Production method of detergent and producing apparatus

Abstract

Detergent producing apparatus including an electrolysis cell having an anode chamber and a cathode chamber and a diaphragm for separating the two, a solution tank for making a solution by dissolving at least one carbonate and bicarbonate of alkali metal in water, a first mechanism for supplying a solution in the solution tank at least to the anode chamber of the electrolysis cell; and a mechanism for mixing after completion of the electrolysis anode water and cathode water respectively generated in the anode chamber and the cathode chamber to make mixed electrolytic water.

Description

[0001] This application is a divisional of application Ser. No. 09 / 554,617, filed Jun. 2, 2000, which is a National Stage Application of International Application No. PCT / JP99 / 05447, filed Oct. 4, 1999, which was not published in English under PCT Article 21(2), and which claim priority of Japanese Application Nos. 10-282767, filed Oct. 5, 1998, and 11-211811, filed Jul. 27, 1999. The entire disclosure of application Ser. No. 09 / 554,617 is considered as being part of the disclosure of this application, and the entire disclosure of application Ser. No. 09 / 554,617 is expressly incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.[0002] The present invention relates to a new washing process and a washing apparatus suitable to washing clothes, tableware, medical equipments and washing hands, etc.[0003] Surfactant, such as chemicals and soup, has been heretofore been used for washing clothes, tableware, medical equipment, toilets, etc., however, there have been problems of causing chapping h...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0009] By electrolyzing a solution containing at least one of carbonate and bicarbonate of alkali metal, for example, a solution of substances superior in handle ability such as sodium carbonate, potassium carbonate, lithium carbonate, potassium hydrogen carbonate, sodium hydrogen carbonate, as a solution to be electrolyzed, it is possible to obtain an undiluted detergent containing alkali metal ion and carbonate ion and / or bicarbonate ion, and by washing as softening the same, it shows detergency comparable to or better than the conventional detergent, such as surfactant, and becomes human body-friendly and environment-friendly. Accordingly, a series of procedures from producing detergency to washing can be realized at home.

[0021] In a method of producing detergent of the present invention, the pH and electric conductivity can be easily adjusted by suitably setting the conditions of electrolysis.

[0026] Auxiliary / aid agents used in the present invention are emulsifier (surfactant) used for food processing and gum / thickening agent as food additives, and by not using the conventional surfactant for washing, safer detergent can be provided. Furthermore, since the detergency is given to the electrolytic water obtained by electrolysis of a solution of alkali metal carbonate / bicarbonate, the surfactant can be made to be minimum thickness required for antisoil redeposition, and it becomes possible to reduce a burden on an environment by suppressing usage of organic substances.

[0046] As the diaphragm 114, a variety of ion exchange films, nonionic selective films, multi-porous films may be used. These films are provided for preventing anode water generated around the anode and cathode water generated around the cathode from being mixed. In the case of using a cation exchange film as in the present example, less hydroxide ion-generated in the cathode chamber 113c transmits to the anode chamber 113a, so that it is preferable because it becomes easy to refrain the pH of the obtained undiluted detergent of anode water from becoming alkaline, and to heighten the pH of the cathode water to be obtained to produce a strong alkaline undiluted detergent of cathode water.

[0048] Further, to explain use forms the electrolysis cell 11 shown in FIGS. 4A to 4E, in FIG. 4A, the anode chamber 113a is supplied a solution of sodium hydrogen carbonate from the solution tank 12, while the cathode chamber 113c is supplied tap water, etc. Both of anode water generated in the anode chamber 113a and cathode water generated in the cathode chamber 113c may be used as undiluted detergent. According to this use form, little hydroxide ion generated in the cathode chamber 113c transmits to the anode chamber 113a, so it is possible to refrain the pH of the undiluted detergent of anode water from becoming alkaline, and it becomes easy to heighten the pH of cathode water to be obtained and to produce a strong alkaline undiluted detergent of cathode water.

Problems solved by technology

Surfactant, such as chemicals and soup, has been heretofore been used for washing clothes, tableware, medical equipment, toilets, etc., however, there have been problems of causing chapping hands when washing, a safety issue on body by residual detergent on washing items, and residual harmful substances after a treatment of discharging water, etc.

However, when trying to produce a solution containing alkali metal ion and carbonate ion and / or bicarbonate ion as an undiluted detergent it is necessary to use as its material a substance having a problem on handle ability such as sodium hydroxide, thus there has been a problem to carry out at home from producing detergent to washing.

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