JP2023173329A - Ozone water production system and ozone water production method - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide an ozone water production system that addresses short circuits between an anode and a cathode via raw water.SOLUTION: An ozone water production system includes a container containing raw water, an electrolytic cell having an anode, a cathode, and an electrolyte membrane, in which the electrolytic cell is attached to the wall of the container such that at least one electrode side of the anode side and the cathode side of the electrolytic cell is positioned outside the container.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

The present invention relates to an ozonated water production device and an ozonated water production method.

Ozonated water is recognized for its contribution in various fields, including its sterilizing power, deodorizing power, and cell activation effect. Furthermore, ozone dissolved in water has no effect on the respiratory system and is highly safe, so ozonated water and ozonated water production equipment are widely used in industrial as well as medical and nursing care fields. has been done.

Patent No. 6258566

There is an apparatus that electrolyzes raw water with an electrolytic cell submerged in the raw water to produce ozonated water (Patent Document 1). Electric wires for passing current from an external power source to the electrolytic cell are connected to each of the anode and cathode of the submerged electrolytic cell.

In an ozone water production device having such a configuration, since the electrolytic cell is submerged in raw water, the electric wire connected to the anode of the electrolytic cell and the electric wire connected to the cathode of the electrolytic cell are electrically connected to each other via the raw water. There was a risk of connection. In other words, due to short circuit between the anode of the electrolytic cell and the cathode of the electrolytic cell, the amount of current flowing between the electrodes of the electrolytic cell decreases, and there is a possibility that the amount of ozonated water produced decreases.

The present invention has been made in view of this problem. That is, the present disclosure provides an ozone water production device that deals with short circuits between an anode and a cathode via raw water. Further, the present disclosure provides a method for producing ozonated water that deals with short circuits between an anode and a cathode via raw water.

This disclosure:
A device for producing ozonated water,
a container containing raw water;
It comprises an electrolytic cell comprising an anode, a cathode and an electrolyte membrane,
The present invention relates to an ozone water production apparatus, wherein the electrolytic cell is attached to a wall surface of the container so that at least one electrode side of the anode side and the cathode side of the electrolytic cell is positioned outside the container.

This disclosure:
It involves electrolyzing raw water contained in a container in an electrolytic cell to generate ozonated water,
As the electrolytic cell, an electrolytic cell is used in which at least one electrode side of an anode side and a cathode side is positioned outside the container,
supplying the raw water to an electrode side positioned outside the container so that the raw water is sent to the outside of the container;
The present invention also relates to a method for producing ozone water, in which the electrolysis is performed in the electrolytic cell attached to the wall of the container.

According to the present disclosure, there is provided an ozone water production device that deals with short circuits between an anode and a cathode via raw water.

Further, according to the present disclosure, there is provided a method for producing ozonated water that deals with short circuits between an anode and a cathode via raw water.

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view showing an embodiment of the ozone water production apparatus of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an embodiment of the ozone water production apparatus of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective view showing an embodiment of the ozone water production apparatus of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an embodiment of the ozone water production apparatus of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a schematic perspective view showing an embodiment of the ozone water production apparatus of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an embodiment of the ozone water production apparatus of the present invention. FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a conventional ozone water production apparatus.

Below, a method for producing ozone water according to an embodiment of the present invention will be explained in more detail. Although explanations will be made with reference to drawings as necessary, various elements in the drawings are merely shown schematically and illustratively for understanding the present invention, and the appearance and dimensional ratio may differ from the actual thing. .

The various numerical ranges mentioned herein are intended to include the lower and upper numerical limits themselves, unless expressly stated otherwise. Note that the term "degree" means that it may include a variation or difference of several percent, for example ±10%.

[Basic configuration of electrolytic cell]
An electrolytic cell includes at least an anode and a cathode as electrodes, and an electrolyte membrane disposed between these electrodes. The anode and cathode are electrodes for applying electrical energy to raw water from the outside.

The anode is an electrode that is connected to the positive electrode of an external power source and is an electrode that can undergo an oxidation reaction during operation of the electrolytic cell. On the other hand, the cathode is an electrode connected to the negative electrode of an external power source, and is an electrode that can cause a reduction reaction during operation of the electrolytic cell.

Typically, the electrolyte membrane is a cation exchange membrane, and is a member that electrically and physically separates an anode chamber and a cathode chamber. An electrolyte membrane is provided to allow the flow of cations between the anode and the cathode and to prevent mixing of substances produced at the anode with substances produced at the cathode.

In the electrolytic cell, the electrode may be made of, for example, a conductive base material having liquid permeability. In this regard, at least one of the anode and the cathode may include a conductive porous base material. In other words, at least one of the anode and the cathode may be a mesh opening electrode having mesh openings. Although these are just examples, examples include grating, micro grating, expanded metal, micro expanded metal, wire mesh (plain weave mesh, twill mesh, etc.), and those that have been flat-processed or calendered, and wire mesh. The electrodes may be made of flat wire mesh with reduced protrusions at intersections, punched metal, or the like.

In some embodiments, both the anode and the cathode may comprise electrically conductive porous substrates. Specifically, both the anode and the cathode may be constructed from grating, expanded metal, or plain woven mesh. The "grating shape" and "expanded metal shape" used herein refer to a lattice shape formed by integrating wire rods, and the "punched metal shape" refers to a perforated plate shape in which a large number of holes are formed in a metal plate. The open area ratio of the conductive porous base material is not particularly limited, but may be about 20% to 90%, for example, 30% to 80%, 40% to 75%, or 50% to 75%. .

As the electrolyte membrane, conventionally known ones may be used. In view of the electrochemical reaction caused by electrolysis, a solid polymer electrolyte membrane through which cations can pass may be used. Specifically, a cation exchange membrane may be used.

[Electrolysis]
Methods for producing ozone water by electrolysis of water can be broadly classified into direct electrolysis and indirect electrolysis. In the direct electrolysis method, ozone generated in water, including pure water, is dissolved "directly" in the electrolyzed water to produce ozonated water. On the other hand, in the indirect electrolysis method, ozone generated by subjecting pure water to electrolysis is once recovered, and then ozone gas is mixed with raw water in a separate process and dissolved by aeration, etc., to generate ozonated water. Of the two dissolving methods for dissolving ozone in water, the latter is an electrolytic method, but it is also called an indirect electrolytic method because it generates ozone water by mixing ozone gas. Direct electrolysis methods are becoming increasingly popular due to their advantages such as safety, compactness of equipment, and ease of use.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing an example of the direct electrolysis method. The electrolytic cell 30' includes a casing 1', an anode 2', a cathode 4' inside the casing 1', and an electrolyte membrane 3' sandwiched between the anode 2' and the cathode 4'. Raw water is supplied to the anode side and the cathode side, and DC power is applied and energized between the anode 2' and the cathode 4' to directly electrolyze the raw water and generate ozone water.

Referring to FIG. 7, the mechanism for producing ozone water by the direct electrolysis method will be outlined. As mentioned above, in the direct electrolysis method, ozone is generated at the anode 2' by passing raw water through an electrolysis cell configured by sandwiching an electrolyte membrane 3' between an anode 2' and a cathode 4' and electrolyzing it. At the same time, ozone is dissolved in raw water to directly generate ozonated water. The electrochemical reaction for ozone production is shown as follows, and oxygen production and ozone production occur simultaneously at the anode 2'. Therefore, an electrode with a high oxygen overvoltage is used to suppress the production of oxygen and give priority to the production of ozone.
2H ₂ O → O ₂₊ 4H ⁺ +4e ^- (oxygen production)
3H ₂ O→O ₃₊ 6H ⁺ +6e ^- (Ozone generation)

H ⁺ generated on the anode side moves from the anode side to the cathode side through the electrolyte membrane, receives electrons on the cathode surface and becomes gaseous hydrogen according to the electrochemical reaction shown below.
2H ⁺ +2e ^- →H ₂
When raw water contains cations such as Ca ²⁺ , Mg ²⁺ , Na ^{2+ ,} etc., these cations also move from the anode side to the cathode side, and some of them can be precipitated as hydroxides.

As the anode, a material that favors ozone production with a high oxygen overvoltage may be used. Specifically, at least one material selected from the group consisting of β-lead dioxide, platinum, platinum group (palladium, rhodium, and/or ruthenium), gold, carbon (graphite), conductive diamond, etc. Among these materials, platinum, gold, or metals coated with platinum may be used because of their high oxygen overvoltage and good stability.In particular, the use of metals coated with platinum on titanium by plating or heat bonding may cause problems in the product. Costs can be kept low. Alternatively, a material in which a titanium or niobium base material is coated with conductive diamond by chemical vapor deposition or the like may be used.

As for the structure of the anode, the anode may have a grating shape or an expanded metal shape. The anode is placed in close contact with the cation exchange membrane. In grating-shaped or expanded metal-shaped anodes, the lamination of multiple gratings with different mesh sizes that make up the anode causes a difference in flow velocity in a cross section perpendicular to the flow direction, resulting in eddy currents that occur at the anode. By involving ozone microbubbles, it is possible to accelerate dissolution and reduce the ozone concentration on the surface of the electrolyte membrane, thereby promoting ozone production.

A material with low hydrogen overvoltage may be used as the cathode. Specifically, the same metal as the anode described above can be used, and platinum, gold, or a metal coated with it may be used because of its low hydrogen overvoltage and good stability. In particular, titanium coated with platinum may be used. Using metal can keep product costs low. The cathode is also placed in close contact with the cation exchange membrane. Further, the cathode may also be formed into a grating shape like the anode, and in particular, the cathode may be formed to have a coarser mesh than the anode.

As the electrolyte membrane used in the direct electrolysis method, an electrolyte membrane that is durable against generated ozone may be used. For example, a fluorine-based cation exchange membrane may be used. For example, ^Nafion® may be used. The thickness of the electrolyte membrane may be 100-300 μm.

The hardness of the raw water is not particularly limited, but may be, for example, 0 to 800 mg/L, 40 to 800 mg/L, or 40 to 300 mg/L. For example, if the hardness is higher than 800 mg/L, the hardness may be lowered by any method to reduce the burden on the electrolyte membrane.

The lower the temperature of the raw water, the more the solubility of ozone in the raw water increases, making it easier to generate ozonated water with a high ozone water concentration. The temperature of raw water used to generate ozone water by direct electrolysis is not particularly limited. For example, the temperature of the raw water may be higher than 0°C and lower than 40°C, preferably higher than 5°C and lower than 35°C. The temperature of the raw water may be, for example, room temperature.

The anode and the cathode are electrically connected to a power supply device via an electric wire, and are configured to be applied with a DC voltage. The DC voltage to be applied varies depending on the material of the electrode, but for example, if an electrode using platinum is used and the current density is 0.2 A/cm ² , the voltage may be 5 V or more.

In the direct electrolysis method, a sensor may be provided to detect the ozonated water concentration of the generated ozonated water. The method for detecting the ozone water concentration is not particularly limited as long as it is a known method. For example, an ozone water sensor may be used that includes a detection electrode and a comparison electrode that have different ionization tendencies. The ozone water concentration sensor is installed, for example, in the middle of the take-out line of the ozonated water production device 100 or inside the casing 1, and the detection electrode and the comparison electrode are brought into contact with the flowing ozonated water. By contacting the flowing ozonated water, an electromotive force is generated in the detection electrode and the reference electrode, and an electrical signal corresponding to the ozonated water concentration of the ozonated water is obtained, allowing the concentration of the ozonated water to be measured.

The concentration of ozonated water produced by the direct electrolysis method may be set depending on the purpose of use of the ozonated water. For example, the concentration of ozone water produced by direct electrolysis may be set in the range of 0.1 mg/L to 10 mg/L.

"Ozonated water" as used herein refers to water in which ozone is dissolved. Even if there are components other than ozone in the water, if there is ozone in the water, it can be said to be ozonated water. Generally, ozone dissolves in only a small amount in water, so there may normally be ozone water in which relatively large amounts of components other than ozone are present or dissolved in water. In addition, "ozone water concentration" means how much ozone is present in water or an aqueous solution, for example, how many mg of ozone is present in 1 liter of water or an aqueous solution, for example, It can be expressed in mg/L or ppm.

The raw water may be, for example, tap water, RO water, ion exchange water, or acidic water.

The pH of the raw water is not particularly limited, but may be in the acidic range to the neutral range. Specifically, the pH of the raw water may be 1 or more and 8 or less, preferably 2 or more and 7 or less, and more preferably 3 or more and 7 or less. Note that in this specification, "pH" refers to the hydrogen ion index. Such pH may be measured using a known pH measuring device. For example, a glass electrode pH meter may be used. Specifically, the pH value may be a value measured in accordance with, for example, "JIS Z 8802 pH measurement method."

[Characteristics of the present invention]
(Ozone water production equipment)
Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. The illustrated contents are merely shown schematically and exemplarily for understanding the present invention, and the appearance, size ratio, etc. may differ from the actual thing. In each drawing, members having the same function may be designated by the same reference numerals.

FIGS. 1 and 2 show an ozone water production apparatus 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, an ozone water production apparatus 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a container 10 containing raw water 20, and an electrolytic cell 30 comprising an anode 2, a cathode 4, and an electrolyte membrane 3. It consists of The electrolytic cell 30 is attached to the wall surface of the container 10 such that at least one electrode side of the anode side and the cathode side of the electrolytic cell 30 is positioned outside the container 10. In other words, the electrolytic cell 30 is provided so as to protrude from the wall of the container. From another perspective, when the device is viewed from the outside, the ozonated water production device has a convex portion due to the presence of the electrolytic cell.

As used herein, "outside the container" means the outer surface of the container or the vicinity thereof. In other words, the "outside of the container" means the outer surface (eg, outer circumferential surface) of the container wall (eg, side surface) opposite to the inner surface (eg, inner circumferential surface) that is in contact with the raw water.

Raw water 20 in the container 10 is supplied to the anode 2 and cathode 4 of the electrolytic cell 30, respectively. When an electric current is passed from the external power source 60 to the anode 2 and the cathode 4, an electrochemical reaction causes the raw water 20 to be electrolyzed, producing ozone on the anode side and hydrogen on the cathode side. Ozone generated on the anode side is dissolved in the raw water 20 supplied to the anode side, and becomes ozone water.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, an anode wire 2a and a cathode wire 4a are connected to the anode 2 and cathode 4 of the electrolytic cell 30, respectively. The anode wire 2a and the cathode wire 4a are connected to an external power source 60. External power supply 60 supplies current to electrolysis cell 30 via anode wire 2a and cathode wire 4a. As described above, at least one of the anode side and the cathode side of the electrolytic cell 30 is positioned outside the container 10. Therefore, at least one of the anode wire 2a and the cathode wire 4a connected to the anode side and the cathode side, respectively, is also positioned outside the container 10. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the anode wire 2a is located outside the container 10, and the cathode wire 4a is located inside the container.

The ozonated water production device according to one embodiment of the present invention has the above technical features, and can achieve the following technical effects.

FIG. 7 shows a conventional ozonated water production apparatus 100'. As shown in FIG. 7, in the conventional ozonated water production apparatus 100', the electrolytic cell 30' is immersed in raw water 20'. Each of the anode 2' and cathode 4' of the electrolytic cell 30' is electrically connected to an external power source 60' via an anode wire 2a' and a cathode wire 4a'. Since the electrolytic cell 30' is immersed in the raw water 20', parts of the anode wire 2a' and the cathode wire 4a' connected to the anode 2' and the cathode 4, respectively, are also immersed in the raw water 20'.

The external power source 60' supplies current to the electrolytic cell 30' via the anode wire 2a' and the cathode wire 4a' which are immersed in the raw water 20'. The raw water 20' is electrolyzed in the electrolytic cell 30' through which a current flows, and ozone is produced on the anode side and hydrogen is produced on the cathode side. Here, each of the anode electric wire 2a' and the cathode electric wire 4a' connected to the anode 2' and the cathode 4' and drawn out from the electrolytic cell 30' is a bare wire (that is, an electric wire not covered with an insulating material, etc.). It can be. The bare wire can be connected to an external power source by connecting to electric wires (2b' and 4b') covered with an insulating material or the like.

Since the raw water 20' can have conductivity, the bare wire and the raw water can be electrically connected. In other words, part of the current flowing through the immersed anode wire 2a' and cathode wire 4a' may flow into the raw water 20'. For example, when a current flows in the raw water 20', the anode wire 2a' and the cathode wire 4a' are short-circuited through the raw water 20', the amount of current flowing between the electrodes of the electrolytic cell 30' decreases, and ozone is generated. It becomes difficult to be treated. This tends to occur particularly in the case of raw water with high electrical conductivity. Furthermore, as the electrolytic cell becomes smaller, the distance between the anode and the cathode becomes smaller, which may cause a short circuit even in the case of raw water with low conductivity.

In one embodiment of the present invention, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the electrolytic cell 30 is arranged inside the container 10 such that at least one electrode side of the anode side and the cathode side of the electrolytic cell 30 is positioned outside the container 10. It is attached to the wall. That is, at least one of the electric wires connected to the anode side and the cathode side is also positioned outside the container 10 and cannot be immersed in the raw water 20. Therefore, short circuit between the anode wire 2a and the cathode wire 4a via the raw water 20 is suppressed, and ozone is easily generated stably. Furthermore, even if raw water with high conductivity is used, there is a relatively low risk of short circuits, making it easier to efficiently generate ozone water. Furthermore, even if the electrolytic cell is downsized, there is a relatively low risk of short circuits, making it easier to downsize the ozone water production device.

In conventional ozonated water production equipment, an electrolytic cell is immersed in raw water in a container, and a sprayer or the like is attached to the mouth of the container. In this embodiment, since the electrolytic cell is confined within the container, it is necessary to disassemble the ozone water production device when taking out the electrolytic cell. In one embodiment of the invention, the electrolytic cell is attached to the wall of the container so that it can be removed from the wall. In other words, only the electrolytic cell can be removed without disassembling the ozone water production device. Therefore, it becomes easier to replace or maintain the electrolytic cell.

In one embodiment, the electrolytic cell may be attached to the wall of the container such that both the anode and cathode sides of the electrolytic cell are located outside the container. In other words, the electrolytic cell may be provided on the outer wall of the container so that the electrolytic cell and the wall of the container are located on the same plane. That is, as illustrated, at least a portion of the electrolytic cell may be exposed from the container (for example, the wall surface of the container, preferably the side surface of the container).

In the embodiment of the ozone water production apparatus 100 shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, both the anode side and the cathode side of the electrolytic cell 30 are positioned outside the container 10. In other words, the electrolytic cell 30 is provided so as to protrude from the wall of the container. As shown in the cross-sectional view of FIG. 3, the electrolytic cell 30 may be positioned on the wall of the container 10, while the entire electrolytic cell 30 is positioned outside the container 10. Specifically, the casing 1 of the electrolytic cell 30 and the wall surface of the container 10 are in contact with each other. From another perspective, when the device is viewed from the outside, the ozonated water production device has a convex portion due to the presence of the electrolytic cell.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the opening provided in the electrode chamber of the electrolytic cell 30 and the through hole provided in the container 10 communicate with each other. With such a configuration, the raw water within the container 10 can be moved directly into the electrolytic cell 30. In other words, one of the electrodes located outside the container 10 can directly supply the raw water 20 inside the container 10 . The other electrode can be supplied with the raw water 20 in the container 10 via the supply line 40 or the like. The generated ozone water may be discharged or returned into the container 10 via the suction line 50, or may be taken out to the outside.

In such embodiments, both the anode wire 2a and the cathode wire 4a are positioned outside the container 10. Therefore, short circuit between the anode wire and the cathode wire 4a via the raw water can be avoided. In addition, each of the anode wire 2a and the cathode wire 4a does not have a portion immersed in raw water, and therefore is less likely to corrode. In particular, it becomes easier to suppress corrosion caused by raw water (for example, wet corrosion).

Furthermore, since the electrode side of the electrolytic cell communicating with the container is immersed in raw water in the container during electrolysis, a means for supplying raw water, etc. can be omitted. Therefore, this embodiment can contribute to downsizing of the ozone water production device.

The container 10 may be a container commonly used in the production of ozonated water. As the material of the container 10, for example, a container made of at least one selected from the group consisting of resin, glass, ceramics, and metal may be used. Although the container 10 of the ozone water production apparatus 100 shown in the figure is an open system without a lid, this is only omitted for the sake of explanation. It may be a closed system with a lid to prevent leakage and evaporation of the raw water 20. Although the size of the container is not particularly limited, it may be a small container from the viewpoint of portability. For example, it may be the size of a container used when attached to a spray machine.

The ozone water production device of the present disclosure can further adopt the following aspects.

In the ozonated water production apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, only one electrode side of the anode side and the cathode side of the electrolytic cell 30 is connected to the container 10 through the wall surface of the container 10. It may be positioned outside of the Specifically, of the anode side and the cathode side, only one electrode side may be positioned outside the container, and the other electrode side may be positioned inside the container.

The term "electrode side located outside the container" as used herein means the electrode side of the electrolytic cell that is attached to the wall of the container and projects outside the container. In this specification, "the electrode side positioned within the container" means the electrode side of the electrolytic cell that is attached to the wall surface of the container and projects into the container.

The side of the electrode located outside the container may include an electrolyte membrane, an electrode, an electrode chamber, and/or a wire connected to an external power source. That is, the electrolyte membrane, electrodes, electrode chamber, and/or electric wires may be located on the outside. In addition, in this embodiment, when electrolyzing raw water, the electrode chamber located on the outside is filled with raw water. In other words, during electrolysis, raw water is also positioned outside the container.

The electrode side located within the container may include an electrolyte membrane, an electrode, an electrode chamber, and/or a wire connected to an external power source. That is, the electrolyte membrane, electrodes, electrode chamber, and/or wires may be located inside. Note that when raw water is electrolyzed, the electrode chamber is filled with raw water.

If only one of the anode and cathode sides of the electrolytic cell is positioned outside the container through the wall surface of the container, it will prevent the anode wire and the cathode wire from shorting each other through the raw water. It becomes easier to do. Furthermore, the electrode side located within the container is immersed in raw water within the container. That is, the means for supplying raw water to the electrode side located in the container can be omitted, which can contribute to downsizing of the ozone water production apparatus.

As a means for positioning only one electrode side of the anode side and the cathode side of the electrolytic cell outside the container via the wall surface of the container, the electrolytic cell may be embedded and attached to the wall surface of the container. For example, a through hole may be provided in the wall surface of the container, and the electrolytic cell may be fitted and inserted into the through hole. Alternatively, a container and an electrolytic cell may be integrated.

The electrolytic cell may be positioned outside the container via the container wall so that the electrolyte membrane and the container wall are parallel to each other. For example, the electrolytic cell may be positioned outside the container via the container wall such that the electrolyte membrane and the container wall are located on the same plane. Further, the electrolytic cell may be positioned outside the container via the wall surface of the container so that the electrode and the wall surface of the container are parallel to each other. By adopting such an aspect, it becomes easier to accurately position the electrolytic cell on the wall surface of the container, and it becomes easier to suppress leakage of raw water from, for example, a gap or an interface between the electrolytic cell and the container.

A sealing member may be provided in the gap or interface between the electrolytic cell attached to the container wall and the container wall. The sealing member may be an elastic resin member, such as an O-ring, a rubber packing, or a sealant. By providing a sealing member in the gap or interface between the container wall surface and the electrolytic cell, the gap between the container wall surface and the electrolytic cell is more easily sealed, and the raw water in the container is less likely to leak from the gap or interface.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the electrolytic cell may have a structure that can be attached to and detached from the wall of the container. The configuration that can be attached to and detached from the container wall may be, for example, a configuration in which a joint or the like that communicates between the outside of the container and the inside of the container is provided on the container wall, and the electrolytic cell can be attached or inserted into the joint or the like. The joint and/or the electrolytic cell may have a locking mechanism that locks the joint and the electrolytic cell to each other. By adopting such an aspect, the electrolytic cell provided on the wall of the container can be easily replaced.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the electrolytic cell may have a structure that can be attached to and detached from the container wall by screwing. For example, the casing of the electrolytic cell may be constructed by screwing together a casing member provided with threads and a casing member provided with thread grooves. By adopting such an aspect, it becomes possible to remove a part of the electrolytic cell while the electrolytic cell is positioned in a wall-like manner, and it becomes easy to inspect the inside of the electrolytic cell.

In a configuration that can be attached to and detached from the wall surface of the container by screwing, for example, a sealing material may be provided on the screw thread and/or the screw groove. The sealing material may be, for example, a liquid gasket, liquid packing, or sealing tape. By adopting such an aspect, the gap between the wall surface of the container and the thread-thread groove of the electrolytic cell is more easily sealed, and the raw water in the container is less likely to leak from the gap.

In the ozonated water production apparatus of one embodiment of the present invention, the electrode side located outside the container may be the anode side. The anode side, located outside the container, may include an electrolyte membrane, an anode, an anode chamber, and/or an anode wire connected to an external power source. In other words, the electrolyte membrane, the anode, the anode chamber, and/or the anode wire may be located on the outside. In such embodiments, the cathode side of the electrolytic cell will be located inside the container. That is, during electrolysis, the cathode side is immersed in raw water in the container. In the illustrated embodiment, at least a portion of the anode side of the electrolytic cell may be exposed from the container (for example, the wall surface of the container, preferably the side surface of the container). In other words, at least a portion of the anode side of the electrolytic cell may be provided so as to protrude from the wall surface of the container.

In such an embodiment, ozonated water will be generated on the anode side located outside the container. Ozonated water generated outside the container can be collected and taken out as is. Therefore, unlike the conventional case where ozonated water is generated by immersing an electrolytic cell, the possibility that the generated ozonated water leaks into the raw water can be suppressed, and the generated ozonated water can be efficiently recovered.

In the ozone water production device of one embodiment of the present invention, the electrolysis side located outside the container may be the cathode side. The cathode side, located outside the container, may include an electrolyte membrane, a cathode, a cathode chamber, and/or a cathode wire connected to an external power source. In other words, the electrolyte membrane, cathode, cathode chamber and/or cathode wire may be located on the outside. In such embodiments, the anode side of the electrolytic cell will be positioned inside the container. That is, during electrolysis, the anode side is immersed in raw water in the container. In the illustrated embodiment, at least a portion of the cathode side of the electrolytic cell may be exposed from the container (for example, the wall surface of the container, preferably the side surface of the container). In other words, at least a portion of the cathode side of the electrolytic cell may be provided so as to protrude from the wall surface of the container.

When raw water is electrolyzed, cations such as Ca ⁺ and Na ⁺ contained in the raw water move from the anode side to the cathode side through the electrolyte membrane. In other words. Since the Na ⁺ concentration, which has a strong tendency to ionize, is high on the cathode side, the cathode water produced on the cathode side by electrolysis can exhibit alkalinity. If the electrolysis side located outside the container is the cathode side, the cathode water generated on the cathode side cannot be directly discharged into the raw water. In other words, it becomes possible to recover the generated cathode water. Therefore, unlike the conventional case in which ozonated water is generated by immersing an electrolytic cell, it is possible to suppress the possibility that the alkaline cathode water leaks into the raw water, and to suppress the pH of the raw water from increasing. Since ozonated water is easily decomposed in an alkaline environment, the above aspect makes it easier to suppress a decrease in ozonated water production efficiency.

The ozone water production device of one embodiment of the present invention may be provided with a supply unit for supplying raw water to an electrolytic cell positioned outside the container. Since it is provided in an electrolytic cell located outside the container, the supply is provided outside the container. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the supply section is connected to an electrolytic cell located outside the container and to the container wall. The raw water in the container can be supplied to the electrolytic cell located outside the container via the supply section.

The supply may be provided on the anode side and/or on the cathode side of the electrolytic cell. When the supply section is provided on the anode side of the electrolytic cell, it becomes possible to continuously supply raw water to the anode chamber, and the production efficiency of ozone water can be improved. When a supply section is provided on the cathode side of the electrolytic cell, a water flow is generated in the cathode chamber, making it easier to remove hydrogen bubbles that may adhere to the cathode surface, and making it easier for the electrochemical reaction on the cathode surface to proceed efficiently. . As a result, the efficiency of producing ozonated water can be improved.

The supply section is not particularly limited as long as it can supply the raw water in the container to the electrolytic cell. For example, in FIGS. 1 and 2, a supply line 40 is provided as a supply section. The supply line 40 may be made of a flexible material or a non-flexible material (for example, a highly rigid material). The supply line 40 only needs to have a hollow cylindrical structure, and for example, a tubular structure such as a tube, a hose, or a pipe can be used.

From the point of view of maintenance of the electrolytic cell located outside the container, the supply may be connected to the electrolytic cell and/or the container by removable fastening means. The removable fixing means may be, for example, nuts, bands, or one-touch joints and connectors. By connecting the supply section and the electrolytic cell using the detachable fixing means as described above, the supply section can be easily attached and detached while the electrolytic cell is positioned outside the container, and parts of the electrolytic cell can be replaced. It becomes easier.

The supply unit may be provided with means for forcibly supplying the stock solution to the electrolytic cell. For example, the supply section may be provided with a pump. Alternatively, the raw water in the container may be sent to the supply section by suction by a suction means, which will be described later. By providing a means for forcibly feeding the liquid to the supply section, the raw water can be efficiently fed to the electrodes of the electrolytic cell, and the production efficiency of ozone water can be improved.

From the point of view of maintenance of the electrolytic cell located outside the container, the supply may be connected to the electrolytic cell and/or the container by removable fastening means. The removable fixing means may be, for example, nuts, bands, or one-touch joints and connectors. By connecting the supply section and the electrolytic cell using the detachable fixing means as described above, the supply section can be easily attached and detached while the electrolytic cell is positioned outside the container, and parts of the electrolytic cell can be replaced. It becomes easier.

In the ozone water production apparatus of one embodiment of the present invention, the electrolytic cell may be provided with a suction means for sucking raw water. Since the electrolytic cell is located outside the container, the suction means may also be provided outside the container. As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the suction means are connected to the electrolytic cell and/or the container wall located outside the container. Ozone water generated in the electrolytic cell can be sucked from the electrolytic cell located outside the container by a suction means.

The suction means may suck ozone water generated on the anode side of the electrolytic cell. The sucked ozonated water may be poured into the raw water in the container again, for example, as shown in Figures 1 to 4, or the generated ozonated water may be taken out to the outside, as shown in Figures 5 and 6. It's okay. The extracted ozone water may be stored in an external water tank or the like, or may be sprayed as a disinfectant, disinfectant, or disinfectant.

The suction means may suck cathode water generated on the cathode side of the electrolytic cell. The aspirated cathode water may be alkaline. In that case, the cathode water may be discarded, or it may be reused by adjusting it to neutrality and then adding it to the raw water again.

The suction means is not particularly limited as long as it can suction ozone water and/or cathode water generated in the electrolytic cell. For example, a pump may be used as the suction means. The pump may be a manual type or an electric type and may be controlled to suck out a fixed amount. For example, it can be connected to a spray nozzle. For example, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the suction means may be provided with a suction line 50 through which ozone water to be suctioned flows, and the suction means may be provided in the suction line 50.

From the point of view of maintenance of the electrolysis cell located outside the container, the suction means may be provided on the electrolysis cell and/or the container by means of removable fastening means. The removable fixing means may be, for example, nuts, bands, or one-touch joints and connectors. By providing the suction means using the detachable fixing means as described above, the suction means can be easily attached and detached with the electrolytic cell positioned outside the container, and parts of the electrolytic cell can be easily replaced. Note that the removable fixing means may also be provided on the suction line.

The ozone water production device according to one embodiment of the present invention may include a current control section for controlling the current supplied to the electrodes.

The current control section is not particularly limited, and may be, for example, a current control section that controls the current supplied to the electrolytic cell by manually inputting a desired current value. Alternatively, it may be a current control unit that detects a disturbance (for example, temperature, etc.) and automatically controls the current supplied to the electrolytic cell.

The current control unit may be capable of automatically controlling the current supplied to the electrodes of the electrolytic cell according to the temperature change obtained from the temperature sensor. The current control section may be integrated into the external power source as a component of the external power source. For example, the current control unit may be provided as a temperature control function of an external power supply as a temperature control program. In another aspect, the current control unit may be attached to the ozone water production apparatus as a separate externally attachable device.

The temperature sensor (not shown) may be attached to the surface of the container to measure the surface temperature of the container, and may be capable of transmitting the amount of change in surface temperature to the current controller. The surface of the container to which the temperature sensor is attached may be, for example, the bottom or side surface of the container. If the temperature sensor is attached to the bottom of the container, the temperature sensor will be less likely to be interfered with by disturbances other than the temperature on the container surface (sunlight, heat propagated from heating elements, etc., ventilation from air conditioners, etc.), so the temperature of the wall surface of the container will increase. It becomes easier to control the electrolytic current more accurately based on the . Since the temperature of the raw water in the container can be conducted to the surface of the container, the temperature of the raw water can be predicted by measuring the surface temperature of the container.

The means for attaching the temperature sensor to the container surface is not particularly limited, but may be fixed using tape, adhesive, metal fittings, or the like. In order to more accurately measure the temperature on the surface of the container, the temperature sensor may be attached to the surface of the container so that the periphery of the temperature sensor is covered with a material having low thermal conductivity. For example, attaching the temperature sensor to the container surface using a resin material or foam makes the temperature sensor less susceptible to disturbances that may interfere with the measurement of the container surface temperature.

The temperature sensor is not particularly limited as long as it is a contact type temperature sensor that can be attached to the surface of the container. For example, the temperature sensor may be an electrical thermometer. Specifically, the temperature sensor may be a thermistor, thermocouple, resistance temperature detector, or IC temperature sensor. In one embodiment, a thermistor may be used as the temperature sensor. Thermistors are relatively small and inexpensive, so they are easy to install on the surface of a container.

Since the solubility of ozone in raw water increases as the temperature of raw water decreases, ozone generated by electrolysis of raw water can be efficiently dissolved in water. That is, when the temperature of the raw water is low, even a small amount of ozone can be efficiently dissolved in the raw water, so the electric current required to generate ozonated water having a predetermined ozone concentration can be reduced.

On the other hand, the higher the temperature of raw water, the lower the solubility of ozone in raw water, and therefore the more difficult it is for ozone generated by electrolysis of raw water to dissolve in water. That is, when the temperature of the raw water is high, it is necessary to generate a large amount of ozone and dissolve it in the raw water, so the current required to generate ozonated water having a predetermined ozone concentration may become large.

For the above reasons, the current control method may be to increase the current supplied to the electrodes when the surface temperature of the container is high, and to decrease the current supplied to the electrodes when the surface temperature of the container is low. For example, when the surface temperature of the container increases by 1°C, the current density may be increased by 1% or more and 20% or less, preferably 5% or more and 15% or less, and more preferably 7% or more and 13% or less. . On the other hand, if the surface temperature of the container decreases by 1°C, the current density may be reduced by 1% or more and 20% or less, preferably 5% or more and 15% or less, and more preferably 7% or more and 13% or less. good.

(Method for producing ozonated water)
A method for producing ozone water according to an embodiment of the present invention includes the following features.
i) As the electrolytic cell, an electrolytic cell is used in which at least one of the anode side and the cathode side is positioned outside the container.
ii) Supplying raw water to the electrode side located outside the container so that the raw water is delivered to the outside of the container.
iii) Perform electrolysis in an electrolytic cell attached to the wall of the container.
A method for producing ozone water according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below. Note that the details of the ozonated water production device according to an embodiment of the present invention have been explained in the above-mentioned [Ozonated water production device], so the explanation will be omitted to avoid duplication.

An electrolytic cell is provided in which a container and at least one electrode side of an anode side and a cathode side are positioned outside the container. Next, raw water is poured into the container.

Raw water is supplied to the electrode side located outside the container so that the raw water inside the container is sent to the outside of the container. For example, the raw water in the container may be once sent outside the container and then supplied to the electrode chamber of the electrolytic cell located outside the container. As a means for sending the raw water inside the container to the outside of the container, for example, a supply line or the like may be provided to supply the raw water from inside the container to an electrolytic cell positioned outside the container. Raw water is electrolyzed in an electrolytic cell located outside the container to produce ozonated water.

In one embodiment, electrolysis is performed with only one electrode side of the anode side and cathode side of the electrolytic cell positioned outside the container through the wall surface of the container, and the other electrode side immersed in raw water. Good too. When only the anode side is positioned outside the container via the wall surface of the container, it becomes easier to recover the ozonated water generated on the anode side. When only the cathode side is positioned outside the container via the wall surface of the container, alkaline cathode water that may be generated on the cathode side can be easily recovered.

In one embodiment, raw water may be forcibly supplied to the anode side in order to efficiently generate ozonated water. As such a method, for example, raw water may be sent to the anode using a pump or the like. Alternatively, the raw water in the container may be sent to the supply section by suction when ozonated water is forcibly sucked, which will be described later. By forcibly supplying raw water to the anode side, it becomes easier to continuously supply raw water to the electrodes of the electrolytic cell. Moreover, raw water can be sent efficiently, and the production efficiency of ozone water can be improved.

In one embodiment, ozonated water may be forcibly drawn from the anode side. As such a method, for example, a pump may be used. The pump may be a manual type or an electric type and may be controlled to suck out a fixed amount. For example, it can be connected to a spray nozzle. For example, the sucked ozone water may be poured into the raw water in the container again, it may be stored in an external water tank, or it may be sprayed as a disinfectant, disinfectant, or disinfectant. good.

In one embodiment, the temperature of the wall of the container may be measured and the electrolytic current may be controlled based on the wall temperature. The temperature of the wall surface of the container may be measured, for example, by attaching a temperature sensor to the wall surface of the container. The current may be controlled by manually adjusting an external power source based on the temperature of the wall surface of the container, or may be performed using a current control unit that automatically controls the current. The current control section is not particularly limited, and a commercially available one may be used.

Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, these are merely typical examples. Therefore, those skilled in the art will readily understand that the present invention is not limited thereto and that various embodiments are possible.

For example, in the above description, a container having a substantially square container opening as shown in FIG. 2 has been described as a container, but the present invention is not necessarily limited to this. That is, the container is not limited to a rectangular parallelepiped type container, and therefore may be a columnar, cylindrical, conical, bell-shaped, pot-shaped, polyhedral type, or a combination of these shapes. The container may be a container depending on the usage form of the ozonated water. For example, when ozonated water is used by spraying, the shape of the container used in one embodiment of the present invention may be the shape of a container to which a sprayer is attached.

The manufacturing apparatus and manufacturing method of the present disclosure can be used in the food field, agricultural field, medical field, industrial field, etc. due to the bactericidal power and deodorizing power of ozonated water, as well as the cell activation effect. For example, it can be used in vacuum cleaners, humidifiers, washing machines, air purifiers, disinfectants/disinfectants, deodorants/deodorizers, etc. Furthermore, as described above, the manufacturing method and manufacturing apparatus of the present invention can be used on a smaller scale than before, and therefore can be applied to, for example, hand sprayers, floor cleaners, robot vacuum cleaners, and the like.

1 Casing 2 Anode 2a Anode wire 3 Electrolyte membrane 4 Cathode 4a Cathode wire 10 Container 20 Raw water 30 Electrolytic cell 40 Supply line 50 Suction line
60 External power supply 100 Ozone water production device 1' Casing 2' Anode 2a' Anode wire (bare wire)
2b' Anode wire (covered with insulating material, etc.)
3' Electrolyte membrane 4' Cathode 4a' Cathode wire (bare wire)
4b' Cathode wire (covered with insulating material, etc.)
10' Container 30' Electrolytic cell 60' External power supply 100' Ozone water production device

Claims (12)

A device for producing ozonated water,
a container containing raw water;
It comprises an electrolytic cell comprising an anode, a cathode and an electrolyte membrane,
An ozone water production apparatus, wherein the electrolytic cell is attached to a wall of the container such that at least one electrode side of the anode side and the cathode side of the electrolytic cell is positioned outside the container. The ozonated water production apparatus according to claim 1, wherein only one electrode side of the anode side and the cathode side of the electrolytic cell is positioned outside the container via a wall surface of the container. The ozonated water production apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the electrode side located outside the container is the anode side. The ozonated water production apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising a supply unit that supplies the raw water to the anode side of the electrolytic cell positioned outside the container. The ozonated water production apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a suction means for suctioning the ozonated water from the anode side of the electrolytic cell positioned outside the container. The ozonated water production apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a current control section for controlling the electrolysis current based on the wall surface temperature of the container. It involves electrolyzing raw water contained in a container in an electrolytic cell to generate ozonated water,
As the electrolytic cell, an electrolytic cell is used in which at least one electrode side of an anode side and a cathode side is positioned outside the container,
supplying the raw water to an electrode side positioned outside the container so that the raw water is sent to the outside of the container;
A method for producing ozonated water, wherein the electrolysis is performed in the electrolytic cell attached to the wall of the container. Of the anode side and the cathode side of the electrolytic cell, only one electrode side is positioned outside the container via the wall surface of the container, and the electrolysis is performed with the other electrode side immersed in the raw water. The method for producing ozonated water according to claim 7. The method for producing ozonated water according to claim 8, wherein electrolysis is performed with the anode side positioned outside the container via the wall surface. The method for producing ozonated water according to any one of claims 7 to 9, wherein the raw water is forcibly supplied to the anode side. The method for producing ozonated water according to claim 7, wherein the ozonated water is forcibly sucked from the anode side. The method for producing ozonated water according to claim 7, wherein the temperature of the wall surface of the container is measured, and the electrolysis current is controlled based on the temperature of the wall surface.

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