JPH11314089A - Electrolytic water making apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an electrolytic water making apparatus capable of washing an alkaline electrolytic water taking-out conduit at a proper time. SOLUTION: The polarities of the electrode plates 6, 7 provided to electrolytic chambers 4,5 are alternately changed over. Raw water supply means 9,10 supplying raw water to the electrolytic chambers 4, 5, electrolytic water taking-out conduits 15, 16 taking out formed acidic or alkaline electrolytic water to the electrolytic chambers 4, 5, an acidic electrolytic water taking-out conduit 17, an alkaline electrolytic water taking-out conduit 18 and an acidic electrolytic water supply means supplying acidic electrolytic water to the alkaline electrolytic water taking-out conduit 18 are provided. Flow rate detection means 22, 23 are provided to at least one of the electrolytic chambers 4, 5 and an acidic electrolytic water supply means is operated when the difference between the flow rates detected by the flow-rate detection means 22, 23 before and after the polarities of the electrode plates 6, 7 are changed over becomes a predetermined range or more. The acidic electrolytic water supply means connects the electrolytic water taking-out conduit provided to the electrolytic chamber forming acidic electrolytic water to the alkaline electrolytic water taking-out conduit 18. The flow-rate, detection means 22, 23 are flow rate sensors.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to an electrolytic cell having an anode plate and a cathode plate provided through an ion-permeable diaphragm, supplying raw water containing an electrolyte and electrolyzing the same to produce an acidic solution on the anode side. And an electrolyzed water generator for generating alkaline electrolyzed water on the cathode side.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An aqueous solution containing a chloride such as sodium chloride is supplied to an electrolytic cell having an anode plate and a cathode plate provided through an ion-permeable diaphragm to perform electrolysis. It is known that electrolyzed water and alkaline electrolyzed water can be obtained on the cathode side. The acidic electrolyzed water is used for sterilization, disinfection, deodorization, and the like because it has strong bactericidal properties due to chlorine (Cl ₂ ), hypochlorous acid (HClO), etc., which are electrolytic products of sodium chloride. Conventionally, as an apparatus for obtaining the electrolyzed water, for example, an electrolyzed water generator 24 shown in FIG. 8 is known. In the electrolyzed water generator 24, the electrolyzer 2
Are electrolysis chambers 4 and 5 opposed to each other via an ion-permeable diaphragm 3.
Are provided with electrode plates 6 and 7, respectively. The electrode plates 6 and 7 are connected to a power supply 8 so that their polarities can be switched alternately.

In each of the electrolysis chambers 4 and 5, raw water supply conduits 9 and 10 are provided.
Is connected. Raw water supply conduits 9 and 10 are conduits 11,
A saline solution, which is connected to a water pipe or the like (not shown) via an electromagnetic valve 12 and is supplied from a saline solution tank 13 by a metering pump 14 is mixed with the raw water in the conduit 11 so that a saline having a predetermined concentration is supplied to the raw water supply conduit 9. , 10 to the respective electrolysis chambers 4, 5.

In each of the electrolysis chambers 4 and 5, acidic or alkaline electrolyzed water generated by electrolysis of the saline solution is taken out by electrolyzed water extraction conduits 15 and 16, and the three-way valves 19 and 2 are taken out.
The acidic electrolyzed water according to 0 is supplied from the acidic electrolyzed water extraction conduit 17 through
The alkaline electrolyzed water is taken out from an alkaline electrolyzed water extraction conduit 18.

[0005] In the electrolyzed water generator 24, the control means 21 switches the polarity of the electrode plates 6, 7 and controls the connection direction of the three-way valves 19, 20 corresponding to the polarity switching. The electrode plate 6 by the control means 21
Is used as an anode and the electrode plate 7 as a cathode, the electrolytic water extracting conduit 15 and the acidic electrolytic water extracting conduit 17 are connected by the three-way valve 19, and the electrolytic water extracting conduit 16 and the alkaline electrolytic water extracting Connect to conduit 18. In this case, since the electrolysis chamber 4 is on the anode side, acidic electrolyzed water is generated in the electrolysis chamber 4, and alkaline electrolyzed water is generated in the electrolysis chamber 5 on the cathode side. Then, the acidic electrolyzed water generated in the electrolysis chamber 4 is supplied from the acidic electrolyzed water extraction conduit 17 to the acidic electrolyzed water.
The alkaline electrolyzed water generated in the electrolysis chamber 5 is taken out from the alkaline electrolyzed water extraction conduit 18.

In the electrolytic cell 2, if the polarities of the electrode plates 6 and 7 are fixed as described above, the scale composed of a precipitate of a basic compound such as calcium carbonate and magnesium carbonate is formed on the electrode plate 7 on the cathode side. Electrolytic efficiency is gradually reduced after adhesion. Therefore, conventionally, the polarity of the electrode plates 6 and 7 is periodically and alternately switched.

When the electrolysis is performed by the control means 21 by switching the polarity so that the electrode plate 6 serves as a cathode opposite to the above and the electrode plate 7 serves as an anode, alkaline electrolyzed water is generated in the electrolysis chamber 4. In the electrolysis chamber 5, acidic electrolyzed water is generated. Therefore, in this case, the control means 21 connects the electrolytic water extraction conduit 15 and the alkaline electrolytic water extraction conduit 18 by the three-way valve 20, and connects the electrolytic water extraction conduit 16 and the acidic electrolytic water extraction conduit 17 by the three-way valve 19. Is connected, so that the alkaline electrolyzed water generated in the electrolysis chamber 4 is extracted from the alkaline electrolyzed water extraction conduit 18 and the acidic electrolyzed water generated in the electrolysis chamber 5 is extracted from the acidic electrolyzed water extraction conduit 17.

By alternately performing the above operations, the scale attached to the electrode plates 6 and 7 can be alternately dissolved to prevent a reduction in electrolysis efficiency, and the polarity of the electrode plates 6 and 7 can be switched. This is also convenient because the conduit from which the acidic or alkaline electrolyzed water is taken out does not change. However, if the conduit for extracting the electrolyzed water is fixed by the liquidity of the electrolyzed water, that is, whether the electrolyzed water is acidic or alkaline, the scale adheres to the alkaline electrolyzed water extraction conduit 18. In addition, there is a problem that the flow rate between the acidic electrolytic water extraction conduit 17 and the alkaline electrolytic water extraction conduit 18 becomes uneven.

Therefore, in the conventional electrolyzed water generating apparatus,
When the scale adheres to the alkaline electrolyzed water extraction conduit 18, the connection by the three-way valves 19 and 20 is reversed, and the acidic electrolyzed water is extracted from the alkaline electrolyzed water extraction conduit 18, and the alkaline electrolyzed water is removed. Is taken out from the acidic electrolytic water take-out conduit 17. As described above, when the scale adheres to the alkaline electrolyzed water extraction conduit 18, the alkaline electrolyzed water extraction conduit 18
When the acidic electrolyzed water flows through, the scale is dissolved in the acidic electrolyzed water and removed, whereby the alkaline electrolyzed water extraction conduit 18 can be washed.

However, the degree of adhesion of the scale to the alkaline electrolyzed water discharge conduit 18 varies depending on the properties of the saline solution, electrolysis conditions, and the like. Therefore, the connection by the three-way valves 19 and 20 is reversed in a normal case. If the operation is performed manually or every predetermined time, there is a disadvantage that the alkaline electrolyzed water extraction conduit 18 may not be washed at an appropriate time.

[0011]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide an electrolyzed water generating apparatus which can solve such inconvenience and can wash a conduit for extracting alkaline electrolyzed water at an appropriate time. .

[0012]

In order to achieve the above object, an electrolyzed water generating apparatus according to the present invention comprises first and second electrolysis chambers facing each other via an ion-permeable diaphragm, An electrolytic cell for alternately switching the polarity of first and second electrode plates provided in the chamber; first and second raw water supply means for supplying raw water containing an electrolyte to each electrolytic chamber; First and second provided in each electrolysis chamber for extracting acidic or alkaline electrolyzed water generated by energizing the electrode plate and electrolyzing raw water supplied to each electrolysis chamber.
Electrolytic water extraction conduit, and connected to the electrolytic water extraction conduit provided in the electrolysis chamber on the side where acidic electrolytic water is generated in accordance with the polarity switching of both electrode plates, and through the conduit, the acidic electrolytic water is supplied. An acidic electrolyzed water extraction conduit to be taken out and connected to the electrolyzed water extraction conduit provided in the electrolysis chamber on the side where alkaline electrolyzed water is generated in accordance with the polarity switching of the two electrode plates, and the alkaline electrolyzed water is supplied through the conduit. An electrolyzed water generating apparatus comprising: an alkaline electrolyzed water extraction conduit to be taken out; and an acidic electrolyzed water supply means for supplying acidic electrolyzed water to the alkaline electrolyzed water extraction conduit when removing scale attached to the alkaline electrolyzed water extraction conduit. In, provided a flow rate detection means for detecting a flow rate in at least one of the respective electrolytic chambers,
The acidic electrolyzed water supply means is activated when a difference between the flow rates detected by the flow rate detection means before and after the polarity switching of the two electrode plates exceeds a predetermined range.

In the electrolyzed water generating apparatus having the above-mentioned configuration, when the scale adheres to the alkaline electrolyzed water extraction conduit, the amount of electrolyzed water flowing through the conduit is reduced. As a result, the flow rate of the raw water supplied to each electrolysis chamber of the electrolysis tank or the flow rate of the electrolysis water generated in each electrolysis chamber is determined by changing the polarity of the electrode plate so that the electrolysis chamber generates alkaline electrolyzed water. When the electrolysis chamber is on the (cathode side), the flow rate is lower than when the electrolysis chamber is on the side (anode side) where acidic electrolyzed water is generated.

Therefore, according to the present invention, the flow rate in each electrolytic chamber is monitored by the flow rate detecting means, and the difference in the flow rate detected by the flow rate detecting means is determined before and after the polarity switching of the two electrode plates. When it exceeds the range
The acidic electrolyzed water supply means is operated to supply acidic electrolyzed water to the alkaline electrolyzed water extraction conduit. The difference between the flow rates may be, for example, a difference between the flow rates before and after the polarity switching of the two electrode plates, or a ratio of the flow rates before and after the polarity switching between the two electrode plates.
As a result, as in the case of the conventional electrolyzed water generator,
The scale is dissolved and removed in the acidic electrolyzed water, and the alkaline electrolyzed water discharge conduit is washed.

According to the present invention, the reduction in the flow rate of the alkaline electrolyzed water discharge conduit due to the adhesion of the scale is detected by a difference in the flow rate detected by the flow rate detection means before and after the polarity switching of the two electrode plates. Since the acidic electrolyzed water supply means operates automatically, the alkaline electrolyzed water extraction conduit can be washed at an appropriate time.

In the electrolyzed water generating apparatus according to the present invention, the acidic electrolyzed water supply means is provided in the electrolyzed chamber on the side where acidic electrolyzed water is generated in accordance with the polarity switching of the two electrode plates. A conduit is connected to the alkaline electrolyzed water extraction conduit.

The acidic electrolyzed water supply means is provided when the difference in the amount of raw water detected by each of the raw water supply amount detection means before and after the polarity switching of the two electrode plates exceeds a predetermined range. By connecting the electrolyzed water extraction conduit provided in the electrolysis chamber on the side where is generated to the alkaline electrolyzed water extraction conduit, acidic electrolyzed water generated in the electrolysis chamber is circulated through the alkaline electrolyzed water extraction conduit. . The acidic electrolyzed water supply means may supply the acidic electrolyzed water generated or stored in a place other than the electrolysis chamber to the alkaline electrolyzed water extraction conduit. Since the acidic electrolyzed water generated inside can be supplied to the alkaline electrolyzed water extraction conduit, the configuration of the apparatus can be simplified.

In the electrolyzed water generating apparatus according to the present invention, the flow rate detecting means may be any type that can detect a difference in flow rate in the electrolysis chamber before and after switching the polarity of the electrode plate. Detection means such as a pressure sensor for measuring pressure can be used. However, the flow rate detecting means is preferably the flow rate sensor because the flow rate can be directly grasped.

[0019]

Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram of the electrolyzed water generating apparatus of the present embodiment, FIGS. 2 and 3 are flowcharts showing one mode of operation of the electrolyzed water generating apparatus shown in FIG. 1, and FIGS. FIG. 6 is a graph showing a change in the supply amount of raw water to the chamber, and FIGS. 6 and 7 are flowcharts showing another mode of operation of the electrolyzed water generating apparatus shown in FIG.

As shown in FIG. 1, an electrolyzed water generating apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment includes an electrolyzer 2 which is connected to electrolyzers 4 and 5 opposed to each other via an ion-permeable diaphragm 3 by electrode plates. The electrode plates 6 and 7 are connected to a power supply device 8 whose polarity can be alternately switched.

Raw water supply conduits 9 and 10 for supplying a saline solution (aqueous sodium chloride solution) are connected to the electrolysis chambers 4 and 5, respectively. The raw water supply conduits 9 and 10 are combined on the upstream side to form a conduit 11, and the conduit 11 is connected via an electromagnetic valve 12 to a raw water supply source such as a water pipe (not shown). A predetermined amount of saline solution is supplied to the conduit 11 from a saline solution tank 13 by a metering pump 14, and a predetermined concentration of saline solution mixed in the conduit 11 is supplied to the raw water supply conduits 9 and 10.
To the respective electrolysis chambers 4 and 5.

Electrolytic water extraction conduits 15 and 16 for extracting acidic or alkaline electrolytic water generated by the electrolysis of the saline solution are connected to the electrolysis chambers 4 and 5, respectively. Is an acidic electrolyzed water extraction conduit 17,
An alkaline electrolyzed water extraction conduit 18 is connected to the three-way valve 1
They are connected via 9, 20. 21 is the power supply 8
Control means for controlling the polarity switching of the electrode plates 6 and 7 and the connection direction of the three-way valves 19 and 20 according to the polarity switching, and controlling the operations of the solenoid valve 12 and the metering pump 14.

The raw water supply conduits 9 and 10 detect the amount of raw water supplied to the respective electrolytic chambers 4 and 5 to detect
Flow sensor 2 for monitoring the flow rate in each of the electrolysis chambers 4 and 5
2 and 23 are provided and connected to the control means 21.

Next, a first mode of operation of the electrolyzed water generator 1 will be described with reference to FIGS.

When the electrolyzed water generator 1 is operated, the control means 21 first sets the flags f1, f2, and f2 as shown in FIG.
The value of f3 is set to 0 (step 1). Here, the flag f
1 is for selecting the polarity of the electrode plates 6 and 7 at the time of normal electrolysis for obtaining acidic electrolyzed water (hereinafter abbreviated as normal electrolysis), and the flag f2 is the polarity of the electrode plates 6 and 7 The flag f3 is used for determining whether or not to compare the flow rates of the raw water detected by the flow rate sensors 22 and 23 before and after the switching. , Washing electrolysis) to select the polarity of the electrode plates 6, 7.

Next, the control means 21 opens the solenoid valve 12 and operates the metering pump 14 (step).
2) The supply of the salt solution having a predetermined concentration mixed in the conduit 11 from the raw water supply conduits 9 and 10 to the respective electrolysis chambers 4 and 5 is started.
Then, a first timer for measuring the time for switching the polarities of the electrode plates 6 and 7 is set (step 3).

Next, the control means 21 determines the value of the flag f1 (step 4), and when the value of the flag f1 is 0, sets the electrode plate 6 to an anode and the electrode plate 7 to a cathode (step 5). In this case, acidic electrolyzed water is generated in the electrode chamber 4 and alkaline electrolyzed water is generated in the electrode chamber 5. Therefore, the control means 21 controls the three-way valve 19 to control the electrode chamber. 4 is connected to the acidic electrolyzed water extraction conduit 17 and the three-way valve 20 is controlled to connect the electrolyzed water extraction conduit 16 provided in the electrode chamber 5 to the alkaline electrolyzed water extraction conduit 18. Do (st
ep6).

Next, the control means 21 sets the value of the flag f1 to 1 to indicate that the electrode plate 6 is an anode and the electrode plate 7 is a cathode in the current normal electrolysis (step 7). A predetermined voltage is applied between the electrode plates 6 and 7 by 8 to start normal electrolysis of raw water continuously supplied to the electrolysis chambers 4 and 5 from the raw water conduits 9 and 10 (step 8).
When the normal electrolysis is started, the flow rate sensor 22 or the flow rate sensor 23 detects the flow rate Q of the raw water supplied to the electrolysis chambers 4 and 5.
(N) is measured and stored in the control means 21 (step
9).

Next, the control means 21 continues the normal electrolysis until the first timer expires. If the first timer expires (step 10), the control means 21 causes the power supply device 8 to energize the electrode plates 6 and 7. Stop Usually, electrolysis is stopped (step 11). Then, the control means 21 sets the flag f
The value of 2 is determined (step 12). In the first normal electrolysis, the flow rate cannot be compared because the flow rate of the previous raw water is still uncertain, so the value of the flag f2 is 0. Therefore, the control means 21 does not compare the flow rate of the raw water, and sets the value of the flag f2 to 1 in order to indicate that the flow rate needs to be compared at the next normal electrolysis (step 13).
The flow rate Q (n) is stored as Q (n-1) for use in comparison of the flow rate during the next normal electrolysis (step 1).
4) Then, the process returns to step 3.

The control means 21 resets the first timer in step 3, and then determines again the value of the flag f1 in step 4. The value of the flag f1 is set to st during the previous normal electrolysis.
Since it is set to 1 in ep7, the control means 21 uses the electrode plate 6 as a cathode and the electrode plate 7 as an anode this time (st
ep15). In this case, in contrast to the previous normal electrolysis, alkaline electrolyzed water is generated in the electrode chamber 4 and acidic electrolyzed water is generated in the electrode chamber 5.
Next, the three-way valve 20 was controlled to connect the electrolyzed water extraction conduit 15 provided in the electrode chamber 4 to the alkaline electrolyzed water extraction conduit 18, and the three-way valve 19 was controlled to be provided in the electrode chamber 5. The electrolytic water extraction conduit 16 is connected to the acidic electrolytic water extraction conduit 17 (step 16).

Next, the control means 21 sets the value of the flag f1 to 0 in order to indicate that the electrode plate 6 is the cathode and the electrode plate 7 is the anode in the current normal electrolysis, (step 17).
Thereafter, the operations of steps 8 to 11 are repeated. And
When the current normal electrolysis is stopped in step 11, the control unit 21 determines the value of the flag f2 (step 12).
However, since the value of the flag f2 is 1 in the second or subsequent normal electrolysis, the flow rate Q (n) of the raw water detected by the flow rate sensors 22 and 23 is compared with the previous flow rate Q (n-1). (Step 18). Then, the difference ΔQ (= Q (n) −Q (n) between the current flow rate Q (n) and the previous flow rate Q (n−1)
When the absolute value | ΔQ | of -1)) is smaller than the predetermined value Qs, it is determined that the adhesion of the scale to the alkaline electrolyzed water extraction conduit 18 is less than an allowable amount, and the flow rate Q
(N) is stored as Q (n-1) (step 14),
It returns to step3.

Then, the operations in steps 3 to 18 are repeated, and in step 18, it is determined that the absolute value | ΔQ | of the difference between the current flow rate Q (n) and the previous flow rate Q (n-1) is equal to or greater than a predetermined value Qs. Until the normal electrolysis is continued, the polarity of the electrode plates 6 and 7 is switched every time measured by the first timer.

FIG. 4 shows a temporal change of the flow rate Q (n) of the raw water detected by the flow rate sensors 22 and 23 when the scale is not attached to the alkaline electrolyzed water extraction conduit 18. In the case shown in FIG. 4, the first timer is set to time up in 20 minutes, that is, the polarities of the electrode plates 6 and 7 are switched at intervals of 20 minutes. However, in the case of FIG. 4, since the scale is not attached to the alkaline electrolyzed water extraction conduit 18, there is almost no difference between the flow rate of the acidic electrolyzed water extraction conduit 17 and the flow rate of the alkaline electrolyzed water extraction conduit 18. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 4, it is difficult to recognize a clear relationship between the polarity switching t of the electrode plates 6 and 7 and the fluctuation of the flow rate Q.

However, if the scale adheres to the alkaline electrolyzed water extraction conduit 18 while the normal electrolysis by the operations of steps 3 to 18 is repeated, the alkaline electrolyzed water extraction conduit 17 is compared with the flow rate of the acidic electrolyzed water extraction conduit 17. Since the flow rate of 18 is reduced, the supply amount of raw water to the electrolytic chamber on the cathode side connected to the alkaline electrolyzed water extraction conduit 18 is reduced. As a result, as shown in FIG.
7, there is a clear correlation between the polarity change t and the change in the flow rate, and before and after the polarity change t, the flow rate between the current flow rate Q (n) and the previous flow rate Q (n-1) is changed. Large difference Δ
Q occurs.

Then, when the absolute value | ΔQ | of the difference between the current flow rate Q (n) and the previous flow rate Q (n-1) becomes equal to or greater than a predetermined value Qs in step 18, the control means 21 sets the alkaline electrolyzed water As shown in FIG. 3, a second timer for measuring the time of the washing electrolysis for dissolving and removing the scale adhered to the alkaline electrolyzed water extraction conduit 18 as judged that the adhesion of the scale to the extraction conduit 18 has exceeded the allowable amount. Is set (step 19).

Next, the control means 21 judges the value of the flag f3 (step 20). When the value of the flag f3 is 0, the electrode plate 6 is used as a cathode and the electrode plate 7 is used as an anode (step 21). By doing so, alkaline electrolyzed water is generated in the electrode chamber 4 and acidic electrolyzed water is generated in the electrode chamber 5.
By controlling the three-way valve 19 to connect the electrolytic water extraction conduit 15 provided in the electrode chamber 4 to the acidic electrolytic water extraction conduit 17,
The three-way valve 20 is controlled to connect the electrolytic water extraction conduit 16 provided in the electrode chamber 5 to the alkaline electrolytic water extraction conduit 18 (step 22). Next, the control means 21 sets the value of the flag f3 to 1 to indicate that the electrode plate 6 is a cathode and the electrode plate 7 is an anode in this cleaning electrolysis (step).
23) After that, a predetermined voltage is applied between the electrode plates 6 and 7 by the power supply device 8, and the raw water conduits 9 and 10 are connected to the electrolysis chambers 4 and
To start washing electrolysis of raw water continuously supplied to (st
ep24).

When the washing electrolysis is started, alkaline electrolyzed water is generated in the electrolysis chamber 4 as described above, and
Then, acidic electrolyzed water is generated. Then, the acidic electrolyzed water generated in the electrolysis chamber 5 is supplied to the alkaline electrolyzed water extraction conduit 18 from the electrolyzed water extraction conduit 16, and the scale attached to the alkaline electrolyzed water extraction conduit 18 is dissolved and removed in the acidic electrolyzed water. Is done.

The cleaning electrolysis is continued until the second timer expires, and when the second timer expires (step 25), the electrode plates 6, 7 by the power supply device 8 are operated.
To stop the cleaning electrolysis (step 2).
6). The duration of the washing electrolysis by the second timer is set to a time sufficient for the scale to be dissolved and removed from the acidic electrolyzed water.

Then, the control means 21 sets the value of the flag f2 to 0 (step 27) to indicate that the flow rate of the raw water cannot be compared in the next normal electrolysis as in the first normal electrolysis (step 27), and Return to. Thereafter, the operations of steps 3 to 18 shown in FIG. 2 are repeated again, and the current flow rate Q (n) and the previous flow rate Q
The normal electrolysis is continued until it is determined that the absolute value | ΔQ | of the difference from (n-1) is equal to or greater than a predetermined value Qs.

Next, the control means 21 determines in step 18 that the absolute value | ΔQ | of the difference between the current flow rate Q (n) and the previous flow rate Q (n-1) is equal to or greater than a predetermined value Qs. , FIG.
At step 19 shown, the second timer is reset, and the control means 21 determines the value of the flag f3 (step 20). Since the value of the flag f3 is set to 1 in step 23 at the time of the previous washing electrolysis, the control means 21 uses the electrode plate 6 as an anode and the electrode plate 7 as a cathode this time (step 28).
In this case, the acidic electrolyzed water is generated in the electrode chamber 4 and the alkaline electrolyzed water is generated in the electrode chamber 5, contrary to the previous cleaning electrolysis. The valve 20 is controlled to connect the electrolytic water extraction conduit 15 provided in the electrode chamber 4 to the alkaline electrolytic water extraction conduit 18, and the three-way valve 19 is controlled to connect the electrolytic water extraction conduit 16 provided in the electrode chamber 5. Connect to the acidic electrolyzed water extraction conduit 17 (s
step29).

Next, the control means 21 sets the value of the flag f3 to 0 in order to indicate that the electrode plate 6 is an anode and the electrode plate 7 is a cathode in the current washing electrolysis (step 30).
Thereafter, by repeating the operations of steps 24 to 26, the acidic electrolyzed water generated in the electrolysis chamber 4 is supplied from the electrolyzed water extraction conduit 15 to the alkaline electrolyzed water extraction conduit 18, and the scale adhered to the alkaline electrolyzed water extraction conduit 18 Is dissolved and removed in the acidic electrolyzed water. When the washing electrolysis is completed, the control unit 21 sets the value of the flag f2 to 0 (step 27), and returns to step 3.

In the present embodiment, the polarity of the electrode plates 6 and 7 is alternately switched in the cleaning electrolysis, thereby preventing the scale from adhering to the electrode plates 6 and 7 due to the cleaning electrolysis. .

Next, a second mode of operation of the electrolyzed water generator 1 will be described with reference to FIGS.

In this embodiment, steps 1 to 18 in FIG.
Is the same operation as the normal electrolysis in steps 1 to 18 in FIG. In this embodiment, the control means 21
In step 18, the current flow rate Q (n) and the previous flow rate Q (n)
-1) is compared with a predetermined value Qs. When the absolute value | ΔQ | of the difference is smaller than Qs, a variable Cn for counting is used as shown in FIG. Is set to 0 (step 19), and the process returns to step 14. When the absolute value | ΔQ | of the difference is equal to or larger than Qs, the control unit 21 sets the value of the variable Cn for counting to a value (Cn + 1) obtained by adding 1 to the previous value (step 2).
0), and then compares the variable Cn with a predetermined value C (step
p21). When the variable Cn is smaller than the predetermined value C, the process returns to step 14.

On the other hand, when the variable Cn is equal to or more than the predetermined value C in step 21, the process proceeds to step 22 in FIG. Steps 22 to 33 in FIG. 7 correspond to steps 19 to 30 in FIG.
Since the operation is the same as that of the washing electrolysis, the description is omitted. In the present embodiment, the control unit 21 performs steps 22 to 33 in FIG.
When the cleaning electrolysis is completed in step 3, the value of the variable Cn is set to 0 (step 34), and the process returns to step 3 in FIG.

According to this embodiment, in normal electrolysis, when the absolute value | ΔQ | of the difference between the current flow rate Q (n) and the previous flow rate Q (n-1) becomes equal to or greater than the predetermined value Qs, Instead of immediately performing the washing electrolysis, the number of times the absolute value | ΔQ | of the difference becomes equal to or more than a predetermined value Qs is counted as a variable Cn,
The cleaning electrolysis is performed only when the predetermined number C is reached. Therefore, it is possible to reliably detect the adhesion of the scale to the alkaline electrolytic water discharge conduit 18 by eliminating error factors such as measurement errors of the flow sensors 22 and 23.

In this embodiment, the raw water supply conduits 9, 1
0, flow rate sensors 22 and 23 are provided to detect the flow rate of raw water supplied to the electrolysis chambers 4 and 5 at the inlet side of the electrolysis chambers 4 and 5. The flow rates of the electrolyzed water generated in the electrolysis chambers 4 and 5 may be detected at the outlets of the electrolysis chambers 4 and 5.

In this embodiment, the flow rate in the electrolysis chambers 4 and 5 is detected by the flow rate sensors 22 and 23. However, it is apparent that only one of the flow rate sensors 22 and 23 functions sufficiently. Therefore, only one of them may be provided. In this embodiment, the flow rate difference between before and after the polarity switching of the electrode plates 6 and 7 is detected by the flow rate sensors 22 and 23. May be compared. The flow sensor 2
A pressure sensor may be used instead of 2 and 23.

Further, in this embodiment, the three-way valves 19, 2
Although the connection is switched by 0, a four-way valve may be used instead of the three-way valves 19 and 20, or a combination of other types of valves such as a combination of a plurality of two-way valves may be used.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram showing one embodiment of an electrolyzed water generation device of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing one mode of operation of the electrolyzed water generation device shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing one mode of operation of the electrolyzed water generating apparatus shown in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a graph showing a change in the supply amount of raw water to the electrolytic chamber shown in FIG.

FIG. 5 is a graph showing a change in the supply amount of raw water to the electrolytic chamber shown in FIG.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing another mode of operation of the electrolyzed water generating apparatus shown in FIG.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing another mode of operation of the electrolyzed water generating apparatus shown in FIG.

FIG. 8 is a system configuration diagram showing an example of a conventional electrolyzed water generation device.

[Explanation of symbols]

1: electrolyzed water generator, 2: electrolyzer, 3: diaphragm,
4,5 ... electrolysis chamber, 6,7 ... electrode plate, 9,10 ... raw water supply means, 15,16 ... electrolytic water take-out conduit, 17 ... acidic electrolytic water take-out conduit, 18 ... alkali electrolytic water take-out conduit, 22,23 ... Flow detecting means (flow sensor).

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Tsuyoshi Muto 1-4-1 Chuo, Wako-shi, Saitama Inside of Honda R & D Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Hiroshi Matsuoka 1-4-1 Jomi, Chuo-ku, Osaka-shi, Osaka No. 24, NEC Home Electronics Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Masato Sakakura 1-4-24, Shiromi, Chuo-ku, Osaka, Osaka NEC Home Electronics Co., Ltd.

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A method according to claim 1, wherein said first and second electrodes are opposed to each other via an ion-permeable diaphragm.
And an electrolyzer for alternately switching the polarity of first and second electrode plates provided in each electrolysis chamber, and first and second electrolyzers for supplying raw water containing an electrolyte to each electrolysis chamber. A raw water supply means provided in each of the electrolysis chambers for extracting acidic or alkaline electrolyzed water generated by electrolyzing raw water supplied to each electrolysis chamber by energizing the first and second electrode plates. First
And a second electrolyzed water extraction conduit, connected to the electrolyzed water extraction conduit provided in the electrolysis chamber on the side where acidic electrolyzed water is generated in accordance with the polarity switching of the two electrode plates, and the acidic electrolyzed water is extracted through the conduit. An acidic electrolyzed water extraction conduit for extracting electrolyzed water, connected to the electrolyzed water extraction conduit provided in the electrolysis chamber on the side where alkaline electrolyzed water is generated in accordance with the polarity switching of the two electrode plates, and an alkaline An electrolytic electrolytic water extracting conduit for extracting electrolytic water, and an electrolytic electrolytic water supply means for supplying acidic electrolytic water to the alkaline electrolytic water extracting conduit when removing scale attached to the alkaline electrolytic water extracting conduit. In the water generation device, a flow rate detection unit that detects a flow rate in at least one of the electrolysis chambers is provided, and the acidic electrolyzed water supply unit includes:
An electrolyzed water generating apparatus, which operates when a difference between flow rates detected by the flow rate detecting means before and after the polarity switching of the two electrode plates becomes equal to or more than a predetermined range. 2. The acidic electrolyzed water supply means includes: an electrolyzed water extraction conduit provided in an electrolysis chamber on a side where acidic electrolyzed water is generated in accordance with polarity switching of both electrode plates; The electrolyzed water generation device according to claim 1, wherein the device is connected. 3. An electrolyzed water generating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said flow rate detecting means is a flow rate sensor for measuring a flow rate in at least one of said electrolytic chambers.