An intermittent electrolysis control device and control method

Abstract

This application relates to an intermittent electrolysis control device and method. The device is connected to electrolysis equipment and includes a power supply, a PLC control chip, an AC contactor, and a contactless switch. One end of the PLC control chip is connected to the power supply, and the other end is connected to one end of the AC contactor. The other end of the AC contactor is connected to one end of the contactless switch, and the other end of the contactless switch is connected to the electrolysis equipment. The PLC control chip is used to control the AC contactor and the contactless switch. This application allows for the selection of specific time periods during electrolysis production to achieve indirect electrolysis, thereby achieving the effect of rational energy utilization and reducing power consumption and costs.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of electrolytic production technology, and in particular to an intermittent electrolysis control device and control method. Background Technology

[0002] Electrolysis is a process in which an electric current is passed through an electrolyte solution or molten electrolyte, inducing redox reactions at the cathode and anode. This electrochemical reaction, occurring at the interface between the electrodes (electronic conductors) and the electrolyte (ionic conductors), is used for the synthesis of chemicals, the manufacture of high-purity substances, and the surface treatment of materials. When an electric current is applied, cations in the electrolyte move towards the cathode, absorb electrons, and undergo reduction to form new substances; while anions move towards the anode, release electrons, and undergo oxidation to form new substances.

[0003] Currently, continuous production is generally achieved by keeping the rectifier powered on for 24 hours. However, due to peak and off-peak electricity consumption, continuous electrolysis production does not make rational use of electrical energy, is not environmentally friendly, and has high power consumption and costs.

[0004] Therefore, in order to solve the above problems, there is a need to provide an intermittent electrolysis control device and control method that can make reasonable use of energy and reduce power consumption and costs. Summary of the Invention

[0005] In order to achieve the effect of rational energy utilization and reduce power consumption and cost, this application provides an intermittent electrolysis control device and control method.

[0006] This application provides an intermittent electrolysis control device, which is connected to an electrolysis equipment and includes a power supply, a PLC control chip, an AC contactor, and a contactless switch;

[0007] One end of the PLC control chip is connected to the power supply, and the other end is connected to one end of the AC contactor. The other end of the AC contactor is connected to one end of the contactless switch, and the other end of the contactless switch is connected to the electrolysis equipment.

[0008] The PLC control chip is used to control the AC contactor and the contactless switch.

[0009] Preferably, when the PLC control chip receives the first control command, it controls the AC contactor to close and controls the contactless switch to close.

[0010] When the PLC control chip receives the second control command, it controls the contactless switch to open.

[0011] When the PLC control chip receives the third control command, it controls the AC contactor to disconnect.

[0012] Preferably, the power supply is composed of multiple sub-power supplies, all of which are connected to the PLC control chip.

[0013] Preferably, each of the sub-power supplies is connected in parallel with each other and then connected in series with the PLC control chip.

[0014] Meanwhile, this application also provides an intermittent electrolysis control method, applied to the intermittent electrolysis control device as described in any of the above claims, comprising the following steps:

[0015] Get the current electricity consumption period;

[0016] Determine whether the current electricity consumption period is during peak electricity consumption;

[0017] If it is during the peak electricity consumption period, the PLC control chip will be driven to control the AC contactor to disconnect and control the contactless switch to disconnect.

[0018] Preferably, after determining whether the current electricity consumption period is during a peak electricity consumption period, the method further includes:

[0019] If it is not during the peak electricity consumption period, the PLC control chip is driven to control the AC contactor to close and control the contactless switch to open.

[0020] Preferably, the step of driving the PLC control chip to control the AC contactor to disconnect and control the contactless switch to disconnect during the peak electricity consumption period includes:

[0021] If it is during the peak electricity consumption period, a first control command, a second control command, and a third control command are generated;

[0022] The first control instruction, the second control instruction, and the third control instruction are sent to the PLC control chip;

[0023] When the PLC control chip receives the first control command, it controls the AC contactor to close and controls the contactless switch to close.

[0024] When the PLC control chip receives the second control command, it controls the contactless switch to open.

[0025] When the PLC control chip receives the third control command, it controls the AC contactor to disconnect.

[0026] Preferably, sending the first control instruction, the second control instruction, and the third control instruction to the PLC control chip specifically involves:

[0027] Obtain the command sending interval and command sending order;

[0028] According to the instruction sending order, the first control instruction, the second control instruction, and the third control instruction are sent to the PLC control chip in sequence according to the instruction sending interval.

[0029] Preferably, the step of driving the PLC control chip to control the AC contactor to disconnect and control the contactless switch to disconnect during the peak electricity consumption period includes:

[0030] If it is during the peak electricity consumption period, the current concentration and deposition rate of the deposits on the cathode plate are obtained;

[0031] Determine whether the current concentration is less than a concentration threshold;

[0032] If the concentration is greater than or equal to the concentration threshold, then the concentration difference between the current concentration and the saturation concentration is obtained;

[0033] Based on the concentration difference and the precipitation rate, the time required for the precipitate to reach the saturation concentration is obtained;

[0034] After the required time has elapsed, the PLC control chip is driven to control the AC contactor to disconnect and the contactless switch to disconnect.

[0035] Preferably, after determining whether the current concentration is greater than the concentration threshold, the method further includes:

[0036] If the concentration is less than the threshold value, the PLC control chip is driven to control the AC contactor to disconnect and the contactless switch to disconnect.

[0037] Store and display the current concentration and the precipitation rate.

[0038] The intermittent electrolysis control device and method provided in this application utilizes a PLC control chip, an AC contactor, and a contactless switch to open and close. During peak electricity consumption periods, the connection between the power supply and the electrolysis equipment is disconnected to interrupt electrolysis production. During off-peak periods, the connection is restored to resume electrolysis production. This allows for selection of specific electrolysis periods as needed, achieving indirect electrolysis and thus optimizing energy utilization while reducing power consumption and costs. Furthermore, the control switch, composed of an AC contactor and a contactless switch, provides a clear break point, preventing arcing during operation and effectively protecting personnel from arcing or electric shock. This reliable switching discharge ensures the safe operation of the device and equipment, safeguarding personnel safety. Attached Figure Description

[0039] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a module of one embodiment of the intermittent electrolysis control device according to an embodiment of this application;

[0040] Figure 2 This is a flowchart illustrating one embodiment of the intermittent electrolysis control method according to this application.

[0041] Figure 3 This is a flowchart illustrating one embodiment of the intermittent electrolysis control method according to this application.

[0042] Figure 4 This is a flowchart illustrating one embodiment of the intermittent electrolysis control method according to this application.

[0043] Figure 5 This is a flowchart illustrating one embodiment of the intermittent electrolysis control method according to this application.

[0044] The realization of the objective, functional features and advantages of the present invention will be further explained in conjunction with the embodiments and with reference to the accompanying drawings. Detailed Implementation

[0045] To enable those skilled in the art to better understand the technical solutions in this application, the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this application, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments in this application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort should fall within the scope of protection of this application.

[0046] This application provides an intermittent electrolysis control device, which is connected to electrolysis equipment, such as... Figure 1 As shown, it includes a power supply 1, a PLC control chip 2, an AC contactor 3, and a contactless switch 4;

[0047] One end of the PLC control chip 2 is connected to the power supply 1, and the other end is connected to one end of the AC contactor 3. The other end of the AC contactor 3 is connected to one end of the contactless switch 4, and the other end of the contactless switch 4 is connected to the electrolysis equipment.

[0048] PLC control chip 2 is used to control AC contactor 3 and contactless switch 4.

[0049] In practical applications, the AC contactor 3 serves as an actuator to connect or disconnect circuits, thereby frequently controlling the operation of electrolysis equipment. It can frequently connect or disconnect circuits, generally controlling large currents or voltages with small currents or voltages. The contactless switch 4, on the other hand, is a switching device composed of a microcontroller and power electronic components. It changes the load current stepwise by altering the circuit impedance, thus completing the circuit's on / off state. Its main characteristics are the absence of moving contact parts, no arcing or sparking during connection and disconnection, rapid operation, long lifespan, and high reliability.

[0050] Compared to continuous electrolysis production using a rectifier that is constantly powered, this application uses a PLC control chip 2 to control the opening and closing of both the AC contactor 3 and the contactless switch 4. During peak electricity consumption periods, the connection between the power supply 1 and the electrolysis equipment is disconnected to interrupt electrolysis production, while during off-peak electricity consumption periods, the connection between the power supply 1 and the electrolysis equipment is restored to continue electrolysis production. This allows for the selection of specific time periods for electrolysis production as needed, achieving indirect electrolysis and realizing the rational use of energy while reducing power consumption and costs.

[0051] It should be noted that the specific number of AC contactors 3 and contactless switches 4 can be set according to actual needs. For example, if multiple power sources 1 are connected, the number of AC contactors 3 and contactless switches 4 should be less than or equal to the number of power sources 1, with the number of AC contactors 3 and contactless switches 4 being the same. In addition to differentiating between peak and off-peak electricity usage periods, the opening and closing times of AC contactors 3 and contactless switches 4 can also be selected according to actual needs. For example, when the deposits on the cathode plate of the electrolytic cell are close to saturation, some AC contactors 3 and contactless switches 4 can be closed, leaving only a portion open, thereby reducing the rate of deposit formation during electrolysis and preventing oversaturation of the deposits on the cathode plate.

[0052] Meanwhile, the control switch, composed of AC contactor 3 and contactless switch 4, has a clear break point and does not arc during use. This effectively prevents personnel from encountering electric arcs or suffering electric shocks during operation or production, achieving reliable switch discharge, ensuring the safe operation of the device and equipment, and protecting the lives of personnel.

[0053] In another embodiment, when the PLC control chip 2 receives the first control command, it controls the AC contactor 3 to close and controls the contactless switch 4 to close.

[0054] When the PLC control chip 2 receives the second control command, it controls the contactless switch 4 to open.

[0055] When the PLC control chip 2 receives the third control command, it controls the AC contactor 3 to disconnect.

[0056] In practical applications, the first control instruction, the second control instruction, and the third control instruction can be control instructions that are manually input in sequence, or they can be pre-stored control instructions that are automatically retrieved according to a preset time. All of them are control instructions that can be acquired and directly executed by the PLC control chip 2.

[0057] The usage process of each control instruction is as follows: When PLC control chip 2 receives the first control instruction, it controls AC contactor 3 to close and contactless switch 4 to close, at which time no current flows; when PLC control chip 2 receives the second control instruction, it controls contactless switch 4 to open and begin discharging; after discharging, when PLC control chip 2 receives the third control instruction, it controls AC contactor 3 to open, forming a clear break point, and no arcing occurs during use, thus achieving reliable switching and discharging.

[0058] In another embodiment, power supply 1 is composed of multiple sub-power supplies, all of which are connected to PLC control chip 2.

[0059] While the aforementioned embodiments achieve intermittent electrolysis, they primarily utilize peak and off-peak electricity periods to repeatedly switch between full production and shutdown. To enable intermittent electrolysis for other needs, such as partial shutdowns, multiple sub-power supplies can be combined into power supply 1. Depending on the situation, the number of products in operation and the capacity of each unit vary, thus the number of sub-power supplies used in the combination also varies. To ensure the orderly operation of the multiple sub-power supplies, control can be achieved through PLC control chips 2 connected to each sub-power supply. This prevents operational errors, ensures the device and equipment operate according to the program, and improves overall operational flexibility.

[0060] In another embodiment, each sub-power supply is connected in parallel to each other and then connected in series with the PLC control chip 2. Compared with the method of connecting all of them in series, it is more flexible and will not cause the entire power supply 1 to become unusable due to the failure of some of them.

[0061] Furthermore, this application also provides an intermittent electrolysis control method, applied to the intermittent electrolysis control device as described in any of the preceding claims, such as... Figure 2 As shown, it includes the following steps:

[0062] S01. Obtain the current electricity consumption period;

[0063] S02. Determine whether the current electricity consumption period is during peak electricity consumption;

[0064] S03. If it is during peak electricity consumption period, the PLC control chip will control the AC contactor to disconnect and control the contactless switch to disconnect.

[0065] In this embodiment, the current electricity consumption period refers to the time period during which the electrolysis equipment connected to the intermittent electrolysis control device operates. The current electricity consumption period may be a peak electricity consumption period or an off-peak electricity consumption period. In terms of their respective costs, the cost of the off-peak electricity consumption period is lower, and since the overall electricity consumption is also smaller during the off-peak electricity consumption period, its environmental protection effect is better.

[0066] As can be seen from the above, during peak electricity consumption periods, in order to reduce electricity costs and improve environmental protection, the PLC control chip is driven to control the AC contactor to disconnect and simultaneously control the contactless switch to disconnect, thereby disconnecting the power supply from the electrolysis equipment and interrupting electrolysis production.

[0067] Meanwhile, the control switch, composed of AC contactors and contactless switches, has a clear break point and does not arc during use. This effectively prevents personnel from encountering electric arcs or suffering electric shocks during operation or production, achieving reliable switch discharge, ensuring the safe operation of the device and equipment, and protecting the lives of personnel.

[0068] In another embodiment, such as Figure 2 As shown, after determining whether the current electricity consumption period is during peak electricity consumption, the method further includes:

[0069] S11. If it is not during peak electricity consumption period, drive the PLC control chip to control the AC contactor to close and control the contactless switch to open.

[0070] If it is not during peak electricity consumption periods, the connection between the power supply and the electrolysis equipment will be restored during off-peak periods to continue electrolysis production. This allows for the selection of specific electrolysis production periods as needed, enabling indirect electrolysis and achieving the goal of rationally utilizing energy and reducing electricity consumption and costs.

[0071] It should be noted that the specific number of AC contactors and contactless switches can be set according to actual needs. For example, if multiple power sources are connected, the number of AC contactors and contactless switches should be less than or equal to the number of power sources, with the number of AC contactors and contactless switches being the same. In addition to differentiating between peak and off-peak electricity usage periods, the opening and closing times of AC contactors and contactless switches can also be selected according to actual needs. For example, when the deposits on the cathode plate of the electrolytic cell are close to saturation, some AC contactors and contactless switches can be turned off, leaving only a portion open, thereby reducing the rate of deposit formation during electrolysis and preventing oversaturation of the deposits on the cathode plate.

[0072] In another embodiment, such as Figure 3 As shown, during peak electricity consumption periods, the PLC control chip will drive the AC contactor to disconnect and the contactless switch to disconnect, including:

[0073] S21. If it is during peak electricity consumption period, generate the first control command, the second control command, and the third control command;

[0074] S22. Send the first control instruction, the second control instruction, and the third control instruction to the PLC control chip;

[0075] When the S23.PLC control chip receives the first control instruction, it controls the AC contactor to close and controls the contactless switch to close.

[0076] When the S24.PLC control chip receives the second control instruction, it controls the contactless switch to open.

[0077] When the S25.PLC control chip receives the third control instruction, it controls the AC contactor to disconnect.

[0078] In practical applications, the first, second, and third control instructions can be manually input in sequence, or they can be pre-stored control instructions that are automatically retrieved according to a preset time. All of them are control instructions that can be acquired and directly executed by the PLC control chip.

[0079] The aforementioned PLC control chip, also known as a programmable logic controller, is a digital electronic system specifically designed for industrial applications. It employs a programmable memory to store instructions for performing logical operations, sequential control, timing, counting, and arithmetic operations, controlling various types of machinery or production processes through digital or analog inputs and outputs.

[0080] In another embodiment, such as Figure 4 As shown, the first control instruction, the second control instruction, and the third control instruction are sent to the PLC control chip, specifically as follows:

[0081] S31. Obtain the instruction sending interval and instruction sending order;

[0082] S32. According to the instruction sending order, the first control instruction, the second control instruction, and the third control instruction are sent to the PLC control chip in sequence according to the instruction sending interval.

[0083] In practical applications, both AC contactors and contactless switches require a certain interval time to open and close. Therefore, commands also have a corresponding interval time, i.e., command sending interval. Furthermore, based on the control of AC contactors and contactless switches described above, there is also a certain execution order. Thus, commands also have an execution order, which is obtained from the command sending order.

[0084] Therefore, according to the instruction sending order, the first control instruction, the second control instruction, and the third control instruction are sent to the PLC control chip in sequence according to the instruction sending interval. This can ensure the required interval time for opening and closing of both the AC contactor and the contactless switch, and at the same time, it can control both the AC contactor and the contactless switch according to the execution order of the first control instruction, the second control instruction, and the third control instruction.

[0085] In another embodiment, such as Figure 5 As shown, during peak electricity consumption periods, the PLC control chip will drive the AC contactor to disconnect and the contactless switch to disconnect, including:

[0086] S41. If it is during peak electricity consumption period, obtain the current concentration and deposition rate of the deposits on the cathode plate;

[0087] S42. Determine if the current concentration is less than the concentration threshold;

[0088] S43. If the concentration is greater than or equal to the concentration threshold, obtain the concentration difference between the current concentration and the saturation concentration;

[0089] S44. Based on the concentration difference and precipitation rate, obtain the time required for the precipitate to reach saturation concentration;

[0090] S45. After the required time has elapsed, the PLC control chip is driven to disconnect the AC contactor and the contactless switch is also disconnected.

[0091] Electrolysis is a chemical reaction that uses electrolysis to precipitate substances from a solution onto a cathode plate. After a certain period of time, the precipitate on the cathode plate will reach a saturation concentration, after which no more precipitate can accumulate on the cathode plate.

[0092] Therefore, if it is during peak electricity consumption, before implementing intermittent electrolysis, it is necessary to first obtain the current concentration and precipitation rate of the precipitate on the cathode plate. When the current concentration is greater than or equal to the concentration threshold, the time required for the precipitate to reach the saturation concentration is obtained based on the concentration difference between the current concentration and the saturation concentration and the precipitation rate. Then, after the required time has elapsed, the PLC control chip is driven to control the AC contactor to disconnect and control the contactless switch to disconnect, so that the current precipitate can reach the saturation concentration before intermittent electrolysis.

[0093] In practical applications, the concentration threshold mentioned above is closer to the saturation concentration so that the precipitate can reach the saturation concentration in a shorter time. Before the next electrolysis interval, the precipitate is stripped off from the cathode plate, thereby balancing electrolysis efficiency and electricity costs.

[0094] In another embodiment, such as Figure 5 As shown, after determining whether the current concentration is greater than the concentration threshold, the following steps are also included:

[0095] S51. If the concentration is less than the threshold, the PLC control chip will be driven to control the AC contactor to disconnect and control the contactless switch to disconnect.

[0096] S52. Store and display the current concentration and precipitation rate.

[0097] According to the principles and objectives of the aforementioned embodiments, when the current concentration is less than the concentration threshold, the PLC control chip is driven to control the AC contactor to disconnect and the contactless switch to disconnect, performing intermittent electrolysis. At the same time, the current concentration and precipitation rate are stored and displayed so that the operator can plan the electrolysis time at the same precipitation rate next time electrolysis is performed, based on the displayed current concentration and precipitation rate.

[0098] It should also be noted that, in this specification, relational terms such as "first" and "second" are used only to distinguish one entity or operation from another, and do not necessarily require or imply any such actual relationship or order between these entities or operations. Furthermore, the terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such a process, method, article, or apparatus. Without further limitations, an element defined by the phrase "comprising one..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that includes said element.

[0099] The above description of the disclosed embodiments enables those skilled in the art to make or use this application. Various modifications to these embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein may be implemented in other embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of this application. Therefore, this application is not to be limited to the embodiments shown herein, but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.

Claims

1. An intermittent electrolysis control device, connected to an electrolysis equipment, characterized in that, Includes power supply, PLC control chip, AC contactor and contactless switch; One end of the PLC control chip is connected to the power supply, and the other end is connected to one end of the AC contactor. The other end of the AC contactor is connected to one end of the contactless switch, and the other end of the contactless switch is connected to the electrolysis equipment. The PLC control chip is used to control the AC contactor and the contactless switch; When the PLC control chip receives the first control command, it controls the AC contactor to close and controls the contactless switch to close. When the PLC control chip receives the second control command, it controls the contactless switch to open. When the PLC control chip receives the third control command, it controls the AC contactor to disconnect.

2. The intermittent electrolysis control device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The power supply is composed of multiple sub-power supplies, all of which are connected to the PLC control chip.

3. The intermittent electrolysis control device according to claim 2, characterized in that, Each of the sub-power supplies is connected in parallel with each other and then connected in series with the PLC control chip.

4. A method for controlling intermittent electrolysis, characterized in that, The intermittent electrolysis control device as described in any one of claims 1 to 3 includes the following steps: Get the current electricity consumption period; Determine whether the current electricity consumption period is during peak electricity consumption; If it is during the peak electricity consumption period, the PLC control chip is driven to control the AC contactor to disconnect and control the contactless switch to disconnect; including If it is during the peak electricity consumption period, a first control command, a second control command, and a third control command are generated; The first control instruction, the second control instruction, and the third control instruction are sent to the PLC control chip; When the PLC control chip receives the first control command, it controls the AC contactor to close and controls the contactless switch to close. When the PLC control chip receives the second control command, it controls the contactless switch to open. When the PLC control chip receives the third control command, it controls the AC contactor to disconnect.

5. The intermittent electrolysis control method according to claim 4, characterized in that, After determining whether the current electricity consumption period is during peak electricity consumption, the method further includes: If it is not during the peak electricity consumption period, the PLC control chip is driven to control the AC contactor to close and control the contactless switch to open.

6. The intermittent electrolysis control method according to claim 4, characterized in that, The step of sending the first control instruction, the second control instruction, and the third control instruction to the PLC control chip specifically involves: Obtain the command sending interval and command sending order; According to the instruction sending order, the first control instruction, the second control instruction, and the third control instruction are sent to the PLC control chip in sequence according to the instruction sending interval.

7. The intermittent electrolysis control method according to claim 4, characterized in that, If the power consumption period is peak, the PLC control chip is driven to control the AC contactor to disconnect and the contactless switch to disconnect, including: If it is during the peak electricity consumption period, the current concentration and deposition rate of the deposits on the cathode plate are obtained; Determine whether the current concentration is less than a concentration threshold; If the concentration is greater than or equal to the concentration threshold, then the concentration difference between the current concentration and the saturation concentration is obtained; Based on the concentration difference and the precipitation rate, the time required for the precipitate to reach the saturation concentration is obtained; After the required time has elapsed, the PLC control chip is driven to control the AC contactor to disconnect and the contactless switch to disconnect.

8. The intermittent electrolysis control method according to claim 7, characterized in that, After determining whether the current concentration is greater than the concentration threshold, the method further includes: If the concentration is less than the threshold value, the PLC control chip is driven to control the AC contactor to disconnect and the contactless switch to disconnect. Store and display the current concentration and the precipitation rate.

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