JPH0768262A - Flow rate detection mechanism of ion water - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To accurately detect the water pressure and a flow rate using a semiconductor pressure transducer in an ion water formation apparatus. CONSTITUTION:This flow rate detection mechanism is constituted of the water pressure detecting pitot tube 1 provided in a tap water inflow pipe, semiconductor pressure transducers 2, 3 accurately measuring detected water pressure, an A/D converter 4 subjecting water pressure measuring output to A/D conversion, a pressure reducing valve 5 reducing the pressure of a water pipe and a control part 6 inputting a measured value from the A/D converter to calculate the flow velocity and flow rate of inflow water to perform pH adjusting control by the control of the electrolytic level of an electrolytic power supply 25 or the flow rate control due to the pressure reducing valve.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a flow rate detecting mechanism for an ionized water generator, and more particularly to a flow rate detecting mechanism for accurately measuring the water pressure of inflow water and calculating the flow rate and flow rate.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 5 is a block diagram of a conventional ionized water generator. When tap water is opened and tap water flows into the water purifier 20, it is installed in the water purifier 20 (the installation position is not limited). The switch s21 is turned on and sends out a water pressure detection signal. The water pressure switch s21 has a structure in which a metal type diaphragm that is distorted by water pressure is combined with a micro switch, and is used for detecting inflow water. The control unit (microcomputer) 23 has a water pressure switch s2.
When the water pressure detection signal is input from 1, the electrolysis on / off switch 27 is turned on, the electrolysis level corresponding to the set PH is applied from the electrolysis power supply 25 to the electrolysis cell 22, and electrolysis is started. When the water pressure switch s21 is turned off and the water supply is stopped and the electrolysis is completed, the power polarity reversal switch for electrode cleaning is switched from electrolysis to the cleaning side to perform electrode cleaning for a certain period of time.
The current sensor 24 in the figure is for resistance type overcurrent monitoring.

[0003]

However, in the prior art shown in FIG. 5, since a mechanically operated water pressure switch is used to detect inflow water, tap water is actually discharged due to variations in its operation. Even if it is flowing in, there is a disadvantage that the water pressure switch may not operate and the water pressure detection signal may not be sent out.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and the flow rate of an ion water generator capable of accurately detecting the water pressure and the flow rate of the inflow water by detecting the total pressure and static pressure of the inflow water. The purpose is to provide a detection mechanism.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention is an ion water generator for detecting an inflow of tap water and applying an electrolysis level corresponding to a set PH to an electrolysis cell to produce alkaline ionized water and acidic water by electrolysis. The measuring means for measuring the total pressure and static pressure of the inflow water, and the control section for inputting the values measured by the measuring means and calculating the flow velocity and the flow rate of the inflow water.

[0006]

The total pressure and static pressure of the inflow water before flowing into the electrolytic cell are measured by the water pressure measuring device. These values are input to the control unit as digital data, and the flow velocity and flow rate of the inflow water are calculated from the measured values of total pressure and static pressure.
Based on the calculation result, the control unit performs PH control and the like by adjusting the electrolysis level and adjusting the pressure reducing valve.

[0007]

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. 1 is a block diagram of a pressure transducer flow rate detection mechanism of an ion water generator according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

In this embodiment shown in FIG. 1, a pitot tube 1 which is installed in parallel in an inflow pipe through which tap water flows in from a faucet and detects a water pressure, and a semiconductor pressure transducer which accurately measures the water pressure by the pitot pipe 1. 2 and 3, (the semiconductor pressure transducer 2 measures the total pressure of the Pitot tube 1 and the semiconductor pressure transducer 3 measures the static pressure. Further, the semiconductor pressure transducers 2 and 3 may have a differential pressure sensor configuration. ), An A / D converter 4 for A / D converting the measured outputs of the semiconductor pressure transducers 2 and 3, a pressure reducing valve 5 for reducing inflowing tap water, and an inflow of water pressure measured values from the A / D converter 4. Comprised of a microcomputer control unit 6 which calculates the flow velocity and flow rate of tap water, adjusts the electrolysis level and the pressure reducing valve 5 to adjust the pH based on the calculated flow rate value, and also performs other ion water production control. It should be noted that the same configurations as those of the other conventional examples are denoted by the same reference numerals, and duplicate description will be omitted.

Next, the operation will be described. As for the Pitot tube 1 installed in the inflow tube, first, as shown in FIG. 2 (a), when a thin tube with an open tip is put into a water stream, the stream stops immediately before the spread B so as to rotate as it approaches the tip position B. However, the pressure at the position B can be detected as the total pressure P2. Further, if a small hole A is provided in the side wall of a pipe whose tip is closed as shown in FIG. 2B and placed in parallel in the water flow, only the static pressure P1 can be detected. As shown in FIG. 2 (c), both of them are integrated to detect P1 and P2. Thus, if the flow velocity v ₁ = 0, P1 = P2, and if v ₁ > 0, P
The water pressure of the inflow water can be detected as 1 <P2.

Water pressures P1 and P detected by the Pitot tube 1
Reference numeral 2 accurately measures the pressure value by the semiconductor pressure transducers 3 and 2. This semiconductor pressure transducer measures the water pressure by detecting a bridge voltage proportional to the water pressure output by a large resistance change caused by the piezoresistive effect due to the applied water pressure with an operating amplifier.
The measurement sensitivity is 100 compared with the conventional metal diaphragm type.
It is more than twice as high and there is no mechanical working part, so the water pressure can be measured accurately.

The water pressures P1, P2 measured by the semiconductor pressure transducers 3, 2 are A / D by the semiconductor A / D converter 4.
After conversion, it is sent to the control unit 6 as water pressure data. Based on the hydraulic pressure data P1 and P2, the control unit 6 performs a calculation according to the following calculation formula from Bernoulli's theorem to obtain the flow velocity v ₁ ,
Calculate the flow rate Q. P2 = P1 + (1/2) ρv ₁ ² v ₁ = {2 (P2-P1) / ρ} ^1/2 Q = v ₁ × s However, from FIG. 2 (c), v ₁ : flow velocity, ρ: flowing water density , S =
Inflow pipe cross-sectional area, Q = flow rate.

Based on the flow rate value obtained by the above calculation,
The control unit 6 performs optimal pH adjustment by detecting the inflow of tap water and adjusting the electrolysis level of the electrolysis power source 25 or the flow rate by the pressure reducing valve 5. Other electrolysis, electrode cleaning, overcurrent detection while the electrolytic cell 22 is operating by the current sensor 24,
The protection process based on the detected value is similar to the conventional example.

FIG. 3 is a detailed view of a detection mechanism using a Venturi tube according to the second embodiment of the present invention. The example shown in FIG. 3 is a case where a Venturi tube is used as the water pressure detector instead of the Pitot tube 1 of the previous example, and the tap water flowing into the tube mouth portion is accelerated because the pipe mouth diameter becomes narrow at the pipe squeezing portion. As a result, the water pressure drops. Semiconductor pressure transducer 3,2
The water pressures A ₁ and A ₂ are measured by the control unit 6, and the control unit 6 calculates the flow velocity v ₁ and the flow rate Q by the following formulas based on Bernoulli's theorem, and performs the PH adjustment control based on the calculated data. _{Q = v 1 s 1 = v} 2 s 2 = = C {1- (d 2 / d 1) 4} -1/2 s 1 {2 (A 1 -
A ₂ ) / ρ} ^1/2 = Cs ₁ s ₂ {2 (A ₁ −A ₂ ) / ρ (s ₁ ² −s ₂ ² )}
^1/2 However, v _1: flow rate of the tube opening, v _2: a tube squeezing portion of the flow rate d _1: inside diameter of the tube opening, d _2: flow rate s ₁ of the tube squeezing part: πd ₁ ^2/4: ductal orifice Budan area ^{_{s 2 = πd 2 2/4}} : tube squeezing part cross-sectional area [rho = running water density C = discharge coefficient of the.

FIG. 4 is also a third embodiment of the present invention, in which PH
This is an example in which a magnetic type float sensor is used instead of the semiconductor pressure transducers 2 and 3 when only flow rate data is obtained as control data. In the case of FIG. 4, the pitot tube 1
The magnetic float 10 moves up and down in proportion to the pressure difference between the water pressures P1 and P2, and the position in the tube changes. Since the magnetoresistive element 11 detects the movement of the float 10 as a magnetic change and the magnetic type float sensor 12 outputs a differential pressure-like detection potential obtained by converting the magnetic change into an electric resistance, the control unit 6 determines the flow rate based on the pressure difference data. It is possible to obtain data and perform PH adjustment control. Since the magnetic type float sensor in this case is a contactless sensor, it has an advantage that the configuration and data processing are easy.

[0015]

As described above, according to the present invention,
Measuring means for measuring the total pressure and static pressure of the inflow water, an A / D converter for A / D converting the measurement output thereof, a pressure reducing valve for water supply pressure reduction, and inflow water from the values measured by the measuring means. Since the control unit for calculating the flow velocity and the flow rate is provided, there is an effect that the water pressure and the flow rate of the inflowing tap water are accurately detected to enable the optimum PH adjustment.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of an ion water generator according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a detailed view of the pitot tube shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a water pressure detection mechanism using a Venturi tube according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram using a magnetic type float sensor that is a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a configuration diagram of a conventional ionized water generator.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Pitot tube 2, 3 Semiconductor pressure transducer 4 A / D converter 5 Pressure reducing valve 6 Controller

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An electrolytic cell is set by detecting the inflow of tap water P
In an ion water generator that generates an alkaline ionized water and an acidic water by electrolysis by applying an electrolysis level corresponding to H, measuring means for measuring the total pressure and static pressure of inflow water, and the values measured by the measuring means are A flow rate detection mechanism for an ionized water generator, comprising a control unit that inputs and calculates the flow velocity and flow rate of the inflow water.