JPH0428439B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a washing device in a water electrolysis device for producing high-quality water suitable for drinking mainly by electrolysis.

Since this type of water electrolyzer is used continuously over a long period of time, it suffers from the problem that calcium and other substances precipitate and deposit on the surface of the cathode in the cathode chamber, reducing the current conductivity. . Therefore,
A DC voltage of opposite polarity is temporarily applied to the negative electrode and the positive electrode to remove deposits from the surface of the negative electrode. As another method, attempts have been made to chemically remove the water by mixing vinegar or the like into water and circulating it in the electrolytic cell. The advantage of this method is that not only deposits can be removed from the electrode surface, but also deposits attached to the inner wall of the electrode chamber or the inner wall of the extraction passage can be decomposed and removed. A pump is used for circulation during this washing, but this circulation system cannot be of a closed type. This is because the gas generated during cleaning or normal electrolytic action must be naturally exhausted. If this gas is pumped into the pump, the pump will idle, resulting in a knocking phenomenon.

The present invention has been made based on the above circumstances, and even if gas is generated in the circulation system, it can be naturally discharged without introducing it to the pump side, and idling of the pump can be avoided and a smooth cleaning action can be performed. It is an object of the present invention to provide a cleaning device for a water electrolysis device in which the water is washed.

For this purpose, the present invention distributes and supplies water from a water supply point to a cathode chamber and an anode chamber, applies a DC voltage to a cathode and an anode disposed in each electrode chamber, and creates a porous tube that separates the two electrode chambers. In a device that generates alkaline ionized water in the cathode chamber side and acidic water in the anode chamber side by electroosmosis and electrolysis through a partition wall, a switching valve is installed in the passage for discharging the alkaline ionized water from the cathode chamber. The above bypass path is connected to a passage for discharging acidic water from the anode chamber, and a circulation circuit is established between the cathode chamber and the anode chamber through the water supply point during cleaning using a pump provided in the bypass path. In addition, the acid water discharge passage is characterized in that a degassing passage having a top portion higher than the level of the pump is provided at a point communicating with the bypass passage.

Hereinafter, one embodiment of the present invention will be specifically described with reference to the drawings. In the figure, reference numeral 1 denotes an electrolytic cell, which has a cylindrical partition wall 2 (it may be plate-shaped) made of a porous, e.g. bisque, or an electropermeable membrane such as a microfilter, with an anode chamber 3 on the inside and an anode chamber 3 on the outside. A cathode chamber 4 is partitioned, and a cathode 5 is disposed within the cathode chamber 4, and an anode 6 is disposed within the anode chamber 3.

The lower ends of the cathode chamber 4 and the anode chamber 3 communicate with a water supply chamber 7 configured at the bottom of the electrolytic cell 1, and the upper end of the cathode chamber 4 communicates with a water storage tank 9 via a conduit 8. The upper end of the anode chamber 3 is adapted to be discharged into a drain 11 via a conduit 10. An electromagnetic open/close type water supply valve 12 is communicated with the water supply chamber 7 via a water purifier 13 (a filter made of activated carbon or the like).
It is connected to the water supply via 4.

In addition, a check valve 15 is provided in the water supply chamber 7.
A cleaning liquid is supplied by a pump 16 through a check valve 17, and a chemical solution such as calcium chloride is supplied by a pump 18 through a check valve 17.

The pipe line 8 is provided with an electromagnetic switching type spool valve 19, and the pipe line 8 is connected to a bypass line 20.
It is possible to switch the communication to The bypass path 20 communicates with the pipe line 10, and is provided with a pump 21 on the way. The above pump 21
The delivery side is directed towards line 8 and the suction side towards line 10. Further, the pipe line 10 has a gas venting line 2 having a top portion higher than the pump level at a point communicating with the bypass line 20.
2 has been produced.

In the figure, reference numeral 23 is a level sensor provided in the water tank 9, and the level sensor 23 detects the water level and outputs a signal to the control system 24 at the upper and lower limit positions. The control system 24 controls the operations of the pumps 21, 16, and 18, the spool valve 19, the water supply valve 12, and the like.

In such a configuration, the electrolyzer is operated as follows. First, normal electrolysis will be explained. When the level sensor 23 detects the lower limit level of the water tank 9 and sends a signal to the control system 24, the control system 24 inputs a signal to open the water supply valve 12 and applies a DC voltage between the electrodes 5 and 4. Electrolytic cell 1
Inside the chamber, water electrolyzes and electrolyzes. At the same time, the pump 18 is activated to achieve mineral replenishment containing alkaline ionized water, such as calcium chloride solution. During the electrolysis process, calcium chloride and the like permeate into the water in the cathode chamber 4 as calcium hydroxide and calcium ions. The generated alkaline ionized water is put into a water storage tank 9 via a pipe 8 and a spool valve 19. On the other hand, the acidic water generated in the anode chamber 3 passes through the pipe 10 to the drain 11.
is discharged to. When the water level in the water tank 9 reaches the upper limit, the sensor 23 again sends a signal to the control system 2.
4, the water supply valve 12 is closed, and the current and voltage application between the electrodes 5 and 6 is released. Note that hydrogen in the cathode chamber 4, oxygen in the anode chamber 3, etc. generated in the electrolyzed water are discharged together with the water. In this way, water electrolysis is achieved continuously for the required amount of water.

Next, a case in which the cathode chamber 4 and the like are cleaned with a cleaning liquid such as vinegar (edible vinegar) will be specifically described. When the user of the device operates the switch to start washing, the control system 24 first
The water supply valve 12 is maintained in a closed state, the pump 18 is maintained in a stopped state, and the spool valve 19 is operated to switch, the pump 16 is driven, and the cleaning liquid is supplied to the water supply chamber 7. While the required amount of cleaning liquid is supplied to the water supply chamber 7, a portion of the acidic water is discharged to the drain 11 via the pipe line 10. Under this situation,
By driving the pump 21, the water in the electrolytic cell 1 starts circulating in the direction of the dotted arrow. Therefore, water flows from the water supply chamber 7 to the anode chamber 3, the bypass 20, the pump 21,
The cleaning liquid flows in the order of pipe 8, cathode chamber 4, and water supply chamber 7, and the cleaning liquid passes through these, and in the process dissolves the adhering substances deposited on the cathode 5, and adheres to the inner wall of cathode chamber 4, the inner wall of pipe 8, etc. It also cleans and exfoliates things. Gas remaining in the electrolytic cell 1 or generated by a chemical reaction with the cleaning liquid is accompanied by the circulating solution and enters the pipe 10, but at the point where it branches off from the bypass 20, it enters the pipe 22. It flows to the top of the path 22, floats up due to the difference in specific gravity, and is brought to the top of the path 22. Therefore, no gas is introduced into the pump 21, idling of the pump 21 is avoided, and the knocking phenomenon is avoided. When the required amount of cleaning liquid has been injected, the drive of the pump 16 is stopped. The point in time when cleaning inside electrolytic cell 1 ends (after the time set by the control system timer, etc.)
Then, the water supply valve 12 is opened. As a result, the amount of water in the circulation system including the electrolyzer 1 increases, and the pump 2
During the circulation according to 1, the cleaning water flows out via the line 10 into the drain 11. When the cleaning water in the electrolytic cell 1 is diluted by the newly supplied water and returns to the normal water state (time set in advance in the control system), the pump 21 is stopped and the spool valve is closed. 19 is switched back to the state shown in the figure, the pump 18 is driven, and a DC voltage is applied to the electrodes 5 and 6. That is, the process returns to electrolysis control based on water level detection in the water tank 9 again.

As described in detail above, in an electrolytic device that generates alkaline ionized water by electrolyzing in flowing water, when a pump circulation system is used for cleaning, the acid water discharge passage (pipe With respect to the branch part of road 10) with bypass road 20,
Since the path 22 is higher than the pump level, gas generated during the electrolysis process and remaining in the electrolytic tank, etc.
In addition, there is no risk of gases generated by chemical reactions with the washing liquid being introduced into the pump and causing a knocking phenomenon, and in the process of returning the washing water to the diluted state of normal water by supplying water. This can be achieved simply by discharging from the above-mentioned discharge passage, and an excellent effect can be obtained in that there is no need to provide a control system such as a switching valve.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

The drawing is a system diagram showing one embodiment of the present invention. 1... Electrolytic cell, 2... Partition wall, 3... Anode chamber, 4
... cathode chamber, 5 ... cathode, 6 ... anode, 7 ... water supply chamber, 8 ... pipe, 9 ... water tank, 10 ... pipe, 11 ... drain, 12 ... water supply valve, 13...
Water purifier, 14...Pipe line, 15...Check valve, 16...Pump, 17...Check valve,
18...Pump, 19...Spool valve, 20
... bypass path, 21 ... pump, 22 ... route, 23 ... level sensor, 24 ... control system.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. Water is distributed and supplied from the water supply point to the cathode chamber and the anode chamber, and a DC voltage is applied to the cathode and anode arranged in each electrode chamber, and an electric permeation effect is generated through the porous partition wall that separates the two electrode chambers. , in which alkaline ionized water is generated in the cathode chamber side and acidic water is generated in the anode chamber side by electrolysis, a bypass path is configured through a switching valve in the path for discharging the alkaline ionized water from the cathode chamber, The bypass passage is connected to a passage for discharging acidic water from the anode chamber, and a pump provided in the bypass passage forms a circulation circuit between the cathode chamber and the anode chamber via the water supply point during cleaning, and the acidic water is discharged from the anode chamber through the water supply point. A cleaning device for a water electrolyzer, characterized in that the exhaust passage has a gas venting passage having a top higher than the level of the pump at a point communicating with the bypass passage.