Electrolytic cell and electrolyzed water generator

Abstract

To provide a single-chamber electrolytic cell that differs from a conventional basic configuration.SOLUTION: There is provided an electrolytic cell (2) including: a housing (21) whose interior is not partitioned by a diaphragm; a pair of electrodes (221, 222) exposed in the housing (21) and performing electrolysis; a supply port (23) located in an upper portion of the housing (21) and supplying an aqueous electrolytic solution into the housing (21); a first outlet (24) located at a lower portion within the housing (21) for discharging the electrolytic solution produced by electrolyzing the aqueous electrolytic solution supplied from the supply port (23) at the electrodes (221, 222); and a second outlet (25) located at a top of the housing (21) for discharging gas generated by electrolysis.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a single-chamber electrolytic cell and an electrolyzed water generator.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, a single-chamber electrolytic cell without a diaphragm has been known (for example, Patent Document 1). In the present application, electrolysis may be abbreviated as electrolytic decomposition.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] Generally, in a single-chamber electrolytic cell, an electrolyte aqueous solution is supplied from the bottom, and the electrolyte aqueous solution is electrolyzed while rising along the electrodes extending in the vertical direction. The generated electrolyzed product solution is discharged from the upper part of the electrolytic cell together with the generated gas accompanying the electrolysis. In recent years, the market for electrolytic cells has been expanding, and the development of electrolytic cells in modes different from such basic modes has been demanded.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] The present invention is as follows, for example. Hereinafter, reference numerals in the drawings are used for reference. 〔1〕A housing (21) whose interior is not partitioned by a diaphragm, A pair of electrodes (221, 222) that are exposed inside the housing (21) and perform electrolysis, A supply port (23) that is located in the upper part inside the housing (21) and supplies an electrolyte aqueous solution into the housing (21), A first discharge port (24) that is located at the lower part inside the housing (21) and discharges the electrolysis product solution generated by electrolyzing the aqueous electrolyte solution supplied from the supply port (23) at the electrodes (221, 222); A second discharge port (25) that is located at the upper part inside the housing (21) and discharges the generated gas by electrolysis; An electrolytic cell (2), characterized by comprising the above. 〔2〕In the electrolytic cell (2) according to 〔1〕, An electrolytic cell (2) in which the supply port (23) and the second discharge port (25) are provided on the top surface (211) of the housing (21). 〔3〕In the electrolytic cell (2) according to 〔2〕, On the top surface (211), the supply port (23) is provided on one side in a second direction (width direction) that is orthogonal to a first direction (depth direction) in which the pair of electrodes (221, 222) face each other and is parallel to each of the electrodes (221, 222), and the second discharge port (25) is provided on the other side in the second direction (width direction). An electrolytic cell (2). 〔4〕In the electrolytic cell (2) according to 〔3〕, The first discharge port (24) is provided on the other side in the second direction (width direction) at the lower part inside the housing. An electrolytic cell (2). 〔5〕In the electrolytic cell (2) according to any one of 〔1〕 to 〔4〕, The second discharge port (25) discharges the electrolysis product solution together with the generated gas by electrolysis. An electrolytic cell (2). 〔6〕The electrolytic cell (2) according to 〔5〕, A pump (12) that sucks the aqueous electrolyte solution from the aqueous electrolyte solution tank (11) and sends the aqueous electrolyte solution into the housing (21) through the supply port (23), A dilution pipe (35) through which dilution water flows and into which the electrolysis product solution discharged from the first discharge port (24) and the second discharge port (25) flows and is diluted with the dilution water; An electrolyzed water generating apparatus (1) comprising the above. 〔7〕The electrolytic cell (2) according to 〔5〕, A pipe (36) to which the electrolysis product solution discharged from the first discharge port (24) and the second discharge port (25) is sent; Diluted water flows, and there is a dilution pipe (35) that has a larger diameter than the pipe (36), to which the pipe (36) is connected, and that sucks out the electrolytically generated liquid from the pipe (36) by the flow of the diluted water and dilutes it with the diluted water. An electrolyzed water generator (1, 1A, 1B) comprising the same.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0006]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0007] (First Embodiment) FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of an electrolyzed water generator 1. The electrolyzed water generator 1 includes a one-chamber electrolytic cell 2, and in addition, for example, an electrolyte aqueous solution tank 11, a pump 12, a water supply unit 13, and an electrolyzed water discharge unit 14.

[0008] The electrolyte aqueous solution tank 11 stores an appropriate electrolyte aqueous solution. When producing slightly acidic electrolyzed water in the electrolyzed water generator 1, hydrochloric acid or a mixture of hydrochloric acid and an aqueous sodium chloride solution can be used as the electrolyte aqueous solution. Slightly acidic electrolyzed water is a type of disinfectant for food additives, is obtained by electrolyzing the above electrolyte aqueous solution, has hypochlorous acid as the main component, and shows an available chlorine concentration of 10 to 80 ppm and a pH of 5.0 to 6.5. Also, when producing electrolyzed hypochlorous water in the electrolyzed water generator 1, an aqueous sodium chloride solution can be used as the electrolyte aqueous solution. Electrolyzed hypochlorous water is electrolyzed water showing an available chlorine concentration of 10 to 80 ppm and a pH of 7.5 or higher.

[0009] The pump 12 sucks the aqueous electrolyte solution from the aqueous electrolyte solution tank 11 through the pipe 31 and sends the aqueous electrolyte solution to the electrolytic cell 2 through the pipe 32.

[0010] The electrolytic cell 2 includes a housing 21, a pair of electrodes 221 and 222, a supply port 23, a first discharge port 24, and a second discharge port 25.

[0011] The housing 21 is an outer portion of the electrolytic cell 2 for storing the aqueous electrolyte solution sent from the pump 12, and may be composed of one member or may be composed of multiple members including the outer edge portions of the electrodes 221 and 222. The housing 21 corresponds to a single-chamber electrolytic cell 2 and is not partitioned inside by a diaphragm. The housing 21 is box-shaped, and in this embodiment, it is assumed to have a top surface portion, but the upper portion may be open. In this embodiment, the housing 21 is assumed to be rectangular box-shaped, but it may be a cylindrical body with a bottom and a top surface portion.

[0012] One of the pair of electrodes 221 and 222 is an anode and the other is a cathode, and they are exposed in the housing 21 and face each other. In this embodiment, an example where the electrodes 221 and 222 are plate-shaped will be described, but they may be rod-shaped, and an appropriate shape can be adopted. The electrodes 221 and 222 are applied with, for example, a DC voltage from a power source (not shown) to perform electrolysis on the aqueous electrolyte solution without a diaphragm between them.

[0013] The supply port 23 is located at the upper part inside the housing 21 and is connected to the pipe 32. The supply port 23 supplies the aqueous electrolyte solution supplied from the pump 12 through the pipe 32 into the housing 21. In this embodiment, the supply port 23 is provided on one side (the right side in FIG. 1) in the width direction (the left-right direction in FIG. 1: the second direction) on the top surface 211 of the housing 21. The width direction is orthogonal to the depth direction (the direction perpendicular to the paper surface in FIG. 1: the first direction) in which the electrodes 221 and 222 face each other and is parallel to each of the electrodes 221 and 222. Note that a pipe connected to the pipe 32 may be inserted into the housing 21 so that the tip thereof is located at the upper part inside the housing 21, and in this case, the tip of the pipe becomes the supply port 23. The supply port 23 may be provided at the upper part of the inner wall side surface of the housing 21. The supply port 23 may be above the electrodes 221 and 222.

[0014] A part of the electrolyte aqueous solution supplied from the supply port 23 advances between the electrodes 221 and 222 and is electrolyzed by the electrodes 221 and 222. As a result, an electrolytic solution is generated in the housing 21 and gas is generated. For example, weakly acidic electrolyzed water mainly composed of hypochlorous acid is generated as the electrolytic solution in the housing 21, and chlorine gas is generated.

[0015] The first discharge port 24 is located at the lower part inside the housing 21 and discharges the electrolytic solution to the outside of the housing 21. In the present embodiment, by providing the supply port 23 at the upper part of the housing 21 and the first discharge port 24 at the lower part, the flow direction of the electrolyte aqueous solution in the housing 21 can be made from above to below, which is opposite to the conventional one.

[0016] The first discharge port 24 is provided at the lower part on the inner wall side surface of the other side (the left side in FIG. 1) in the width direction of the housing 21. Therefore, in the present embodiment, the supply port 23 and the first discharge port 24 are located substantially diagonally on the housing 21, and the path length between the supply port 23 and the first discharge port 24 of the electrolyte aqueous solution, in other words, the path length between the electrodes 221 and 222, can be sufficiently ensured. As a result, in the present embodiment, the residence time of the electrolyte aqueous solution between the electrodes 221 and 222 can be ensured, and the electrolysis of the electrolyte aqueous solution can be sufficiently performed. Note that the first discharge port 24 may be provided on the bottom surface of the housing 21. The first discharge port 24 may be below the electrodes 221 and 222.

[0017] When the generated gas accompanying electrolysis accumulates in the upper part of the housing 21 and contacts the electrodes 221 and 222, the effective area of the electrodes 221 and 222 may decrease and the electrolysis efficiency may deteriorate. However, in the present embodiment, the second discharge port 25 is located in the upper part inside the housing 21. Therefore, in the present embodiment, the generated gas accompanying electrolysis can be discharged to the outside of the housing 21 together with the electrolytic solution from the second discharge port 25, and the electrolysis efficiency can be maintained well.

[0018] In this embodiment, the second discharge port 25 is provided on the other side in the width direction (the left side in FIG. 1) of the top surface 211 of the housing 21. Here, a part of the electrolyte aqueous solution discharged from the supply port 23 advances downward, then advances to the other side in the width direction (the left side in FIG. 1), rises toward the second discharge port 25, and reaches the second discharge port 25. Therefore, in this embodiment, since the second discharge port 25 is provided on the other side in the width direction (the left side in FIG. 1), the path length in the width direction in the path between the supply port 23 and the second discharge port 25 of the electrolyte aqueous solution is longer than that when it is provided on one side in the width direction (the right side in FIG. 1). In other words, the path length between the electrodes 221 and 222 can be ensured, and an electrolytic product solution with a sufficient concentration can be discharged from the second discharge port 25. Note that the second discharge port 25 may be provided at the upper part of the inner wall side surface of the housing 21. Also in this case, it is preferably provided at the upper part of the inner wall side surface on the other side in the width direction (the left side in FIG. 1) of the housing 21. The second discharge port 25 may be above the electrodes 221 and 222. Also, in the above, an example in which the electrolytic product solution is also discharged from the second discharge port 25 has been described. However, only the generated gas may be discharged from the second discharge port 25 and the electrolytic product solution may not be discharged, and the electrolytic product solution may be discharged only from the first discharge port 24.

[0019] A pipe 33 is connected to the first discharge port 24, and a pipe 34 is connected to the second discharge port 25. The pipes 33 and 34 merge into a dilution pipe 35. In this embodiment, the pipes 33 and 34 merge to form a pipe 36, and the pipe 36 merges into the dilution pipe 35. Raw water (dilution water) supplied from the water supply unit 13 flows through the dilution pipe 35. Examples of the raw water include tap water and RO (Reverse Osmosis) water. The electrolytic product solution containing the generated gas discharged from the first discharge port 24 and the second discharge port 25 flows into the dilution pipe 35 through the pipes 33, 34, and 36 and is diluted with the raw water. In this way, electrolyzed water is generated, and the electrolyzed water is discharged from the electrolyzed water discharge unit 14. For example, the electrolytic product solution generated in the electrolytic cell 21 is diluted in the dilution pipe 35 so as to satisfy the specification of slightly acidic electrolyzed water (available chlorine concentration: 10 to 80 ppm, pH: 5.0 to 6.5).

[0020] FIG. 2 is a plan view of the housing 21 showing the positional relationship between the electrodes 221 and 222, the supply port 23, the first discharge port 24, and the second discharge port 25. In the present embodiment, the supply port 23, the first discharge port 24, and the second discharge port 25 are located between the electrodes 221 and 222 in the depth direction of the housing 21. Thereby, in the present embodiment, the aqueous electrolyte solution supplied from the supply port 23 can be smoothly introduced between the electrodes 221 and 222, and the electrolytic product solution generated between the electrodes 221 and 222 can be smoothly discharged from the first discharge port 24 and the second discharge port 25.

[0021] As described above, in the present embodiment, the supply port 23 is located at the upper part of the housing 21 and the first discharge port 24 is located at the lower part, so that the aqueous electrolyte solution can flow from above to below in the housing 21 in the opposite direction to the conventional case. In the present embodiment, since the second discharge port 25 is located at the upper part of the housing 21, it is possible to prevent the gas from accumulating in the housing 21 and to prevent the electrolysis efficiency from decreasing due to the generated gas coming into contact with the electrodes 221 and 222.

[0022] (Second Embodiment) FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the electrolyzed water generator 1A as the second embodiment. In the electrolyzed water generator 1A, the pipe 31 connected to the electrolyte aqueous solution tank 11 extends to the electrolytic cell 2, and the pump 12 shown in the first embodiment is not provided in the middle thereof. The pipe 34 connected to the second discharge port 25 and the pipe 33 connected to the first discharge port 24 merge into a pipe 36. The pipe 36 is connected to the dilution pipe 35. The pipe 36 is a thin pipe having a smaller diameter than the dilution pipe 35. The diameter of the pipe 36 is, for example, one-fifth of the diameter of the dilution pipe 35. The diameters of the pipes 31, 33, 34, and 36 may be the same. The dilution pipe 35 may be provided at a position close to the confluence point of the pipes 33 and 34 so that the pipe 36 becomes shorter. Other configurations of the electrolyzed water generator 1A are the same as those of the electrolyzed water generator 1.

[0023] In the electrolyzed water generator 1A, the electrolytic cell 2 is operated with the piping 31 and the electrolytic cell 2 filled with an electrolyte aqueous solution. The suction pressure generated in the piping 36 by the water flow of the raw water passing through the dilution piping 35 is transmitted to the piping 31 via the piping 36, 34, 33 and the electrolytic cell 2, and the electrolyte aqueous solution is sucked out from the electrolyte aqueous solution tank 11 into the piping 31. Then, an electrolyzed product liquid is generated in the electrolytic cell 2, and due to the suction pressure, the electrolyzed product liquid is sucked out from the electrolytic cell 2 into the piping 33, 34 and sent to the piping 36, and the electrolyzed product liquid is sucked out from the piping 36 into the dilution piping 35. In the dilution piping 35, the sucked-out electrolyzed product liquid is diluted to generate electrolyzed water, and the electrolyzed water is discharged from the electrolyzed water discharge section 14. Thus, the electrolyzed water generator 1A can eliminate the need for suction by the pump 12 upstream of the electrolytic cell 2 and simplify the device configuration.

[0024] (Third Embodiment) FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an electrolyzed water generator 1B as a third embodiment. In the electrolyzed water generator 1B, a check valve 311 is provided in the piping 31 connecting the electrolyte aqueous solution tank 11 and the electrolytic cell 2 in the electrolyzed water generator 1A. Other configurations are the same as those of the electrolyzed water generator 1A. In the electrolyzed water generator 1B, when the flow of the raw water in the dilution piping 35 weakens or stops, resulting in a weakened suction force in the dilution piping 35 and a weakened suction force transmitted to the piping 31, the check valve 311 can prevent the backflow of the electrolyzed product liquid from the electrolytic cell 2 to the electrolyte aqueous solution tank 11 and the generated gas during electrolysis.

[0025] The present invention can be implemented in the embodiments without departing from its features. The embodiments, modifications, and effects are merely examples and should not be construed as limiting the present invention. The features and structures of the embodiments and modifications can be added and combined in various ways to obtain alternative configurations.

Description of Reference Numerals

[0026] 2... Electrolytic cell, 21... Housing, 23... Supply port, 24... First discharge port, 25... Second discharge port, 221, 222... Electrodes.

Claims

1. A housing whose interior is not partitioned by a diaphragm, A pair of electrodes that are exposed inside the housing and perform electrolysis, A supply port located at the upper part inside the housing for supplying an electrolyte aqueous solution into the housing, A first discharge port located at the lower part inside the housing for discharging an electrolytic product solution generated by electrolyzing the electrolyte aqueous solution supplied from the supply port with the electrodes, A second discharge port located at the upper part inside the housing for discharging generated gas by electrolysis, An electrolytic cell characterized by comprising these.

2. In the electrolytic cell according to Claim 1, An electrolytic cell in which the supply port and the second discharge port are provided on the top surface of the housing.

3. In the electrolytic cell according to Claim 2, On the top surface, the supply port is provided on one side in a second direction that is orthogonal to a first direction in which the pair of electrodes face each other and parallel to each electrode, and the second discharge port is provided on the other side in the second direction. An electrolytic cell.

4. In the electrolytic cell according to Claim 3, The first discharge port is provided on the other side in the second direction at the lower part inside the housing. An electrolytic cell.

5. In the electrolytic cell according to any one of Claims 1 to 4, The second discharge port discharges an electrolytic product solution together with generated gas by electrolysis. An electrolytic cell.

6. The electrolytic cell according to Claim 5, A pump that sucks an electrolyte aqueous solution from an electrolyte aqueous solution tank and sends the electrolyte aqueous solution into the housing through the supply port, A dilution pipe through which dilution water flows and into which the electrolytic product solution discharged from the first discharge port and the second discharge port flows and is diluted with the dilution water, An electrolyzed water generating apparatus comprising these.

7. The electrolytic cell according to Claim 5, A pipe to which the electrolytic product solution discharged from the first discharge port and the second discharge port is sent, A dilution pipe through which dilution water flows, has a larger diameter than the pipe, is connected to the pipe, and sucks the electrolytic product solution from the pipe by the water flow of the dilution water and dilutes it with the dilution water, An electrolyzed water generating apparatus comprising these.

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