An electrolytic cell

Abstract

The present invention discloses an electrolytic cell, comprising a cell body (1) having an electrode chamber (110), wherein a pair of spaced electrode sheets (3) are provided in the electrode chamber (110), and characterized in that the electrolytic cell further comprises a screen assembly (4) provided in the electrode chamber (110) and located between the two electrode sheets (3); and a drive mechanism (5) connected to the screen assembly (4) for moving the screen assembly (4) relative to the cell body (1), thereby adjusting the orthographic projection area of the entire screen assembly (4) on the electrode sheets (3). Compared with the prior art, the electrolytic cell of the present invention facilitates constant current control.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of kitchen equipment, in particular to an electrolytic cell. Background Art

[0002] An electrolytic cell consists of a cell body, an anode, and a cathode. Most electrolytic cells are separated by an ion exchange membrane (also called a diaphragm). Depending on the electrolyte, they are classified into three categories: aqueous solution electrolytic cells, molten salt electrolytic cells, and non-aqueous solution electrolytic cells. When direct current passes through the electrolytic cell, an oxidation reaction occurs at the anode-solution interface, and a reduction reaction occurs at the cathode-solution interface, producing electrolyzed water.

[0003] For example, the Chinese invention patent "A Method for Preparing Acidic Water and Alkaline Water" with patent application number CN201810264395.4 (publication number CN108609693A) uses electrolysis of salt water to form cations and anions, which move toward the two poles of the electrolysis electrode respectively. Hydrogen ions and highly active chlorine gas are generated from the anode. The chlorine gas dissolves in water to generate hypochlorous acid and hydrochloric acid solution as acidic water, and hydroxide ions and hydrogen gas are generated from the cathode to form sodium hydroxide solution as alkaline water.

[0004] The following problems exist in the existing electrolyzed water preparation process:

[0005] First, the ion exchange membrane is a unique polymer membrane containing ionic groups that has the ability to selectively transmit cations or anions in the solution. It has a certain degree of flexibility. Over time, it will be affected by air pressure and water pressure, and will deform. It may even contact the electrode and cause dry burning, affecting the water output and the life of the electrolytic cell. This problem is particularly serious in small electrolytic cells.

[0006] Second, during the electrolysis process, a large number of bubbles are generated on the cathode and anode sheets. These bubbles accumulate on the electrode sheets, ion exchange membranes, and the water channels within the electrolytic cell, resulting in high voltage and energy consumption for the electrolysis system. This also reduces the effective electrolysis area, lowering the electrolysis reaction efficiency, leading to low effluent pH, and obstructing the flow of water, making the pH and voltage extremely unstable. Furthermore, the air pressure can exacerbate the deformation of the ion exchange membrane in the middle. This problem is particularly severe in small electrolytic cells.

[0007] Third, during the electrolysis process, the OH- generated at the cathode (negative electrode) will react with the Ca 2+ Mg 2+ The reaction generates scale, which is deposited on the cathode and ion exchange membrane, affecting the electrolysis effect and the life of the electrolytic cell;

[0008] Fourth, during the electrolysis process, ions need to first pass through the ion exchange membrane from the anode chamber into the cathode chamber before they can promote the entire electrolysis reaction. However, during the electrolysis reaction, ions and products tend to gather around the electrode sheet, which is not conducive to the diffusion and transfer of ions and the uniformity of products, thereby affecting the electrolysis efficiency and pH stability.

[0009] In addition, the Chinese invention patent application number CN202080012097.1 (publication number CN113474492A) "Electrolyte Manufacturing Device and Electrolyte Manufacturing Method" discloses that a mesh is set between the diaphragm and the electrode sheet to separate the diaphragm and the electrode sheet to prevent the diaphragm from contacting the electrode sheet and causing dry burning. Although the water flow can form local micro-turbulence in the process of passing through the mesh, its turbulence effect is limited and it cannot effectively accelerate exhaust, inhibit scale deposition, and accelerate ion transfer.

[0010] In addition, during the electrolysis process, if the current is too high, the overall temperature of the electrolytic cell will rise too high, and a polarization effect may be formed. The current density per unit area is too high and no reaction occurs. If the current is too low, the system will not react or will react very slowly, and the effluent will have difficulty reaching the target pH. Therefore, it is generally necessary to control the current to be constant to stabilize the effluent pH. However, during the electrolysis process, as the electrolyte concentration decreases, the resistance of the entire system will increase. In order to control the current to be constant, the voltage needs to be continuously increased, so a constant current power supply is required. However, constant current power supplies are expensive and difficult to develop. Summary of the Invention

[0011] The first technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide an electrolytic cell which is convenient for controlling the constant current in view of the current status of the prior art.

[0012] The second technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide an electrolytic cell that can improve the turbulence effect and thus accelerate exhaust.

[0013] The third technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide an electrolytic cell that can improve the flow disturbance effect and thus inhibit scale deposition.

[0014] The fourth technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide an electrolytic cell that can improve the turbulence effect and thus accelerate ion transfer.

[0015] The present invention solves the above-mentioned first, second, third and fourth technical problems by adopting the following technical solutions: an electrolytic cell, comprising a cell body having an electrode chamber, wherein a pair of electrode sheets arranged at intervals are provided in the electrode chamber, characterized in that:

[0016] A screen assembly is provided in the electrode chamber and between the two electrode sheets; and

[0017] The driving mechanism is connected to the screen assembly in a transmission manner so as to move the screen assembly relative to the tank body, thereby adjusting the positive projection area of the entire screen assembly on the electrode sheet.

[0018] In order to facilitate the adjustment of the positive projection area of the screen assembly on the electrode sheet, the screen assembly includes

[0019] A fixed shaft, both ends of which are mounted on the trough body; and

[0020] The curling spacer is wound on the fixed shaft and can be unwound or rewound.

[0021] In order to realize automatic reeling of the curled screen, the screen assembly further comprises an elastic member, the two ends of which act on the fixed shaft and the curled screen respectively, so that the curled screen always has a tendency to be reeled on the fixed shaft.

[0022] In order to facilitate the installation of the elastic member, the elastic member is a coil spring, a first end of the coil spring is connected to the fixed shaft, and a second end is connected to the head of the curled partition net.

[0023] In order to facilitate the connection between the coil spring and the curled partition net, a clamping hole is provided at the second end of the coil spring, and a clamping hook is provided at the head of the curled partition net, and the clamping hook is clamped at the clamping hole.

[0024] In order to realize the automatic unwinding of the curled screen, the driving mechanism includes

[0025] a driving member, disposed outside the trough body, and having an output shaft capable of rotating around its own axis; and

[0026] A traction rope, the first end of which is connected to the output shaft, and the second end of which passes through the slot body and extends into the corresponding electrode chamber and is limited to the tail of the curled partition. The traction rope is wound on the output shaft and can be unwound or reeled.

[0027] In order to ensure that the curled screen can function as a separator at the beginning of electrolysis, the curled screen is completely unwound from the fixed shaft in an initial state.

[0028] In order to form local micro-turbulence, a plurality of mesh holes for fluid to pass through are opened on the surface of the curled partition.

[0029] In order to achieve the isolation and protection effect of the diaphragm, a diaphragm is provided in the tank body, which divides the inner cavity of the tank body into at least two electrode chambers. The two electrode sheets are respectively arranged in the two electrode chambers, and the partition mesh assembly is separated between adjacent diaphragms and electrode sheets.

[0030] In order to facilitate the stable installation of the diaphragm, the trough body is formed by assembling two covers, the two covers surround an inner cavity of the trough body, and the periphery of the diaphragm is clamped between two opposite end surfaces of the two covers.

[0031] In order to facilitate the supply of raw materials and the discharge of electrolyzed water, the tank body portion corresponding to each electrode chamber is provided with a liquid inlet and a liquid outlet that are in communication with the electrode chamber.

[0032] Compared with the prior art, the advantages of the present invention are:

[0033] (1) By arranging a screen assembly between two electrode sheets in the electrode chamber and using a drive mechanism to drive the screen assembly to move, the orthographic projection area of the entire screen assembly on the electrode sheet is adjusted, thereby facilitating the constant current when the electrolyte concentration decreases, thereby stabilizing the pH of the effluent water;

[0034] (2) The movement of the screen assembly forms a dynamic turbulence, which can accelerate exhaust, inhibit scale deposition, and accelerate ion transfer. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0035] Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of an embodiment of the electrolytic cell of the present invention in an initial state;

[0036] Figure 2 for Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the three-dimensional exploded view of the electrolytic cell;

[0037] Figure 3 for Figure 2 Schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the middle partition net assembly;

[0038] Figure 4 for Figure 1 a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the electrolytic cell;

[0039] Figure 5 for Figure 1 Longitudinal cross-section of the electrolytic cell in its final state.

[0040] Figure 6 for Figure 5 Enlarged view of part I. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0041] The present invention will be described in further detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0042] like Figures 1 to 6 FIG. 1 shows a preferred embodiment of an electrolytic cell according to the present invention. The electrolytic cell comprises a cell body 1, a diaphragm 2, an electrode sheet 3, a screen assembly 4, and a drive mechanism 5. The electrolytic cell in this embodiment is a single-diaphragm cell, but can also be designed as a dual-diaphragm cell or a diaphragm-free cell as needed.

[0043] The tank body 1 is formed by two covers 11 assembled front and back by fasteners, and a closed inner cavity is formed between the two covers 11; two annular sealing gaskets 12 arranged in sequence front and back are sandwiched between the two opposite end faces of the two covers 11.

[0044] The diaphragm 2 is a cation exchange membrane, arranged vertically in the inner cavity of the above-mentioned tank body 1, and the periphery of the diaphragm 2 is sandwiched between the above-mentioned two annular sealing gaskets 12. The above-mentioned diaphragm 2 is in one piece and divides the inner cavity of the tank body 1 into two electrode chambers 110. The electrode chamber 110 located between the front cover body 11 and the diaphragm 2 is denoted as the cathode chamber 110a, and the electrode chamber 110 located between the rear cover body 11 and the diaphragm 2 is denoted as the anode chamber 110b. The lower and upper portions of each cover body 11 are respectively provided with a liquid inlet 111 and a liquid outlet 112 that penetrate the corresponding electrode chamber 110. Therefore, the water in each electrode chamber 110 flows from bottom to top.

[0045] The electrode sheets 3 are a pair, designated as a cathode sheet 3a and an anode sheet 3b. The cathode sheet 3a is positioned substantially vertically in front of the cathode chamber 110a, while the anode sheet 3b is positioned substantially vertically in the rear of the anode chamber 110b. Each electrode sheet 3 has a conductive post 31 on its top, extending upward through the corresponding housing 11 and exposed on the top wall of the housing 11. The conductive posts 31 on the cathode sheet 3a and anode sheet 3b are used to electrically connect to the negative and positive electrodes of an external power source, respectively.

[0046] There are two groups of separator assemblies 4 , which correspond one to one with the two electrode chambers 110 , and are respectively located in the corresponding electrode chambers 110 , and are used to separate adjacent diaphragms 2 and electrode sheets 3 .

[0047] Each screen assembly 4 includes a fixed shaft 41, a coiled screen 42, and an elastic member 43. Specifically, both ends of the fixed shaft 41 are mounted on the bottom of the corresponding housing 11. The surface of the coiled screen 42 is provided with a plurality of mesh holes 421 for fluid to pass through. The coiled screen 42 is wound around the fixed shaft 41 and can be unwound or rewound. The elastic member 43 is a coil spring, the first end of which is connected to the fixed shaft 41 and the second end is connected to the head of the coiled screen 42, which ensures that the coiled screen 42 always has a tendency to rewind around the fixed shaft 41. In this embodiment, the coiled screen 42 has insulating properties and is made of a material (food-grade) that is resistant to high and low temperatures, strong acids and alkalis, and has good insulation properties, preferably food-grade Teflon. The second end of the coil spring is provided with a latching hole 431, and the head of the coiled screen 42 is provided with a latching hook 422, which is locked into the latching hole 431.

[0048] The above-mentioned screen assembly 4 has the following functions: first, the curled screen 42 separates the diaphragm 2 and the electrode sheet 3, which can effectively prevent the diaphragm 2 from contacting the electrode sheet 3 and causing dry burning; second, the water flow can form local micro-turbulence in the process of passing through the mesh 421, accelerating exhaust, inhibiting scale deposition, and accelerating ion transfer.

[0049] The number of the driving mechanisms 5 is a pair, corresponding one to one with the electrode chambers 110 .

[0050] Each drive mechanism 5 includes a drive member 51 and a traction rope 52. Specifically, the drive member 51 is a motor, located outside the housing 11, and has an output shaft 511 that can rotate about its own axis. The first end of the traction rope 52 is connected to the output shaft 511, and the second end passes through the housing 11 from top to bottom, extends into the corresponding electrode chamber 110, and is restrained at the end of the coiled screen 42. The traction rope 52 is wound around the output shaft 511 and can be unwound or rewound.

[0051] When the driving member 51 is started to rotate forward, the forward-rotating output shaft 511 will reel in the traction rope 52, and the curled screen 42 will be unwound from the fixed shaft 41 under the tension of the traction rope 52. When the driving member 51 is started to rotate reversely, the reversed output shaft 511 will unwind the traction rope 52, and the curled screen 42 will be rewound on the fixed shaft 41 under the elastic force of the elastic member 43, thereby adjusting the orthographic projection area of the entire screen assembly 4 on the electrode sheet 3, and has at least two states:

[0052] In the initial state, the curled spacer 42 is completely unwound from the fixed shaft 41;

[0053] In the final state, half of the rolled spacer net 42 is rolled up on the fixed shaft 41 , and the other half is unrolled from the fixed shaft 41 .

[0054] For the screen assembly 4, the larger its direct projection area on the electrode sheet 3, the greater the resistance of the system. Therefore, the size of the direct projection area of the screen assembly 4 on the electrode sheet 3 can be adjusted by simply adjusting the degree of curling of the curled screen 42, thereby adjusting the current when the voltage is constant.

[0055] The working principle of this embodiment is as follows:

[0056] (1) In the initial state, if Figure 4 As shown, the rolled screen 42 is completely unwound from the fixed shaft 41, and at this time, the orthographic projection area of the screen assembly 4 on the electrode sheet 3 is at its maximum value;

[0057] The electrolyte enters the electrode chamber 110 through the liquid inlet 111. A reduction reaction occurs at the interface between the cathode sheet 3a and the solution, and an oxidation reaction occurs at the interface between the anode sheet 3b and the solution to produce electrolyzed water. During the electrolysis process, first, the curled screen 42 separates the diaphragm 2 and the electrode sheet 3, which can effectively prevent the diaphragm 2 from contacting the electrode sheet 3 and causing dry burning. Second, the mesh 421 of the curled screen 42 forms a localized micro-turbulence, which can accelerate exhaust, inhibit scale deposition, and accelerate ion transfer.

[0058] (2) During the electrolysis process, as the electrolyte concentration decreases, the system resistance increases. The driving member 53 can be started to reverse, and the reversed output shaft 511 will unwind the traction rope 52. The curled screen 42 is rolled up on the fixed shaft 41 under the elastic force of the elastic member 43, so that the positive projection area of the screen assembly 4 on the electrode sheet 3 is reduced, and the system resistance is reduced accordingly, eliminating the change in system resistance caused by the decrease in electrolyte concentration, thereby maintaining the current unchanged when the voltage is constant, extending the electrolyte's available electrolysis time, and reducing the frequency of electrolyte replacement (pH stability can still be maintained at low concentrations);

[0059] At the same time, the movement of the curled screen 42 forms a dynamic turbulence, which can accelerate exhaust, inhibit scale deposition, and accelerate ion transfer;

[0060] (3) until half of the curling screen 42 is rolled up on the fixed shaft 41 and the other half is unrolled from the fixed shaft 41, as shown in FIG. Figure 5 As shown, in the final state, the traction rope 52 can no longer be unwound, and the electrolysis is completed;

[0061] It should be noted that if the curled screen 42 is completely rolled up on the fixed shaft 41, it can no longer play a role in separating the diaphragm 2 and the electrode sheet 3. Therefore, in this embodiment, the electrolysis is terminated after half of the curled screen 42 is rolled up on the fixed shaft 41.

Claims

1. An electrolytic cell comprising a cell body (1) having an electrode chamber (110), wherein a pair of spaced-apart electrode sheets (3) are provided in the electrode chamber (110), characterized in that: Also includes A screen assembly (4) is provided in the electrode chamber (110) and is located between the two electrode sheets (3); and The driving mechanism (5) is in transmission connection with the screen assembly (4) so as to move the screen assembly (4) relative to the tank body (1), thereby adjusting the positive projection area of the entire screen assembly (4) on the electrode sheet (3).

2. The electrolytic cell according to claim 1, wherein: The partition assembly (4) includes A fixed shaft (41), both ends of which are mounted on the trough body (1); and The curling spacer (42) is wound on the fixed shaft (41) and can be unwound or rewound.

3. The electrolytic cell according to claim 2, wherein: The partition assembly (4) further comprises an elastic member (43), the two ends of which act on the fixed shaft (41) and the curled partition (42) respectively, so that the curled partition (42) always has a tendency to be rolled up on the fixed shaft (41).

4. The electrolytic cell according to claim 3, wherein: The elastic member (43) is a coil spring, the first end of which is connected to the fixed shaft (41), and the second end of which is connected to the head of the curled partition net (42).

5. The electrolytic cell according to claim 4, characterized in that: The second end of the coil spring is provided with a clamping hole (431), and the head of the curled partition net (42) is provided with a clamping hook (422), and the clamping hook (422) is clamped in the clamping hole (431).

6. The electrolytic cell according to claim 3, wherein: The driving mechanism (5) includes A driving member (51) is provided on the outside of the tank body (1) and has an output shaft (511) that can rotate around its own axis; and A traction rope (52) has a first end connected to the output shaft (511), and a second end passing through the tank body (1) and extending into the corresponding electrode chamber (110) and confined to the tail of the curling screen (42). The traction rope (52) is wound around the output shaft (511) and can be unwound or rewound.

7. The electrolytic cell according to claim 2, wherein: In the initial state, the curling screen (42) is completely unwound from the fixed shaft (41).

8. The electrolytic cell according to claim 2, wherein: The surface of the curled separator (42) is provided with a plurality of mesh holes (421) for fluid to pass through.

9. The electrolytic cell according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that: A diaphragm (2) is provided in the tank body (1), and the diaphragm (2) divides the inner cavity of the tank body (1) into at least two electrode chambers (110). The two electrode sheets (3) are respectively provided in the two electrode chambers (110), and the partition mesh assembly (4) is separated between adjacent diaphragms (2) and electrode sheets (3).

10. The electrolytic cell according to claim 9, characterized in that: The tank body (1) is formed by assembling two covers (11), the two covers (11) surround and form an inner cavity of the tank body (1), and the periphery of the diaphragm (2) is clamped between two opposite end faces of the two covers (11).

11. The electrolytic cell according to claim 9, wherein: The portion of the tank body (1) corresponding to each electrode chamber (110) is provided with a liquid inlet (111) and a liquid outlet (112) that are in communication with the electrode chamber (110).

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