JP2006043610A - Electrolytic hydrogen-containing water producing apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an electrolytic hydrogen-containing water producing apparatus provided with an activated carbon block having an adsorbing-holding function for organic sludge contained in city water and having a sterilizing function. <P>SOLUTION: Electric power is fed from a DC power source provided with a fixed current controlling function. A pair of electrodes composed of electrically conductive materials hard to be subjected to the change of electrical properties by oxidation reaction in such a manner that titanium subjected to platinum plating is used as the cathode and platinum or a metal subjected to platinum plating is used as the anode are arranged at the front stand of the activated block. The platinum-plated part in the surface of the cathode is provided with a nonplated titanium-exposed part at an area corresponding to the ratio between electrolytic current and conducting current required for the elution of titanium. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an electrolytic hydrogen water generating apparatus having a sterilizing function, which is provided with an activated carbon block capable of adsorbing and holding organic pollutants contained in tap water.

  Conventionally, an electrolytic hydrogen water generating apparatus (hereinafter referred to as a conventional apparatus) as shown in FIG. 3 is known.

This conventional apparatus adsorbs and retains an electrolytic cell 3 equipped with electrodes 1 and 2 for electrolysis, organic chlorine compounds such as residual chlorine and trihalomethane, 2-methylisoborneol that causes musty odor, and organic pollutants such as agricultural chemicals. It is comprised from the filtration unit 6 provided with the activated carbon block 4 which has a function. A direct current voltage is supplied to the electrolysis electrodes 1 and 2 from the power supply unit 7 to electrolyze the stored water in the apparatus to generate an electrolysis gas composed of hydrogen and oxygen. Store gas. In the power supply unit 7 that supplies power to the electrodes 1 and 2, the electrolytic current is detected by the current sensor 9 and fed back to the regulator 10 to keep the electrolytic current constant in order to maintain electrolysis that is not affected by fluctuations in water quality. Constant current control is adopted.
Further, the activated carbon block 4 having the ability to adsorb and retain organic pollutants is obtained by forming activated carbon powder into a hollow column shape using a binder such as polyethylene, and has extremely fine pores of about several μm. The electrolytic gas stored in the filtration unit 6 flows into the countless pores of the activated carbon block 4 and the activated carbon powder, and the electrolytic gas is occluded in the activated carbon block 4.
It should be noted that the reservoir water permeates from the outer periphery of the activated carbon block 4 due to the increase in the internal pressure of the container due to the generation of the electrolytic gas, soaks into the through hole 5 at the center, and drains from the water supply pipe 16 via the pressure regulating valve 15. It is discharged as water.

  When the tap faucet 12 is opened to allow water to flow, the tap water is guided to the filtration unit 6 through the flow switch 13 and the electrolytic cell 3, mixed with the stored electrolytic gas, and then from the outer periphery of the activated carbon block 4. It penetrates and is discharged from the through hole 5. At this time, the mixed electrolytic gas and the electrolytic gas occluded in the activated carbon block 4 are converted into fine bubbles by the activated carbon block 4, and are diffused and dissolved in water.

If the electrolysis is continued, the water stored in the filtration unit 6 and the electrolytic cell 3 is completely replaced with the electrolytic gas, and the electrodes 1 and 2 are exposed to the electrolytic gas layer 17. If foreign matter is mixed and the foreign matter is short-circuited between the electrode 1 and the electrode 2, not only wasteful power not consumed in electrolysis is wasted, but also an electrolytic gas composed of high-concentration hydrogen gas and oxygen gas. May be accompanied by an ignition phenomenon or an explosion phenomenon due to an arc (spark) generated at the time of a short circuit. In order to prevent such danger, the power supply of the power supply unit 7 is automatically stopped by the timer 11 before the electrodes 1 and 2 are exposed.
As an alternative to the timer control method described above, a water level sensor such as a float switch is provided in the upper part of the electrolytic cell 3 or the lower part of the filtration unit 6 so that the electrolytic cell 3 is always filled with stored water. A method of controlling the power supply of the unit 7 with a water level sensor may be used.

  After the electrolysis is stopped, when the tap faucet 12 is opened and tap water is introduced into the electrolytic hydrogen water generator, an activation signal for the flow switch 13 is input to the power supply unit 7 and electrolysis is started again.

A chemical reaction generated by water electrolysis is shown in Formula 1.
Equation (1) represents the cathodic reaction, equation (2) represents the anodic reaction, and equation (3) represents the reaction of the entire system based on the above equations (1) and (2).
As shown in the equation (3), the electrolytic gas generated by water electrolysis is composed of hydrogen gas volume: oxygen gas volume ratio of 2: 1. Will be stored. In addition, extremely fine pores with a gap of several μm between the activated carbon powder and the binder constituting the activated carbon block 4 are formed, and the activated carbon powder surface, which is a component, has innumerable pores on the order of nm to μm. Therefore, the hydrogen gas mixed with tap water and permeated is converted into fine bubbles of several μm, and the hydrogen gas occluded in the pores of the activated carbon powder flows out into the water as fine bubbles of nm to μm. As a result, hydrogen water with a very high concentration is generated.

(Chemical formula 1)
2H ₂ O + 2e → H ₂ + 2OH ⁻ (1)
2H ₂ O → O ₂ + 4H ⁺ + 4e (2)
H ₂ O → H ₂ + 1 / 2O ₂ (3)

  In the conventional apparatus shown in FIG. 3, the power supply unit 7 always supplies a DC voltage. However, when electrolysis is continued for a long time in the apparatus using the conventional system, calcium contained in tap water is applied to the cathode surface. Since it deposits and blocks between the cathode and the anode, the efficiency of electrolysis may be reduced. For this reason, maintenance work is required to periodically wash with an acidic solution such as citric acid.

In the above-mentioned conventional apparatus, as a measure for preventing the growth of bacteria in the activated carbon block 4, it is also possible to use an activated carbon block molded from activated carbon with silver antibacterial action described in Patent Document 1 as a raw material. is there.
Furthermore, as a similar measure, Patent Document 2 describes a technique that uses an activated carbon filter to which sustained-release particles of minerals are added, and suppresses bacterial growth by calcium and magnesium that are gradually released from the activated carbon filter.
JP-A-11-226570 JP2003-144821A

As described above, in the conventional apparatus, any residual chlorine contained in the tap water and causing the off-flavor is removed by the activated carbon block. Residual chlorine is a chemical that is introduced at a water purification plant to sterilize bacteria in the water, and is adjusted to have a concentration of 0.1 mg / L or more in each household water tap. Therefore, in the tap water supplied, the possibility that bacteria are detected is extremely low, and it is supposed that it is 100 bacteria / mL or less in general bacteria and not detected in coliform bacteria in accordance with laws and regulations.
However, when tap water is passed through the conventional device, there is no residual chlorine in the water filtered by the activated carbon block 4, so if bacteria enter the device from the hydrogen water supply pipe 16 side, Bacterial growth occurs in the water pipe 16 and the activated carbon block 4 using nutrients such as organic chlorine compounds and other organic pollutants contained in the filtered water stored in the water pipe 16 adsorbed and held by the activated carbon block 4 However, in the hydrogen water released from the water pipe 16, there was a possibility that the number of viable bacteria exceeding the regulation value of the water supply law was detected.

  In order to suppress the growth of bacteria, there is a method that uses an activated carbon block made of the above-mentioned silver-impregnated activated carbon as a raw material, but this method sterilizes only within the activated carbon block 4 where the mixed silver can come into contact with the stored water. Although effective, silver hardly dissolves in a neutral solvent such as tap water, and therefore does not have a bactericidal action against bacteria that propagate inside the water pipe 16 after the activated carbon block.

In Patent Document 3, the anode contains at least one selected from the group consisting of platinum, niobium, titanium and tantalum, and the cathode is selected from the group consisting of zinc, iron, copper and stainless steel. As an electrode configuration containing at least one kind, a method is described in which a fungus is sterilized by passing a direct current of 0.1 to 150 mA in 48 hours or less. In the present invention, it is effective for fungi existing in the current path between the electrodes, but a sufficient bactericidal effect cannot be expected for fungi that are out of the current path.
Therefore, when this method is applied to an electrolytic hydrogen water generator, it is necessary to provide an electrode dedicated to sterilization in the vicinity of the water supply pipe 16 in order to sterilize bacteria entering from the water supply pipe 16 side. Furthermore, the bacteria inside the activated carbon block 4 cannot be expected to have a sterilizing effect, and the stored water inside the activated carbon block 4 passes through the electrode for sterilization when passing water, but most of the residence time is secured. Because it is not possible, bacteria are likely to flow out into the produced water.
JP-A-11-33086

  As described above in detail, it has been difficult for the conventional apparatus to sufficiently suppress the growth of bacteria in the activated carbon block and in the water pipe at the subsequent stage.

  In order to solve the above problems, in the electrolytic hydrogen water generator of the present invention, the cathode is platinum-plated titanium, the anode is platinum, or platinum-plated, through a water supply pipe directly connected to the faucet. An electrolytic cell that houses a pair of electrodes made of a conductive material that is less susceptible to changes in electrical properties due to oxidation reactions such as metals, and is connected to the electrolytic cell, and activated carbon powder is molded into a hollow column using a binder such as polyethylene A hydrogen water generator composed of a filtration unit that houses the activated carbon block, a timer circuit that feeds a DC voltage for electrolyzing tap water to the electrode pair, and controls the feeding time and a constant current control function A non-plated titanium exposed portion is provided on the cathode surface of the electrode pair, and the titanium exposed portion of the cathode and platinum are in a ratio of the electrolysis current and the energizing current required for titanium elution. And wherein the configuring the area of Kki portion.

In addition, said energization current is set according to electrolysis time and the amount of water storage so that the energization conditions required for titanium elution may be equivalent to 50 mA · h with respect to 1 L of water stored in the filtration unit and the electrolytic cell.

After the water flow is stopped, the inside of the device is filled with tap water. This stored water is supplied with a DC voltage to an electrode provided in the front stage of the activated carbon block having the ability to adsorb and retain organic pollutants such as activated carbon, and the electrolytic gas obtained by electrolysis of water is stored. At the same time, a direct current voltage is supplied to the sterilization electrode, and a minute amount of titanium is eluted from the cathode by applying a small current.
Retained water containing titanium penetrates into the activated carbon block due to an increase in internal pressure accompanying the generation of electrolytic gas, passes through the through hole, drains from the water pipe, and as a result, passes from the activated carbon block to the outlet of the water pipe. The water channel is washed with stored water containing titanium.

In addition, a power supply unit having a polarity reversing circuit for preventing calcium in tap water from precipitating on the cathode surface is provided, and titanium that constantly supplies a negative voltage near the cathode and anode constituting the electrode pair is provided. An sterilizing electrode made of metal is provided independently, and impedance Z1 between each electrode constituting the electrode pair and the titanium electrode is kept equal,
Electrolytic hydrogen with a sterilizing function that does not require the above-mentioned maintenance work by arranging electrode pairs and sterilizing electrodes so that Z1 and Z2 can be configured by the ratio of the electrolysis current and the current required for titanium elution. A water generator can be constructed.
In addition, said energization current is set according to electrolysis time and the amount of water storage so that the energization conditions required for titanium elution may be equivalent to 50 mA · h with respect to 1 L of water stored in the filtration unit and the electrolytic cell.

  Furthermore, in the configuration of the above-described conventional apparatus, the sterilization electrode pair is made of a conductive material that is not easily changed in electrical characteristics due to oxidation reaction, such as titanium in the front stage of the activated carbon block and metal plated with platinum in the anode. A sterilization power supply unit having a constant current control function and a timer circuit for supplying a direct current voltage to the electrode pair for sterilization and controlling the power supply time, An energization current and an energization time corresponding to 50 mA · h may be set for 1 L of the stored water in the electrolytic cell.

  Note that, in the present invention, it is considered that titanium is formed on the cathode to prevent the formation of a titanium oxide film, and that weak current-carrying conditions can be stably maintained.

  As described above in detail, according to the method for sterilizing an electrolytic hydrogen water generator of the present invention, the activated carbon block and the water pipe are washed with stored water containing a small amount of titanium. Bacteria that grow inside the water tube can also be sterilized.

An example of the bactericidal effect of the eluted titanium according to the present invention is shown in FIGS.
The example shown in FIG. 5 is an electrode configuration of the present invention using titanium as a cathode and titanium plated with platinum as an anode, and an electrode configuration using titanium plated with platinum at both electrodes. This shows the transition of the viable cell count when general bacteria are introduced after energization at 10 mA, which is equivalent to 50 mA · h for 5 hours.
In the electrode configuration using titanium plated with platinum on both electrodes, no decrease in the number of viable bacteria is confirmed, whereas in the electrode configuration of the present invention, a clear bactericidal effect is confirmed over time.
From the results, it can be seen that in the electrode configuration of the present invention, a small amount of titanium eluted from the cathode remains in the water, so that the sterilizing effect is exhibited even in the water after the energization is stopped.

The example shown in FIG. 6 uses the titanium as the cathode and the titanium plated with the platinum as in the conditions of FIG. 5 for 5 hours at 10 mA corresponding to 50 mA · h for 1 L of water. It shows the transition of the number of viable bacteria when energized and general bacteria are added before energization.
The viable cell count decreases with time from immediately after energization, 10 ² orders bactericidal effect of is obtained after 5 hours passed. In addition, as described above, a decrease in the number of viable bacteria has been confirmed even after energization is stopped. In addition, compared with the sterilizing effect after the energization is stopped, the fact that the decreasing tendency at the time of energizing is remarkable shows the synergistic effect of the electrically sterilizing action described in Patent Document 3 and the eluted titanium. it is conceivable that.
In addition, it is possible to improve the sterilization effect by increasing the current value by the electrode for sterilization and increasing the titanium concentration, but even in the case of low-concentration titanium-containing water, it continues from the initial state where no bacteria exist. Therefore, in the present invention, the energization condition represented by the product of the current value and the energization time required for elution of titanium is equivalent to 50 mA · h. .
FIG. 7 shows the elution amount of titanium with respect to the energization condition represented by the product of the current value and the energization time. The amount of titanium elution increases with the increase of the product of the current value and energization time, and the amount of titanium elution under the energization conditions of the present invention (equivalent to 50 mA · h for 1 L of stored water) is about 10 ⁻⁴ mg. The titanium concentration of the stored water is estimated to be about 10 ⁻⁴ mg / L.

  Furthermore, when the configuration of the present invention in which the functions of the sterilization electrode and the power supply for the sterilization electrode are assigned to the existing electrode for electrolysis and the power supply unit for electrolysis is used, the apparatus is simplified, compact, and inexpensive. Can be realized.

  It is equipped with an activated carbon block that retains and retains residual chlorine and organic pollutants and has a hydrogen gas storage function, and a water electrolysis function using a DC power source that has a constant current control function. Hydrogen gas generated by electrolysis is stored in an activated carbon block, and the hydrogen gas is dissolved and discharged in the tap water that is introduced into the electrolytic hydrogen water generator. The cathode is titanium and the anode is platinum or platinum plating. A sterilizing electrode pair made of a conductive material that is not susceptible to changes in electrical properties due to oxidation reactions, such as metal that has been subjected to oxidation, is applied to the sterilizing electrode pair by passing a small amount of current to elute titanium, resulting in extremely bacterial contamination. Provide less hydrogen water.

FIG. 1 shows a configuration example of an electrolytic hydrogen water generator of the present invention.
This apparatus comprises an electrolytic cell 3 equipped with electrodes 1 and 2 for electrolyzing water at the bottom, and a filtration unit 6 containing an activated carbon block 4 in which powdered activated carbon is formed into a hollow column shape with a binder at the top. .

The electrode 1 is a flat plate electrode obtained by applying platinum plating to a metal such as titanium, and the electrode 2 is formed by applying a platinum plate to the surface using a titanium flat plate. It is set as the structure provided with.

The power supply unit 7 supplies a DC voltage with the electrode 1 as an anode and the electrode 2 as a cathode, detects a current flowing between the electrodes 1 and 2, and varies the output voltage according to the output signal of the current sensor 9. Thus, a constant current power source is provided that includes a regulator 10 that keeps the current value constant and a timer 11 that stops voltage output at a predetermined time.

In the electrodes 1 and 2 having the above-described configuration, the platinum plating portion 18 serves as an electrolysis electrode subjected to water electrolysis, and at the same time, the titanium exposed portion 8 of the electrode 1 and the electrode 2 acts as a sterilization electrode. Corresponds to the ratio between the electrolysis current and the energization current for ensuring the energization condition of the sterilization electrode (equivalent to 50 mA · h) so that the electrolysis current required for sterilization and the energization current of the sterilization electrode are distributed to a predetermined value Thus, the surface areas of the platinum plated portion 18 and the titanium exposed portion 8 of the electrode 2 are set.
The energization current is derived from Equation 1 described below.
Here, I described in Equation 1 is an energization current (mA) for ensuring the energization conditions of the sterilization electrode, V is the amount of water (L) of the stored water, and t is the electrolysis time (h) set by the timer 11 ).

(Formula 1)
I = 50 mA · h * V / t

For example, when the water stored in the electrolytic cell 3 and the filtration unit 6 is set to 1 L, the electrolysis current is set to 200 mA, and the timer 11 for setting the electrolysis time is set to 5 hours, the energizing current of the sterilization electrode is set to 10 mA. The energization conditions required for the sterilization electrode (equivalent to 50 mA · h for 1 L of stored water) can be secured. Therefore, the area ratio of the platinum plated portion 18 and the titanium exposed portion 8 of the electrode 2 may be 20: 1 according to the ratio of the electrolysis current and the energization current required for sterilization.

  Hereinafter, the operation state of the electrolytic hydrogen water generator of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. In addition, this device has different operating states during water flow and when water flow is stopped.

Hereinafter, the operation state during water flow will be described in detail.
When the water tap 12 is opened, tap water is introduced to the filtration unit 6 through the flow switch 13 and the electrolytic cell 3 of the electrolytic hydrogen water generator. At this time, the tap water is entrained in the electrolytic gas layer 17 stored in the filtration unit 6 when the water flow is stopped, mixed and stirred to permeate from the outer surface of the activated carbon block 4 and soak into the through hole 5 formed in the center. Stick out.
Since the activated carbon block 4 has fine pores of the order of several μm and smaller, high-concentration hydrogen water is generated by diffusing and dissolving the electrolytic gas as tap air in tap water. The At the same time, the activated carbon block 4 adsorbs and removes organic chlorine compounds such as residual chlorine and trihalomethane contained in tap water, organic pollutants such as 2-methylisoborneol and agricultural chemicals that cause mold odor.

  In this way, the purified hydrogen water is discharged from the water pipe 16 through the through hole 5 and the pressure regulating valve 15.

The operation state when water flow is stopped is described in detail below.
When the water tap 12 is closed, the interior of the electrolytic hydrogen water generator is filled with tap water. When a DC voltage is supplied from the power supply unit 7 to the electrodes 1 and 2 in the electrolytic cell 3 in this state, water is electrolyzed to generate electrolytic gas, which is stored above the upper filtration unit 6. As described above, the electrolytic gas is composed of hydrogen gas and oxygen gas, and the hydrogen gas concentration is about 65%.
Further, simultaneously with the electrolysis of water, a minute current is applied between the exposed titanium portion 8 of the electrode 1 serving as the anode and the electrode 2 serving as the cathode, so that titanium is eluted into the stored water.

As the electrolytic gas is generated, the inside of the filtration unit 6 and the electrolytic cell 3 is pressurized, and the stored water is discharged from the water supply pipe 16 when the internal pressure exceeds the set value of the pressure regulating valve 15 disposed in the subsequent stage of the activated carbon block 4. .
If the electrolysis is continued, the volume of the electrolysis gas layer 17 in the filtration unit 6 increases, and the stored water containing the eluted titanium penetrates from the outer peripheral surface of the activated carbon block 4 and oozes out from the through hole 5 to adjust the pressure. The water supply pipe 16 is filled through the partial valve 15, and excess stored water is sequentially discharged to the outside.

As in the conventional apparatus, in order to prevent problems such as waste of electric power, ignition, and explosion due to continued electrolysis, power supply of the power supply unit 7 is automatically stopped by the timer 11 before the electrodes 1 and 2 are exposed. It is configured.
As an alternative to the timer control method described above, a water level sensor such as a float switch is provided in the upper part of the electrolytic cell 3 or the lower part of the filtration unit 6 so that the electrolytic cell 3 is always filled with stored water. A method of controlling the power supply of the unit 7 with a water level sensor may be used.

  After the electrolysis is stopped, the tap faucet 12 is opened, and when tap water is introduced into the electrolytic hydrogen water generator, the start signal for the flow switch 13 is input to the power supply unit 7, and electrolysis and elution of titanium start again. Is done.

As described above, the operating state of the electrolytic hydrogen water generating apparatus of Example 1 has been described in detail. When the apparatus of this configuration is used, calcium in tap water is deposited and deposited on the cathode side of the electrode for electrolysis. May be affected.
For this reason, the electrolytic hydrogen water generating apparatus of this configuration requires maintenance work for periodically cleaning the electrode with an acidic solution such as citric acid.

  Example 2 shows a configuration example of an electrolytic hydrogen water generator in which the maintenance work described above is eliminated by reversing the polarity of the electrode for electrolysis.

FIG. 2 shows a configuration example of the electrolytic hydrogen water generator of the present invention.
The constituent elements and the functions and operating conditions of each constituent element are the same as those in the first embodiment except that the sterilizing electrode 20 on the cathode side is provided independently and the output circuit of the power supply unit 7 is changed.

  The electrolytic tank 3 of the electrolytic hydrogen water generator includes electrolysis electrodes 1 and 2 for electrolyzing water, and a sterilization electrode 20 disposed independently in the vicinity thereof. Is a plate electrode obtained by applying platinum plating to a metal such as titanium, and the sterilization electrode 20 is an untreated titanium electrode, and the shape is not specified.

  The power supply unit 7 for supplying a DC voltage to the electrolysis electrodes 1 and 2 and the sterilization electrode 20 includes a current sensor 9 for detecting a current flowing through the electrolysis electrodes 1 and 2 and the sterilization electrode 20, and a current sensor. The constant current power source includes a regulator 10 that varies the output voltage according to the output signal 9 and keeps the current value constant, and a timer 11 that stops voltage output at a predetermined time.

The polarity of the electrodes 1 and 2 is reversed by opening and closing the transistors S1A, S1B and S2A, S2B provided in the power supply unit 7 at the same timing.
When the transistors S1A and S1B are opened and S2A and S2B are closed and a DC voltage is supplied from the power supply unit 7, the electrolysis of water is started with the electrode 1 serving as an anode and the electrode 2 serving as a cathode. S1A and S1B are closed, S2A and S2B are switched to open, and electrolysis is continued using electrode 1 as a cathode and electrode 2 as an anode. Calcium may be deposited on the cathode surface even after several hours of electrolysis, but polarity inversion is performed and an acidic atmosphere in which calcium dissolves is formed by generating a large amount of hydrogen ions on the electrode surface.

  Here, the sterilizing electrode 20 is always connected as a cathode by outputting and connecting a negative voltage before polarity operation composed of the transistors S1A, S1B and S2A, S2B, and a positive voltage is fed to the anode. Either the electrolysis electrode 1 or the electrolysis electrode 2 is used.

Further, in order to stably output the distribution of the electrolysis current of the electrolysis electrodes 1 and 2 and the energization current of the sterilization electrode 20, the impedance of the electrolysis electrode 1, the sterilization electrode 20, the electrolysis electrode 2 and the sterilization electrode 20 is provided. the Z ₁ is equal, and the ratio of the impedance Z ₂ is electrolysis current impedance Z ₁ and the electrode 1 for electrolysis and the electrolysis electrode 2 has, energization for ensuring energization condition required for sterilization (50 mA · h or equivalent) The disposition and shape of the sterilizing electrode 20 are determined so as to be equal to the ratio with the current.
The energization current can be derived from Equation 1 described in the first embodiment.

By adopting the electrode configuration as described above, stable current distribution can be realized without being affected by fluctuations in raw water quality and polarity reversal of the electrode.

  Example 1 Electrolytic hydrogen water generating apparatus of the present invention used with the polarity of the electrode for electrolysis fixed in Example 1, Electrolytic hydrogen water generating apparatus of the present invention used in Example 2 with the polarity of the electrode for electrolysis reversed Described. In each of the above embodiments, the sterilization electrode or the power supply unit is configured by diverting the components of the conventional electrolytic hydrogen water generator, but a sterilization electrode pair and a sterilization power source are newly provided. A configuration example of an electrolytic hydrogen water generating apparatus that operates independently is shown below.

FIG. 4 shows a configuration example of the electrolytic hydrogen water generator of the present invention.
As with conventional devices, it is a conductive material that is less susceptible to changes in electrical properties due to oxidation reactions, such as platinum or a metal plated with platinum on the anode 1 and cathode 2 via a water supply pipe directly connected to the faucet 12. Hydrogen water composed of an electrolytic cell 3 for storing the configured electrode pair, and a filtration unit 6 connected to the electrolytic cell 3 and storing an activated carbon block 4 in which activated carbon powder is formed into a hollow column shape using a binder such as polyethylene. The generator includes a power supply unit 7 that feeds a DC voltage for electrolyzing tap water to the electrode pair, and controls a feeding time and a constant current control function.
In addition, a sterilization electrode pair composed of a conductive material that is not easily affected by an oxidation reaction, such as a cathode 22 made of titanium and an anode 21 made of platinum-plated metal, in front of the activated carbon block 4, and a sterilization electrode. A sterilization power supply unit 23 that feeds a DC voltage to the electrode pair and controls the feeding time and a constant current control function are provided independently.

  In Example 1 and Example 2 described above, the power supply for the sterilization electrode is entrusted to the function of the existing electrolysis power supply. However, in this example, since the power supply for sterilization is provided independently, it is necessary for elution of titanium. What is necessary is just to set the arbitrary energization current and energization time for which energization conditions are equivalent to 50 mA · h with respect to 1 L of stored water.

As mentioned above, although the Example of the electrolytic hydrogen water generating apparatus of this invention was explained in full detail, it intended for the general water purifier which does not have the electrolysis function comprised using filter media, such as an activated carbon block and a hollow fiber membrane. In this case, the above-mentioned sterilization electrode pair composed of a titanium electrode as the cathode and a platinum plating electrode as the anode is disposed after the filter medium, and a sterilization power source is newly provided to prevent the bacteria from invading from the water pipe side. It is also possible to control the contamination of the filter medium.

It is a figure which shows the structure of the electrolytic hydrogen water generating apparatus of Example 1 which concerns on this invention. It is a figure which shows the structure of the electrolytic hydrogen water generating apparatus of Example 2 which concerns on this invention. It is a figure which shows the structure of the conventional electrolytic hydrogen water generator. It is a figure which shows the structure of the electrolytic hydrogen water generating apparatus of Example 3 which concerns on this invention. It is a figure which shows the comparison of the bactericidal effect by the difference in an electrode structure. It is a figure which shows the bactericidal effect of the elution titanium by this invention. It is a figure which shows the relationship between the electricity supply condition by this invention, and the amount of titanium elution.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Electrode 2 Electrode 3 Electrolytic tank 4 Activated carbon block 5 Through-hole 6 Filtration unit 7 Power supply unit 8 Titanium exposure part 9 Current sensor 10 Regulator 11 Timer 12 Faucet 13 Flow switch 15 Pressure control valve 16 Water supply pipe 17 Electrolytic gas layer 18 Platinum plating part 20 Electrode for sterilization 21 Anode 22 Cathode 23 Power supply unit for sterilization 24 Timer S1A, S1B, S2A, S2B Transistor

Claims (3)

Constructed of a conductive material that is resistant to changes in electrical properties due to oxidation reactions, such as titanium with a platinum plating on the cathode, platinum with an anode, or a metal with platinum plating, etc., through a water pipe directly connected to the faucet An electrolyzer containing an electrode pair, a hydrogen water generator connected to the electrolyzer, and a filtration unit containing an activated carbon block in which activated carbon powder is formed into a hollow column shape using a binder such as polyethylene, and the electrode It is equipped with a power supply unit that feeds a DC voltage for electrolyzing tap water to the pair, controls the feeding time, and has a constant current control function.
An electrolytic type characterized in that a non-plated titanium exposed portion is provided on the cathode surface of the electrode pair, and the area of the cathode exposed titanium portion and the platinum plated portion is configured by the ratio of the electrolysis current and the current required for elution of titanium. Hydrogen water generator. An electrolytic cell containing a pair of electrodes made of a conductive material that is not easily affected by an oxidation reaction such as platinum or platinum-plated metal through a water supply pipe directly connected to the faucet; A hydrogen water generation unit composed of a filtration unit that contains an activated carbon block that is connected to a tank and that has activated carbon powder formed into a hollow column shape using a binder such as polyethylene, and a direct current for electrolyzing tap water into the electrode pair. A power supply unit having a polarity reversal circuit for supplying a voltage and having a constant current control function and a timer circuit for controlling the power supply time and preventing calcium in tap water from being deposited on the cathode surface,
A titanium sterilization electrode for supplying a negative voltage is always provided independently in the vicinity of the cathode and anode constituting the electrode pair, and the impedance Z1 between each electrode constituting the electrode pair and the titanium electrode is kept equal. ,
An electrolytic hydrogen water generator characterized in that an electrode pair and a bactericidal electrode are arranged so that Z1 and Z2 can be configured by a ratio of an electrolysis current and an energization current required for titanium elution. An electrolytic cell containing a pair of electrodes made of a conductive material that is resistant to changes in electrical properties due to oxidation reactions, such as platinum or platinum-plated metal on the anode and cathode, through a water supply pipe directly connected to the faucet And a hydrogen water generating unit configured to contain an activated carbon block connected to the electrolytic cell and containing activated carbon blocks in which activated carbon powder is formed into a hollow column shape using a binder such as polyethylene, and tap water is electrolyzed in the electrode pair. A power supply unit that feeds a DC voltage and controls the feeding time and a constant current control function.
A sterilization electrode pair composed of a conductive material that is not easily affected by an oxidation reaction, such as a titanium cathode and a platinum-plated metal anode in front of the activated carbon block, and a DC voltage applied to the sterilization electrode pair And a sterilizing power supply unit having a constant current control function and a timer circuit for controlling the feeding time.

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