JP3368436B2 - Electrode life determination device in electrolytic ionic water generator - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to the determination of the service life of an electrode of an electrolytic ionized water producing apparatus for producing ionized water by electrolyzing water, in particular to determining the life of the electrodes.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a conventional electrolytic ionized water generator, the inside of an electrolytic cell is divided by a diaphragm, one electrode is used as a cathode chamber and the other is used as an anode chamber. Electric current is generated between the electrodes by electrolysis and electroosmosis to generate alkaline ionized water in the cathode chamber and acidic water in the anode chamber.

When such electrolyzed ionic water is continuously used, the electrodes in the anode chamber are consumed by anodic dissolution. Further, when the amount of use of the device is increased, scales are deposited and deposited on the electrode surface of the cathode chamber, so that the electrolysis ability is gradually reduced. In order to remove the scale adhering by this electrolysis, backwashing is performed in which the energizing polarity of the DC voltage applied to the electrode is reversed to elute the scale adhering to the surface of the cathode electrode with the anode. Therefore, the electrodes in the cathode chamber are also consumed.

Therefore, an electrode having a high corrosion resistance is used as an electrode inserted into the cathode chamber and the anode chamber. Usually, an electrode obtained by plating a titanium Ti substrate with platinum Pt is used as the electrode having high corrosion resistance. However, even if this Pt-plated electrode on the Ti substrate is a material that does not easily dissolve into the anode, it does not mean that there is no consumption. Even with a small consumption, it is inevitable that the electrode will have a long service life.

Although it is necessary to replace the electrodes when the life of the electrolytic cell is judged by determining such electrode wear from the outside of the electrolytic cell, the conventional electrode life determination is as shown in FIG. The method of measuring the voltage V is taken. That is, as shown in FIG. 5, when the constant current electrolysis is continued, the electrolysis voltage V gradually increases after a certain time. This is because the Pt plating layer on the substrate forming the electrode is consumed, the underlying Ti material is exposed, and the conduction resistance increases. Therefore, the electrode life is determined by detecting the increase in the electrolytic voltage V.

[0006]

However, the conventional method of simply detecting the voltage rise of the electrolytic cell cannot accurately determine the life of the electrode, and cannot detect the state of the life approaching just before the life. . Therefore, if electrolysis is continued even if the electrolysis capacity is reduced due to electrode consumption, the electrolysis efficiency is reduced and electrolyzed ionic water having a required pH value cannot be obtained.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an electrode life determining device capable of accurately determining the life of the electrode and easily detecting the state immediately before the life during electrolysis.

[0008]

Means for Solving the Problems An electrode life determining apparatus according to the present invention comprises an electrolytic cell in which electrodes are inserted in a cathode chamber and an anode chamber divided by a diaphragm, and an electrolytic power source for supplying an electrolytic current between the electrodes. , A polarity switcher for switching the conduction polarity between the electrodes is provided, and the electrodes are formed by plating a platinum group or a platinum group alloy on a conductive plate of titanium or the like, in an electrolytic ionized water generator, A detector for detecting the electrolytic current or voltage flowing in the detector and a discriminator for discriminating the detection signal of this detector are provided, and the detection signal is energized by the detector when the polarity is switched by the polarity switcher.
It is characterized in that the combination of the average value and the peak value is discriminated by the discriminator and the life of the electrode is discriminated. Further, the discriminator combines the discrimination circuit for discriminating the average value of the detection signals at the set level, the discrimination circuit for discriminating the peak value of the detection signal at the set level, and the discrimination signals of the both discrimination circuits in combination to determine the life of the electrode. It is characterized by comprising a judgment circuit for making a judgment.

[0009]

The present invention detects the electrolytic current or voltage flowing between the electrodes in the electrolytic cell when the polarity is switched by the polarity switcher, and determines the life of the electrodes by determining the detection signal. Further, the average value and the peak value of the detection signal are discriminated, and both discrimination signals are combined to judge the life of the electrode.

[0010]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described below with reference to an embodiment of the drawings. FIG. 1 shows an electrode life determining device in an electrolytic ionized water producing device, and FIG. 2 is an explanatory view of the determination display. The electrolytic cell 1 is divided by a diaphragm 2 into a cathode chamber 31 and an anode chamber 41, and the electrodes 3 and 4 are inserted into each chamber, and both electrodes 3 and
A DC voltage is supplied from the electrolysis power source 5 during the period 4. Raw water is supplied to the inside of the electrolytic cell 1 from a water supply port 1a by driving a water faucet of a supply device or driving a pump, and the alkaline ionized water and the anode are supplied to the cathode chamber 31 by electrolysis of the supplied water and electroosmosis through the diaphragm 2. Acidic water is generated in the chamber 41 and is discharged from the discharge ports 1b and 1c for use.

The electrolysis power supply 5 which energizes between the electrodes 3 and 4 converts the alternating current voltage transformed by the transformer into the direct current by the rectifier and outputs the direct current voltage smoothed by the smoothing capacitor. Energize with polarity. A polarity switching device 6 is provided in the energizing circuit, and the time control circuit 7 alternately switches the electrodes 3 and 4 at regular time intervals to switch the energizing polarity between the electrodes 3 and 4.

The cathode chamber electrode 3 in the illustrated state is electrolyzed by applying a positive current to the cathode chamber electrode 4 with the negative electrode and the anode chamber electrode 4 as the positive electrode to generate electrolytic ionic water in each chamber. 4 and when the scale 2 adheres to the diaphragm 2, in order to elute the scale or to prevent the scale from being adhered by controlling the ions, the polarity switching device 6 reverses the conduction polarity at a predetermined time interval to perform reverse electrolysis. To wash. The electrolysis time and the cleaning time interval are controlled to optimum values by setting the time control circuit 7.

For the electrodes 3 and 4 to be inserted into the electrolytic cell 1, for example, a conductive plate made of titanium Ti or the like having a platinum Pt plating layer which is less likely to be electrolytically consumed is used on the surface. T as the base material
The use of i takes into account that there is no adverse effect on the human body for the treatment of drinking water. Further, as Ti and the like, in addition to pure metal, Ti alloy is included, and austenitic stainless steel or the like is used. The Pt plating layer contains Pt.
Besides, platinum group metals such as Pd, Rh, Ru, Ir, and Os may be used in the same manner. Electroplating, welding, PVD, CVD, and other means can be used to form the plated layer.

The electrolytic current flowing between the electrodes 3 and 4 is measured by detecting the voltage across the resistor 8 inserted in the energizing circuit with a voltmeter 9. Alternatively, it is measured by a current detector using a hall element. The average value of the detection signal of the voltmeter 9 is detected by the average value detection circuit 10, and the peak value thereof is detected by the peak value detection circuit 11. The output of the average value detection circuit 10 is discriminated by the discrimination circuit 12,
The output of the peak value detection circuit 11 is discriminated by the discrimination circuit 13. Both discriminating circuits 12 and 13 are controlled in synchronism with the reverse polarity and forward rotating polarity switching signals of the time control circuit 7, and the discriminating levels of the respective discriminating circuits 12 and 13 are set by setters 14 and 15. Then, the discrimination signals of both discrimination circuits 12 and 13 are added to the discrimination circuit 16, and the life of the electrode is discriminated by the combination of discrimination signals input. The determination result is displayed as a warning on the display device 17.

In the above, during electrolysis in which a positive polarity is applied, the anode chamber electrode 4 serves as a positive electrode and the cathode chamber electrode 3 serves as a negative electrode, and acidic water is produced in the anode chamber 41 and alkaline water is produced in the cathode chamber 31. During this water electrolysis, compounds such as calcium and magnesium in water are mainly deposited and deposited on the cathode chamber electrode 3 and the diaphragm 2. When such a compound (scale) is deposited, the electrolytic capacity is lowered and the required ionized water cannot be generated. Therefore, the polarity switching device 6 is operated to reverse the energizing polarity to the opposite polarity for cleaning. By this polarity switching, direct current conduction is performed with the cathode chamber electrode 3 being the positive electrode and the anode chamber electrode 4 being the negative electrode.
Since the positive electrode energization electrode is eluted and consumed by electrolysis, the anode chamber electrode 4 is eluted and consumed when the positive electrode is energized, and the cathode chamber electrode 3 is dissolved and consumed when reverse polarity cleaning is performed by polarity reversal.
When electrolysis is continued while reversing the current polarity,
Both the anode chamber electrode 4 and the cathode chamber electrode 3 are consumed.

If the electrodes are consumed, the electrodes 3, 4 of the electrolytic cell 1
As the electrolysis current or voltage flowing between them changes,
The electrode life is judged by detecting this change. That is, a detection resistor 8 for electrolytic current is inserted in the energizing circuit from the electrolytic power source 5 to the electrodes 3 and 4, and the terminal voltage is detected by the voltmeter 9. In this case as well, it can be detected by a current detection circuit using a hall element. A peculiar change appears in the detection signal of the voltmeter 9 depending on the consumption state of the electrodes.

FIG. 3 is a waveform diagram for explaining the change.
The horizontal axis represents the electrolysis time, and the vertical axis represents the absolute value of the detected voltage. The electrolysis condition is that the average current is 1 A / dm ² , the switching time is set in the time control circuit 7, the polarity switching device 6 is driven, and positive polarity electrolysis 2 min and reverse polarity washing 20 sec are repeated to electrolyze, and the electrode is normal. At that time, the set average current flows, and the increase of the shock peak at the time of reverse rotation and forward rotation due to polarity switching appears small.
However, when the Pt plating layer on the substrate surface is consumed by electrolysis for a long time, the average current does not change so much, but the reversal due to polarity switching and the increase in the shock peak during forward rotation become large. This state is called the state just before the life. Also, P on the electrode surface
When the t-plated layer disappears, the average current is about 1/2 of normal
It will be about. At this time, the increase of the shock peak at the time of reverse rotation and normal rotation due to polarity switching is as large as that before the life.

The electrode life of the above experiment is about 500 hours, and the state immediately before the life appears about 20 hours ago. The electrolytic current value that changes in this way differs depending on the type of electrode, electrolysis conditions, etc., but in many experiments, the state of change during normal operation, immediately before the life, and at the end of the life are similar, and the electrolytic cell that appears immediately before the life is The life of the electrode can be determined by detecting this peculiar phenomenon.

The detection signal of the voltmeter 9 is the average value detection circuit 10
The average value is detected by the peak value detection circuit 11
The peak value is detected by. The output of the average value detection circuit 10 is discriminated by the discrimination circuit 12. The discrimination reference value is set by the level setter 14, and the electrolysis average current value of the electrolysis condition is set. If the detection signal is above this set level, the discrimination output “1” is output, and the detection signal is below the set level. If so, the discrimination output “0” is output. The output of the peak value detecting circuit 11 is discriminated by the discriminating circuit 13. This discriminating reference value is set by the level setter 15, which sets an intermediate value between the normal state of the shock peak and the life, and outputs the discriminating output "1" if the detection signal is above this set level. If the detection signal is below the set level, the discrimination output "0" is output. Then, both of the discrimination outputs are applied to the determination circuit 16, the normality and the life are determined, and the determination result is displayed on the display device 17.

As shown in the table of FIG. 2, the judgment control of the judgment circuit 16 is such that when the average value judgment output is "1" and the peak value judgment output is "0", the normal state and the average value judgment output are obtained. When the discrimination output of "1" and the peak value is "1", it is just before the life, and when the discrimination output of the average value is "0" and the discrimination output of the peak value is "1", the life is discriminated and displayed.

Thus, the electrode life can be accurately discriminated from the outside of the electrolytic cell by detecting and discriminating on the basis of the knowledge that the electrolysis current or voltage changes peculiarly when the electrode is consumed. The electrodes can be exchanged. Therefore, it is possible to always stably and efficiently generate electrolytic ionized water having a required pH value without lowering the electrolysis capacity due to electrode consumption.

In the above, a peculiar change in the electrolytic current or voltage flowing between the electrodes 3 and 4 due to electrode consumption is detected, and the average value and the peak value of the detected signal are synchronized with the polarity switching signal for reverse and forward rotation, respectively. Although one embodiment has been described in which the determination is made to determine whether the electrode is normal, immediately before the life, or at the end of the life, the detection of the electrolytic current or voltage may be detected in synchronization with the polarity switching signal. Further, the circuit configuration for detection, discrimination, etc. is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiment, and it is possible to discriminate by combining features such as instantaneous value of detection signal, high frequency component, rising and falling of waveform, average value as shown in FIG. You can Further, a microcomputer or the like can be used for the determination, and the determination can be performed by using a database, a numerical table, or a knowledge base.

[0023]

As described above, according to the present invention, the change in the electrolytic current or the voltage when the energizing polarity is switched is detected, and the detection signal is discriminated to judge the life of the electrode. It is possible to accurately determine and detect the life and the state immediately before the life. Therefore, the electrode exchange can be performed at the optimum time based on the determination of the electrode life, and the required electrolytic ion water can always be stably and efficiently generated.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a circuit diagram of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory table explaining FIG.

FIG. 3 is a detection signal waveform diagram of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of a conventional circuit.

5 is a detection voltage waveform diagram of FIG.

[Explanation of symbols] 1 electrolysis tank 2 diaphragm 3 electrodes 4 electrodes 31 cathode chamber 41 Anode chamber 5 Electrolytic power supply 6 Polarity switch 7 hours control circuit 8 resistance 9 Voltmeter 10 Average value detection circuit 11 Peak value detection circuit 12, 13 Discrimination circuit 14, 15 setting device 16 Judgment circuit 17 Display

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Masakazu Arisaka 2779 Imafuku Nakadai, Kawagoe-shi, Saitama 1 Japan Intec Co., Ltd. (56) References JP-A-5-57283 (JP, A) JP-A-2 −247394 (JP, A) (58) Fields investigated (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) C02F 1/46 C25B 9/00 C25B 11/00

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. An electrolytic cell in which electrodes are inserted in each of a cathode chamber and an anode chamber divided by a diaphragm, an electrolytic power source for passing an electrolytic current between the electrodes, and a polarity switcher for switching the conduction polarity between the electrodes. The electrode is an electrolytic ionized water generator configured by plating a platinum group or a platinum group alloy on a conductive plate such as titanium, and a detector for detecting an electrolytic current or voltage flowing between the electrodes, and A detector for determining the detection signal of the detector is provided, and the detection signal of the detector is passed when the energizing polarity is switched by the polarity switcher.
An electrode life determining device in an electrolytic ionized water producing device, characterized in that a combination of an electric average value and a crest value is discriminated by the discriminator to determine the life of the electrode. 2. A judgment circuit for judging the average value of the detection signal at a set level, a judgment circuit for judging the peak value of the detection signal at the set level, and the judgment signals of both the judgment circuits are combined to judge the life of the electrode. The electrode life determining device in the electrolytic ionized water generator according to claim 1, further comprising a discriminator including a determining circuit for performing the determination.