JP2015178061A - Electrolyzed water generator - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an electrolyzed water generator capable of efficiently dissolving a gas generated at an electrode in electrolyzed water. An electrolyzed water generator including a chlorine gas dissolution unit having a flow path for bringing hypochlorite water and chlorine gas into contact with acidic electrolyzed water. [Selection diagram] Fig. 1

Description

  Embodiments described herein relate generally to an electrolyzed water generating apparatus.

  Examples of techniques for utilizing electrolyzed water having various functions by electrolyzing water include alkaline ionized water, ozone water, and hypochlorous acid water. Of these, hypochlorous acid water has excellent sterilizing power, is safe for the human body, and is also approved as a food additive.

  As an apparatus for generating hypochlorous acid water, there is an apparatus having a three-chamber electrolytic cell. This is because salt water flows in the intermediate chamber, an anode chamber composed of an anion exchange membrane and an anode and a cathode chamber composed of a cation exchange membrane and a cathode are arranged on the left and right of the intermediate chamber, and water flows through the anode chamber and the cathode chamber. Electrolyzes salt water in the intermediate chamber at the cathode and anode to produce hypochlorous acid water as acidic electrolyzed water from chlorine gas generated at the anode, and generates sodium hydroxide aqueous solution as alkaline electrolyzed water in the cathode chamber It is.

  Hypochlorous acid water is used as sterilizing water, and sodium hydroxide aqueous solution is used as cleaning water.

  However, in the electrolytic treatment performed by increasing the current density, the hypochlorous acid water is often discharged in a state where the chlorine gas is not sufficiently dissolved, and the chlorine gas that has not been dissolved is released as it is.

Japanese Patent No. 3500173

  Embodiments of the present invention provide an electrolyzed water generating apparatus having a three-chamber electrolytic cell, which can efficiently dissolve gas generated at an electrode in electrolyzed water.

According to the embodiment, an anode chamber having an anode electrode, an intermediate chamber partitioned from the anode chamber by an anion exchange membrane, and a cathode chamber having a cathode electrode partitioned from the intermediate chamber by a cation exchange membrane are included. An electrolytic cell;
An electrolyte aqueous solution line for supplying an electrolyte aqueous solution containing inorganic chloride to the intermediate chamber;
A water supply line for supplying water to each of the anode chamber and the cathode chamber;
An acidic electrolyzed water line for extracting hypochlorous acid water and chlorine gas from the anode chamber;
An alkaline electrolyzed water line for extracting alkaline electrolyzed water from the cathode chamber;
There is provided an electrolyzed water generating apparatus comprising a chlorine gas dissolving unit for dissolving the chlorine gas in the hypochlorous acid water.

It is a figure showing the structure of the electrolyzed water generating apparatus concerning 1st Embodiment. It is a figure showing the 1st example of the chlorine gas melt | dissolution unit used for embodiment. It is a figure showing the 2nd example of the chlorine gas melt | dissolution unit used for embodiment. It is a figure showing the structure of the electrolyzed water generating apparatus concerning 2nd Embodiment. It is a figure showing the 3rd example of the chlorine gas melt | dissolution unit used for embodiment. It is a figure showing the 4th example of the chlorine gas melt | dissolution unit used for embodiment.

  Hereinafter, embodiments will be described with reference to the drawings.

  Drawing 1 shows the figure showing the composition of the electrolyzed water generating device concerning a 1st embodiment.

  As shown in the figure, this electrolyzed water generating apparatus 50 is a three-chamber electrolytic cell comprising three chambers: an anode chamber 54, a cathode chamber 55, and an intermediate chamber 51 provided between the anode chamber 54 and the cathode chamber 55. 58. The intermediate chamber 51 includes a saturated saline reservoir 61 that stores a saturated saline 65 and a residual salt 66 that is the inorganic chloride as an aqueous electrolyte solution containing an inorganic chloride, a salt circulation pump 62, and a saline supply line 69. It is connected to the provided saturated saline circulation system 63, and a substantially saturated saline 65 is always supplied. On the other hand, the anode chamber 54 and the cathode chamber 55 are connected to a water supply system 64, and new water is always supplied. The intermediate chamber 51 and the anode chamber 54 are partitioned by an anion exchange membrane 52, and the intermediate chamber 51 and the cathode chamber 55 are partitioned by a cation exchange membrane 53. The anode chamber 54 is provided with an anode electrode 56, and the cathode chamber 55 is provided with a cathode electrode 57, to which positive and negative voltages are respectively applied.

  In the anode chamber 54, the chlorine ions in the intermediate chamber 51 are pulled by the anode electrode 56, pass through the anion exchange membrane 52, move to the anode chamber 54, pass electrons through the anode electrode 56, become chlorine gas, Reacts to produce hypochlorous acid and hydrochloric acid. The acidic electrolyzed water containing hypochlorous acid and hydrochloric acid is taken out through the acidic electrolyzed water line 67 together with chlorine gas that cannot be dissolved in the acidic electrolyzed water.

  In the cathode chamber 55, sodium ions in the intermediate chamber 51 are pulled by the cathode electrode 57, pass through the cation exchange membrane 53 and move to the cathode chamber 55, and hydrogen ions whose water is decomposed at the cathode electrode 57 receive electrons. Into hydrogen gas, producing sodium hydroxide. This aqueous solution of sodium hydroxide is taken out through the alkaline electrolyzed water line 71 as alkaline electrolyzed water. By providing the gas-liquid separation unit 72 in the alkaline electrolyzed water line 71, hydrogen gas can be discharged from the alkaline electrolyzed water line 71 to the outside.

  The chlorine gas generated at the anode electrode 56 tends not to dissolve in water as soon as the generation amount increases, and tends to grow into bubbles in the pipe 67. The bubbles of chlorine gas that grow to a visible size have a small surface area with respect to their volume, are often dissolved in water and released into the atmosphere as they are without being converted into hypochlorous acid. Generation efficiency is difficult to increase.

  On the other hand, in the embodiment, for example, by further providing a chlorine gas dissolution unit 70 at the rear stage of the acidic electrolyzed water line 67 led out from the anode chamber 54, the chlorine gas generated at the anode electrode 56 is sufficiently dissolved in water. Thus, a stable concentration of hypochlorous acid water can be obtained efficiently. The obtained hypochlorous acid water can be taken out through a line 68 led out from the chlorine gas dissolving unit 70.

  Examples of the inorganic chloride used in the embodiment include sodium chloride and potassium chloride. In this case, as the alkaline electrolyzed water, a sodium hydroxide aqueous solution and a potassium hydroxide aqueous solution are obtained, respectively.

  In FIG. 2, the figure showing the 1st example of the chlorine gas melt | dissolution unit used for embodiment is shown.

  The chlorine gas dissolving unit 70 is connected to an acidic electrolyzed water line 67 led out from the anode chamber 54. Chlorine gas and acidic electrolyzed water are taken out through the acidic electrolyzed water line 67 and introduced into the chlorine gas dissolving unit 70. The chlorine gas dissolving unit 70 includes a mesh 76 provided at the introduction port for destroying giant bubbles in the acidic electrolyzed water, and a flow path 77 arranged in a bellows shape for bringing the bubbles into contact with the acidic electrolyzed water and increasing the time for dissolution. And. Accordingly, it is possible to take time for the bubbles to dissolve, to generate turbulent flow by making the curved portion of the bellows an acute angle, and to take out the acidic electrolyzed water in which chlorine gas is dissolved by the line 68 so that the bubbles are broken and stirred. it can.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 1, a branch line 74 of an alkaline electrolyzed water line 71 for taking out sodium hydroxide water generated in the cathode chamber 55 is connected to the line 67. By controlling the opening and closing of the valve 75 provided in the branch line 74, the amount of sodium hydroxide added to the acidic electrolyzed water introduced from the anode chamber 54 is adjusted, and the pH is changed to about 5-6. When it is made to flow into the chlorine gas dissolution unit, the chlorine gas dissolution effect can be improved. Alternatively, instead of sodium hydroxide, a buffer solution composed of a mixture of weakly acidic electrolyzed water and its salt can be supplied from another unit.

  This is because, when the acidity is less than pH 5, a part of hypochlorous acid shifts in the direction of generating chlorine gas in an equilibrium reaction, so that hypochlorous acid is the most stable pH = 5, or at least This is to promote the dissolution of chlorine gas by setting the pH to a neutral side from pH 5 at which an equilibrium reaction to hypochlorite ions that do not vaporize occurs.

  In addition, although the flow path put together in the shape of a bellows was used in FIG. 2, the shape of a flow path is not limited to a bellows shape, if a bubble can be made to contact acidic electrolyzed water and the time to melt | dissolve can be earned. For example, when the diameter of the pipe of the acidic electrolyzed water line 67 is 10 mm, the diameter of the pipe of the flow path is set to 15 mm larger than the diameter of the pipe of the acidic electrolyzed water line 67, so that the acidic electrolysis in the chlorine gas dissolving unit is performed. It is also possible to lengthen the water residence time.

  For example, a mesh made of Teflon (registered trademark) having a porosity of 40% and having a hole having a diameter of 1.0 mm can be used as the mesh. If the mesh exceeds 2 mm in diameter, the effect of cutting bubbles tends to be small, and if the diameter is 0.1 mm or less, the flow rate tends to be restricted.

  FIG. 3 shows a second example of the chlorine gas dissolving unit used in the embodiment.

  However, FIG. 3 shows a state in which the channel 77 of the chlorine gas dissolving unit is viewed from the direction A in FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the chlorine gas dissolving unit 81 according to the second example effectively flows the piezoelectric element 43 that generates ultrasonic waves and the ultrasonic waves generated by the piezoelectric elements in order to enhance the effect of the chlorine gas dissolving unit. The chlorine gas dissolution unit shown in FIG. 2 is provided except that an ultrasonic wave application component 44 composed of a horn 42 for applying to the acidic electrolyzed water in the passage is provided facing a horizontal surface in the direction in which the flow passage 77 meanders. The configuration is the same as that of 70. In the chlorine gas melting unit 81, the ultrasonic wave application component 44 and the flow path 77 are joined so that the ultrasonic wave is not reflected. Bubbles in the acidic electrolyzed water flowing through the chlorine gas dissolving unit 81 according to the second example are broken by the ultrasonic cavity, and the chlorine gas comes into contact with and is dispersed in the acidic electrolyzed water.

  As described above, by providing the chlorine gas dissolution units 70 and 81 in the subsequent stage of the anode chamber 54, it is possible to avoid the hypochlorous acid production efficiency deterioration due to the chlorine gas insoluble.

  In the chlorine gas melting units 70 and 81, the mesh 76 can be used arbitrarily and can be removed as necessary.

  In FIG. 4, the figure showing the structure of the electrolyzed water generating apparatus concerning 2nd Embodiment is shown.

  As shown in the figure, this electrolyzed water generating apparatus 80 is shown in the figure except that the acidic electrolyzed water line 67 is not connected to a branch line 74 and a valve 75 for introducing sodium hydroxide water generated in the cathode chamber 55. 1 has the same structure as that of the electrolyzed water generator 50.

  In FIG. 4, a chlorine gas dissolving unit 81 shown in FIG. 3 can be used instead of the chlorine gas dissolving unit 70.

  Alternatively, in FIG. 4, instead of the chlorine gas dissolving unit 70, as shown in FIG. 5, a strainer 1 is provided between the acidic electrolyzed water line 67 and the line 68 as the chlorine gas dissolving unit 82 according to the third example. be able to. The strainer 1 includes a Y-shaped casing 2 composed of a main pipeline 3 and a cylindrical secondary pipeline 5, and a cylindrical mesh 6 having a mesh of about 0.2 mm in diameter inserted into the secondary pipeline 5. And flows through the flow path represented by the arrow 7. The large area of the cylindrical mesh breaks and dissolves the bubbles without hindering the flow rate.

  Alternatively, in FIG. 4, instead of the chlorine gas dissolving unit 70, as shown in FIG. 6, a chlorine gas dissolving unit 83 according to the fourth example is a piezoelectric that generates ultrasonic waves on the acidic electrolyzed water line 67. It is possible to provide an ultrasonic wave application component 44 including an element 43 and a horn 42 for effectively applying ultrasonic waves generated by the piezoelectric element to the acidic electrolyzed water in the flow path. The chlorine gas dissolving unit 83 has the same configuration as the chlorine gas dissolving unit 81 of FIG. 3 except that the flow path 77, the mesh 41, and the line 68 are not provided.

  Even when the chlorine gas dissolving unit 82 and the chlorine gas dissolving unit 83 are used, the chlorine gas can be dissolved in contact with the acidic electrolyzed water.

  Furthermore, in FIG. 1, a chlorine gas melting unit 82 or a chlorine gas melting unit 83 can be used instead of the chlorine gas melting unit 70.

  In FIGS. 2, 3 and 5, the mesh is provided at one place, but it may be provided at several places in the chlorine gas dissolving unit as required.

  Note that the embodiment of the present invention may be modified in form as long as the above-described effects are not impaired. For example, the means for dissolving chlorine gas may promote bubble dissolution not only by the bellows-shaped flow path, mesh or ultrasonic wave but also by other means such as a pressure difference.

  Further, the electrolytic solution may be other than salt, and the generated electrolytic water may be electrolytic water other than hypochlorous acid.

  Although several embodiments of the present invention have been described, these embodiments are presented by way of example and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These novel embodiments can be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, replacements, and changes can be made without departing from the scope of the invention. These embodiments and modifications thereof are included in the scope and gist of the invention, and are included in the invention described in the claims and the equivalents thereof.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Strainer, 42 ... Horn, 43 ... Piezoelectric element, 44 ... Ultrasonic application component, 50, 80 ... Electrolyzed water production | generation apparatus, 51 ... Intermediate | middle chamber, 52, 53 ... Ion exchange membrane, 54 ... Anode chamber, 55 ... Cathode Chamber 56 ... Anode electrode 57 ... Cathode electrode 58 ... Three-chamber electrolytic cell 61 ... Saturated saline reservoir 62 ... Salt water circulation pump 63 ... Water supply system 69 ... Saline supply line 70, 81, 82 83 ... Chlorine gas dissolution unit, 76 ... Mesh, 77 ... Flow path

Claims (14)

An anode chamber having an anode electrode, an intermediate chamber partitioned from the anode chamber by an anion exchange membrane, and an electrolytic cell including a cathode chamber having a cathode electrode partitioned from the intermediate chamber by a cation exchange membrane;
An electrolyte aqueous solution supply line for supplying an electrolyte aqueous solution containing inorganic chloride to the intermediate chamber;
A water supply line for supplying water to each of the anode chamber and the cathode chamber;
An acidic electrolyzed water line for extracting hypochlorous acid water and chlorine gas from the anode chamber;
An alkaline electrolyzed water line for extracting alkaline electrolyzed water from the cathode chamber;
An electrolyzed water generating apparatus comprising: a chlorine gas dissolving unit for dissolving the chlorine gas in the hypochlorous acid water.   The electrolyzed water generating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the chlorine gas dissolving unit is provided in a subsequent stage of the acidic electrolyzed water line.   The electrolyzed water generating apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the chlorine gas dissolving unit has a flow path through which the hypochlorous acid water and the chlorine gas flow together.   4. The electrolyzed water generating apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the flow path has a bellows shape, and bubbles are broken and agitated by generating a turbulent flow with a bent portion of the bellows being an acute angle.   The electrolyzed water generating apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the chlorine gas dissolving unit has a mesh that reduces bubbles of the chlorine gas.   The electrolyzed water generating apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the mesh has a mesh having a diameter of 2 mm to 0.1 mm.   The electrolyzed water generating apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the chlorine gas dissolving unit includes an ultrasonic wave application device that breaks bubbles of the chlorine gas.   The electrolyzed water generating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the chlorine gas dissolving unit further includes a pH adjusting mechanism.   The electrolyzed water generating apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the pH adjusting mechanism has a mechanism for mixing the alkaline electrolyzed water with the hypochlorous acid water.   The electrolyzed water generation according to claim 9, wherein the mechanism for mixing the alkaline electrolyzed water with the hypochlorous acid water is a branch line introduced from the alkaline electrolyzed water line to the acidic electrolyzed water line. apparatus.   The electrolyzed water generating apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the pH adjusting mechanism is a mechanism for mixing a pH buffer solution.   The electrolyzed water generating apparatus according to any one of claims 8 to 11, wherein the pH adjusting mechanism changes the pH of the hypochlorous acid water to 5 or more. An electrolytic cell including an anode chamber having an anode electrode, an intermediate chamber partitioned from the anode chamber by an anion exchange membrane, and a cathode chamber having a cathode electrode partitioned from the intermediate chamber by a cation exchange membrane,
Supplying an aqueous electrolyte solution containing inorganic chloride to the intermediate chamber through an aqueous electrolyte solution supply line;
Supplying water to each of the anode chamber and the cathode chamber through a water supply line;
Hypochlorous acid water and chlorine gas are taken out from the anode chamber through an acidic electrolyzed water line,
Taking out alkaline electrolyzed water from the cathode chamber through an alkaline electrolyzed water line,
A method for producing electrolyzed water comprising introducing the hypochlorous acid water and chlorine gas into a chlorine gas dissolving unit and dissolving the chlorine gas in the hypochlorous acid water.   Electrolyzed water obtained by the method according to claim 13.

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