Electrically conductive fitting and improved method thereof

Abstract

To provide electrically conductive fittings which contribute to the smooth installation of an electrolytic cell and are less likely to occur inconveniences caused by marine organisms attaching themselves and can be used stably over a long period of time.SOLUTION: An electrically conductive fitting 10 comprises: an electrode connection part 11 that is connected to an iron electrode inside an electrolytic cell during use, and an extension part 12 that is flexible, has one end of its longitudinal direction connected to the electrode connection part 11, and is inserted through the inside and outside of the electrolytic cell during use. The extension part 12 comprises a core part 13 including a cable and a hollow tubular protective part 14. The core part 13 is housed in the hollow part 14S of the protective part 14. A plurality of partition members 15 are intermittently arranged in the longitudinal direction of the extension part 12 between the outer surface of the core part 13 and the inner surface of the protective part 14 in the hollow part 14S, and there are provided a plurality of space sections 16 partitioned by the partition members 15.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an electrically conductive fitting including a cable that connects an electrode housed inside an electrolytic cell to a power supply device installed outside the electrolytic cell. [Background technology]

[0002] In seawater-using equipment such as heat exchangers and condensers that use seawater as cooling water, a method (iron electrolysis method) is used to prevent corrosion of steel alloy components by seawater. Iron ions generated by electrolysis of iron are supplied to the cooling water, and an iron-based corrosion-resistant coating is formed on the surface of the steel alloy components.

[0003] FIG. 1 shows an example of an iron ion generator used in iron electrolysis. The iron ion generator 1 shown in FIG. 1 supplies iron ions to a seawater utilization facility 90. It includes a seawater supply pump 3, a strainer 4, a flow meter 5, an electrolytic cell 6, and piping 2 connecting these components. The electrolytic cell 6 is connected to the seawater utilization facility 90 via the piping 2. The electrolytic cell 6 includes a body 60 having an upper opening (not shown) and a lid 61 closing the upper opening. The body 60 and the lid 61 are each made of steel and have a rubber lining on the inside. The lid 61 is provided with a seawater inlet 62 through which seawater is introduced, and a seawater outlet 63 is provided at the bottom of the body 60 through which seawater is discharged. Both are connected to the piping 2. An iron electrode 7 is housed inside the electrolytic cell 6 and is connected to an electrically conductive fitting 8 that passes through the inside and outside of the electrolytic cell 6. The electrical conductive fitting 8 supplies the iron electrode 7 with the current required for electrolysis and is electrically connected to both the iron electrode 7 inside the electrolytic cell 6 and a power supply 9 outside the electrolytic cell 6. The power supply 9 is a DC power supply. The seawater utilization facility 90 includes a pipe 91 and a water chamber 92. A heat exchanger (not shown) that is subject to corrosion protection is installed in the water chamber 92, and seawater serving as cooling water flowing through the pipe 91 in the direction indicated by the symbol X in the figure is supplied to the heat exchanger. The iron ion generator 1 takes in seawater from the pipe 91 through the pipe 2 and supplies it to the inside of the electrolytic cell 6. Iron ions generated by electrolysis of the iron electrode 7 are supplied to the seawater, and the seawater (seawater containing iron ions) is then returned to a portion of the pipe 91 upstream of the water chamber 92 in the direction X, thereby supplying iron ions to the heat exchanger in the water chamber 92.

[0004] Patent Document 1 describes an improved technique for an iron ion generator. Specifically, it describes integrating multiple electrode plates and electrically conductive fittings into a cartridge type, and having the electrically conductive fittings protrude from the lid of an electrolytic cell.

[0005] 2 to 4 show essential parts of an example of application of the technology described in Patent Document 1 to an iron ion generator 1. In this example, the iron electrode 7, as shown in FIG. 3, is a stack of multiple iron electrode plates 70, 71, including an electrode plate 70 and a pair of electrode plates 71, 71 arranged opposite each other on both sides of the electrode plate 70. Each of the multiple electrode plates 70, 71 has a rectangular shape in a plan view and is arranged inside the body 60 with its longitudinal direction aligned with the depth direction of the body 60 (the vertical direction in FIG. 2). A predetermined gap is provided between the electrode plate 70 and each of the pair of electrode plates 71, 71. The multiple electrode plates 70, 71 constituting the iron electrode 7 are integrated with fasteners 72, including bolts and sleeves, that penetrate through them in the thickness direction. The outer surface of the electrode plate 71 (the surface opposite the electrode plate 70) that forms the outer surface of the iron electrode 7 is covered with a shielding plate 73, and shielding plates 74 are fitted to both longitudinal edge portions of the electrode plate 70. The shielding plates 73 and 74 are provided to prevent dissolution of the iron electrode 71 by providing shielding. The electrically conductive fitting 8 includes an electrode connection part 80 that connects to the iron electrode 7 inside the electrolytic cell 6 during use, and an extension part 81 that is connected at one end to the electrode connection part 80 and that penetrates the lid part 61 to pass between the inside and outside of the electrolytic cell 6 during use. The lid part 61 is provided with a fitting insertion part 64 that contains a through-hole through which the extension part 81 is inserted. The multiple electrode plates 70 and 71 that make up the iron electrode 7 and the electrode connection part 80 are integrated with fasteners (not shown) such as bolts, thereby forming the multiple electrode plates 70 and 71 and the electrically conductive fitting 8 into a cartridge-type component that can be removed from the electrolytic cell 6. The extension part 81 is a rigid metal rod whose surface is coated with titanium and an electrically insulating resin, and is not flexible. In the application example, the cartridge-type member includes four electrically conductive fittings 8, and on the upper surface of the lid portion 61, as shown in Figure 4, four fitting insertion portions 64 are arranged around a seawater inlet portion 62 located in the center of the lid portion 61, and an extension portion 81 of the electrically conductive fitting 8 protrudes from each fitting insertion portion 64. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-176801 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] At the site where an electrolytic cell is installed, multiple tasks are required, such as accommodating multiple electrode plates inside the electrolytic cell and connecting electrically conductive fittings to the electrode plates. However, by adopting the technology described in Patent Document 1 and integrating multiple electrode plates 70, 71 (iron electrodes 7) and electrically conductive fittings 8 into a cartridge-type member, as in the application example shown in Figures 2 to 4, the number of tasks required at the site can be reduced, and the installation work can be carried out more efficiently.

[0008] However, it has been found that there is room for improvement in the technology described in Patent Document 1. Specifically, installation of the electrolytic cell 6 requires the steps of accommodating the cartridge-type member inside the body 60 of the electrolytic cell 6 with the top opening of the body 60 open, and then attaching the lid 61 to the body 60 so that the lid 61 closes the top opening. Furthermore, the attachment of the lid 61 requires inserting the extension 81 of the cartridge-type member protruding from the top opening into the metal fitting insertion portion 64 of the lid 61. However, inserting the extension 81 into the metal fitting insertion portion 64 is not easy, and installation of the electrolytic cell can be time-consuming.

[0009] In detail, to attach the lid 61 to the body 60, it is usually necessary to temporarily fix the lid 61 vertically above the top opening of the body 60, determine (position) the horizontal position of the lid 61 so that the metal fitting insertion portion 64 is located directly above the extension portion 81 protruding from the top opening, and then lower the lid 61 toward the top opening. Here, the lid 61 is often a heavy object that is much heavier than an adult male can handle alone without using machinery, and in such cases, handling the lid 61 requires the joint work of multiple people or the use of machinery such as a small crane, which makes the attachment of the lid 61 more complicated and cumbersome. 2 , the extension 81 and / or the metal fitting insertion portion 64 are adapted to prevent a gap from forming between the extension 81 and the metal fitting insertion portion 64 when the extension 81 is inserted into the metal fitting insertion portion 64, for example, by adjusting the sizes of the extension and the metal fitting insertion portion 64 (the length in the direction perpendicular to the insertion direction of the extension 81) to be approximately the same, or by arranging a packing on the wall surface that defines the through hole in the metal fitting insertion portion 64 through which the extension 81 is inserted, and further, since the extension 81 is a rigid body that does not have flexibility, even a slight deviation in the positional relationship between the extension 81 and the metal fitting insertion portion 64 during the process of attaching the lid portion 61 to the body portion 60 makes it impossible to insert the extension 81 into the metal fitting insertion portion 64. Therefore, after positioning the lid portion 61, it is necessary to move the lid portion 61 toward the body portion 60 so as not to shift the horizontal position of the lid portion 61. However, depending on the accuracy of this operation, a series of operations including the positioning and movement of the lid portion 61 may be repeated multiple times. In particular, when the cartridge-type member has a plurality of extensions 81, as in the above application example, each of the plurality of extensions 81 must be inserted into the metal fitting insertion portion 64, and the precision required for this work is significantly higher than when the cartridge-type member has a single extension 81. Generally, the number of rod-shaped metal fittings (electrically conductive metal fittings) that make up the cartridge-type member increases as the iron electrodes (electrode plates) that make up the cartridge-type member become larger, and therefore there is concern that the installation work of the electrolytic cell will become more difficult as the iron electrodes become larger.

[0010] Furthermore, when electrical fittings are used in seawater, they may attract marine organisms such as barnacles. Leaving the electrical fittings in a state where marine organisms are attached to them can accelerate the growth of marine organisms, accelerating the deterioration of the electrical fittings and potentially impairing their power supply function. In particular, when marine organisms that have attached themselves to the electrical fittings and multiplied in large numbers die, a large amount of hydrogen sulfide is generated. This hydrogen sulfide dissolves in seawater to form sulfuric acid, which can seriously damage the electrical fittings. In contrast, as described in Patent Document 1, if the surface of the metal part that provides the power supply function in the electrical fittings is coated with a protective layer made of titanium, resin, or the like, this can prevent the inconvenience of marine organisms directly attaching to the metal part. However, there is a risk of accidentally damaging the metal part with a blade when using a blade to remove marine organisms attached to the protective layer. Furthermore, sulfuric acid generated by the death of marine organisms can also cause serious damage to the protective layer, so simply covering the metal parts of the electrically conductive fittings with a protective layer is not enough to prevent the problems caused by the attachment of marine organisms.

[0011] An object of the present invention is to provide a technology that can eliminate the drawbacks of the conventional technology described above, and more specifically, to provide an electrically conductive metal fitting that is used to supply power to iron electrodes in an electrolytic cell of an iron ion generating device, that contributes to smooth installation of the electrolytic cell, that is less likely to cause inconveniences due to adhesion of marine organisms, and that can be used stably for a long period of time. [Means for solving the problem]

[0012] The present invention provides an iron ion generating device that includes an electrolytic cell containing an iron electrode therein and a power supply device installed outside the electrolytic cell, and that supplies current from the power supply device to the iron electrode to generate iron ions from the iron electrode. The device is an electrically conductive metal fitting used to electrically connect the iron electrode and the power supply device, an electrode connection part that is connected to the iron electrode inside the electrolytic cell during use; and a flexible extension part that has one end in a longitudinal direction connected to the electrode connection part and that is inserted inside and outside the electrolytic cell during use; the extension portion includes a core portion including a cable and a hollow tubular protective portion, and the core portion is housed in the hollow portion of the protective portion; This is an electrically conductive fitting in which a plurality of partition members are intermittently arranged in the longitudinal direction of the extension portion between the outer surface of the core portion and the inner surface of the protective portion in the hollow portion, and a plurality of spaces separated by the partition members exist.

[0013] The present invention also provides an iron ion generator that includes an electrolytic cell containing an iron electrode therein and a power supply device installed outside the electrolytic cell, and that supplies a current from the power supply device to the iron electrode to generate iron ions from the iron electrode. The iron ion generator is used to electrically connect the iron electrode and the power supply device, A method for improving an electrically conductive fitting, the electrically conductive fitting comprising: an electrode connecting part that is connected to the iron electrode inside the electrolytic cell during use; and an extension part that has one longitudinal end connected to the electrode connecting part and that passes through the inside and outside of the electrolytic cell during use, the method comprising: This is a method for improving an electrically conductive fitting, in which the extension is housed in the hollow portion of a flexible, hollow tubular protective part, and a plurality of partition members are intermittently arranged in the longitudinal direction of the extension between the outer surface of the extension and the inner surface of the protective part in the hollow portion, thereby forming a plurality of spaces in the hollow portion separated by the partition members. [Effects of the Invention]

[0014] According to the present invention, there is provided an electrically conductive fitting used to supply power to iron electrodes in an electrolytic cell of an iron ion generating device, which contributes to smooth installation of the electrolytic cell, is less likely to cause problems due to the adhesion of marine organisms, and can be used stably for a long period of time. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0015] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an example of an iron ion generating device to which the present invention can be applied. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view that schematically shows a cross section (longitudinal cross section) along the up-down direction of a conventional electrolytic cell in an iron ion generating device. [Figure 3]FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a cross section taken along line II in FIG. 2, that is, a cross section (transverse cross section) along a direction perpendicular to the up-down direction of the body of the electrolytic cell. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a schematic top view of the lid of the electrolytic cell shown in FIG. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a schematic longitudinal sectional view of one embodiment of the electrically conductive fitting of the present invention. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a schematic longitudinal sectional view of another embodiment of the electrically conductive fitting of the present invention. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a schematic longitudinal sectional view of still another embodiment of the electrically conductive fitting of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0016] The present invention will be described below based on preferred embodiments with reference to the drawings. The same parts in the drawings are designated by the same reference numerals. The drawings are essentially schematic, and the dimensions and dimensional ratios of certain parts to other parts may differ from those of the actual product.

[0017] The electrically conductive fitting of the present invention is used to electrically connect an iron electrode and a power supply device installed outside the electrolytic cell in an iron ion generator, which generates iron ions from the iron electrode by supplying current from the power supply device to the iron electrode. Specifically, for example, in the application example of the technology described in Patent Document 1 to the iron ion generator 1, the electrically conductive fitting of the present invention can be used instead of the electrically conductive fitting 8. The electrically conductive fitting of the present invention will be described below by taking the application example of the electrically conductive fitting of the present invention as an example.

[0018] 5 shows an electrically conductive fitting 10, which is one embodiment of the electrically conductive fitting of the present invention. The electrically conductive fitting 10 comprises an electrode connection part 11 that is connected to the iron electrode 7 inside the electrolytic cell 6 during use, and an extension part 12 that has one longitudinal end connected to the electrode connection part 11 and that is inserted between the inside and outside of the electrolytic cell 6 during use.

[0019] The electrode connection portion 11 is a portion of the electrically conductive fitting 10 that includes a connection portion with the plurality of electrode plates 70, 71 that constitute the iron electrode 7, and is made of a metal material such as titanium and has electrical conductivity.

[0020] In the embodiment shown in FIG. 5 , the electrode connection portion 11 includes a flat first connection portion 11A to which the iron electrode 7 (electrode plates 70, 71) is fixed, and a hollow cylindrical second connection portion 11B provided on the surface of the first connection portion 11A opposite to the surface to which the iron electrode 7 is fixed. The second connection portion 11B is a portion of the electrode connection portion 11 that includes a connection portion of the extension portion 12 with a core portion 13 (described later). One longitudinal end of the core portion 13 is housed inside the second connection portion 11B and is connected to the second connection portion 11B via a connection portion 18. The second connection portion 11B is filled with a resin 19 such as epoxy resin, and the periphery of the connection portion 18 is filled with the resin 19. This prevents the connection portion 18 from coming into contact with seawater, thereby preventing corrosion of the connection portion 18 due to seawater.

[0021] The extension 12 includes a core 13 containing the cable and a hollow tubular protective part 14. The core 13 houses a hollow part 14S of the protective part 14.

[0022] One of the main features of the electrical conduction fitting 10 is that the extension 12 is flexible. The core 13 and protective portion 14 that constitute the electrical conduction fitting 10 are both flexible. This feature of the electrical conduction fitting 10 can contribute to smooth installation of the electrolytic cell 6. That is, in the conventional electrical conduction fitting 8 (see FIG. 2 ), the extension 81 is not flexible and is a rigid body that cannot be deformed by human force. Therefore, during installation of the electrolytic cell 6, when inserting the extension 81 protruding from the top opening of the body 60 into the metal fitting insertion portion 64 of the lid 61, if there is even a slight misalignment between the extension 81 and the metal fitting insertion portion 64, it is difficult to correct the misalignment, and it is necessary to redo the work of positioning the lid 61, etc. In contrast, the extension 12 is flexible and can be deformed manually, so even if there is some misalignment between the extension 12 and the metal fitting insertion portion 64 during the process of attaching the lid 61 to the body 60, the extension 12 can be deformed and inserted into the metal fitting insertion portion 64. Therefore, the electrically conductive fitting 10 equipped with the extension 12 allows the installation work of the electrolytic cell 6 to be carried out smoothly.

[0023] The cable constituting the core 13 may be any conductive and flexible material, such as copper or titanium. Titanium has high electrical resistance, so if a titanium cable is used for the core 13, it must be relatively thick and have a large cross-sectional area. However, using such a large-diameter cable can reduce the flexibility of the core 13. Copper, on the other hand, has lower electrical resistance than titanium, so a copper cable can be used for the core 13 with a smaller cross-sectional area and thinner than a titanium cable, which does not reduce the flexibility of the core 13. Furthermore, according to the inventors' findings, using a copper cable for the core 13 significantly reduces the power consumption required for electrolysis of an iron electrode compared to using a titanium cable. Therefore, a copper cable is preferred for the cable constituting the core 13.

[0024] The core 13 may be made of only a cable, or may include other components in addition to a cable. The former is used in the embodiment shown in Fig. 5. The latter is used in the electrically conductive fitting 10B (see Fig. 7) described below.

[0025] The protective part 14 may be a hollow tube having flexibility, and for example, a commercially available flexible pipe may be used. The material of the protective part 14 is not particularly limited, and may be made of resin or metal. An example of a metal protective part 14 is a titanium flexible pipe. According to the findings of the inventors, if the protective part 14 is made of metal that can be electrically connected to the core part 13, there is a risk of damage such as holes being formed in the protective part 14 due to electrolytic corrosion. Therefore, the protective part 14 is preferably made of resin, and for example, a commercially available flexible resin pipe may be used.

[0026] Another main feature of the electrically conductive fitting 10 is that, as shown in Fig. 5, a plurality of partition members 15 are arranged intermittently in the longitudinal direction of the extension portion 12 (core portion 13) between the outer surface of the core portion 13 in the hollow portion 14S of the protective portion 14 and the inner surface of the protective portion 14, and a plurality of spaces 16 are present separated by the partition members 15. In the form shown in Fig. 5, four partition members 15 are arranged intermittently at equal intervals in the longitudinal direction in the hollow portion 14S, and three spaces 16 are arranged in a row in the longitudinal direction.

[0027] The distance D (see FIG. 5) between the outer surface of the core 13 and the inner surface of the protective part 14 is not particularly limited, but is typically about 10 to 20 mm.

[0028] Each of the multiple spaces 16 is an enclosed space. The partition members 15 are made of a liquid-impermeable material such as resin or metal. Typically, the partition members 15 are made of resin. Therefore, even if the protective parts 14 are damaged during use of the electrically conductive fitting 10 and seawater enters a space 16, it is difficult for the entered seawater to pass through the partition members 15 and move to another space 16 adjacent to the space 16, making it difficult for seawater to move through the partition members 15.

[0029] In this way, by disposing partition members 15 in the hollow portion 14S of the protective portion 14 in which the core portion 13 is housed and dividing it into multiple spaces 16, it is possible to effectively prevent problems caused by the attachment of marine organisms. That is, in the electrically conductive fitting 10, the core portion 13, which has the function of supplying power to the iron electrode 7, is a particularly important component and needs to be protected for a long period of time. However, because the core portion 13 is enclosed within the protective portion 14, marine organisms are less likely to attach to the core portion 13. Furthermore, if no partition member 15 is placed in the hollow portion 14S and the hollow portion 14S is a single continuous space extending over the entire longitudinal length of the core portion 13, and if part of the protective portion 14 is damaged and seawater enters the hollow portion 14S, the entire core portion 13 will be immersed in seawater, and marine organisms will become attached to the entire core portion 13. However, in the electrically conductive fittings 10, the hollow portion 14S is divided into multiple space portions 16, so even if part of the protective portion 14 is damaged, seawater will only enter the space portion 16 including the damaged area, and damage caused by marine organisms is likely to be limited. Furthermore, even if seawater seeps into space 16 through a damaged portion of protective part 14 and marine organisms attach to the portion of core 13 located in space 16, the only part that communicates with the outside of space 16 (another space 16 adjacent to said space 16 and the outside of electrically conductive fitting 10) is the damaged portion, and since space 16 is a stagnant water-like environment with almost no seawater flow, there is little oxygen or nutrients necessary for the growth of marine organisms, which inhibits their growth and reproduction. Therefore, electrically conductive fitting 10 is not easily affected by sulfuric acid that is generated due to the death of marine organisms as described above.

[0030] Furthermore, if no partition member 15 is disposed in the hollow portion 14S and the hollow portion 14S is a single continuous space extending over the entire longitudinal length of the core portion 13, there is a concern that the protective portion 14 will vibrate due to the flow of surrounding seawater while the electrically conductive fitting 10 is in use, and that this vibration will cause deterioration of the protective portion 14. However, in the electrically conductive fitting 10, multiple partition members 15 are disposed intermittently in the longitudinal direction in the hollow portion 14S so as to bridge between the core portion 13 and the protective portion 14, thereby eliminating such concerns. From the viewpoint of more reliably preventing deterioration of the protective portion 14 due to vibration, it is preferable that the number of spaces 16 be at least 3 to 4 or more. Thus, due to its characteristic configuration, the electrically conductive fitting 10 is less likely to suffer from problems caused by the adhesion of marine organisms and vibration deterioration of the protective part 14, and can therefore be used stably for a long period of time as a power supply member to the iron electrode in the electrolytic cell of an iron ion generating device.

[0031] The length of the space 16 along the longitudinal direction of the protective part 14 (core part 13) is not particularly limited, but is typically preferably 600 to 900 mm. In the embodiment shown in Fig. 5, the plurality of space parts 16 are arranged at equal intervals in the longitudinal direction, so the plurality of space parts 16 have the same length in the longitudinal direction, but the plurality of space parts 16 may have different lengths in the longitudinal direction.

[0032] The shape of the partition member 15 is not particularly limited and can be selected arbitrarily, provided that the space 16 defined by the partition member 15 can be an enclosed space. In the embodiment shown in Fig. 5, the partition member 15 has the same cross-sectional shape as the hollow portion 14S in a direction (radial direction) perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, and has a through-hole in its center whose planar shape is the same as the cross-sectional shape of the core portion 13 in the same direction (radial direction). Specifically, the partition member 15 has an annular shape with a circular through-hole in its center in a planar view. The annular partition member 15 is in close contact with both the outer surface of the core portion 13 and the inner surface of the protective portion 14, and seawater is prevented from passing through the interfaces between the partition member 15 and the core portion 13 and the protective portion 14.

[0033] The partition member 15 may be bonded to both the outer surface of the core 13 and the inner surface of the protective part 14, or may be disposed unbonded to both. In the former case, the means for joining the partition member 15 to the outer surface of the core 13 and the inner surface of the protective part 14 is not particularly limited, and for example, fastening means such as adhesives or bolts can be used. 5, the latter is adopted, and the partition member 15 is not joined to the core part 13 and the protective part 14. Instead, in the embodiment shown in Fig. 5, a fixing member 17 that fixes the partition member 15 to a position on the outer surface of the protective part 14 corresponding to the position where the partition member 15 is arranged is arranged on the outer surface of the protective part 14 without being joined. 5, the fixing member 17 is a fixing band that extends over the entire circumferential length of the protective part 14 and presses the partition member 15 from the outer side to the inner side in the radial direction of the core part 13 (the direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the core part 13). The fixing member 17, which is a fixing band, is stretchable and is fixed to the outer surface of the protective part 14 by its contractile force. As described above, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 5, the partition member 15 and the fixing member 17 are not joined to other members (core portion 13, protective portion 14), but are fixed so as to be able to move toward and away from the other members.

[0034] In the embodiment shown in FIG. 5 , the extension 12 further includes an insulating sleeve 20 and a hollow tubular member 21 that houses the insulating sleeve 20, in addition to the core 13 and the protective portion 14. The insulating sleeve 20 is connected to the longitudinal end of the core 13 opposite the connection side with the electrode connection portion 11 via a connection portion 18. The interior of the tubular member 21 is filled with a resin 19 such as epoxy resin, and the periphery of the connection portion 18 is filled with the resin 19. In addition, an O-ring 22 is disposed between the insulating sleeve 20 and the tubular member 21. Because the longitudinal end of the electrically conductive fitting 10 opposite the electrode connection portion 11 side has these configurations, corrosion of the connection portion 18 by seawater can be effectively prevented.

[0035] In the embodiment shown in Fig. 5, the protective part 14 is fixed so as to be freely attached to and detached from other components of the electrical conductive fitting 10. Specifically, the second connecting part 11B of the electrode connecting part 11 is inserted into one longitudinal end of the hollow part 14S of the protective part 14, and the tubular member 21 is inserted into the other longitudinal end of the hollow part 14S. A fixing member 17 (fixing band) is disposed on the outer surface (outer surface of the protective part 14) of the overlapping part between the protective part 14 and these other components (second connecting part 11B, tubular member 21) without being joined thereto. In this overlapping part, the protective part 14 is not joined to the other components, and the protective part 14 is fixed to the other components by the contractile force of the fixing member 17. Therefore, in the embodiment shown in Fig. 5, the protective part 14 can be removed by removing the fixing member 17 that fixes the protective part 14 from the electrical conductive fitting 10, i.e., the protective part 14 is replaceable. In the case where the protective part 14 is joined to other constituent members of the electrical conductive fitting 10 and is integrated with it, if marine organisms attach to the protective part 14 during use of the electrical conductive fitting 10, the marine organisms would need to be removed with a blade or the like. However, this removal work could damage the protective part 14, and further, seawater could seep in through the damaged area, causing marine organisms to attach to the core part 13. However, in the form shown in Figure 5, the protective part 14 is replaceable, so there is no need to remove the marine organisms from the protective part 14; when the attachment of marine organisms to the protective part 14 becomes noticeable, it can simply be replaced with a new one.

[0036] As mentioned above, in the form shown in Figure 5, the partition member 15 is not joined to the core portion 13 and the protective portion 14, but is fixed to them by the contraction force of the fixing member 17 (fixing band) in the same manner as the protective portion 14.Therefore, it is possible to perform maintenance on the partition member 15 when the protective portion 14 is replaced.For example, it is possible to replace the partition member 15 with a new one, or to change the shape and / or arrangement of the partition member 15 to change the layout of the space portion 16.

[0037] 6 and 7 show other embodiments of the electrical conductive fitting of the present invention. In the embodiments described below, configurations that differ from the above-described electrical conductive fitting 10 will be described, and configurations that are similar to those of the electrical conductive fitting 10 will be assigned the same reference numerals and will not be described again. For configurations that are not specifically described in the embodiments described below, the description of the electrical conductive fitting 10 will be applied as appropriate.

[0038] 6, the protective part 14A has a laminated structure of multiple layers made of different materials, and specifically, the side relatively closer to the core 13 (inner layer) is made of a titanium flexible tube, and the side relatively farther from the core 13 (outer layer) is made of a heat-shrinkable tube. Heat-shrinkable tubes are tubes whose diameter shrinks when heated, and are commercially available. Furthermore, in the electrically conductive fitting 10A, the protective part 14A is joined to the other components of the electrically conductive fitting 10. Specifically, in the electrically conductive fitting 10A, one longitudinal end of the protective part 14A is inserted into the hollow cylindrical second connection part 11B together with the core part 13 and the interior is filled with resin 9, thereby joining them together, and the other longitudinal end of the protective part 14A is inserted into the cylindrical member 21 together with the core part 13 and the interior is filled with resin 9, thereby joining them together. Therefore, in the electrically conductive fitting 10A, the protective part 14A cannot be replaced.

[0039] In the electrically conductive fitting 10B shown in Fig. 7, the core 13 includes a cable 13A and a cable protection tube 13B that encases the cable 13A, and the outer surface of the cable protection tube 13B is the outer surface of the core 13. There are no particular limitations on the material of the cable protection tube 13B, and examples include resin and metal. The cable protection tube 13B may have a laminated structure of multiple layers made of different materials. One example of a cable protection tube 13B with such a laminated structure is one in which the side relatively closer to the cable 13A (inner layer) is made of a titanium flexible tube and the side relatively farther from the cable 13A (outer layer) is made of a heat-shrinkable tube. Furthermore, in the electrically conductive fitting 10B, the protective part 14 is replaceable, similar to the electrically conductive fitting 10.

[0040] Next, the method for improving the electrically conductive fitting of the present invention (hereinafter simply referred to as the "improvement method") will be explained. Regarding the improvement method of the present invention, the configurations that differ from the electrically conductive fitting of the present invention described above will be explained, and the same configurations as those of the electrically conductive fitting will be assigned the same reference numerals and will not be explained again. Regarding the configurations that are not specifically explained in the improvement method of the present invention described below, the explanation of the electrically conductive fitting of the present invention will be applied as appropriate.

[0041] The target of the improvement method of the present invention is an existing electrical conductive fitting installed at the site of a seawater utilization facility, etc., specifically, "an electrical conductive fitting, which is used to electrically connect the iron electrode 7 and the power supply 9 in an iron ion generator 1, which includes an electrolytic cell 6 containing an iron electrode 7 (electrode plates 70, 71) therein and a power supply 9 installed outside the electrolytic cell 6, and which supplies current from the power supply 9 to the iron electrode 7 to generate iron ions from the iron electrode 7, and which comprises: an electrode connector 80 which is connected to the iron electrode 7 inside the electrolytic cell 6 during use; and an extension 81 which has one longitudinal end connected to the electrode connector 80 and which passes through the inside and outside of the electrolytic cell 6 during use" (hereinafter also referred to as "electrical conductive fitting 8A"), which is substantially the same as the above-mentioned electrical conductive fitting 8.

[0042] However, while the extension 81 of the electrical conductive fitting 8 was a rigid body (metal rod) with no flexibility, the extension 81 of the electrical conductive fitting 8A, which is the target of the improvement method of the present invention, has one longitudinal end connected to an electrode connector and can be inserted inside and outside the electrolytic cell during use. It can be flexible or not, and can have a laminated structure like the core 13 in the electrical conductive fitting 10B (see FIG. 7). One example of the extension 81 of the electrical conductive fitting 8A is one that includes a core (which may or may not be flexible) and a flexible, hollow, tubular protective part, with the core housed in the hollow part of the protective part. The core may include a cable.

[0043] The improvement method of the present invention is characterized by carrying out a step (hereinafter also referred to as the "improvement step") of accommodating an extension 81 of an electrically conductive fitting 8A to be improved in a hollow portion 14S of a flexible, hollow-tubular protective portion 14, and disposing a plurality of partition members 15 intermittently in the longitudinal direction of the extension 81 between the outer surface of the extension 81 in the hollow portion 14S and the inner surface of the protective portion 14, thereby forming a plurality of spaces 16 in the hollow portion 14S separated by the partition members 15. A specific example of an improved electrically conductive fitting 8A obtained through the improvement step is the aforementioned electrically conductive fitting 10, 10B (see FIGS. 5 and 7) in which the extension 12 is replaced with an extension 81 (an extension that may or may not be flexible).

[0044] In the improved electrically conductive fitting 8A obtained through the above-described improvement process, the partition member 15 may be either joined or unjoined to the core part 13 and the protective part 14. In the latter case, as in the electrically conductive fittings 10 and 10B, a fixing member 17 (e.g., a fixing band) that fixes the partition member 15 to a position on the outer surface of the protective part 14 corresponding to the position of the partition member 15 on said position is arranged on said outer surface of the protective part 14 without being joined, thereby pressing the partition member 15 from the outer side to the inner side in the radial direction of the core part 13 and fixing it.

[0045] Furthermore, in the improved electrically conductive fitting 8A obtained through the above-described improvement process, the protective part 14 may be fixed so as to be freely attached to and detached from other components of the electrically conductive fitting 8A. The protective part 14 can be fixed using a fixing member 17 (e.g., a fixing band), as in the electrically conductive fittings 10 and 10B. [Explanation of symbols]

[0046] 1. Iron ion generator 2 Piping 3 Seawater supply pump 4 strainer 5 Flowmeter 6 Electrolytic cell 60 Torso 61 Lid 62 Seawater inlet 63 Seawater outlet 64 Metal fitting insertion part 7 Iron Electrodes 70,71 Electrode plate 8 Electrical Conduction Fittings (Conventional Products) 80 Electrode connection part 81 Extension part (rod-shaped metal fitting) 9 Power supply 10, 10A, 10B Electrical conductive fittings (present invention) 11 Electrode connection part 12 Extension 13 Core 13A cable 13B Cable protection tube 14,14A protection part 14S Hollow part of protective part 15 Partition member 16 Space section 17 Fixing member 18 Wiring section 19 Resin 20 Insulating sleeve 21 Cylindrical member 22 O-ring 90 Seawater utilization equipment 91 Piping 92 Water room

Claims

1. An iron ion generator includes an electrolytic cell containing an iron electrode therein and a power supply device installed outside the electrolytic cell, and supplies current from the power supply device to the iron electrode to generate iron ions from the iron electrode. The iron ion generator is provided with an electrically conductive fitting used to electrically connect the iron electrode and the power supply device, an electrode connection part that is connected to the iron electrode inside the electrolytic cell during use; and a flexible extension part that has one end in a longitudinal direction connected to the electrode connection part and that is inserted inside and outside the electrolytic cell during use; the extension portion includes a core portion including a cable and a hollow tubular protective portion, the core portion being housed in the hollow portion of the protective portion; An electrically conductive fitting in which a plurality of partition members are intermittently arranged in the longitudinal direction of the extension portion between the outer surface of the core portion and the inner surface of the protective portion in the hollow portion, and a plurality of spaces separated by the partition members exist.

2. 2. The electrically conductive fitting according to claim 1, wherein the core comprises the cable and a cable protection tube enclosing the cable, and the outer surface of the cable protection tube is the outer surface of the core.

3. 3. The electrically conductive fitting according to claim 1, wherein the partition member is joined to both the outer surface of the core portion and the inner surface of the protective portion.

4. the partition member is disposed on both the outer surface of the core portion and the inner surface of the protection portion without being joined; 3. The electrically conductive fitting according to claim 1, wherein a fixing member for fixing the partition member to a position on the outer surface of the protective portion corresponding to the position of the partition member is arranged on the outer surface of the protective portion without being joined.

5. 5. The electrically conductive fitting according to claim 4, wherein the fixing member is a fixing band that extends over the entire circumferential length of the protective portion and presses the partition member from the outer side to the inner side in the radial direction of the core portion.

6. 5. The electrical conductive fitting according to claim 4, wherein the protective portion is fixed so as to be freely attached to and detached from other components of the electrical conductive fitting.

7. In an iron ion generator including an electrolytic cell containing an iron electrode therein and a power supply device installed outside the electrolytic cell, the power supply device supplies a current to the iron electrode to generate iron ions from the iron electrode, the electrical connection being used to electrically connect the iron electrode and the power supply device, A method for improving an electrically conductive fitting, the electrically conductive fitting comprising: an electrode connecting part that is connected to the iron electrode inside the electrolytic cell during use; and an extension part that has one longitudinal end connected to the electrode connecting part and that passes through the inside and outside of the electrolytic cell during use, the method comprising: A method for improving an electrically conductive fitting, comprising accommodating the extension in a hollow portion of a flexible, hollow tubular protective portion, and disposing a plurality of partition members intermittently in the longitudinal direction of the extension between the outer surface of the extension and the inner surface of the protective portion in the hollow portion, thereby forming a plurality of spaces in the hollow portion separated by the partition members.

8. 8. The method for improving an electrical conductive fitting according to claim 7, wherein the extension portion comprises a core portion and a flexible hollow tubular protective portion, the core portion being housed in the hollow portion of the protective portion, and the outer surface of the protective portion being the outer surface of the core.

9. 9. The method for improving an electrical conductive fitting according to claim 8, wherein the core comprises a cable.

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