JP2005296718A - Apparatus for generating electrolytic water - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an apparatus for generating electrolytic water, whose electrolytic efficiency is improved by arranging a power feeding terminal to shorten the distance between electrodes so that the existence of the power feeding terminal does not hinder the distance between electrodes from being shortened. <P>SOLUTION: This apparatus for generating electrolytic water is provided with an electrolytic cell which has a cathode chamber and an anode chamber divided from each other by a diaphragm and in which a cathode arranged in the cathode chamber is opposed to an anode arranged in the anode chamber while interposing the diaphragm between the cathode and the anode. The plate-shaped power feeding contact terminal is positioned on the rear face of the opposed surface of each of the cathode and the anode and brought into contact with each of the cathode and the anode. The plate-shaped power feeding contact terminal is pressed and brought into close contact with each of the cathode and the anode by the pressing force of an elastic body arranged on the opposite side of the electrode-contacted surface of the plate-shaped power feeding contact terminal. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an electrolyzed water generating apparatus including an electrolyzer configured to electrolyze tap water, well water, and the like to generate alkaline electrolyzed water and acidic electrolyzed water.

Conventionally, an electrolytic cell that can electrolyze raw water such as tap water or well water to generate alkaline electrolyzed water and acidic electrolyzed water is known. The electrolytic cell is formed with a cathode chamber having a cathode inside and an anode chamber having an anode inside through a diaphragm, respectively, and the cathode chamber and the anode chamber have a water inlet. The well water and the like flowing in from the inlet are electrolyzed in the cathode chamber and the anode chamber partitioned by the diaphragm, and the alkaline electrolyzed water is supplied from the cathode chamber side to the anode chamber side. From this, acidic electrolyzed water is produced.

 Electrolyzers as described above are roughly classified into two types, batch type and continuous type, depending on the structure, and the batch type stores alkaline electrolyzed water and acidic electrolyzed water generated in the electrolyzer. The continuous system is a system that can continuously obtain alkaline electrolyzed water and acidic electrolyzed water by continuously flowing water into and out of the cathode chamber and anode chamber of the electrolytic cell. These two systems Of these, the continuous type has become the mainstream with the addition of a water purification function for the convenience of obtaining electrolyzed water continuously.

  In the continuous electrolytic cell described above, in order to efficiently generate alkaline electrolyzed water having a large pH (hydrogen ion index) and acidic electrolyzed water having a low pH in a short time, or to reduce the size of the electrolytic cell, Inflow type electrolyzers of various structures have been proposed. These include an electrolyzer body box and a diaphragm box with a diaphragm inside, the diaphragm box serving as an anode chamber, and the exterior of the diaphragm box serving as a cathode chamber. The unit cell system that is configured, the electrode plate and the electrolytic diaphragm are laminated alternately, the filter press system that is configured so that the cathode and the anode are alternately arranged, and the cathode chamber and the anode chamber are placed through the electrolytic diaphragm. There is a cylindrical system composed of double cylinders.

In recent years, as a means for reducing the size and increasing the efficiency of an electrolytic cell, proposals have been made with respect to the configuration of the flow path, the electrode and electrolytic diaphragm material, the electrode shape and the arrangement thereof. As one of the electrode arrangements, it is generally known that the electrolytic efficiency is improved by shortening the distance between the electrodes. For example, what is disclosed in JP-A-7-222978 A water supply nozzle is provided at one end of the electrolytic cell, an acid water drainage nozzle and an alkaline electrolyzed water drainage nozzle are provided at the other end, and a pool chamber is formed continuously from the water supply nozzle in the electrolytic cell. By providing a plurality of drainage grooves on the side to narrow the cross-sectional area of the water flow path, tap water flowing between the electrodes in the electrolytic cell flows at a uniform and equal flow rate, and electrolysis is performed by accurately narrowing the gap between the electrodes. The efficiency is improved and the size is reduced.

In addition, what is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 7-284773 adopts a porous plate-like electrode provided with a large number of transmission ports through which bubbles generated during electrolysis can be transmitted as a cathode and an anode. By forming the main flow path through which the water to be treated circulates in both parts on the opposite side of the opposite side, the stagnation of bubbles between both electrodes is eliminated, and the diaphragm between both electrodes is made as close as possible Thus, the electrolytic efficiency is improved and the deterioration of the electrode is prevented.

Further, what is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 7-290058 is a diaphragm body that supports a diaphragm and has a raw water supply hole and a pair of electrolyzed water discharge holes, and a raw water supply hole and a pair of electrolytic cells for the diaphragm body. In a water electrolysis apparatus in which an electrode having a supply hole corresponding to each water discharge hole and an electrode having a pair of discharge holes is polymerized, the shape of the supply water hole or drain water hole provided in the electrode is improved, and the diaphragm body The frame thickness is reduced to reduce the distance between the electrodes as much as possible, and to improve the electrolysis efficiency.

In the electrolytic cell described above, the configuration is complicated, and it is difficult to shorten the distance between the electrodes due to the presence of the power feeding terminals connected to the electrodes. As a result of the problem that the terminal shape becomes complicated and the assembly work is difficult due to the above restrictions, there is a unit cell type electrolytic cell shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 as an improvement. The electrolytic layer includes an electrolytic cell case 101 that also serves as a main body container and serves as a cell on the cathode chamber 102 side, a diaphragm case 104 that serves as a cell on the anode chamber 103 side provided in the electrolytic cell, and electrodes 106 and 107. ing.

The diaphragm case 104 is composed of a support body 108 and an electrolytic diaphragm 109 disposed opposite to the support body 108 with a space therebetween. A flat plate electrode 107 serving as an anode is formed in the support body 108 in the diaphragm case 104. Further, in the cathode chamber 102, a flat plate electrode 106 serving as a cathode is disposed between the outer surface of the electrolytic diaphragm 109 in the diaphragm case 104 and the inner surface of the electrolytic cell case 101, and the electrolytic diaphragm 109. They are arranged to face each other with a gap.

In the above-described configuration, in order to prevent the protruding portion of the rod-shaped power supply terminal 110 connected to the electrodes 106 and 107 from interfering with the opposing electrode, the center axis of the terminal 110 is set to the electrode when connecting the electrode and the terminal. 106 (107) is positioned in a direction opposite to the opposing surfaces of the electrodes with respect to the center of the thickness direction of 106 (107) (see FIG. 7), thereby projecting dimensions of the terminal 110 from the electrodes 106 and 107 toward the opposing electrodes. In some cases, the distance between the electrodes 106 and 107 can be shortened by the protrusion of the terminal to improve the electrolysis efficiency (see Patent Document 1).
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-33765

  However, in the thing disclosed in Patent Document 1, although a certain effect can be seen in shortening the distance between the electrodes, since the electrodes and the terminals are connected by fixing means such as welding, they can be assembled later. However, there are some problems in its assembly. The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and the presence of the power supply contact terminal does not hinder the short-circuiting of the distance between the electrodes, and the distance between the electrodes can be arranged close to each other. An object of the present invention is to provide an electrolyzed water generating device that can improve efficiency and reduce the size.

In order to achieve the above object, an electrolyzed water generating apparatus according to the present invention includes a cathode chamber and an anode chamber partitioned by a diaphragm, and is disposed in an electrode and an anode chamber disposed in the cathode chamber. It comprises an electrolytic cell provided opposite to an electrode through a diaphragm, and is provided with a plate-shaped power supply contact terminal in contact with the back side of the opposing surfaces of the opposing electrodes. The power contact terminal is pressed by an elastic body disposed on the surface opposite to the electrode contact surface as means for contacting the electrode, and the elastic body is a rubber or a spring. A rod-shaped connection terminal is attached to the power supply contact terminal, and the connection terminal is connected to a power source.

An electrolyzed water generating apparatus according to the present invention includes a cathode chamber and an anode chamber, a diaphragm that partitions the cathode chamber and the anode chamber, and an electrode disposed in the cathode chamber and an electrode disposed in the anode chamber. Since the electrolysis cell provided opposite to each other through the diaphragm is provided, each electrode is brought into contact with a plate-shaped contact terminal for power feeding, and this contact is located on the back surface of the facing surface between the electrodes. The structure of the terminal can be simplified, and there is no protrusion of the terminal from each electrode toward the opposite electrode, so the distance between the electrodes is not restricted by the protrusion of the terminal, and the distance between the electrodes can be reduced. It is possible to shorten the length and improve the electrolytic efficiency.

The contact between each electrode and the contact terminal for feeding is because the contact terminal for feeding is brought into contact with the electrode by the pressing force of the elastic body disposed on the surface opposite to the electrode contact surface of the contact terminal for feeding. It is not necessary to electrically and mechanically connect the electrode and the terminal, and can prevent deformation, dirt and damage when the electrode and the terminal are electrically or mechanically connected. In addition, since a rubber-like elastic body or a spring is used as a pressing force, the contact configuration can be simplified and post-assembly can be performed.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below. FIG. 1 is an overall perspective view of an electrolytic cell 1, and the electrolytic cell 1 comprises a hollow first housing 2 and a hollow second housing 3. These housings 2 and 3 are set screws 4, 4,. It is fixed by. An end of a connection terminal 5 mounted in the housing protrudes from the upper side of the first housing 2, and the connection terminal 5 is fixed to the side of the first housing by a washer 6 and a lock nut 7. The connector 8 is provided at the lower part of the same side. A connector 9 is provided above the side of the second housing 3, and a connection terminal 10 provided in the second housing 3 is fixed to the second housing 3 by a lock nut 12 via a washer 11 below. Then, the connection terminal 5.10.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory view in which a part of the electrolytic cell 1 is broken. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA of FIG. 2. The electrolytic cell 1 has a flat plate-shaped first housing 2 and a flat plate shape as described above. The second housing 3 is provided with an electrolytic diaphragm 15 to form a diaphragm chamber. A flat plate electrode 17 serving as a cathode is provided on the first housing 2 side of the diaphragm chamber including the electrolytic diaphragm 15 so as to face the electrolytic diaphragm 15 through a thin flat resin spacer 16 having a lattice shape. The space including the electrode 17 serving as a cathode between the inner wall of the first housing 2 and the electrolytic diaphragm 15 forms a cathode chamber 18.

Further, a flat plate electrode 20 serving as an anode is provided on the side of the diaphragm chamber having the electrolytic diaphragm 15 so as to face the flat plate electrode 17 serving as the cathode through a thin plate-shaped resin spacer 19 having a lattice shape. The diaphragm chamber forms the anode chamber 21. Further, inflow holes 22 and 23 for tap water or the like are formed in the lower part of the cathode chamber 18 and the anode chamber 21, and alkaline water and acidic water flow out above the cathode chamber 18 and the anode chamber 21. Outflow holes 24 and 25 are provided.

  The plate-shaped power supply contact terminal 26 is in contact with the upper edge of the back surface of the electrode serving as the cathode on the surface where the plate-shaped electrode 17 serving as the cathode and the plate-shaped electrode 20 serving as the anode face each other. The contact of the power supply contact terminal 26 with the electrode 17 is always performed by the pressing force of the elastic body 27 by disposing the elastic body 27 on the opposite side of the contact surface of the power supply contact terminal 26 with the electrode 17. It is supposed to hold. A rod-like connection terminal 5 is attached to the center in the width direction of the power supply contact terminal 26 in contact with the electrode 17 by electrical (for example, welding) or mechanical (for example, screw-in or press-fit) means. ing.

The elastic body 27 that is the pressing force of the electrode 17 against the power supply contact terminal 26 may be a rubber or resin-like elastic body, or may be a coil spring or a plate spring. Further, the other end side of the rod-like connection terminal 5 is protruded from the side wall of the first case 2 as described above and can be connected to the power source. An O-ring 29 is interposed in the gap between the outer surface of the connection terminal 5 and the inner surface of the insertion port 28 in the insertion port 28 from which the connection terminal 5 of the first case 2 protrudes to ensure water tightness. .

  A plate-shaped power supply contact terminal 30 is in contact with the lower edge of the back surface of the electrode 20 on the surface of the flat electrode 20 serving as the anode facing the electrode 17 serving as the cathode. The contact of the 30 with the electrode 20 is always caused by the reaction force of the elastic body 31 by disposing the elastic body 31 (rubber-like elastic body or spring) on the opposite side of the contact surface of the electrode 20 of the power supply contact terminal 30. The contact is maintained by pressing force. Then, the rod-like connection terminal 10 is attached to the approximate center in the width direction of the power supply contact terminal 30 that is in contact with the electrode 20 by electrical (for example, welding) or mechanical (for example, screw-in or press-fit) means. Then, the other end side of the rod-like connection terminal 10 is protruded from the second case 3 so as to be connected to the power source. In addition, an O-ring is interposed in the gap between the outer surface of the connection terminal 10 and the insertion port in the insertion port through which the connection terminal 10 of the second case 3 projects to ensure watertightness.

In generating electrolyzed water in the embodiment of the present invention, raw water flows into the electrolytic cell through the inflow hole 22 and is supplied into the cathode chamber 18 and also into the anode chamber 21 through the inflow hole 23. In this state, when a voltage is applied between the electrodes 17 and 20 via the connection terminals 5 and 10 and the plate-like power supply contact terminals 26 and 30 from the power source, alkaline electrolyzed water is generated in the cathode chamber 18 by electrolysis of raw water. Acidic electrolyzed water is generated in the anode chamber. The alkaline electrolyzed water flows out of the electrolytic cell from the cathode side outlet 24, and the acidic electrolyzed water flows out of the electrolytic cell from the anode side outlet 25.

In the electrolytic cell in the present embodiment, the electrode 17 and the electrode 20 are disposed to face each other with the electrolytic diaphragm 15 interposed therebetween, and the plate-shaped power supply contact terminals 26 that are in contact with the electrode 17 and the electrode 20, 30 is brought into contact with the back surfaces of the opposing surfaces of the opposing electrodes 17 and 20, so that there is no protrusion from the electrodes 17 and 20 toward the opposing electrodes 20 and 17, and between the electrodes The distance can be prevented from being restricted and the distance between the electrodes can be shortened, so that the electrolysis efficiency can be improved.
In contact between the electrode and the plate-shaped power supply contact terminal, elastic bodies 27 and 31 are disposed on the surface opposite to the contact surface of the electrodes 17 and 20 of the plate-shaped power supply contact terminal. The plate-like contact terminal and the electrode are brought into close contact with each other by the reaction force of the body.

Furthermore, in the present embodiment, it is not necessary to electrically or mechanically connect the electrode and the plate-like contact terminal as described above, so that deformation, dirt and damage of the electrode can be prevented. In addition, the assembly work is facilitated.

FIG. 5 shows a three-electrode / two-diaphragm electrolytic cell according to a second embodiment of the present invention, with a required distance on both sides of an electrode 35 disposed in the center. Electrolytic diaphragms 36 and 37 are provided, and electrodes 38 and 39 are provided on the outer sides of the respective electrolytic diaphragms 36 and 37 so as to be spaced apart from the electrolytic diaphragms 36 and 37 by a predetermined distance. The power supply connection terminal 40 is fixed to the lower portion of the central electrode 35 so as to sandwich the lower end portion of the central electrode 35 at the center, and the end thereof is connected to the outside of the electrolytic cell via the O-ring 50. It is made to protrude and is connected to the power supply.

A plate-shaped contact terminal 41 for power feeding is brought into contact with the back surface of the electrode 38 provided opposite to the central electrode 35 as described above, and the contact surface of the contact terminal 41 with the electrode 38 is contacted. An elastic body 42 is disposed on the opposite end surface, and the contact terminal 41 is always in close contact with the electrode 38 by the reaction force of the elastic body 42. The elastic body 42 may be a rubber-like or resin-like elastic body, a coil spring, or a plate-like spring. Further, a rod-like connection terminal 43 is attached to the substantially center in the width direction of the plate-like power supply contact terminal 41 by welding or screwing, and the other end of the rod-like connection terminal 43 is interposed via an O-ring 51. Projecting outside the electrolytic cell and connected to a power source.

A plate-like power supply contact terminal 45 is brought into contact with the back surface of the electrode 39 provided opposite to the center electrode 35 and facing the electrode 35, and the power supply contact terminal 45 contacts the electrode 39. An elastic body 46 is disposed on the opposite end surface of the surface, and the power contact terminal 45 is always in close contact with the electrode 39 by the reaction force of the elastic body 46. The elastic body 46 may be a rubber-like or resin-like elastic body, a coil spring, or a plate-like spring. Further, a rod-like connection terminal 47 is attached to the substantially center in the width direction of the plate-like power supply contact terminal 45 by welding or screwing, and the other end of the rod-like connection terminal 45 is interposed via an O-ring 52. Projecting outside the electrolytic cell and connected to the power source.

Also in the second embodiment described above, in the electrolytic cell in which the electrodes 35 and 38 are provided to face each other through the electrolytic diaphragm 36 and the electrodes 35 and 39 are provided to face each other through the diaphragm 37. However, since the plate-like contact terminals for power feeding 41 and 45 that contact the electrodes 38 and 39 are configured to contact the back surface of the opposing surface of the electrode, there is no protrusion toward each electrode, and the electrode distance is regulated. The distance between the electrodes can be shortened, and the electrolytic efficiency can be improved. Further, since the center electrode protrudes from the other electrodes, it needs to be covered with a resin spacer or the like. And also in the electrolytic cell of this second embodiment, electrolyzed water can be generated by connecting the connection terminals 40, 43 and 47 to a power source and applying a voltage between the electrodes.

External view of electrolytic cell Explanatory drawing with part of the electrolytic cell broken AA sectional view of FIG. The perspective view of the structure of a contact terminal, an elastic body, and a connection terminal Main part explanatory drawing of the electrolytic cell of 2nd embodiment It is explanatory drawing of the conventional electrolytic cell, a is a longitudinal cross-sectional view, b is an enlarged view of the i part of a. A perspective view of a conventional terminal

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Electrolysis cell 4,10 Connection terminal 15 Electrolytic diaphragm 17,20 Electrode 18 Cathode chamber 21 Anode chamber 26,30 Contact terminal for electric power feeding 27,31 Elastic body

Claims (4)

A cathode chamber and an anode chamber partitioned by a diaphragm; and an electrolytic cell in which an electrode disposed in the cathode chamber and an electrode disposed in the anode chamber are provided to face each other with the diaphragm interposed therebetween. And the electrolyzed water generating apparatus characterized by providing the plate-shaped contact terminal for electric power feeding in contact with each said electrode in the back surface of the opposing surface of the said both opposing electrodes.   3. The electrolyzed water generating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the power supply contact terminal is brought into contact with the electrode by a pressing means disposed on a surface opposite to the electrode contact surface of the power supply contact terminal.   4. The electrolyzed water generating device according to claim 1, wherein the pressing means is a rubber-like elastic body or a spring. The electrolyzed water generating apparatus according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein a rod-shaped connection terminal is attached from the center in the width direction of the power supply contact terminal, and the connection terminal is connected to a power source.

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