JPH06320161A - Water preparing apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a water preparing apparatus by which a large quantity of strongly acidic water or strongly alkaline water can be obtained continuously without restricting the water amount of raw water and using large electric current. CONSTITUTION:Purified water such as tap water is continuously supplied to an electrolytic bath 51 having a pair of electrodes to produce acidic water and alkaline water by electrolytic decomposition and at the same time acidic water and alkaline water returning hoses 71, 69 to return the produced acidic water and the alkaline water and to mix them to purified water are installed. PH of the purified water to be sent to the electrolytic bath 51 is shifted to weakly alkaline level or weakly acidic level from near neutral level by controlling a switching valve 73 and a circulation pump 75 which select which water, alkaline water or acidic water, should be returned, and strongly alkaline or strongly acidic water is produced by electrolytic decomposition of the weakly alkaline or weakly acidic purified water in the electrolytic bath 51.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to alkaline water and acidic water by electrolyzing while supplying water containing minerals such as tap water to an electrolytic cell having an anode chamber and a cathode chamber in which electrodes are arranged. The present invention relates to a water conditioner for obtaining water.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as this type of water conditioner, raw water (mainly tap water) is continuously fed into an electrolytic cell having an anode and a cathode, and an appropriate DC voltage is applied between the electrodes. There is one in which acidic water is continuously obtained from the anode chamber and alkaline water is continuously obtained from the cathode chamber. Further, when it is necessary to generate strongly acidic or strongly alkaline ionized water depending on the application, methods such as narrowing down the amount of raw water continuously fed to the electrolytic cell or flowing a large current between a pair of electrodes have been adopted. .

[0003]

However, the former method requires a very long time when a large amount of strong acidic water or strong alkaline water is required. Further, in the latter method, in order to continuously obtain a large amount of strongly acidic or strongly ionized water, it is necessary to pass a large current between the pair of electrodes, and a very large facility is required to obtain the large current. There were various problems such as the necessity.

The present invention has been made in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, and when the acidic water or alkaline water produced is changed to strong acidic water or strong alkaline water depending on the application, it is continuously conducted without passing a large current. The purpose of the present invention is to provide a water conditioner that can be obtained in large quantities.

[0005]

In order to achieve this object, the water conditioner of the present invention is equipped with an electrolytic cell comprising an anode chamber and a cathode chamber in which electrodes are arranged, respectively. In a water producing machine that produces water, a return means for re-injecting the alkaline water or acidic water produced by the electrolysis into the electrolytic cell, and either alkaline water or acidic water in the electrolytic cell is again provided by the return means. And a selecting means for selecting whether to inject into. Further, the pair of electrodes is provided with an output switching means for applying a voltage reverse to that in normal use, and the feedback means is a means for re-injecting the acidic water generated at the time of applying a reverse voltage into the electrolytic cell. Also use as.

[0006]

In the water purifier of the present invention having the above-mentioned structure, the alkaline water or the acidic water selected by the selecting means from the alkaline water and the acidic water generated by electrolysis is injected again into the electrolytic cell by the returning means. By being repeatedly electrolyzed, strongly acidic or strongly alkaline ionized water is generated. The feedback means is also used as a means for reinjecting the acidic water generated when the output switching means applies a voltage reverse to that in normal use to the pair of electrodes into the electrolytic cell. Therefore, the cleaning of the electrodes is carried out with acidic water in a short time and reliably.

[0007]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT An embodiment embodying the present invention will now be described with reference to FIGS.
This will be described with reference to FIG.

FIG. 1 shows a schematic structure of an electrolytic cell in the water conditioning apparatus of this embodiment. The electrolytic cell 51 is provided with a cathode chamber 55 and an anode chamber 57 which are partitioned by a diaphragm 53 for ion exchange which is vertically arranged in the substantially central portion thereof. A cathode 59, to which a negative voltage is normally applied, is arranged in the cathode chamber 55, and an anode 61, to which a positive voltage is usually applied, is arranged in the anode chamber 57.

In addition, in the electrolytic cell 51, a supply hose 63 for supplying purified water into the electrolytic cell 51, and a cathode chamber 5
Alkaline water discharge hose 65 for discharging the alkaline water generated in 5 to the user, and acidic water discharge hose 6 for discharging the acidic water generated in the anode chamber 57 to the user
7 and 7 are connected respectively.

Further, one end between the alkaline water / acidic water discharge hoses 65 and 67 and the supply hose 63 is the alkaline water discharge hose 65 as a return means of the present invention.
Is provided with an alkaline water return hose 69 and an acidic water return hose 71 whose one end is also connected to the acidic water discharge hose 67.
The other ends of 5, 67 are connected to the supply hose 63 via one switching valve 73 which is the selection means of the present invention and a circulation pump 75 which is a part of the feedback means.

The switching valve 73 has a first position for shutting off both the alkaline water return hose 69 and the acidic water return hose 71 during normal use, and the alkaline water return hose 6
A second position where only the 9 side is opened to return the water in the alkaline water discharge hose 65, and a third position where only the acidic water return hose 71 side is opened to return the water in the acidic water discharge hose 67. And can be selectively switched. Also,
The circulation pump 75 is arranged to obtain a pressure for mixing the alkaline water or the acidic water that has passed through the switching valve 73 with the purified water in the supply hose 63.

FIG. 2 shows an electric circuit and a water flow path configuration of the water purifier of this embodiment. First, as an electric circuit configuration, various voltages, that is, a control circuit (control means) 77 including a CPU, a ROM, and other peripheral elements, a cathode 59 and an anode 61 in the electrolytic cell 51, that is, The value of the current flowing between the cathode 59 and the anode 61 and the output switching circuit (output switching means) 79 including a switching element for applying a variable voltage or a plus or minus reverse voltage, a relay, etc. A current detection circuit (detection means) 81 for detecting and detecting the amount of deposition and deposition of scale substance, a power supply circuit 83 for supplying a necessary current and voltage to the control circuit 77, the output switching circuit 79, etc. And an operation display panel 85 including switches and indicators for transmitting and receiving the input and output to the user to the control circuit 77.

Further, as a flow path structure of water for purifying the raw water and supplying it to the electrolytic cell 51, a water supply hose 87 for taking in the raw water from a water source such as a water supply and a thermistor for detecting the temperature of the raw water. Temperature sensor 89 and the like, and a flow sensor 91 such as a pressure element for detecting the flow rate of raw water.
And a filter 93 for removing dust, chlorine and the like in the raw water that have passed through the sensors 89 and 91, and the purified water that has passed through the filter 93 is fed into the electrolytic cell 51 from the supply hose 63. Be done.

This embodiment is constructed as described above, and the operation of this embodiment will be described below with reference to the flow chart of FIG.

First, step 1 (hereinafter abbreviated as S1).
The same applies to the following steps)
The control circuit 77 detects whether or not the raw water supplied from the water supply hose 87 has passed through the flow rate sensor 91 (S2), and if the flow of water is detected, a signal input from the operation display panel 85 or another signal is displayed. It receives an input signal and outputs a designated signal to the output switching circuit 79.

For example, the output switching circuit 79 which receives the signal in the normal electrolysis mode applies a DC voltage with a predetermined polarity to the cathode 59 and the anode 61 in the electrolytic cell 51 (S).
3). In this case, the purified water supplied from the supply hose 63 to the electrolytic cell 51 is electrolyzed into alkaline water in the cathode chamber 55 in which the cathode 59 is arranged, and becomes acidic water in the anode chamber 57 in which the anode 61 is arranged. Electrolyzed. Then, the generated alkaline water is discharged into the alkaline water discharge hose 65.
The acidic water is supplied to the user from the acidic water discharge hose 67 or is drained from the user.

When a request is made to further strengthen the alkaline water obtained as described above through the operation display panel 85 (S4), the control circuit 77 indicates that the alkaline water discharged into the alkaline water discharge hose 65 is , A signal for operating the circulation pump 75 is output so that the purified water in the supply hose 63 is mixed with the purified water in the supply hose 63 via the alkaline water return hose 69 and sent again into the electrolytic cell 51.
And a signal for opening and closing the switching valve 73 is output, and the switching valve 73 is in the second position, that is, a position where only the alkaline water return hose 69 side is opened and the water in the alkaline water discharge hose 65 is returned. Switch to. By doing this, the pH of the purified water sent into the electrolytic cell 51 shifts from around neutral to weak alkaline water, and by electrolyzing the weak alkaline purified water in the electrolytic cell 51,
Strong alkaline water is generated in the cathode chamber 55 (S5).

Further, when a request for further changing the acidic water rather than the alkaline water to the strongly acidic water is made through the operation display panel 85 (S6), the control circuit 77 causes the acidic water discharged into the acidic water discharge hose 67 to , A signal for operating the circulation pump 75 is output so that the purified water in the supply hose 63 is mixed with the purified water in the supply hose 63 and sent again into the electrolytic cell 51 via the acidic water return hose 71. The switching valve 73 outputs a signal for opening and closing, and switches the switching valve 73 to the third position, that is, the position for returning the water in the acidic water discharge hose 67 by opening only the acidic water return hose 71 side. By doing so, the pH of the purified water fed into the electrolytic cell 51 shifts from around neutral to weakly acidic water, and the weakly acidic purified water is electrolyzed in the electrolytic cell 51, whereby the anode chamber 57. Strongly acidic water is generated inside (S7).

While performing the electrolysis as described above, the current detection circuit 81 detects the value of the current flowing between the pair of electrodes 59 and 61, and the temperature sensor 89 detects the temperature of the raw water and the flow sensor 91 detects the value. The flow rate of raw water is detected (S8). At that time, the control circuit 77 causes the current detection circuit 8 to
1 performs the operation of correcting the value of the current input from No. 1 based on the values of the temperature and the flow rate detected by the temperature sensor 89 and the flow rate sensor 91, and in accordance with the initial condition before the scale adheres. The calculated and corrected current value is stored in the storage element in the control circuit 77 as needed (S9).

Then, the calculated and corrected current value is compared with the initial condition current value at any time. When the total amount of electrolytic water flow increases in this state, scale material adheres and deposits on the electrode surface (mainly on the cathode side), and the current correction value obtained from the current detection circuit 81 begins to decrease. The control circuit 77 accurately captures such a rate of decrease in the current correction value, calculates the amount of scale material that has adhered to and is deposited on the electrode surface, and promptly detects the deterioration of the electrolytic function due to the adhesion and deposition of scale material. , It is determined whether a predetermined threshold value has been reached (S10).

When it is determined that the predetermined threshold value has been reached, some instruction indicating that the electrodes need to be washed is output to the operation display panel 85, and the indicator lamp, buzzer, etc. are operated to notify the user. At the same time, the control circuit 77 outputs a signal for cleaning to the output switching circuit 79, so that the output switching circuit 79 applies a DC voltage having a polarity opposite to that of normal use to the pair of electrodes 59, 61. Thus, by applying a DC voltage having a polarity opposite to that of normal use to the pair of electrodes 59 and 61, acidic water is generated in the normally used cathode chamber 55 and alkaline water is generated in the normally used anode chamber 57. , Are generated in the electrode chambers opposite to the normal electrolysis mode (S
11).

At the same time, the control circuit 77 causes the switching valve 7
3 is switched to the second position where the acidic water generated at this time returns from the alkaline water discharge hose 65 through the return hose 69, the circulation pump 75 is operated, and the acidic water generated at this time is regenerated in the electrolytic cell. Inject into 51. As a result, the water injected into the electrolytic bath 51 gradually changes from weakly acidic to strongly acidic, and the strongly acidic water quickly removes the hydroxides such as Ca and Mg deposited and deposited on the electrode surface (S12).

Even during this cleaning operation, the control circuit 77
Is the current value output from the current detection circuit 81, the temperature value output from the temperature sensor 89, and the flow rate sensor 9
Each of the flow rate values output from 1 is imported (S1
3) Based on the values of the temperature and the flow rate, and in accordance with the initial conditions, the value of the detected current from the current detection circuit 81 is calculated and corrected at any time, and the corrected value is stored in the storage element in the control circuit 77. (S14).

The calculated and corrected current value is compared with the initial condition current value at any time. If the reverse voltage is continuously applied in this state, the scale substance on the electrode surface is removed, and the current correction value obtained based on the current value of the current detection circuit 81 starts to be restored. The control circuit 77 is
When the restoration of the current correction value is accurately captured, the residual amount of the scale substance on the electrode surface is calculated, and it is determined that the residual amount of the scale substance is almost zero (S1
5) A certain instruction indicating that the cleaning of the electrodes 59 and 61 has been completed is output to the operation display panel 85, the buzzer and the indicator lamp are appropriately operated to notify the user, and the normal electrolytic mode is automatically returned.

In the flow chart shown in FIG. 3, even when the cleaning mode is requested from the operation display panel 85 by the user's instruction, the cleaning is performed in the same manner as the above-described automatic cleaning.

As described above, the alkaline water return hose 69 and the acidic water return hose 71 for re-injecting the alkaline water or the acidic water generated in the cathode chamber 55 or the anode chamber 57 by electrolysis into the electrolytic cell 51, Furthermore, the switching valve 73
And the circulation pump 75, and by controlling the switching valve 73 and the circulation pump 75 as required, the pH of the purified water is shifted to weak alkaline or weak acid, and the shifted purified water is electrolyzed again. This makes it possible to continuously obtain a large amount of strong alkaline water or strongly acidic water without using a large current.

In this embodiment, the return means is alkaline water return hose 69 or acid water return hose 71.
However, a water channel block formed integrally with or separately from the electrolytic cell 51 may be used.

Further, in this embodiment, the transition from the normal use mode to the electrode cleaning mode or the transition from the electrode cleaning mode to the normal use mode is performed through the control circuit 77 through the output switching circuit 79, the switching valve 73 and the circulation pump. Although it is controlled automatically by operating 75, it may be manually controlled by operating a switch, a key or the like that can be input by the user.

Further, the current value is detected by using the current detection circuit 81 to calculate the amount of scale substance adhesion and deposition.
It is also possible to detect the voltage value using a constant current circuit and calculate the amount of adhesion and deposition of the scale substance. At this time, the detected voltage value is corrected as a voltage correction value based on the values detected by the temperature sensor 89 and the flow rate sensor 91,
The voltage correction value increases with an increase in the adhesion and deposition of the scale substance and restores with the removal of the scale substance.

[0030]

As is clear from the above description, the water purifier of the present invention does not need to narrow down the amount of raw water to obtain strongly acidic water or strongly alkaline water. Since a large amount of water can be continuously obtained and a large current does not have to be used, it does not require a large facility for it and can be manufactured at low cost. Further, there is an effect that the acidic water generated by applying a reverse voltage to the pair of electrodes can be effectively used to clean the electrodes in a short time and reliably.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram showing an electrolytic cell of a water conditioning machine according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an electric circuit and a water flow path configuration of the water purifier.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a method of controlling the water purifier.

[Explanation of symbols]

 51 Electrolyzer 55 Cathode Chamber 57 Anode Chamber 59 Cathode 61 Anode 69 Alkaline Water Return Hose (Return Means) 71 Acidic Water Return Hose (Return Means) 73 Switching Valve (Selection Means) 75 Circulation Pump (Return Means) 77 Control Circuit (Control) 79) Output switching circuit (output switching means) 81 Current detection circuit (detection means)

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A water conditioner comprising an electrolytic cell comprising an anode chamber and a cathode chamber, each of which has an electrode, wherein alkaline water and acidic water are generated by electrolysis, the alkaline water or the acidic water being generated by the electrolysis. And a selecting means for selecting whether alkaline water or acidic water is to be injected again into the electrolytic cell by the returning means. Water conditioner. 2. The water conditioner according to claim 1, further comprising an output switching means for applying a voltage opposite to that during normal use to the pair of electrodes, and the feedback means generates when a reverse voltage is applied. A water conditioner characterized in that it is also used as a means for re-injecting the acidified water into the electrolytic cell.