JP2023132756A - Electrolyzed water generation device and electrolyzed water generation method - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a highly convenient electrolyzed water generation device and generation method.SOLUTION: There is provided an electrolyzed water generation device 4 including: a connecting part that detachably connects a diaphragmless electrolytic cell 3 equipped with a pair of electrolytic electrodes; and an electrolysis control unit 49 that controls an electrolysis time for supplying electrolysis power to the pair of electrolysis electrodes 33 to electrolyze water to be electrolyzed stored in advance in the diaphragmless electrolytic cell, to an actual electrolysis time of the selected electrolyzed water. For example, a plurality of types of electrolyzed water include slightly acidic hypochlorous acid water each having a different effective chlorine concentration. Further, for example, the plurality of types of electrolyzed water include at least two of weakly acidic hypochlorous acid water, slightly acidic hypochlorous acid water, and electrolyzed hypochlorous acid water, each having a different pH value.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

The present invention relates to an electrolyzed water generating device and an electrolyzed water generating method.

In the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, there is a strong need for a "new normal" (new lifestyle) in various places to create a safe and clean environment. For example, sterilization, disinfection, etc. are frequently performed as daily tasks. Electrolyzed water such as hypochlorous acid water is known as effective for sterilization, disinfection, etc. For example, Patent Document 1 listed below discloses a batch-type generation device that generates electrolyzed water by electrolyzing water to be electrolyzed stored in advance in an electrolytic cell. By adopting a batch type, a device for generating electrolyzed water is not required, so the generation device can be made smaller compared to a continuous type that electrolyzes flowing water to be electrolyzed.

Utility model registration No. 3188166

However, recently, demand for electrolyzed water generating devices has been increasing, and a more convenient electrolyzed water generating device is desired. For example, with conventional electrolyzed water generation devices, it has been difficult to stably generate electrolyzed water with a pH value and effective chlorine concentration that meet the needs of consumers.

The present invention realizes highly convenient generation of electrolyzed water.

The present invention
A connection part that detachably connects a membraneless electrolytic cell equipped with a pair of electrolytic electrodes;
Select electrolyzed water to be generated from a plurality of types of electrolyzed water, supply electrolytic power to the pair of electrolytic electrodes, and electrolyze the water to be electrolyzed stored in the non-diaphragm electrolytic tank in advance for an electrolytic time as described above. The electrolyzed water generating device includes an electrolytic control section that controls the electrolyzed water according to the measured electrolytic time of the selected electrolyzed water.

The present invention
A membraneless electrolytic cell equipped with a pair of electrolytic electrodes is removably connected to an electrolyzed water generating device,
Select electrolyzed water to be generated from a plurality of types of electrolyzed water, supply electrolytic power to the pair of electrolytic electrodes, and electrolyze the water to be electrolyzed stored in the non-diaphragm electrolytic tank in advance for an electrolytic time as described above. This is an electrolyzed water generation method that causes the electrolyzed water generation device to perform a process that controls the actual electrolysis time of selected electrolyzed water.

According to the present invention, highly convenient generation of electrolyzed water can be realized.

It is a graph showing the relationship between effective chlorine residual rate and pH value. It is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of an electrolyzed water generation system. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of a configuration in which an electrolytic cell is connected to an electrolyzed water generating device. It is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of an electrolyzed water generation device. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of a computer. It is a figure showing an example of a flow of an electrolyzed water production method.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. Note that the embodiments described below are preferred specific examples of the present invention, and the content of the present invention is not limited to these embodiments. Furthermore, the sizes, positional relationships, etc. of members shown in each drawing may be exaggerated for clarity of explanation or for simplification of illustration. Furthermore, in order to prevent the illustration from becoming complicated, there are cases in which only a part of the reference numerals are shown in the drawing, or a part of the structure is omitted in the drawing. Note that the explanation will be given in the following order.
1. Basic concept of the present invention 2. First embodiment 3. Second embodiment 4. Variant

<1. Basic concept of the present invention>
Electrolyzed water is used for many purposes, including disinfection, sterilization, sterilization, oxidation, food additives, deodorization, and sterilization. The properties of electrolyzed water change depending on the pH value, and the uses vary accordingly. As shown in Figure 1, electrolyzed water is classified into "strongly acidic hypochlorous acid water (strongly acidic electrolyzed water)", "weakly acidic hypochlorous acid water (weakly acidic electrolyzed water)", and "weakly acidic hypochlorous acid water (weakly acidic electrolyzed water)" depending on the pH value, starting from the acidic side. )”, “Slightly acidic hypochlorous acid water (slightly acidic electrolyzed water)”, “Mixed hypochlorous acid (neutral electrolyzed water)”, “Electrolyzed hypochlorous acid (weakly alkaline electrolyzed water)”, “Hypochlorous acid It is broadly classified into ``sodium''. In particular, hypochlorous acid water (acidic electrolyzed water) is an unstable substance that is sensitive to temperature and ultraviolet rays, and over time it naturally decomposes and the effective chlorine concentration decreases, so care must be taken when storing it for long periods of time. is necessary. Therefore, as explained in the embodiments below, in the present invention, electrolyzed water is generated when needed without being stored for a long period of time, and the necessary effective chlorine concentration is stably ensured to use it for the intended purpose. be able to do so.

<2. First embodiment>
[2-1. System configuration example]
FIG. 2 shows a configuration example of an electrolyzed water generation system (electrolyzed water generation system 1) according to the first embodiment of the present invention. The electrolyzed water generation system 1 is capable of generating three types of electrolyzed water. In this embodiment, three types of slightly acidic hypochlorous acid water (pH 5.0 or higher and 6.5 or lower) with different available chlorine concentrations (for example, 100 mg/L, 250 mg/L, and 400 mg/L) are generated. . In addition, it is preferable to produce slightly acidic hypochlorous acid water in a neutral range with a pH of 6.0 or more and 6.5 or less. Thereby, the sterilizing effect can be enhanced, and it can be made highly safe even when sprayed on the skin or clothes.

The electrolyzed water generation system 1 includes a stock solution container 2, an electrolytic cell 3, and an electrolyzed water generation device 4. The stock solution container 2 is a small container (smaller than the electrolytic cell 3) that contains a stock solution for producing electrolyzed water. For example, a tube container as illustrated can be used as the stock solution container 2. The stock solution container 2 is manufactured and sold, for example, in a stock solution storage state, and the user obtains the stock solution container 2 by purchasing it from a vendor. The stock solution container 2 is manufactured so that the amount of stock solution contained therein, the salt concentration (salt water concentration), and the pH value each become predetermined values.

In this embodiment, the stock solution container 2 is filled with concentrated acidic salt water as a stock solution for producing water to be electrolyzed. This concentrated acidic brine is produced, for example, by mixing a predetermined amount of hydrochloric acid (HCl) for pH adjustment with brine (aqueous sodium chloride solution). It is preferable to use purified salt free of impurities for the production of brine. Concentrated acidic brine is prepared, for example, by adding weak hydrochloric acid to a saline solution in an amount necessary for the target effective chlorine concentration of the generated electrolyzed water so that the pH value falls within the desired range.

The water to be electrolyzed stored in the electrolyzer 3 is generated, for example, by diluting the stock solution in the stock solution container 2, which has been prepared and dissolved in advance as described above, to a predetermined amount with purified water or tap water. As a result, it is possible to generate electrolyzed water (electrolyzed water with a desired amount, salt concentration, and pH value) in which the amount, salt concentration, and pH value of the electrolyzed water are always under the same conditions. In the electrolyzed water generation system 1, the effective chlorine concentration of the generated electrolyzed water can be adjusted to a predetermined value by changing the number of stock solution containers 2 used. For example, slightly acidic hypochlorous acid water with an effective chlorine concentration of 100 mg/L can be generated by electrolyzing the electrolyzed water obtained by diluting the stock solution in one stock solution container 2. Similarly, it is possible to generate slightly acidic hypochlorous acid water with an effective chlorine concentration of 250 mg/L using the stock solution in the two stock solution containers 2, and to produce a slightly acidic hypochlorous acid water with an effective chlorine concentration of 250 mg/L using the stock solution in the three stock solution containers 2. It is possible to generate slightly acidic hypochlorous acid water of 400mg/L.

The electrolytic cell 3 is a diaphragmless electrolytic cell (a one-chamber electrolytic cell without a diaphragm inside the electrolytic cell) that can be used for batch-type electrolysis in which water to be electrolyzed is replaced every time electrolyzed water is generated. The electrolytic cell 3 is detachably connected to the electrolyzed water generating device 4 and includes a main body 31, a lid 32, and a pair of electrolytic electrodes 33. The main body part 31 is configured to be able to inject and store water to be electrolyzed through an opening. Specifically, the main body part 31 is configured in the shape of a bottle having a spout formed by an opening in the upper part (the upper part when placed on a table or the like). The main body part 31 has an on-off valve 311 for degassing, which is configured to be openable and closable, at the lower part on the opposite side to the upper part.

The lid portion 32 closes the opening of the main body portion 31. Specifically, the lid portion 32 is configured in the shape of a bottle cap, as shown in the figure. Note that the shapes of the main body portion 31 and the lid portion 32 are not limited to those illustrated, and other shapes may be adopted.

A pair of electrolytic electrodes 33 (electrode 331 and electrode 332) are electrodes used for electrolyzing water to be electrolyzed in electrolytic cell 3, and are disposed on lid 32. The electrode 331 and the electrode 332 are each made of, for example, titanium (Ti) as a base material and coated with platinum (Pt). For example, as shown in the figure, the pair of electrolytic electrodes 33 are each formed into a bar shape with a circular cross section, are fitted into the lid part 32, and one end can be used as a connection terminal. In this way, by making the pair of electrolytic electrodes 33 and their installation simple, manufacturing of the electrolytic cell 3 can be facilitated and manufacturing errors can be reduced. Thereby, the structure (material, shape, area, etc.) of the pair of electrolytic electrodes 33 in the electrolytic cell 3 is always the same, and the electrolytic conditions caused by the pair of electrolytic electrodes 33 can always be the same. Furthermore, by providing the pair of electrolytic electrodes 33 on the lid 32, the pair of electrolytic electrodes 33 can be easily replaced by simply replacing the lid 32.

Note that the structure of the pair of electrolytic electrodes 33 is not limited to this, and may be any structure that is appropriately set according to the electrolytic environment. For example, the above-mentioned base material may be a titanium alloy, platinum, etc., and the material covering the base material may be other platinum-based metals such as iridium (Ir) and ruthenium (Ru). Further, the electrode shape is not limited to a rod shape, but may be a plate shape or the like. Furthermore, instead of using one end of the electrode 331 and the electrode 332 as the connection terminal, another conductor connected to one end of the electrode 331 and the electrode 332, respectively, may be used as the connection terminal.

[2-2. Configuration example of electrolyzed water generation device]
The electrolyzed water generating device 4 generates electrolyzed water by electrolyzing water to be electrolyzed stored in the electrolytic cell 3 in advance. That is, the electrolyzed water generating device 4 generates electrolyzed water by batch-type electrolysis. The electrolyzed water generating device 4 includes a housing 41 , a connecting section 42 , an operating section 43 , a notification section 44 , and a power terminal section 45 .

The housing 41 forms the external appearance of the device, and as shown in the figure, has a flat box shape with a bottom portion that can be placed on a placement surface such as a table. Thereby, the electrolyzed water generating device 4 can be installed on a table in a space-saving manner. The connecting portion 42 has a structure that connects the electrolytic cells 3. For example, the connecting portion 42 has a fitting shape in which the lid portion 32 of the electrolytic cell 3 fits into the upper surface portion of the casing 41, as shown in the figure. That is, the electrolytic cell 3 is connected to the electrolyzed water generating device 4 with the main body 31 standing upright (with the lid 32 facing downward). With the structure in which the electrolytic cells 3 are connected in this way, the electrolytic cells 3 can be installed efficiently.

The operation unit 43 is used by a user to operate the electrolyzed water generating device 4. The operation section 43 is composed of, for example, an operation unit including a plurality of switch groups. The notification unit 44 notifies the user of the state of the electrolyzed water generating device 4. The notification unit 44 is composed of, for example, an LED (Light Emitting Diode), and provides visual notification to the user. Note that an auditory notification may be provided using a buzzer or the like. The power terminal section 45 is configured with a connection terminal for inputting external power to the electrolyzed water generating device 4 . This external power source is, for example, 12 to 24 V DC, which is obtained by converting the 100 V AC of a household power source.

Here, an example of connecting the electrolytic cell 3 to the electrolyzed water generating device 4 will be described in detail. FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing an example of a configuration in which the electrolyzed water generating device 4 and the electrolytic cell 3 are connected. A connecting terminal 46 connected to the electrode 331 and a connecting terminal 47 connected to the electrode 332 are provided at the lower part of the connecting portion 42 of the electrolyzed water generating device 4. For example, the connection terminals 46 and 47 can each be made of a spring-like conductor, as shown in the figure. Thereby, the state of connection with the electrodes 331 and 332 can be maintained in good condition by the elastic force of the spring-like conductor. Note that the connection structure to the electrodes 331 and 332 may be other than this.

Next, a configuration example of the electrolyzed water generating device 4 will be described in detail with reference to FIG. 4. The operation unit 43 has, for example, five switches (switches 431 to 435) that can be operated by the user, as shown in the figure. Note that the operation unit 43 is not limited to this, and may have any configuration as long as it can be operated by a user, and may be operated by, for example, a touch panel, remote control, voice operation, or the like.

Switches 431 to 433 are selection switches that allow the user to manually select generated electrolyzed water (generated water A, generated water B, or generated water C) according to the water to be electrolyzed in the electrolytic cell 3. The switches 431 to 433 are used to set a timer for the electrolysis time by the electrolyzed water generating device 4. In this embodiment, the operation unit 43 is configured to be able to selectively set the effective chlorine concentration of the generated electrolyzed water from among a plurality of candidates. For example, produced water A is slightly acidic hypochlorous acid water with an available chlorine concentration of 100 mg/L, produced water B is slightly acidic hypochlorous acid water with an available chlorine concentration of 250 mg/L, and produced water C is slightly acidic hypochlorous acid water with an available chlorine concentration of 250 mg/L. , a slightly acidic hypochlorous acid water with an effective chlorine concentration of 400 mg/L.

The switch 434 is an automatic setting switch that turns on or off automatic setting for selecting generated electrolyzed water. Switch 435 is an electrolysis start switch that instructs to start electrolysis. The operation section 43 is connected to the electrolysis control section 49, and operation information according to the user's operations is supplied from the operation section 43 to the electrolysis control section 49.

The electrolytic power supply unit 48 is composed of, for example, a power supply circuit, and is connected to the power supply terminal unit 45 and connection terminals 46 and 47. The electrolytic power supply section 48 supplies an electrolytic power source (for example, DC 12V) to the pair of electrolytic electrodes 33 via the connection terminals 46 and 47. The electrolysis power supply unit 48 is configured to be able to adjust the electrolysis voltage and electrolysis current of this electrolysis power supply. Note that the electrolytic power supply unit 48 may be one that performs AC/DC conversion within the electrolyzed water generating device 4, or may be one that uses an internal power source such as a battery. The electrolysis power supply section 48 is connected to the electrolysis control section 49 .

The electrolysis control section 49 is composed of a computer such as a microcomputer, and controls the electrolysis power supply section 48 based on operation information etc. supplied from the operation section 43. That is, the electrolysis control unit 49 controls the supply of electrolysis power to the pair of electrolysis electrodes 33. The electrolysis control section 49 has an electrolysis selection section 491, a time information acquisition section 492, and an electrolysis power supply control section 493 as functional blocks. The electrolysis selection unit 491 selects the type of electrolyzed water to be generated from among generated waters A, B, and C according to operation information supplied from the operation unit 43 and the like.

For example, if it is determined based on the operation information that the user manually selects generated water B and instructs to start electrolysis, the electrolysis selection unit 491 selects generated water B as the electrolyzed water to be generated. For example, if it is determined based on the operation information that the user has instructed to start electrolysis using automatic settings, the electrolysis selection unit 491 automatically selects the electrolyzed water to be generated from among generated waters A, B, and C. Select. For example, this selection can be performed as follows.

The value of the current flowing between the pair of electrolytic electrodes 33 changes depending on the salt concentration of the water to be electrolyzed in the electrolytic cell 3. Therefore, when electrolysis start is instructed in automatic setting, the electrolysis selection unit 491 acquires the value of the current flowing between the pair of electrolytic electrodes 33, determines the salt concentration of the water to be electrolyzed based on the acquired current value, and makes a determination. Automatically selects the electrolyzed water to be generated according to the salt concentration. For example, it is determined whether the current value is within the range of effective chlorine concentration of 100 mg/L, and if it is within the range, the electrolyzed water to be generated is selected as electrolyzed water with effective chlorine concentration of 100 mg/L. If it is not within the range, it is determined whether the current value is within the effective chlorine concentration range of 250 mg/L, and if it is within the range, the generated electrolyzed water is converted into electrolyzed water with an effective chlorine concentration of 250 mg/L. be selected. If it is not within the range, it is determined whether the current value is within the effective chlorine concentration range of 400 mg/L, and if it is within the range, the generated electrolyzed water is converted into electrolyzed water with an effective chlorine concentration of 400 mg/L. be selected. Note that if it is determined in each determination that it is not within the range, the determination may be made a predetermined number of times at predetermined time intervals. This current value can be obtained from the electrolytic power supply section 48, for example. Note that the acquisition of this current value is not limited to this, and for example, an ammeter (not shown) that measures the current value between the pair of electrolytic electrodes 33 may be installed and the current value may be acquired directly from the installed ammeter.

The value of the current flowing between the pair of electrolytic electrodes 33 is also used to determine whether the user's selection of generated electrolyzed water is correct or incorrect during manual setting. For example, assume that the user selects generated water B even though the electrolyzed water in the electrolyzer 3 is for generating generated water A. In this case, the electrolysis control unit 49 controls the notification unit 44 to notify the user of a setting error, for example. This eliminates errors caused by manual settings by the user. Further, for example, if the value of the current flowing between the pair of electrolytic electrodes 33 is abnormal, the main body may be reset and the power may be turned off. Thereby, safety can be improved.

The time information acquisition unit 492 reads from a storage unit (not shown here) and acquires the measured electrolysis time during which the electrolyzed water selected by the electrolysis selection unit 491 is generated. This storage section stores in advance the measured electrolysis time for generating each of the electrolyzed waters A, B, and C (for example, ○ seconds for generated water A, △ seconds for generated water B, □ seconds for generated water C, etc.). The time information acquisition unit 492 reads out and acquires the measured electrolysis time of the generated electrolyzed water selected by the electrolysis selection unit 491. In addition, the actual electrolysis time is the electrolysis time (time from start to end of electrolysis) that each electrolyzed water is obtained using the electrolyzed water generator 4 (for example, it is sufficient if it is the same model and the electrolysis conditions are all the same). It is obtained by actually measuring (for example, repeating electrolytic tests) in advance. For example, electrolysis during this actual measurement is performed at constant voltage and constant current. Note that a configuration may be adopted in which individual timers are set in advance for each of the produced waters A, B, and C.

The electrolysis power supply control section 493 controls the electrolysis power supply section 48 as follows. The electrolysis power supply control unit 493 supplies the electrolysis power to the pair of electrolysis electrodes 33 to electrolyze the water to be electrolyzed stored in the electrolytic cell 3 in advance based on the actual measurement of the electrolyzed water selected by the electrolysis selection unit 491. The electrolysis time, that is, the actual electrolysis time acquired by the time information acquisition section 492 is controlled, and the values of the electrolysis voltage and electrolysis current for electrolyzing the water to be electrolyzed are controlled according to the actual electrolysis time acquired by the time information acquisition section 492. control in the same way as when measuring. The electrolysis power supply control unit 493 controls, for example, the electrolysis voltage and electrolysis current to the same constant voltage and constant current as at the time of actual measurement.

In order to ensure a stable effective chlorine concentration in the generated electrolyzed water, the amount, salt concentration, and pH value of the electrolyzed water, the electrolytic voltage/current values and electrolysis time for electrolyzing the electrolyzed water, and the It is important to keep the temperature etc. constant. Thereby, the pH value and the available chlorine concentration of the generated electrolyzed water can always be reproduced. For example, the values of electrolysis voltage and current are affected by the temperature of the water to be electrolyzed, but in the electrolyzed water generation device 4, all of these, including the values of electrolysis voltage and current, are set to the same conditions as when actually measured. The subsequent pH value and available chlorine concentration of the electrolyzed water can always be reproduced. For example, by controlling the current value to be constant, it is possible to prevent excessive electrolytic current, and it is possible to prevent the electrolysis from being affected by temperature changes during electrolysis or externally applied to the water to be electrolyzed. In addition, three types of electrolyzed water with different concentrations of available chlorine can be easily and stably generated by simply controlling the electrolysis time.

[2-3. Computer hardware configuration example]
FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of a computer (computer 10) that can constitute the electrolysis control section 49 described above. The computer 10 includes a control section 101, a storage section 102, an input section 103, a clock section 104, and an output section 105, which are interconnected by a bus.

The control unit 101 includes, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a RAM (Random Access Memory), and a ROM (Read Only Memory). The ROM stores programs and the like that are read and operated by the CPU. RAM is used as a work memory for the CPU. The CPU controls the entire computer 10 by executing various processes and issuing commands according to programs stored in the ROM.

The storage unit 102 is a storage medium configured with, for example, an SSD (Solid State Drive), a semiconductor memory, etc., and stores a program (for example, an electrolysis control program that causes the electrolysis control unit 49 to execute the above-mentioned control) and the program. It is used to store various information such as data (for example, each actual electrolysis time mentioned above).

The input unit 103 is for inputting various information to the computer 10. When information is input through the input unit 103, the control unit 101 performs various processes corresponding to the input information. The timer 104 measures various times (for example, the elapsed time from the start of electrolysis of the water to be electrolyzed). The clock section 104 is configured of, for example, a timer circuit including a timer. The output unit 105 outputs various information from the computer 10.

The control unit 101 performs various processes by, for example, reading and executing programs stored in the storage unit 102 (for example, the electrolysis control program described above). Note that the program and various information may be stored in a storage unit other than the storage unit 102. For example, the program and various information may be stored on a storage medium that is removably attached to the computer 10 or on a network that can be obtained via a communication unit.

[2-4. Flow example of electrolyzed water generation method]
FIG. 5 shows a flow example of the electrolyzed water generation method according to the present embodiment. In this embodiment, when generating electrolyzed water, first, the user generates electrolyzed water (step S10). Specifically, the user determines the type of electrolyzed water to be electrolytically generated by the electrolyzed water generating device 4, and generates the water to be electrolyzed accordingly. For example, when generating water B, the undiluted solution in the two undiluted solution containers 2 is put into the main body 31 of the electrolytic cell 3, diluted to a predetermined amount with purified water or tap water, and the water to be electrolyzed is generated. The opening of the section 31 is closed with the lid section 32. At this time, the on-off valve 311 (see FIG. 2) of the electrolytic cell 3 is closed.

Next, the user connects the electrolytic cell 3 to the electrolyzed water generating device 4 (step S20). Specifically, as shown in FIG. 3, the lid part 32 of the electrolytic cell 3 is fitted into the connecting part 42 of the electrolyzed water generating device 4. Then, the on-off valve 311 of the electrolytic cell 3 is opened. Thereby, preparation for electrolysis by the electrolyzed water generating device 4 is completed.

After the preparation is completed, when the user operates the operation unit 43 (see FIG. 4, etc.) of the electrolyzed water generating device 4, the electrolyzed water generating device 4 selects electrolyzed water to be generated according to the operation (step S30). For example, when the user manually selects generated water B and instructs to start electrolysis, the electrolyzed water generating device 4 selects generated water B as the generated electrolyzed water.

Next, the electrolyzed water generating device 4 reads out from the storage unit 102 etc., and acquires the measured electrolysis time during which the electrolyzed water selected in step S30 is generated (step S40). Then, the electrolyzed water generating device 4 starts electrolysis under the same conditions as in the actual measurement of the acquired actual electrolysis time (step S50). Specifically, the values of the electrolysis voltage and electrolysis current for electrolyzing the water to be electrolyzed are controlled to be the same as when measuring the obtained actual electrolysis time.

Then, the electrolyzed water generating device 4 determines whether or not the electrolysis time of the water to be electrolyzed has passed the obtained measured electrolysis time (step S60), and if it is determined that the electrolysis time has not elapsed (No), Electrolysis is continued, and if it is determined that the time has elapsed (Yes), the electrolysis is ended. Note that the notification unit 44 may notify the user when the electrolysis is completed. After the electrolysis is completed, the on-off valve 311 of the electrolytic cell 3 is closed.

With the above steps, generation of electrolyzed water by the electrolyzed water generation system 1 is completed. After completion of generation, the electrolyzed water is used by replacing it in a refill bottle, for example. For example, by using a refill bottle as a spray container, it can be used by spraying electrolyzed water. Note that the electrolytic cell 3 may be used without being replaced with a refill bottle or the like.

[2-5. Example]
The inventor of the present application attempted to generate electrolyzed water as follows. First, the stable hypochlorous acid water (slightly acidic hypochlorous acid water) with a pH value of 6.0 or more and 6.5 or less and an effective chlorine concentration of 100 mg/L, 250 mg/L, or 400 mg/L The goal was to generate

The effective chlorine concentration was selected as follows. For example, the effective chlorine concentration of hypochlorous acid water is recommended as follows.
・Use for wiping, etc. to inactivate the new coronavirus: 80mg/L
・Use for disinfecting around the kitchen: 200mg/L
・Use for norovirus prevention and toilet disinfection: 400mg/L

Therefore, in this example, hypochlorous acid water with three types of available chlorine concentrations of 100 mg/L, 250 mg/L, and 400 mg/L was prepared based on the assumption that the effective chlorine concentration would decrease due to natural decomposition for each daily use. I tried to generate it.

The salt concentration of the water to be electrolyzed was tested in the range of 0.1% to 3.0%. First, electrolysis was performed using only salt water without adding any acid. Naturally, the higher the salt concentration, the higher the available chlorine concentration of the generated hypochlorous acid water. However, at the same time, the pH value also increases and, depending on the electrolysis time, a large amount (for example, several thousand ppm) of sodium hypochlorite is produced.

On the other hand, in consideration of its use in daily life, the following points were noted regarding the generated hypochlorous acid water.
(1) After spraying and drying, minimize the amount of salt crystals.
(2) Reduces saltiness when used for oral disinfection.
(3) Hypochlorous acid water with a concentration that is used on a daily basis depending on the purpose (100 mg/L as mentioned above,
250mg/L, 450mg/L).

For these reasons, it is desirable that the water to be electrolyzed has a minimum salt concentration that allows the pH value and effective chlorine concentration of the generated hypochlorous acid water to satisfy the above-mentioned targets. As a result of the test, it was found that when the minimum effective chlorine concentration is 100 mg/L, it is possible to generate chlorine with a salt concentration of 0.2%.

Further, the pH value of the generated hypochlorous acid water was adjusted as follows. First, hydrochloric acid was titrated to hypochlorous acid water electrolytically produced using only salt water to determine the amount that would bring the pH to 6.5 or less. Next, the amount of hydrochloric acid is injected into salt water in advance, and the pH value of hypochlorous acid water produced electrolytically is pH 6.0 or more and pH 6.5 or less, and the concentration of acidic salt water is such that an effective chlorine concentration of 100 mg/L or more can be reproduced. (salt concentration and hydrochloric acid concentration) were determined. Then, a specified amount of concentrated acidic brine prepared by dissolving an amount of common salt and hydrochloric acid in a small amount of purified water to form an acidic brine having the same concentration when diluted with purified water or tap water was filled into the stock solution container 2 in a specified amount.

Then, determine the number of stock solution containers 2 for the electrolysis time to produce slightly acidic hypochlorous acid water with an effective chlorine concentration of 100 mg/L or more for 1 container, 250 mg/L or more for 2 containers, and 400 mg/L or more for 3 containers. I figured out.

Regarding the electrolysis time, by generating electrolyzed water as described above under the following conditions using a plurality of electrolyzed water generating devices 4, the amount, salt concentration, and pH value of each electrolyzed water are fixed. In addition, electrolysis was performed using fixed electrolytic voltage and electrolytic current values using electrodes of the same shape in each device, and the values were determined by actual measurements. That is, the electrolytic test was repeated under the same electrolytic conditions except for the electrolytic time. The amount of slightly acidic hypochlorous acid water produced in one electrolysis (one batch) was 900 mL.

(1) Stock solution/Mixed water of salt water and hydrochloric acid/Volume 30mL
(2) Electrolyzed water/undiluted solution diluted with tap water/Amount: 900mL
・pH value: 2.5
・Salt concentration: 0.4%

Table 1 shows the results generated by three electrolyzed water generating devices 4 (devices X, Y, Z).

As a result, it was found that by appropriately setting the electrolysis time, the pH value and available chlorine concentration could each meet their targets. Note that similar results were obtained when the amount of the stock solution was 15 mL, the amount of water to be electrolyzed was 450 mL, and the amount of slightly acidic hypochlorous acid water produced in one electrolysis was 450 mL. Therefore, the amount of electrolyzed water produced can be changed depending on the intended use, such as home use or business use.

[2-6. Effects obtained by one embodiment]
According to the present embodiment described above, the electrolyzed water generating device 4 performs batch-type electrolysis, thereby making it possible to downsize the device and to control the amount of water to be electrolyzed, the salt concentration, and the pH value. can always be the same. Further, the electrolyzed water generating device 4 controls the electrolysis time for electrolyzing the water to be electrolyzed in the electrolytic cell 3 to the actual electrolysis time for the electrolyzed water to be generated, and the electrolytic voltage for electrolyzing the water to be electrolyzed in the electrolytic cell 3. The values of the electrolytic current and the electrolytic current are each controlled to be the same as when measuring the actual electrolytic time of the generated electrolyzed water. As a result, electrolyzed water with an effective chlorine concentration that meets the needs of consumers can be stably produced by simply setting the electrolysis time appropriately.

<3. Second embodiment>
The electrolyzed water generation system of this embodiment generates multiple types of electrolyzed water each having a different pH value. The basic configuration of the electrolyzed water generation system according to this embodiment is the same as the electrolyzed water generation system 1 of the first embodiment, so here, the drawings used for the explanation in the first embodiment will be referred to. , only the differences will be explained.

In this embodiment, three types of electrolyzed water having different pH values are generated. The three types of electrolyzed water are, for example, weakly acidic hypochlorous acid water (pH 2.7 or more, 5.0 or less), slightly acidic hypochlorous acid water (pH 5.0 or more, 6.5 or less), and electrolyzed hypochlorous acid water. It is water (pH 8.0 or higher and 9.0 or lower).

As the weakly acidic hypochlorous acid water and the slightly acidic hypochlorous acid water, the concentrated acidic salt water described in the first embodiment can be used as it is as a stock solution. On the other hand, electrolytic hypochlorite uses high-purity concentrated salt water (sodium chloride aqueous solution) as the stock solution. In other words, in this embodiment, the stock solution container 2 shown in FIG. 2 has two types: one filled with concentrated acidic salt water and the other filled with concentrated salt water. Use them differently. Note that instead of diluting the stock solution with water, the water to be electrolyzed may be generated by dissolving a tablet, powder, or gel-like material to be diluted with water.

Further, in this embodiment, the produced waters (produced waters A to C) that the user is allowed to select with the switches 431 to 433 in FIG. 4 are weakly acidic hypochlorous acid water, slightly acidic hypochlorous acid water, It is electrolyzed hypochlorite. The electrolysis selection unit 491 selects three types of electrolyzed water with different pH values (for example, weakly acidic hypochlorous acid water, slightly acidic hypochlorous acid water, and electrolyzed hypochlorous acid water) according to the operation information supplied from the operation unit 43. Select the electrolyzed water that is produced from among (sub-water).

Then, the time information acquisition unit 492 of the electrolysis control unit 49 reads from the storage unit 102 or the like and acquires the measured electrolysis time during which the electrolyzed water selected by the electrolysis selection unit 491 is generated. In addition, as in the first embodiment, the electrolysis power supply control unit 493 supplies electrolysis power to the pair of electrolysis electrodes 33 to determine the electrolysis time for electrolyzing the water to be electrolyzed stored in the electrolyzer 3 in advance using time information. In addition to controlling the actual electrolysis time acquired by the acquisition unit 492, the values of the electrolysis voltage and electrolysis current for electrolyzing the water to be electrolyzed are controlled to be the same as when measuring the actual electrolysis time acquired by the time information acquisition unit 492. do.

The inventor of the present application has made the above-mentioned produced water A into a weakly acidic hypochlorous acid water with a pH value of 4.0 or more and 5.0 or less and an effective chlorine concentration of 100 mg/L, and produced water B with a pH value of 100 mg/L. is 6.0 or more and 6.5 or less, and the available chlorine concentration is 400 mg/L. An attempt was made to generate each type of electrolyzed water as electrolyzed hypochlorite with a concentration of 1,000 mg/L. In addition, produced water A uses electrolyzed water produced by diluting concentrated acidic brine in two stock solution containers 2, and produced water B is produced by diluting concentrated acidic brine in three stock solution containers 2. The electrolyzed water was used. Further, as the produced water C, electrolyzed water (salt concentration 1.2%) produced by diluting concentrated salt water in one stock solution container 2 was used.

As a result, it was found that by appropriately setting the electrolysis time, the pH value and available chlorine concentration could each meet their targets.

As explained above, in this embodiment as well as in the first embodiment, the pH value and the available chlorine concentration of electrolyzed water after electrolysis can always be reproduced. In addition, three types of electrolyzed water having different pH values can be easily and stably generated by simply controlling the electrolysis time. That is, by simply setting the electrolysis time appropriately, it is possible to stably produce electrolyzed water with a pH value that meets the needs of the consumer.

<4. Modified example>
Although the embodiments of the present invention have been specifically described above, the content of the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications can be made based on the technical idea of the present invention.

For example, in the electrolyzed water generation system 1 of each of the embodiments described above, the electrolyzed water generation system 1 selectively performs electrolytic generation from among three types of electrolyzed water, but the number of selection candidates may be two or more. Alternatively, both the pH value and the available chlorine concentration may be selectively electrolytically generated. Thereby, various types of electrolyzed water can be generated with a simple configuration in which the electrolytic cell 3 and the electrolyzed water generating device 4 are common. In this case, for example, using electrolyzed water with a pH value of 2.0 or more and 7.0 or less and a salt concentration of 0.1 or more and 3.0 or less, weakly acidic hypochlorous acid water, slightly acidic Hypochlorous acid water and electrolyzed hypochlorous acid water can be produced.

Further, for example, the combination of the pH value of the generated electrolyzed water (for example, the type of electrolyzed water) and the available chlorine concentration in each embodiment is merely an example, and can be changed as appropriate. Further, for example, the electrolyzed water generating device 4 may include a pH measuring section that measures the pH value of the water to be electrolyzed in the electrolytic cell 3 with a pH meter installed in the electrolytic cell 3; The pH value of the generated electrolyzed water can be accurately controlled to the target value using the measurement results of the section. The measurement result of the measurement unit may be used for the above-mentioned automatic setting or for determining whether the user's selection of generated electrolyzed water is correct or incorrect.

The configurations (including relative arrangements), methods, processes, shapes, materials, numerical values, etc. mentioned in the embodiments and modified examples described above are merely examples, and different configurations, methods, processes, The shape, material, numerical value, etc. may be used, and it is also possible to replace them with known ones. Moreover, the configurations, methods, processes, shapes, materials, numerical values, etc. in the embodiments and modified examples can be combined with each other within the range that does not cause technical contradiction, and can be omitted as appropriate.

Note that the contents of the present invention are not to be interpreted as being limited by the effects exemplified in this specification.

1... Electrolyzed water generation system 2... Raw solution container 3... Electrolytic tank 4... Electrolyzed water generating device 31... Main body part 32... Lid part 33... Pair of electrolytic electrodes 41. ...Housing 42...Connection section 43...Operation section 48...Electrolysis power supply section 49...Electrolysis control section 491...Electrolysis selection section 492...Time information acquisition section 493...Electrolysis Power control section

Claims (6)

A connection part that detachably connects a membraneless electrolytic cell equipped with a pair of electrolytic electrodes;
Select electrolyzed water to be generated from a plurality of types of electrolyzed water, supply electrolytic power to the pair of electrolytic electrodes, and electrolyze the water to be electrolyzed stored in the non-diaphragm electrolytic tank in advance for an electrolytic time as described above. An electrolyzed water generation device comprising: an electrolysis control unit that controls the selected electrolyzed water to an actual electrolysis time; The electrolyzed water generating device according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of types of electrolyzed water include slightly acidic hypochlorous acid water having different effective chlorine concentrations. The electrolysis according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the plurality of types of electrolyzed water include at least two of weakly acidic hypochlorous acid water, slightly acidic hypochlorous acid water, and electrolyzed hypochlorous acid water, each having a different pH value. Water generator. The membraneless electrolytic cell has a bottle-shaped main body having an opening, and a bottle-cap-shaped lid that closes the opening,
the pair of electrolytic electrodes are disposed on the lid,
The connecting portion has a fitting shape that fits the lid portion in a state where the main body portion stands up on an upper surface portion of a box-shaped casing. Electrolyzed water generator. The electrolysis control unit acquires a current value flowing between the pair of electrolytic electrodes, determines a salt concentration of the water to be electrolyzed based on the acquired current value, and generates electrolyzed water according to the determined salt concentration. The electrolyzed water generating device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the electrolyzed water generating device is automatically selected. A membraneless electrolytic cell equipped with a pair of electrolytic electrodes is removably connected to an electrolyzed water generating device,
Select electrolyzed water to be generated from a plurality of types of electrolyzed water, supply electrolytic power to the pair of electrolytic electrodes, and electrolyze the water to be electrolyzed stored in the non-diaphragm electrolytic tank in advance for an electrolytic time as described above. An electrolyzed water generation method, comprising causing the electrolyzed water generation device to perform a process controlled at an actual electrolysis time of selected electrolyzed water.

Images