prepared using the electrolysis water formed in the electrolyzer. The additives are selected from a group consisting of stabilizers, surfactants, degreasers, fragrances, thickeners, colors, defoamers, or a combination thereof.

The device (100) and the system facilitate the production of electrolyzed, chlorinated water suitable for eliminating 99.99% of microbes such as bacteria, viruses and fungi. Because the pH of electrolyzed water is set to be between 7.39 and 8.95, it is safe for manual handling, non-corrosive to human skin, safe for eyes and naturally non-toxic. In addition, the device (100) ensures that no highly reactive compositions are produced as by-products.

The electrolyzed chlorinated water is safer than most conventional disinfectants and cleaning agents. The evaporation rate of the electrolyzed water produced by the system according to the present disclosure is relatively low and has a relatively higher shelf life.

The system is also set up to monitor the temperature of the solution using temperature sensors (not shown) in order to carry out the electrolysis properly and to increase the lifespan of the electrodes.

The present disclosure further provides a method for electrolysis of brine.

The foregoing description of the embodiments has been provided for purposes of illustration and is not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. Individual components of a particular embodiment are generally not limited to that particular embodiment but are interchangeable. Such variations should not be considered a departure from the present disclosure, and all such modifications are considered to be within the scope of the present disclosure.

TECHNICAL PROGRESS

The disclosure described herein has several technical advantages, including, but not limited to, the realization of an apparatus, plant and method for the electrolysis of brine which; • produces electrolyzed, chlorinated water that is safe to handle; • are suitable for the electrolysis of brine of different concentrations; and • allows additives to be added to the electrolyzed chlorinated water on site to improve the composition of the chlorinated water.

The present embodiments and the various features and advantageous details thereof will be explained with reference to the non-limiting embodiments in the following description. Descriptions of known components and processing techniques are omitted to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the embodiments herein. The examples used herein are intended merely to facilitate understanding of how the embodiments described herein may be implemented and to enable those skilled in the art to implement the embodiments described herein. Accordingly, the examples should not be construed as limiting the scope of the embodiments herein.

The foregoing description of the specific embodiments so fully discloses the general nature of the embodiments contained herein that others, by applying current knowledge, may readily modify and/or adapt such specific embodiments for various applications without departing from the general concept, and therefore, such adaptations and modifications should and should be understood within the meaning and range of equivalents of the disclosed embodiments. It is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology used herein is for purposes of description and not limitation. Therefore, although the embodiments have been described herein in terms of preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that the embodiments herein may be practiced with modifications within the spirit and scope of the embodiments described herein.

[0052] The use of the term “at least” or “at least one” indicates the use of one or more elements or components or quantities, as the use may be in the embodiment of the disclosure, to achieve one or more of the desired tasks or results to reach.

Any discussion of materials, devices, items, or the like included in this description is solely for the purpose of providing context for the disclosure. It should not be construed as an admission that any or all of these matters are part of the prior art or were well known in the field relevant to the disclosure as it existed prior to the priority date of this application.

[0054] Although considerable emphasis has been placed herein on the components and components of the preferred embodiments, it will be understood that many embodiments can be made and that many changes can be made to the preferred embodiments without departing from the principles of the disclosure. These and other changes in the preferred embodiment, as well as other embodiments of the disclosure, will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the present disclosure, it being clearly understood that the foregoing descriptions are intended to be merely illustrative of the disclosure and not limiting.

Claims (10)

1. Plant comprising a device (100) for the electrolysis of brine, the device (100) comprising: • a single-chamber electrolyser comprising: o a liquid inlet (12) for receiving a homogenized dilute brine with controlled concentration, dilution and temperature; o at least one pair of electrodes (20, 22), each pair defining an anode (20) and a cathode (22) to facilitate electrolysis of the homogenized brine; and o a liquid outlet (14) for discharging electrolyzed water from the electrolyzer; • a power source (24) for providing direct current to the electrodes to carry out the electrolysis; and • a control device for detecting the change in the voltage provided to the electrodes; the system further comprising a controller configured to be connected to an inlet valve (18) and the direct current source (24), the controller further configured to store a set of predetermined rules and threshold parameter values corresponding to the flow rate of the diluted brine, the salt concentration and the current and voltage correspond to the power supplied by the direct current source (24), the control device being set up to generate processing commands based on the rules and the values, the control device being further set up to determine the inflow quantity and varying the concentration of the brine mixture to change the chlorine concentration in the electrolyzed water. 2. Plant according to claim 1, wherein the electrolyzer comprises an airtight chamber. 3. Plant according to claim 1, which comprises a first sensor for measuring the residual chlorine concentration in the electrolyzed water. 4. Plant according to claim 1, wherein the anode is a boron-doped diamond electrode or the cathode is a stainless steel electrode. 5. Plant according to claim 1, comprising a recirculation loop for returning electrolyzed water into the chamber, the device preferably further comprising a second electrolyzer chamber in which the electrolyzed water from the first electrolyzer chamber is fed to the second chamber in order to to carry out a second electrolysis of the electrolyzed water received by the first electrolyzer chamber. 6. Process for the electrolysis of brine, the process comprising the following steps: • Providing a system according to one of the preceding claims, comprising a single-chamber electrolyzer with a liquid inlet (12), at least one pair of electrodes (20, 22), a liquid outlet (14), a power source connected to the electrodes (20, 22) and a control device; • Feeding a homogenized, diluted brine at a controlled concentration, dilution and temperature into the electrolyzer; • Ensure that the level of homogenized diluted brine in the electrolyzer is at a predetermined level; • Supplying a 12V DC power supply to the electrodes to enable electrolysis of the homogenized dilute brine; • Determine the concentration of residual chlorine and free radicals in the electrolyzed water; and • Discharging the electrolyzed water from the outlet when the residual chlorine concentration reaches a predetermined value. 7. The method of claim 6, comprising the step of detecting the voltage fluctuations occurring during the electrolysis process and preferably further including the step of changing the concentration of the homogenized brine based on the voltage fluctuations. 8. The method of claim 6, including the step of circulating the electrolyzed water back into the chamber to increase the residual chlorine concentration therein or the step of circulating the electrolyzed water to a second chamber to increase the residual chlorine concentration therein. 9. The method according to claim 6, wherein the residual chlorine concentration in the electrolyzed water is about 1000 ppm. 10. The method of claim 6, wherein the pH of the electrolyzed water is in the range of 7.39 and 8.8.