JP3928076B2 - Electrolyzed water generator - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an electrolyzed water generating device formed by providing an electrolyzer that electrolyzes alkaline water and acidic water.
[0002]
[Prior art]
As the electrolyzed water generating device 1 formed by providing the electrolyzer 2, a structure shown in FIG. 1 is provided by the present applicant. The electrolyzed water generating device 1 shown in FIG. 1 is a so-called alkali ion water conditioner composed of an electrolyzer 2, a water purifier 3, an electrolyte supply device 4, and the like. The electrolyzer 2 is provided with electrodes 6 by a diaphragm 5. The interior of the tank is divided into an electrode chamber 7 and an electrode chamber 9 in which the electrode 8 is disposed. The raw water in which tap water is generally used is supplied from the tap faucet 42 and purified through the water purifier 3, and then is divided into an inflow path 11 communicating with the electrode chamber 9 and an inflow path 10 communicating with the electrode chamber 7. And flows into the electrolytic cell 2. In this way, the water that flows into the electrode chamber 7 of the electrolytic cell 2 is continuously supplied with an electrolyte that promotes electrolysis from the electrolyte supply device 4 that is connected upstream of the electrode chamber 7.
[0003]
In this way, while electrolytically flowing water through the electrolytic cell 2, an electrolytic voltage of the anode is applied to the electrode 6 and an electrolytic voltage of the cathode is applied to the electrode 8 to perform electrolysis, whereby alkaline water ( Acidic water (so-called acidic ionized water) is generated in the electrode chamber 7 by so-called alkaline ionized water. The alkaline water generated in this way flows out from the outflow channel 12 to the discharge pipe 37 and is discharged from the discharge port 37a at the tip, and is used for drinking, etc., and the acidic water flows from the outflow path 13 to the discharge pipe 36. It flows out and is discharged from the discharge port 36a at the tip. Further, by applying an electrolysis voltage of the cathode to the electrode 6 and applying an electrolysis voltage of the anode to the electrode 8 for electrolysis, acidic water is generated in the electrode chamber 9 and alkaline water is generated in the electrode chamber 7. The acidic water generated in this way flows out from the outflow passage 12 to the discharge pipe 37 and is discharged from the discharge outlet 37a at the tip, and is supplied to astringent water or the like, and alkaline water is supplied from the outflow passage 13 to the discharge pipe 36. And discharged from the discharge port 36a at the tip.
[0004]
In the electrolyzed water generating apparatus 1 formed as described above, a drainage branch water channel 44 is branched and connected to a water channel 50 that supplies water to the electrolytic cell 2, and a drain valve is connected to the drain water branch water channel 44. 40 is provided. While water is being supplied from the water tap 42 to the electrolyzed water generator 1, the drain valve 40 is closed, and the entire amount of supplied water passes through the electrolyzer 2 and is electrolyzed, so that alkaline water and acidic water are supplied. Generated. When water supply from the water tap 42 is stopped and water is stopped, the water stop is detected by the flow rate detection sensor 38 provided in the water channel 50, and the drain valve 40 is opened. The water accumulated in the water channel of the electrolyzed water generating device 1 passes through the branch water channel 44 for drainage, and from the drain outlet 44a at the tip of the branch water channel 44 for drainage located below the electrolyzed water generating device 1 by the force of water head pressure. It is designed to drain.
[0005]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, since the drainage valve 40 is closed during water flow, air is trapped in the drainage branch waterway 44 between the branch inlet 51 where the drainage branch waterway 44 branches from the waterway 50 and the drainage valve 40, and the water flow Sometimes, the portion between the branch inlet 51 of the drainage branch water channel 44 and the drain valve 40 is not filled with water, and the portion between the drain valve 40 and the drain port 44a of the branch water channel 44 for drainage is also filled with water. Is not charged. In this way, since the drainage branch channel 44 is not filled with water, the head pressure cannot be obtained in the drainage branch channel 44. Therefore, even if the drain valve 40 is opened at the time of water stoppage, the drainage is insufficient. Thus, there are problems that it takes time for drainage and the amount of drainage may be small.
[0006]
This invention is made | formed in view of said point, and it aims at providing the electrolyzed water generating apparatus which can perform drainage operation | movement reliably.
[0007]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The present invention relates to an electrolyzed water generating apparatus in which alkaline water and acidic water generated by electrolyzing water by applying a voltage between electrodes in an electrolyzer are discharged from separate discharge ports. At least one of the water channel for supplying water to the water channel and the water channel from the electrolytic cell to the discharge port is provided with a branch water channel for drainage , a flow rate detection sensor is provided in the water channel for supplying water to the electrolytic cell , and the amount of water passing through the water channel is specified. is opened when the flow sensor detects the been is predetermined value or more and is characterized by comprising providing a drain valve that is closed after a predetermined fixed time to the drainage branch water passage .
[0008]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Embodiments of the present invention will be described below.
FIG. 1 shows an example of an electrolyzed water generating device 1 in which an electrolyzer 2, a water purifier 3, an electrolyte supply device 4, a water channel switching valve 32, an electrochemical water quality measuring instrument 20, and the like are housed in a housing 33. It is configured as. The water purifier 3 is provided with a filter medium 34 made of antibacterial activated carbon and a filter medium 35 made of a hollow fiber membrane. The two types of filter mediums 34 and 35 are housed in a single cartridge. Everything can be exchanged.
[0009]
The inside of the electrolytic cell 2 is partitioned by a diaphragm 5 into an electrode chamber 7 in which an electrode 6 is installed and an electrode chamber 9 in which an electrode 8 is installed. Roads 12 and 13 are provided. These outflow passages 12 and 13 are connected to discharge pipes 36 and 37 via a water passage switching valve 32. Here, the inflow path 10 and the outflow path 13 communicate with the electrode chamber 7 in the diaphragm 5 surrounding one electrode 6, and the inflow path 11 and the outflow path 12 communicate with the electrode chamber 9 surrounding the other electrode 8. However, the inflow path 10 is narrower than the inflow path 11 and is adjusted so that the flow rate flowing into the electrode chamber 7 side is smaller than the flow rate flowing into the electrode chamber 9 side at a ratio of 1: 3 to 1: 4. Has been. The water channel switching valve 32 communicates the outflow channel 13 and the discharge pipe 37 when communicating the outflow channel 12 and the discharge pipe 36, and connects the outflow channel 13 and the discharge pipe 37 when communicating the outflow channel 12 and the discharge pipe 37. An electromagnetic rotary valve or a motor type switching valve is configured to communicate with the discharge pipe 36. An electrochemical water quality measuring device 20 is disposed in the middle of the discharge pipe 37.
[0010]
A thermistor 39 and a constant flow valve 41 are connected between the switching lever unit 43 connected to the water tap 42 and the water purifier 3, and a flow rate is detected in the flow path 50 between the water purifier 3 and the electrolytic cell 2. A sensor 38 is provided. The flow path 50 is branched into pipes that individually connect the inflow paths 10 and 11, and an electrolyte supply device for adding an electrolysis promoter such as calcium lactate or calcium glycerophosphate to the middle of the pipe that reaches the inflow path 10. 4 is arranged.
[0011]
A branch water channel 44 for drainage is branched and connected to a location between the flow rate detection sensor 38 and the inflow channels 10 and 11 in the channel 50. The leading end of the drainage branch water channel 44 is connected to a drain port 44 a that opens at a position below the housing 33 of the electrolyzed water generating device 1. Further, the drainage branch water channel 44 is provided with a drain valve 40 as shown in FIG. The drain valve 40 is formed by an electromagnetic valve. The drain valve 40 is attached to the side surface of the branch water channel 44 for drainage so as to close the valve attachment port 53, and the valve provided in the valve attachment port 53. By opening and closing the seat 54 with the valve body 55 of the drainage valve 40, the drainage branch water channel 44 can be opened and closed with the drainage valve 40. The drain valve 40 and the flow rate detection sensor 38 are respectively connected to a control circuit 52, and the control circuit 52 controls the opening and closing of the drain valve 40.
[0012]
Next, the flow of water when generating electrolyzed water from tap water will be described. When the switching lever unit 43 connected to the water faucet 42 is switched so that water flows to the electrolyzed water generating device 1 side, the water passes through the water purifier 3 and is purified, and then passes through the water channel 50 to set the flow rate detection sensor 38. Flow through. At this time, the amount of water passing through the water passage 50 is detected If it is defined more than a predetermined value at a flow rate detection sensor 38, is determined by the control circuit 52 becomes water passage state, the discharge water valve 40 is closed A predetermined fixed time (for example, about 1 second) is set to the open state as shown in FIG. When the drain valve 40 is thus opened, part of the water passing through the water channel 50 flows from the branch inlet 51 into the drain water branch 44 as indicated by the arrow in FIG. The air in the branch water channel 44 for drainage up to 40 is expelled from the drain port 44a. The drain valve 40 is closed under the control of the control circuit 52 after the elapse of this predetermined time. When the drain valve 40 is closed, as shown in FIG. 2 (b), the drainage branch water channel 44 between the branch inlet 51 and the drain valve 40 is filled with water 56. The drainage branch water channel 44 up to the drain port 44 a is also filled with water 56. In addition, the water remaining in the water purifier 3 at the time of previous use can be thrown away from the branch water channel 44 for drainage by opening the drain valve 40 for a predetermined fixed time immediately after passing water as described above.
[0013]
And water is introduced into the electrolytic cell 2 from the inflow channels 10 and 11 through the electrolyte supply device 4 from the water channel 50 and is electrolyzed in the electrolytic cell 2. As described above, it is started when water flow is detected by the flow rate detection sensor 38.
Here, if an instruction to obtain alkaline water is given, an electrolytic voltage is applied so that the electrode 6 in the electrolytic cell 2 serves as an anode and the electrode 8 serves as a cathode. Acid water is generated in the electrode chamber 7, and alkaline water is obtained on the outflow path 12 side and acidic water is obtained on the outflow path 13 side. At this time, the water channel switching valve 32 is set in a state in which the outflow channel 12 communicates with the discharge pipe 37 and the outflow channel 13 and the discharge pipe 36 communicate with each other, and alkaline water flows out to the discharge pipe 37 side and flows into the discharge pipe. The alkaline water is discharged from a discharge port 37a at the tip of 37 and used for drinking. The acidic water flows out to the discharge pipe 36 side and is discharged from the discharge port 36 a at the tip of the discharge pipe 36.
[0014]
Moreover, when the instruction | indication which wants to obtain acidic water is made | formed, it becomes the following two flow of water according to the electrolysis degree of the instruct | indicated acidic water. First, in the case of weakly acidic water, an electrolysis voltage is applied so that the electrode 6 in the electrolytic cell 2 is a cathode and the electrode 8 is an anode, and alkaline water is supplied in the electrode chamber 7 and acidic water is supplied in the electrode chamber 9. As a result, alkaline water is obtained on the outflow path 13 side and weak acidic water is obtained on the outflow path 12 side. At this time, the water channel switching valve 32 is set to the same state as described above, and the weakly acidic water flows out to the discharge pipe 37 side and is discharged from the discharge port 37a at the tip of the discharge pipe 37. Etc. Alkaline water flows out toward the discharge pipe 36 and is discharged from a discharge port 36 a at the tip of the discharge pipe 36.
[0015]
In the case of strongly acidic water, an electrolysis voltage is applied so that the electrode 6 in the electrolytic cell 2 serves as an anode and the electrode 8 serves as a cathode, acidic water is generated in the electrode chamber 7, and alkaline water is generated in the electrode chamber 9, Alkaline water is obtained on the outflow path 12 side, and strongly acidic water is obtained on the outflow path 13 side. At this time, the water passage switching valve 32 is switched to a state in which the outflow passage 12 and the discharge pipe 36 are communicated with each other and the outflow passage 13 and the discharge pipe 37 are in communication with each other, and strong acid water flows out to the discharge pipe 37 side. The strongly acidic water is discharged from the discharge port 37a at the tip of the discharge pipe 37, and is used for sterilization and the like. Alkaline water flows out toward the discharge pipe 36 and is discharged from a discharge port 36 a at the tip of the discharge pipe 36. As described above, when strongly acidic water is obtained, the acid water is generated in the electrode chamber 7 using the electrode 6 as an anode. As described above, the inflow path 10 to the electrode chamber 7 side flows into the electrode chamber 9 side. This is because it is easy to obtain strongly acidic water in the electrode chamber 7 because the amount of inflow of water is reduced by squeezing from the path 11.
[0016]
As described above, the electrolyzed water generated in the electrolytic cell 2 and discharged through the discharge pipe 37 is measured by the electrochemical water quality measuring device 20 disposed between the electrolytic cell 2 and the discharge pipe 37. The electrolysis voltage applied to the electrodes 6 and 8 of the electrolytic cell 2 so that the quality of the electrolyzed water generated in the electrolytic cell 2 becomes a specified value based on the water quality detection by the electrochemical water quality measuring device 20 The feedback is controlled.
[0017]
Next, when water supply to the electrolyzed water generating device 1 is stopped by closing the water tap 42 or switching the switching lever unit 43 so that water does not flow to the electrolyzed water generating device 1 side, the amount of water passing through the water channel 50 Is detected by the flow rate detection sensor 38, and the control circuit 52 determines that the water stop state has been reached. When the water stop state is detected in this way, immediately after the stop, or when the cleaning of the electrolyzed water generating device 1 is started after the water stop, the control circuit 52 performs the control during the cleaning after a predetermined time has passed since the start of the cleaning. The drain valve 40 is opened, and the water accumulated in the electrolytic cell 2 and the water channel 50 is discharged through the branch water channel 44 for drainage.
[0018]
At this time, as described above, the drain valve 40 is opened for a predetermined time and then closed when water is passed, so that it is between the branch inlet 51 and the drain valve 40 and from the drain valve 40 to the drain port 44a. The drainage branch channel 44 is filled with water 56, and the drainage port 44 a at the tip of the drainage branch channel 44 is positioned below the housing 33 of the electrolyzed water generator 1. The water head pressure for draining water from the inner electrolytic cell 2 and the water channel 50 can be added for the height of the water column between the branch inlet 51 and the drain port 44a, and smooth drainage operation is possible with the power of the large head pressure. It can be obtained. Therefore, by simply opening the drain valve 40, the water accumulated in the electrolysis tank 2 and the water channel 50 of the electrolyzed water generating apparatus 1 can be drained in a short time, and the drainage can be reliably performed without any drainage remaining. It can be done.
[0019]
In the embodiment of FIG. 1, the drainage branch water channel 44 is provided in the water channel 50 for supplying water to the electrolytic cell 2, but the water channel between the electrolytic cell 2 and the discharge ports 36 a and 37 a is used for drainage. The branch water channel 44 may be branched and provided, and the drain water branch water channel 44 may be formed by providing a drain port 44a below the drain valve 40 as a water channel leading to the outside air.
[0020]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, the present invention provides an electrolyzed water generating device that discharges alkaline water and acidic water generated by electrolyzing water by applying a voltage between electrodes in an electrolytic cell from different discharge ports. , A drainage branch waterway is provided in at least one of the water channel for supplying water to the electrolytic cell and the water channel from the electrolytic cell to the discharge port, and the drainage valve is closed after being opened for a predetermined period of time in the water to the electrolytic cell. Since it is provided in the water channel, the drain valve opens and closes for a certain period of time, so that the air between the branch inlet of the drain water channel and the drain valve is discharged to fill the drain water channel with water. Therefore, when the drain valve is opened at the next water stoppage, the drainage operation can be surely performed.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a schematic sectional view showing an example of an embodiment of the present invention.
FIGS. 2A and 2B show an operation of a drain valve in an example of the embodiment, wherein FIG. 2A is a cross-sectional view when the drain valve is open, and FIG. 2B is a cross-sectional view when the drain valve is closed. .
[Explanation of symbols]
2 Electrolyzer 6 Electrode 8 Electrode 36a Discharge port
37a outlet
38 Flow detection sensor 40 Drain valve 44 Branch water channel for drainage 50 Water channel

Claims (1)

In an electrolyzed water generator that discharges alkaline water and acidic water generated by electrolyzing water by applying a voltage between electrodes in the electrolyzer, supplying water to the electrolyzer A drainage branch water channel is provided in at least one of the water channel and the water channel from the electrolytic cell to the discharge port , a flow rate detection sensor is provided in the water channel for supplying water to the electrolytic cell , and a predetermined value in which the amount of water passing through the water channel is defined It is not less than the are in an open state when the flow rate detection sensor detects a predetermined constant closed that drain valve after a time, characterized by comprising providing the drainage branch water passage electrolytic water generation apparatus.

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