WO2003037802A1

WO2003037802A1 - A water purifier using electrolysis

Info

Publication number: WO2003037802A1
Application number: PCT/KR2002/002038
Authority: WO
Inventors: Songsik Kang
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2001-11-02
Filing date: 2002-11-01
Publication date: 2003-05-08
Anticipated expiration: 2004-05-02
Also published as: KR20030037063A; CN1297495C; CN1608033A; KR100419536B1; JP3820248B2; JP2005507314A

Abstract

An electrolyzing water purifier is disclosed, in which three different electrolyzed waters can be obtained, and the mildly alkaline water of them contains much of active hydrogen regardless of the quality of the incoming raw water by electrolyzing the incoming water twice to remove the active oxygen, the active oxygen being pathogenetic for all kinds of illness.

Description

A WATER PURIFIER USING ELECTROLYSIS

Background Art

The present invention relates to an electrolyzing water purifier in which mildly alkaline water containing much of active hydrogen can be obtained regardless of the quality of the incoming water by electrolyzing the incoming water twice to remove active oxygen, the active oxygen being pathogenetic for all kinds of illness.

Discussion of Related Art

The active oxygen which is pathogenetic for all kinds of illness refers to the chemically active oxygen, i.e., the oxygen particularly strong in its oxidizing actions. That is, this active oxygen oxidizes the cells or genes of the human body to cause all kinds of illness.

However, the normal oxygen oxidizes the ingested food to produce materials or energy so as to maintain the living organism, but the oxygen is reduced into the active oxygen by the ingested food. Thus the active oxygen is continuously produced within the human body.

Accordingly, if the continuously produced active oxygen is to be removed, the strongly reduction-capable active hydrogen has to be supplied, and this active hydrogen can be supplied from the alkaline water which is obtained by electrolyzing the normal water.

Therefore, a water purifier has been developed in which an electrolysis is carried out to furnish a mildly alkaline water of pH 7.4 ~ 8.5. The usual structure of this water purifier consists of a water-purifying part and an electrolyzing part.

The electrolyzing part includes: an anode plate 1 and two cathode plates 2 and 3 (thereby forming three electrode chambers); and two isolating membranes 4 and 5 respectively disposed between the three electrodes, only ions of the water being passable through the isolating membranes. The two cathode chambers produce a strongly alkaline water (pH 9 ~ 10) and a mildly alkaline water (pH 7.4~ 8.5), while the anode chamber produces an acidic water (pH 4 — 5). Of the three kinds of the water, only the mildly alkaline water is used as drinking water.

This reaction occurs based on the following principle. That is, during the electrolysis, the anions of chlorine, sulfuric acid and sulfur move to the anode plate 1 to be discharged together with the anodic electrolyzed water. Meanwhile, hydroxyl ions (OH-) lose their electrons (e-) to the anode to cause oxidizing reactions so as to form oxygen molecules (O₂), and therefore, the anodic electrolyzed water has a high concentration of hydrogen ions, thereby becoming acidic. On the other hand, the mineral cations such as calcium, magnesium and potassium move to the cathode plates 2 and 3 to lose their charges so as to be dissolved into the water again, and so as to be discharged together with the cathodic electrolyzed water. At the same time, the hydrogen ions (Ii ) gain electrons (e-) to become active hydrogen, and therefore, the cathodic electrolyzed water has a low concentration of hydrogen ions (H*) (lower than the normal water) so as to become alkaline, while its oxidation-reduction potential also becomes low. However, in this conventional water purifier, the raw water is electrolyzed only once in producing the three kinds of water including the strongly alkaline water, the mildly alkaline water and the acidic water. Accordingly, the concentration of the hydrogen ions near the cathode is not constant depending on the incoming raw water, the cations are not sufficiently removed, and it is difficult to lower the oxidation-reduction potential, resulting in that the mildly alkaline water cannot be profusely obtained.

Summary of the Invention

The present invention is intended to overcome the above described disadvantages of the conventional technique. Therefore it is an object of the present invention to provide an electrolyzing water purifier in which the mildly alkaline water profusely containing the active hydrogen can be plentifully obtained in a stable manner.

In achieving the above object, the electrolyzing water purifier according to the present invention is characterized in that: two different electrolyzing parts are provided; a first electrolyzing part separates an incoming raw water into an alkaline water and an acidic water within two electrode chambers; a second electrolyzing part further electrolyzes the alkaline water of the first electrolyzing part to produce a mildly alkaline water having a high concentration active hydrogen for drinking, to produce a strongly alkaline water for article wash, and to produce an acidic water for face wash.

Brief Description of the Attached Drawings

The above object and other advantages of the present invention will become more apparent by describing in detail the preferred embodiments of the present invention with reference to the attached drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing the constitution of the water purifier according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a partial sectional view of the first electrolyzing part of the water purifier according to the present invention; FIG. 3 is a partial sectional view of the second electrolyzing part of the water purifier according to the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing the constitution of another embodiment of the water purifier according to the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a flow chart showing the procedure of producing the electrolyzed ionic water in the water purifier according to the present invention; and FIG. 6 is a sectional view of the conventional water purifier.

Detailed Description of Preferred Embodiment

Now the present invention will be described in detail referring to the attached drawings.

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing the constitution of the water purifier according to the present invention. As shown in this drawing, the water purifier according to the present invention includes: an electrolyzing part for electrolyzing an incoming raw water to produce an electrolyzed ionic water; and a purifying part for removing foreign materials, organic materials, rusts, chlorine and odors from the water. The electrolyzing part of the water purifier according to the present invention further includes: a first electrolyzing part 10 for forming an alkaline water and an acidic water; and a second electrolyzing part 20 for further electrolyzing the alkaline water of the first electrolyzing part 10 to produce a strongly alkaline water, a mildly alkaline water and an acidic water.

The first electrolyzing part 10 of the electrolyzing part includes: a positive electrode (anode) 11, a negative electrode (cathode) 12 and an isolating membrane 14 for allowing the passing of only ions, thereby forming two electrode chambers. The second electrolyzing part 20 includes: a positive electrode (anode) 21, two negative electrodes (cathodes) 22 and 23, and two isolating membranes 24 and 25 disposed between the mentioned electrodes 21, 22 and 23, thereby forming three electrode chambers.

Meanwhile, the purifying part includes various filters 30 for removing any foreign materials, organic materials, rusts, chlorine and odors. The purifying part is disposed upstream of the electrolyzing part to purify the water before electrolyzing it. However, it can be installed downstream of the electrolyzing part, or two of it can be installed upstream and downstream of the electrolyzing part respectively.

The procedure of forming the electrolyzed ionic water will now be described.

First, if the water which has been purified by the purifying part 2 flows through an inlet 16 into the first electrolyzing part 10, then a power is supplied to both the positive electrode 11 and the negative electrode 12. As a result, an acidic water is formed within the first electrode chamber between the positive electrode 11 and the isolating membrane 14 to be discharged through an acidic water outlet 17, while an alkaline water is formed within the second electrode chamber to be discharged through an inlet 18 of the second electrolyzing part 20.

Thereafter, the alkaline water which has been introduced is turned into an acidic water within the space between the positive electrode 21 and the isolating membrane 24, because a power is supplied to the positive electrode 21 and the negative electrodes 22 and 23. This acidic water is merged with the acidic water of the first electrolyzing part 10 to be discharged through a face wash water outlet 27. A strongly alkaline water is formed between the isolating membrane 24 and the negative electrode 22 and between the electrode 22 and the isolating membrane 25 to be discharged through an article wash water outlet 28. A mildly alkaline water is formed within the third electrode chamber between the isolating membrane 25 and the negative electrode 23 to be discharged through a drinking water outlet 29.

Under this condition, the three kinds (strongly alkaline water, mildly alkaline water and acidic water) of the electrolyzed ionic water have different utilities respectively.

Within the first electrode chamber of the positive electrode 11 of the first electrolyzing part 10, there are gathered anions of chlorine, sulfuric acid and sulfur. Further, the hydroxyl ions (OH-) lose their electrons to the positive electrode 11 to cause oxidizing reactions so as to form oxygen molecules. As a result, the concentration of the hydrogen ions is heightened to turn the water to acidic. This acidic water has the efficacy of astringing the skin, so that it can be desirably used to washing the human face.

Meanwhile, within the second electrode chamber of the negative electrode 12 of the first electrolyzing part 10, there are gathered the cations of mineral components such as calcium, magnesium and potassium. Further, the hydrogen ions (H^1") gain electrons (e-) from the negative electrode 12 to become active hydrogen, and thus, the concentration of the hydrogen ions become lowered to be turned into an alkaline water. Further, the oxidation-reduction potential (ORP) is lowered to act for sterilizing the water.

Under this condition, the alkaline water which has been formed within the second electrode chamber and contains active hydrogen is sent to the second electrolyzing part 20. Thus, within the third electrode chamber of the negative electrode 23 which is disposed remotely from the positive electrode 21, there are gathered the cations of the mineral components such as calcium, magnesium and potassium, while the hydrogen ions (H -) gain electrons (e-) from the negative electrode 23 to further form active hydrogen. Thus more of active hydrogen can be obtained, the oxidation-reduction potential (ORP) is lowered, the concentration of hydrogen ions (H*) is adjusted to a mildly alkaline water of pH 7.4 — 8.5, so that the water can be desirably used for drinking.

Further, within the fourth electrode chamber of the negative electrode 22 which is disposed proximally to the positive electrode 21, there are gathered cations of the mineral components such as calcium, magnesium and potassium, while the hydrogen ions (H*) gains electrons (e-) from the negative electrode 22 to further form active hydrogen. Thus more of active hydrogen can be obtained compared with the second electrode chamber, the oxidation-reduction potential (ORP) is lowered, the sterilizing effect is more reinforced, and the concentration of hydrogen ions (it) is adjusted to a strongly alkaline water of pH 9 — 10, so that the water can be desirably used for article wash. Further, within the fifth electrode chamber of the positive electrode 21, there is formed an acidic water through a reaction same as that of the first electrode chamber. This acidic water is merged to the acidic water of the first electrode chamber so that it can be desirably used for article wash.

Thus, in the water purifier of the present invention, the raw water is first electrolyzed to obtain an alkaline water which contains active hydrogen, This electrolyzed water is electrolyzed once again to obtain an alkaline water in which the active hydrogen is more plentifully contained. Under this condition, of the three kinds of the electrolyzed water, the mildly alkaline water is used for drinking, the strongly alkaline water is used for article wash, and the acidic water is used for face wash.

Further, by carrying out the electrolysis twice, the purification effect for the water is more improved.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing the constitution of another embodiment of the water purifier according to the present invention. As shown in this drawing, an isolating membrane 13 is additionally installed in the first electrolyzing part 10, so that two isolating membranes 13 and 14 are disposed between the positive electrode 11 and the negative electrode 12. The neutral water flowing through between the isolating membranes 13 and 14 is made introduced into the inlet 18 of the second electrolyzing part 20, so that the second electrolysis would be carried out. This water purifier can be used in a region where a raw water of high hardness is available. Of course, the polarities of the positive electrode 11 and the negative electrode 12 have to be periodically alternated.

That is, in the case where the incoming raw water is of a high hardness, large amounts of ionic materials adhere on the positive electrode 11 and the negative electrode until the electrolysis is halted. If the water purifier of this second embodiment is used, this problem can be overcome. Here, instead of the isolating membrane 14, an ion exchange part in which an ion exchange resin is filled can be installed within the inlet 16. Then the same effect can be reaped. That is, a hard water can be purified.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. An electrolyzing water purifier comprising: an electrolyzing part and a purifying part; the electrolyzing part comprising: a first electrolyzing part and a second electrolyzing part; the first electrolyzing part separating an incoming raw water into an alkaline water and an acidic water within two electrode chambers, the two electrode chambers including a positive electrode and a negative electrode and being separated by an ion separation isolating membrane; and the second electrolyzing part further electrolyzing the alkaline water of the first electrolyzing part to produce a mildly alkaline water having a high concentration active hydrogen for drinking, to produce a strongly alkaline water for article wash, and to produce an acidic water for face wash, the second electrolyzing part including a positive electrode and two negative electrodes and being separated into three electrode chambers by two ion separation isolating membranes.

2. The electrolyzing water purifier as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first electrolyzing part has an additional isolating membrane, and so, two isolating membranes are disposed between the positive electrode and the negative electrode, neutral water of the first electrolyzing part flowing into the second electrolyzing part.

3. The electrolyzing water purifier as claimed in any one of claims 1 and 2, wherein the mildly alkaline water of the second electrolyzing part is discharged through a drinking water outlet.

4. The electrolyzing water purifier as claimed in any one of claims 1 and 2, wherein the acidic water of the first electrolyzing part is merged to the acidic water of the second electrolyzing part to be discharged through a face wash water outlet.

5. The electrolyzing water purifier as claimed in any one of claims 1 and 2, wherein the strongly alkaline water of the second electrolyzing part is discharged through an article wash water outlet.