JP2004025185A - Electrolytic water making apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an electrolytic water making apparatus reducing the consumption of non-electrolyzed saline water and reducing the power consumption for electrolysis. <P>SOLUTION: A casing 10 is separated into a central saline water chamber B and an anode chamber A and a cathode chamber C of both sides thereof by two diaphragms 11 and 13 comprising two parts, and an anode 15 and a cathode 16, both of which comprise a metal lath where a liquid passes freely, are respectively provided in the anode and cathode chambers 15 and 16 so as to approach the respective diaphragms corresponding to the electrodes. A circulating saline water tank 20 housing saline water with a predetermined concentration and a saline water chamber are allowed to communicate by a saline water introducing pipe 21 and a saline water lead-out pipe 22 to circulate saline water by a circulating pump 23. The raw water introducing pipe 2a and an acidic water take-out pipe 26 are provided to the anode chamber. The raw water introducing pipe 25b and an alkaline water take-out pipe 27 are provided to the cathode chamber. Voltage is applied across the anode and the cathode from the DC power supply 17 to electrolyze saline water in the saline water chamber B to take out formed acidic water and an alkaline water from the take-out pipes 26 and 27. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

The present invention relates to an apparatus for producing electrolyzed water used for cleaning and sterilizing fresh food, thawing frozen fish meat, etc., and for squeezing and hand washing.

In this type of electrolyzed water producing apparatus, for example, as shown in FIG. 3, a plate-shaped anode 3, a cathode 4, and casings 1a and 1b are provided on both sides of a spacer 2a stretched across a diaphragm 2 in an intermediate portion. A saline solution in a diluted saline solution tank 5 is fed by a pump 6 through a supply pipe 7 into an anode chamber and a cathode chamber formed by partitioning the diaphragm into a main body by abutting and fixing the main body. Each electrolyzed water generated in the anode chamber and the cathode chamber by decomposition is taken out by an acidic water take-out pipe 8a and an alkaline water take-out pipe 8b and used according to the application.

In the conventional electrolyzed water producing apparatus as described above, most of the supplied salt water is wasted because most of the supplied saline solution is taken out as it is without separating the electrolyzed and unelectrolyzed ones. There was a problem. In order to reduce such wasteful consumption as much as possible, usually, a dilute saline solution of about 0.1% is used, so that the conductivity of the saline solution is low, so that the power consumption for performing a predetermined electrolysis increases. There was also the problem of doing.

Further, the diaphragm 2 is directly subjected to the force due to the flow in the anode chamber and the cathode chamber, fluctuations in water pressure, and the like, and may be damaged. In order to prevent this, a plurality of reinforcing ribs crossing the diaphragm 2 are provided. Therefore, there is a problem that the effective area of the diaphragm 2 is reduced by the amount of the above, and the electrolytic water production capacity is reduced.

The object of the present invention is to solve the above problems by circulating the non-electrolyzed salt water so that it can be reused, and by supporting the diaphragm with an anode and a cathode.

For this purpose, the electrolyzed water production apparatus according to the present invention, as exemplified in FIGS. 1 and 2, arranges the casing 10 and the inside of the casing into a central salt water chamber B and an anode chamber A and a cathode chamber C on both sides thereof. The two diaphragms 11 and 13 are separated from each other; the anode 15 is provided in the anode chamber A so as to be close to one of the diaphragms 11 and free of liquid; A cathode 16 provided in the cathode chamber C and through which liquid can pass freely; a DC power supply 17 for supplying electric power for electrolysis to the anode 15 and the cathode 16; a circulating salt water tank 20 containing salt water to be electrolyzed; A salt water inlet pipe 21 and a salt water outlet pipe 22 communicating the salt water chamber B with the circulating salt water tank 20 at different positions; and the salt water chamber B and the circulating salt water tank provided at one of the salt water inlet pipe and the salt water outlet pipe. Between 20 A circulation pump 23 for circulating salt water, a raw water introduction pipe 25a and an acidic water extraction pipe 26 connected to the anode chamber A at different positions, and a raw water introduction pipe 25b connected to the cathode chamber C at different positions. An alkaline water extraction pipe 27 is provided.

The anode 15 and the cathode 16 have a plate shape as a whole and are fixed to the casing 10 adjacent to the respective diaphragms 11 and 13 over substantially the entire area of the corresponding diaphragms 11 and 13. It is desirable that the water pressure be set higher than the water pressure in each of the anode chamber A and the cathode chamber C.

When the power for electrolysis is supplied from the DC power supply 17 to the anode 15 and the cathode 16, the anions in the salt water in the salt water chamber B pass through the diaphragm 11 into the anode chamber A and contact the anode 15 to charge the anode 15. It loses and dissolves in the water nearby to make it acidic, and this acidic water passes through the anode 15 and spreads into the anode chamber A. Further, the cations in the salt water in the salt water chamber B enter the cathode chamber C through the diaphragm 13 and come into contact with the cathode 16, lose the electric charge, dissolve in the water in the vicinity thereof, and make it alkaline. Extends through the cathode 16 into the cathode chamber C. The salt water that has not been electrolyzed in the salt water chamber B is shielded by the diaphragms 11 and 13 and hardly enters the anode chamber A or the cathode chamber C, and the salt water chamber is formed by the salt water introduction pipe 21, the salt water discharge pipe 22, and the circulation pump 23. It is circulated between B and the circulating salt water tank 20 and used repeatedly. The raw water of the electrolyzed water is introduced into the anode chamber A and the cathode chamber C by the two raw water introduction pipes 25a and 25b, and the anode chamber A and the cathode chamber are hardly mixed with the salt water in the salt water chamber B as described above. It becomes acidic water and alkaline water in C, and is taken out from the acidic water take-out pipe 26 and the alkaline water take-out pipe 27.

In the invention according to claim 2, the water pressure in the salt water chamber B is set higher than the water pressure in the anode chamber A and the cathode water in the cathode chamber C. The force applied to each of the diaphragms 11 and 13 is received by the anode 15 and the cathode 16.

As described above, according to the present invention, the non-electrolyzed salt water does not enter the anode chamber or the cathode chamber, but is circulated and used repeatedly between the salt water chamber and the circulating salt water tank. Never. In addition, since there is no such wasteful consumption, it is possible to use salt water having a high concentration, thereby increasing the conductivity of the salt water, thereby reducing the power consumption for performing a required amount of electrolysis.

Further, according to the invention of claim 2, since the force applied to each of the diaphragms is received by the anode and the cathode, it is not necessary to provide ribs or the like for reinforcement in the diaphragm, and therefore, the electrolytic water production capacity due to a decrease in the effective area of the diaphragm is eliminated. Is no longer reduced.

The present invention will be described below with reference to the embodiment shown in FIGS.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the inside of a casing 10 whose main part is made of an insulating material is partitioned by two diaphragms 11, 13 provided in parallel with each other. The chamber B is divided into an anode chamber A between the diaphragm 11 and the casing 10 and a cathode chamber C between the diaphragm 13 and the casing 10. Each of the diaphragms 11 and 13 having substantially the same structure is, for example, a semi-permeable membrane made of polyfukkavinylidene titanium oxide using a polyethylene non-woven fabric as an aggregate, and the entire outer periphery thereof is a frame-shaped diaphragm holder 12, 14 made of vinyl chloride. Are integrally formed and reinforced. An anode 15 is provided on the anode chamber A side of the diaphragm 11 with almost no gap, and a cathode 16 is provided on the cathode chamber C side of the membrane 13 with almost no gap. Each of the electrodes 15 and 16 is made of a rigid plate-shaped metal lath, fixedly supported by the casing 10, and connected to a DC power supply 17 for electrolysis. Each of the electrodes 15 and 16 is not limited to a metal lath but may be a wire mesh, a punched metal, or a bar-shaped material in which a large number of materials are freely arranged as long as a liquid can freely pass therethrough. The material is, for example, titanium or titanium coated with platinum. It has been subjected to.

As shown mainly in FIG. 1, the bottom of the salt water chamber B and the bottom of the circulating salt water tank 20 are communicated with each other by a salt water introduction pipe 21 provided with a circulation pump 23, and the upper part of the salt water chamber B and the upper part of the circulating salt water tank 20 are throttles 24. Are connected by a salt water outlet pipe 22 provided with A concentrated salt water tank 30 containing a saturated saline solution is connected to an upper portion of the circulating salt water tank 20 through a communication pipe 31 having an on-off valve 32, and a water supply pipe (not shown) having an on-off valve is connected. If the concentration of the salt solution detected by the concentration meter 35 provided in the circulating salt water tank 20 is out of a predetermined range (for example, 10 to 20%), the on-off valve 32 or the on-off valve of the water supply pipe is opened to open the circulating salt water tank 20. The saline solution concentration is maintained in a predetermined range. The circulating salt water tank 20 is provided with a stirring pump 34 for making the concentration inside the tank 20 uniform. A salt tank 33 for supplying salt to the concentrated salt water tank 30 is provided above the concentrated salt water tank 30.

As shown in FIG. 1, a raw water supply pipe 25 connected to a water pipe and provided with a control valve 28 is branched into two raw water introduction pipes 25a and 25b, and the raw water introduction pipes 25a and 25b are respectively connected to the anode chamber A and the anode chamber A. It communicates with the bottom of the cathode chamber C. An acidic water outlet pipe 26 and an alkaline water outlet pipe 27 are connected to the upper portions of the anode chamber A and the cathode chamber C, respectively. Note that the dimensional relationship in the explanatory diagram of FIG. 1 is different from the actual one for convenience of illustration, and the casing 10 is displayed larger than the actual one as compared with the circulating salt water tank 20, the concentrated salt water tank 30, the salt tank 33, and the like. I have.

Next, the operation of the above embodiment will be described.

At the start of use of the electrolyzed water producing apparatus, first, the on-off valve 32 and the on-off valve of the water supply pipe are opened to supply the saturated saline solution and the tap water to the circulating salt water tank 20, and at the same time, the stirring pump 34 is operated to activate the circulating salt water tank 20. The internal concentration is made uniform, and both open / close valves are controlled to be within a predetermined concentration range based on the salt solution concentration detected by the densitometer 35. When the water level in the circulating brine tank 20 reaches a predetermined level, both open / close valves are closed. . Next, the circulation pump 23 is operated to feed the saline solution in the circulating salt water tank 20 into the salt water chamber B via the salt water introduction pipe 21 and return to the circulating salt water tank 20 via the salt water discharge pipe 22 to circulate the salt water. . Subsequently, the control valve 28 of the raw water supply pipe 25 is opened, and the raw water from the water pipe is fed into the anode chamber A and the cathode chamber C, and discharged from the acidic water discharge pipe 26 and the alkaline water discharge pipe 27.

In this state, when the electrolytic power from the DC power supply 17 is supplied to the anode 15 and the cathode 16, chloride ions (anions) in the saline solution in the salt water chamber B pass through the diaphragm 11 into the anode chamber A, and the anode 15 Loses its charge when it comes into contact with water and becomes chlorine. A part of this chlorine is dissolved in the water near the anode 15 as it is, and a part of the chlorine reacts with the water to generate hypochlorous acid or hypochlorite ion, thereby giving an effective chlorine concentration having a bactericidal action. Part of the remaining chlorine is liberated as hydrochloric acid or chlorine gas. As a result, the water near the anode 15 becomes acidic, and the acidic water composed of these components passes through the anode 15 through which liquid can pass freely and spreads into the anode chamber A. Further, sodium ions (cations) in the salt water in the salt water chamber B enter the cathode chamber C through the diaphragm 13 and come into contact with the cathode 16 to lose the charge, react with the water near the cathode 16 and react with caustic soda and liberation. Hydrogen is generated to make water near the cathode 16 alkaline. The alkalinized water passes through the cathode 16 through which liquid can pass freely, and spreads into the cathode chamber C. The acidic water and the alkaline water generated in the anode chamber A and the cathode chamber C in this manner are sent out from the acidic water extracting pipe 26 and the alkaline water extracting pipe 27, respectively, and are used for respective applications.

The salt solution that has not been electrolyzed in the salt water compartment B hardly enters the anode compartment A or the cathode compartment C while being blocked by the diaphragms 11 and 13, and most of the salt water returns to the circulating salt water tank 20 through the salt water outlet pipe 22. Then, it is sent again into the salt water chamber B from the salt water introduction pipe 21 by the circulation pump 23, and is repeatedly circulated for use. Therefore, since the non-electrolyzed saline is hardly discharged from the acidic water extracting pipe 26 and the alkaline water extracting pipe 27, the salt is not wasted. Further, since there is no wasteful consumption of the salt, a high-concentration saline solution can be used, and the conductivity of the saline solution is increased, so that the power consumption for performing a required amount of electrolysis is reduced.

When the salt water in the circulating salt water tank 20 is circulated through the salt water chamber B by the circulation pump 23, the water pressure in the salt water chamber B increases due to the degree of the throttle 24 provided in the salt water outlet pipe 22, and the throttle 24 is , The water pressure in the salt water chamber B is set to be higher than the water pressure in the anode chamber A and the cathode chamber C. Due to the difference in water pressure, each of the diaphragms 11 and 13 is pressed and held over substantially the entire area against the adjacent anode 15 and cathode 16, and the force applied to each of the diaphragms 11 and 13 is received by the anode 15 and cathode 16. Accordingly, since it is not necessary for the diaphragms 11 and 13 to receive the force applied thereto, it is not necessary to provide reinforcing ribs across the diaphragms 11 and 13 and the electrolytic water production capacity due to a decrease in the effective area of the diaphragm does not decrease.

When the salt in the salt water chamber B and the circulating salt water tank 20 is consumed by the production of the electrolyzed water and the concentration of the salt water decreases, the concentration meter 35 detects this and opens the on-off valve 32 to set the concentration of the salt water to a predetermined value. Keep within range. As a result, the water level in the circulating salt water tank 20 rises, and the water exceeding the predetermined water level is discharged from an overflow pipe (not shown). In addition, the water in the anode chamber A and the cathode chamber C flows into the salt water chamber B through the diaphragms 11 and 13 due to the difference in osmotic pressure, and the water level in the circulating salt water tank 20 also rises. Also, the amount exceeding the predetermined water level is discharged from the overflow pipe. The inflow from the anode chamber A and the cathode chamber C into the salt water chamber B due to the difference in osmotic pressure is suppressed by increasing the water pressure on the salt water chamber B side as described above.

The values of the pH, effective chlorine concentration, oxidation-reduction potential (ORP), etc. of the acidic water used for treating the food produced as described above are adjusted by controlling the flow rate of the water passing through the anode chamber A by the control valve 28. Can be controlled by These values can also be controlled by the composition of the anode 15, the voltage applied by the DC power supply 17, the concentration and temperature of the saline solution, and the like.

In the above embodiment, the throttle 24 is provided in the salt water discharge pipe 22 to increase the water pressure in the salt water chamber B. However, the water pressure in the salt water chamber B may be increased by setting the circulating salt water tank 20 at a position higher than the casing 10. . Further, in the above embodiment, two completely separated diaphragms 11 and 13 are used. However, opposed portions of one cylindrical diaphragm are attached to opposing inner surfaces of the casing 10 over a certain width, and the inside of the casing 10 is formed. The inside of the casing 10 may be divided into a central salt water chamber B and an anode chamber A and a cathode chamber C on both sides thereof by the two portions of the stretched diaphragm. Although the above embodiment has been described in connection with the case where a saline solution is used as the electrolysis solution, the present invention can be applied to a case where another salt solution is used as the electrolysis solution.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS It is the whole explanatory drawing of one Example of the electrolyzed water manufacturing apparatus by this invention. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view mainly showing a casing of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 and its internal structure. It is explanatory drawing of an example of the electrolyzed water manufacturing apparatus by a prior art.

Explanation of reference numerals

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Casing, 11, 13 ... Diaphragm, 15 ... Anode, 16 ... Cathode, 17 ... DC power supply, 20 ... Circulating salt water tank, 21 ... Salt water introducing pipe, 22 ... Salt water outlet pipe, 23 ... Circulating pump, 25a, 25b ... Raw water inlet pipe, 26 ... acid water outlet pipe, 27 ... alkaline water outlet pipe, A ... anode chamber, B ... salt water chamber, C ... cathode chamber.

Claims (2)

A casing, a diaphragm composed of two parts separating the inside of the casing into a central salt water chamber and an anode chamber and a cathode chamber on both sides thereof; and a liquid passage provided in the anode chamber close to one of the diaphragms. A free anode, a cathode provided in the cathode chamber close to the other of the diaphragms, and through which liquid can pass freely, a DC power supply for supplying power for electrolysis to the anode and the cathode, and a salt water to be electrolyzed are housed. Circulating salt water tank, and a salt water inlet pipe and a salt water outlet pipe communicating the salt water chamber B and the circulating salt water tank at different positions, and the salt water chamber provided in one of the salt water inlet pipe and the salt water outlet pipe. A circulating pump for circulating salt water between the circulating salt water tanks, a raw water inlet pipe and an acidic water outlet pipe communicated with the anode chamber at different positions, and with the cathode chamber at different positions. By raw water inlet pipe and an electrolytic water production device including the alkaline water takeout tube. The anode and the cathode have a plate shape as a whole and are fixed to the casing adjacent to each of the diaphragms over substantially the entire area of the corresponding diaphragm, and the water pressure in the salt water chamber is equal to the water pressure in each of the anode chamber and the cathode chamber. The apparatus for producing electrolyzed water according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus is set to be higher than the above.

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