JPH06254566A - Water conditioner - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a water conditioner furnished with a means capable of simultaneously preventing the internal contamination and removing scales. CONSTITUTION:When water supply is stopped, a spring in a check valve 17 is extended to close the discharge port, and a passage is closed. The suspension is simultaneously detected by a pressure sensor 15, the signal is sent to a control circuit, and polarity of a DC power source to be impressed on the electrode of an electrolytic cell is reversed by the control circuit. Electrolysis is finished after the lapse of a specified time, hence the region extending from an anode compartment to the check valve 17 through an alkaline water discharge pipe 1 is closed, and the region is filled with acidic water by reverse electrolysis.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a water conditioner capable of continuously producing acidic water and alkaline water by purifying ordinary water using activated carbon or the like and then electrolyzing the purified water.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a water purifier capable of continuously producing acidic water and alkaline water by purifying tap water using activated carbon or the like has been used as a medical device. The alkaline water and acidic water produced by the method are used not only for removing impurities in tap water, but also for drinking and the like because they have an effect that cannot be obtained with ordinary water.

The structure and operation of the conventional water purifier will be described with reference to FIG. The conventional water conditioner mainly includes an activated carbon cartridge 7, an electrolysis tank 5, and a control unit 9. The activated carbon cartridge 7 and the electrolysis tank 5 are connected by a resin hose. The activated carbon cartridge 7 is
A cylindrical resin container is filled with granular activated carbon having a size of 0.1 to 2 mm. This granular activated carbon has fine pores of 20 to 60 angstrom and has a specific surface area of g.
The area is 700 to 1600 square meters, and it plays a role of decomposing residual chlorine in water and adsorbing malodorous components and pollutants. Further, the activated carbon cartridge 7 is also provided with a hollow fiber filter so that bacteria and fine particle contaminants can be collected.

The electrolytic cell 5 is divided by a diaphragm into a cathode chamber having a cathode and an anode chamber having an anode. The diaphragm is mainly composed of a resin non-woven fabric, and is provided to prevent mixing of acidic water and alkaline water. Further, a stainless steel electrode is mainly used for the cathode, and a platinum iridium electrode is mainly used for the anode. Further, the control unit 9 controls the electrolytic current via the integrated circuit.

Next, the operation of the water regulating device will be described. First, tap water that has entered from the water supply hose 13 passes through the activated carbon cartridge 7 to adsorb and remove residual chlorine, malodorous components, etc. that are not suitable for drinking in tap water. Then, the cleaned water is guided to the electrolytic cell 5. After that, direct current is applied to the cathode and the anode provided in the electrolytic cell, the water is electrolyzed, alkaline water is produced in the cathode chamber, and acidic water is produced in the anode chamber. It is discharged through the acidic water discharge pipe 11.

[0006]

However, the conventional water conditioner as described above has no problem when it is continuously used, but pollution becomes a problem when the period of non-use becomes long. That is, in the water conditioner, the water that has passed through the activated carbon remains in the filter cartridge, the electrolytic cell, the pipe, and the water discharge tube even during the rest. The water remaining in the water purifier is apt to be contaminated because the sterilizing residual chlorine in the tap water is decomposed by the action of activated carbon and the sterilization is lost. Further, since the water spout is in an open state, contamination from the water spout side also poses a problem. And as the rest period increases,
With a little cleaning, contaminated water can get mixed into drinking water. On the other hand, the water purifier has the same problem, but it is serious in the case of the water purifier because its volume is large.

[0007] In order to solve these problems, a measure to drain the water in the water conditioner to prevent contamination when it is stopped is considered, but it is impossible to completely remove the water in the activated carbon cartridge. There is always water left in the corner of the pipe. In addition, halfway drainage rather promotes pollution, so it is not effective in preventing pollution.

In addition to the above-mentioned problem of contamination, there is also a problem that scale is deposited on the surface of the cathode of the electrolytic cell when the water conditioner is continuously used. During electrolysis, the surface of the cathode becomes a strong alkali, and magnesium and calcium in water are deposited as hydroxides. Further, scales of calcium carbonate and the like may remain in the flow path piping of the alkaline water due to depletion of the alkaline water. Also in this respect, alkaline water is regarded as a problem because it lacks safety just because it is used for drinking.

In order to solve such a problem, as described in, for example, Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 2-7675 and Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 2-95590, there is a method of reversing the polarity of electrolysis by stopping water supply. However, although these methods are effective in preventing pollution and removing scale in the electrolysis chamber, they have a drawback that the effects cannot be expected in other channels, especially in the water discharge pipe. . This is because after the water supply is stopped, the water flows out from the water outlet, so that the inside of the water discharge pipe is left in the middle of the water and is easily contaminated. Moreover, it was not possible to prevent contamination from the discharge port.

The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a water regulating machine equipped with means capable of simultaneously preventing contamination inside the machine and removing scale. It was done.

[0011]

In order to achieve this object, the water purifier of the present invention can electrolyze water purified using activated carbon or the like to continuously generate acidic water and alkaline water. Further, a sealing means for sealing the area where the generated alkaline water is present, and a water supply means for supplying water to the inside of the machine,
A detection unit that detects that the water supply from the water supply unit has stopped, and when the detection unit detects the stop of the water supply from the water supply unit, fills the area sealed by the sealing unit with acidic water. And a denaturing unit that operates in accordance with.

[0012]

When the detecting means detects the stop of the water supply from the water supplying means, the denaturing means seals the region where the alkaline water is present with the acidic water when the detecting means detects the stop of the water supply. Operates to meet with.

[0013]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

First, referring to FIG. 1, the structure of the water purifier according to this embodiment will be described. Since the configurations of the electrolytic cell 5, the activated carbon cartridge 7 and the like are the same as those of the conventional example, detailed description thereof will be omitted. In addition to the conventional example, the water purifier of this embodiment includes a check valve 17 and a pressure sensor 15.

First, the structure of the check valve 17 will be described with reference to the cross-sectional view of FIG. 2. The check valve 17 is composed of a polycarbonate valve 25 and a spiral fitting under the valve 25. Shaped stainless steel spring 21 and the valve 25
And an O-ring 23 fitted to the upper part of the spring, the spring 21 contracts by water pressure when water is supplied, and the valve 25 slides to open the flow path and allow water to flow. Further, as the water supply is stopped, the water pressure is reduced and the spring 21 is extended.
Slides and closes to block the flow path. The O-ring 23 is made of rubber and is used for completely hermetically blocking the flow path. The water purifier according to the present embodiment is provided with the check valve 17 having these configurations near the outlet for alkaline water.

Next, the pressure sensor 15 will be briefly described. The pressure sensor 15 is a diaphragm having a foil strain gauge attached thereto and converts pressure into an electric signal. The water purifier of the present embodiment is equipped with the pressure sensor 15 at the terminal end of the water supply hose.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. First, when water is supplied, the tap water that has entered from the water supply hose 13 passes through the activated carbon cartridge 7 to adsorb and remove residual chlorine, malodorous components, etc. that are not suitable for drinking in tap water. Then, the cleaned water is guided to the electrolytic cell 5. On the other hand, at the same time as the water supply, a water supply signal is output from the pressure sensor 15 and a direct current is applied to the cathode 31 and the anode 33 in the electrolytic cell 5, the water is electrolyzed, and alkaline water is stored in the cathode chamber and in the anode chamber. Acidic water is produced and discharged through the alkaline water discharge pipe 1 and the acidic water discharge pipe 11, respectively. The alkaline water is discharged by opening the check valve 17 at the tip of the alkaline water discharge pipe 1 by the water discharge pressure.

When the water supply is stopped, the spring 21 in the check valve 17 extends to close the discharge port and close the flow path. At the same time, the pressure sensor 15 detects that the suspension has stopped, this signal is sent to the control circuit, and the control circuit receives this signal and controls so as to invert the polarity of the DC power supply applied to the electrode of the electrolytic cell. To do. Then, the electrolysis is finished after a certain time. In the embodiment, reverse electrolysis is performed for 5 seconds. That is, by these operations, the region from the anode chamber to the inside of the alkaline water discharge pipe 1 to the check valve 17 is sealed, and the electrolytic water is filled with the acidic water. Acidic water is, as the name suggests, acidic water around PH4 and has the ability to dissolve calcium and magnesium hydroxide and carbonate scales. Acidic water also has a bactericidal effect.

Next, the sterilizing effect of acidic water will be described with reference to the following equations (1) and (2).

[0020]

[Chemical 1]

[0021]

[Chemical 2]

In the activated carbon cartridge, bactericidal residual chlorine is decomposed by the effect of the activated carbon as shown in the formula (1). However, on the anode side of the electrolytic cell, the reaction shown in formula (2) proceeds to regenerate residual chlorine, and the acidic water produced on the anode side contains residual chlorine and has bactericidal properties. . As described above, since acidic water has a scale removing ability and a sterilizing effect, the area from the anode chamber to the check valve is filled with acidic water, which reduces scale in the water purifier and reduces bacteria. Prevention of pollution can be achieved.

Actually, when the number of bacteria in the initial flow water after a two-day rest was compared, the conventional water conditioner detected 100 or more bacteria / ml even after continuous water washing for 30 seconds. On the other hand, in the case of the alkaline ionized water purifier of this example, bacteria were not detected after 20 seconds. From the experimental results, the bactericidal effect of this example was confirmed.

The means for detecting the stop of the water supply, which is the first means of the present invention, may be performed based on the pressure sensor 15 provided at the inlet as in the embodiment, or the flow rate sensor. May be provided.

The means for sealing the flow passage, which is the second means of the present invention, is a check valve 17 as well as the stop of water supply as in the embodiment.
The flow passage may be mechanically shut off by using the force of the spring 21 inside, or the water supply stop detection means, that is, the pressure sensor 15.
The solenoid valve as described in JIS B8471 may be operated by an electric signal generated by Further, if the check valve 17 is provided with a function of adjusting the strength of alkaline water, the effect of cost reduction can be obtained.

The means for filling the acidic water in the flow path, which is the third means of the present invention, is originally the alkaline water flow path by reversing the polarity of the DC power supply applied to the electrodes as described in the embodiment. Acidic water may be produced at a certain place, or acidic water may be produced and stored before the water supply is stopped, and the accumulated water may be pumped up and introduced into the alkaline water flow path.

[0027]

As is apparent from the above description,
The water purifier of the present invention, a sealing means for sealing the region where the generated alkaline water is present, a water supply means for supplying water into the machine, and a detection means for detecting that the water supply from the water supply means has stopped, Prevention of contamination in the machine by providing a denaturing unit that operates so as to fill the region sealed by the sealing unit with acidic water when the detection unit detects the stop of the water supply from the water supply unit And scale can be removed at the same time.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an embodiment embodying the configuration of a water purifier according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing a structure of a check valve used in the water regulator shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a configuration of a conventional water purifier.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Alkaline Water Discharge Pipe 3 Discharge Port 5 Electrolyzer 7 Activated Carbon Cartridge 13 Water Supply Hose 15 Pressure Sensor 17 Check Valve

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A water conditioner capable of continuously producing acidic water and alkaline water by electrolyzing water purified using activated carbon or the like, and sealing a region where the generated alkaline water exists. The sealing means, the water supply means for supplying water to the inside of the machine, the detection means for detecting that the water supply from the water supply means is stopped, and the sealing means when the detection means detects the stop of the water supply from the water supply means. The area enclosed by
And a denaturing unit that operates so as to fill with acidic water.