Generator

Abstract

To provide a generator that can suppress the crystallization of electrolyzed substance in an electrolyte.SOLUTION: A generator generates electrolyzed water using a pair of electrodes to receive power, and a diaphragm. The generator has an electrolytic cell having a plurality of rooms partitioned through the diaphragm. The generator has a tank 18 that stores electrolyte. The generator has piping to supply and exhaust electrolyte between at least one room of the electrolytic cell and the tank 18. The generator has a stirrer 19 that is disposed in the tank 18 and stirs the electrolyte in the tank 18.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a generator that generates electrolytic water using a pair of electrodes that are powered and a diaphragm. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, there is known a generator that generates electrolyzed water by electrolyzing water or an electrolyte. As this type of generator, an electrolytic cell is divided into two or three compartments by using an ion exchange membrane as a diaphragm, and electric power is supplied to an anode and a cathode arranged in the compartments to generate acidic electrolyzed water and alkaline electrolyzed water, respectively. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2019-162607 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] For example, in the case of a three-chamber generator having an anode chamber and a cathode chamber sandwiching an electrolyte chamber, an electrolyte such as saline solution, i.e., an aqueous sodium chloride solution, is supplied to the electrolyte chamber from a tank. If sodium chloride, which is the substance to be electrolyzed contained in the electrolyte, crystallizes, the piping connecting the tank and the electrolyte chamber may become clogged, and the aqueous solution may become unstable, causing fluctuations in the voltage of the electrolytic cell, which may cause the generator to stop.

[0005] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned points, and has an object to provide a generating device capable of suppressing crystallization of the electrolytic substance in the electrolyte. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The generating device according to claim 1 is a generating device that generates electrolytic water using a pair of electrodes that are supplied with power and a diaphragm, and includes an electrolytic cell having a plurality of chambers separated by the diaphragm, a tank for storing an electrolytic solution, piping for supplying and discharging the electrolytic solution between at least one of the chambers of the electrolytic cell and the tank, and an agitator disposed in the tank for agitating the electrolytic solution in the tank. The stirring device has a rotating shaft arranged in the vertical direction, a main body provided on the rotating shaft, and a tunnel-shaped flow path formed in a spiral shape around the rotating shaft in the axial direction of the rotating shaft inside the main body, and the rotating shaft rotates integrally with the main body and the flow path, so that the electrolytic water passes through the flow path from the lower end to the upper end due to the spiral shape of the flow path. This is what we have in mind.

[0007] The generating device according to claim 2 is the generating device according to claim 1, wherein the stirring device stirs the electrolytic solution in the tank both when electrolytic water is being generated and when it is not being generated.

[0008] The generating device according to claim 3 is the generating device according to claim 1 or 2, The flow passage gradually narrows toward the upper end. It is something.

[0009] The generating device according to claim 4 is Please select one of 1 to 3 In a generating apparatus for The main body tapers gradually towards the top.

[0010] The generating device according to claim 5 is Please select one of 1 to 4 In a generating apparatus for The main body is block-shaped, and the flow path is formed by hollowing out the main body. Effect of the Invention

[0011] According to the present invention, crystallization of the substance to be electrolyzed in the electrolyte can be suppressed. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0012] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of a tank of the generation device according to the first embodiment. [Diagram 2] FIG. [Diagram 3] FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram of a generating device according to a second embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0013] A first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0014] In Fig. 2, reference numeral 1 denotes a generator. The generator 1 is an electrolytic water generator that uses a pair of electrodes 2 and 3 and a diaphragm 4, and generates electrolytic water, which is reduced water, by electrolyzing water and an electrolyte by supplying power to the electrodes 2 and 3 from a power supply unit (not shown).

[0015] The generator 1 includes an electrolytic cell 5. The electrolytic cell 5 is divided into a plurality of chambers by a diaphragm 4. In this embodiment, the electrolytic cell 5 is a diaphragm-type electrolytic cell divided into electrode chambers 6 and 7 as chambers and an electrolyte chamber 8 as an intermediate chamber as a chamber. In other words, the generator 1 of this embodiment is a three-chamber type electrolytic water generator.

[0016] Electrode 2 is disposed in electrode chamber 6, and electrode 3 is disposed in electrode chamber 7. One of electrodes 2 and 3 is an anode and the other is a cathode. In the example shown in the figure, electrode 2 is an anode, electrode chamber 6 is an anode chamber, electrode 3 is a cathode, and electrode chamber 7 is a cathode chamber. A power supply unit that supplies power to electrodes 2 and 3 is controlled, for example, by power supply control means (not shown).

[0017] The diaphragm 4 is an ion exchange membrane. In this embodiment, the diaphragm 4 is an anion exchange membrane 4a that separates the electrode chamber 6 from the electrolyte chamber 8, and a cation exchange membrane 4b that separates the electrode chamber 7 from the electrolyte chamber 8. The anion exchange membrane 4a allows chloride ions (Cl - The cation exchange membrane 4b selectively allows the passage of anions to supply sodium ions (Na + ) and potassium ions (K + ) and other cations, allowing them to selectively pass through.

[0018] The electrode chambers 6, 7 are connected to water supply pipes 10, 11 and electrolytic water discharge pipes 12, 13. Water (H2O) is supplied from the water supply pipes 10, 11 to the electrode chambers 6, 7, respectively. The amount of water supplied to the electrode chambers 6, 7 is controlled by a water amount adjustment means 14 for the electrode chambers 6, 7, such as an electromagnetic valve. The water amount adjustment means 14 is controlled by a water amount control means (not shown). As the water, raw water such as tap water passed through a hardness suppression means 15 is preferably used. The hardness suppression means 15 removes calcium ions, magnesium ions, etc. contained in the raw water to reduce the hardness. A water softener is preferably used as the hardness suppression means 15, but a filter for removing dust and the like contained in the raw water may be used in combination, or an RO membrane (reverse osmosis membrane) may be used. When a water softener is used, the hardness suppression means 15 can be constructed inexpensively, and when an RO membrane is used, the hardness of the water can be reliably reduced and dust and the like can be largely removed. The hardness suppression means 15 is preferably connected in common to the water supply pipes 10, 11. In the illustrated example, the water supply pipes 10, 11 are formed in common with each other in part for clarity of explanation, but this is not limited thereto and they may be formed separately. When the water supply pipes 10, 11 are formed separately, it is preferable that the water volume adjustment means 14 and the hardness suppression means 15 are connected separately to each of the water supply pipes 10, 11.

[0019] The electrolytic water discharge pipes 12 and 13 discharge the generated electrolytic water from the electrode chambers 6 and 7. In this embodiment, the electrolytic water discharge pipe 12 discharges acidic electrolytic water from the electrode chamber 6, and the electrolytic water discharge pipe 13 discharges alkaline electrolytic water from the electrode chamber 7. The acidic electrolytic water is, for example, hypochlorous acid water (HClO). The alkaline electrolytic water depends on the electrolyte in the electrolyte chamber 8, and in this embodiment, it is, for example, caustic soda water (NaOH).

[0020] The electrolyte chamber 8 is connected to an electrolyte supply pipe 16 and an electrolyte discharge pipe 17. These pipes 16 and 17 are each connected to a tank 18 that stores an electrolyte. The electrolyte stored in the tank 18 is supplied to the electrolyte chamber 8 from the electrolyte supply pipe 16 via a pump, which is an electrolyte supply means (not shown), and excess electrolyte in the electrolyte chamber 8 is returned to the tank 18 from the electrolyte discharge pipe 17. The pump is controlled by, for example, a pump control means (not shown). The electrolyte is electrolyte-dissolved water in which a substance to be electrolyzed, which is a solute, is dissolved, and saline solution (NaCl), potassium chloride water (KCl), or the like is preferably used. The electrolyte chamber 8 may be connected to a water supply pipe that supplies neutral water.

[0021] An agitator 19 for agitating the electrolytic solution is disposed in the tank 18. The agitator 19 inhibits crystallization of the electrolytic substance by agitating the electrolytic solution in the tank 18. As shown in FIG. 1, the agitator 19 has a rotating shaft 21. The rotating shaft 21 is disposed in the vertical direction in the tank 18. The upper and lower ends of the rotating shaft 21 are supported by a lid 23 and a bottom 24 of the tank 18. The rotating shaft 21 is rotated by a rotating means (not shown) such as a motor. In this embodiment, the rotating shaft 21 is disposed at a position offset from the center of the tank 18.

[0022] A main body 25 is attached to the rotating shaft 21. The main body 25 rotates integrally with the rotating shaft 21. The main body 25 is formed in a block shape (solid shape). In this embodiment, the main body 25 is formed in a cylindrical shape or a truncated cone shape that gradually reduces in size or diameter from the bottom to the top. That is, the outer periphery of the main body 25 is a cylindrical surface or a truncated cone surface that basically has no irregularities. The main body 25 is attached coaxially with the rotating shaft 21 and is arranged longitudinally in the vertical direction. The main body 25 is placed on the bottom 24 of the tank 18, and the upper end is located downwardly away from the lid 23.

[0023] In the main body 25, a flow path 26 is formed in a spiral shape around the rotating shaft 21. That is, the flow path 26 rotates together with the rotating shaft 21. The flow path 26 is arranged so as to extend in the axial direction while twisting in the circumferential direction of the rotating shaft 21 from one end to the other end, centered on the rotating shaft 21. The electrolyte passes through the inside of the flow path 26 from the lower end 26a to the upper end 26b. In this embodiment, the flow path 26 is in the shape of a tunnel hollowed out through the main body 25. In the illustrated example, the flow path 26 is in the shape of a spiral in the counterclockwise direction from the lower end 26a on the upstream side to the upper end 26b on the downstream side, as viewed from above. In this embodiment, the lower end 26a and the upper end 26b of the flow path 26 are formed in the shape of an elongated hole or an ellipse having a long or major axis in the vertical direction, respectively. Further, a lower end 26a of the flow path portion 26 is located near the lower end of the main body portion 25, and an upper end 26b is located near the upper end of the main body portion 25.

[0024] A lower end 26a of the flow path section 26 is submerged in the electrolyte. Preferably, an upper end 26b of the flow path section 26 is also submerged in the electrolyte. That is, the main body section 25 is preferably entirely submerged in the electrolyte.

[0025] Also, preferably, the flow passage section 26 is set such that the opening area or opening diameter of the lower end 26a, which is the intake port, is equal to or larger than the opening area or opening diameter of the upper end 26b, which is the discharge port. More preferably, the opening area or opening diameter of the lower end 26a of the flow passage section 26 is set to be larger than the opening area or opening diameter of the upper end 26b. The flow passage section 26 may include a portion having a constant cross-sectional area, but basically the upper end 26b side is thinner than the lower end 26a side. In this embodiment, the flow passage section 26 gradually becomes thinner toward the upper end 26b. In the illustrated example, the flow passage section 26 is gradually reduced or reduced in diameter from the lower end 26a to the upper end 26b. That is, the cross-sectional area of ​​the flow passage section 26 gradually becomes smaller from the lower end 26a to the upper end 26b. In the illustrated example, the flow passage section 26 is arranged such that the lower end 26a and the upper end 26b are directed in approximately the same direction in the radial direction of the rotating shaft 21. In this embodiment, the flow path portion 26 has a spiral shape that goes substantially full circle around the rotation shaft 21 .

[0026] Next, the operation of the generation device 1 will be described.

[0027] The generation device 1 drives the water volume adjustment means 14 to pass raw water through the hardness suppression means 15 and supply the water to the electrode chambers 6, 7 via the water supply piping 10, 11, drives the pump to supply electrolyte from the tank 18 to the electrolyte chamber 8 via the electrolyte supply piping 16, and supplies a constant direct current from the power supply unit to the electrolytic cell 5 via the electrodes 2, 3, thereby electrolyzing the water in the electrode chambers 6, 7 and the electrolyte in the electrolyte chamber 8.

[0028] Electrolysis produces sodium ions (Na + ) moves from the electrolyte chamber 8 to the electrode chamber 7, and chloride ions (Cl - ) moves from the electrolyte chamber 8 to the electrode chamber 6. On the surface of the electrode 3 in the electrode chamber 7, hydrogen is produced by the electrolysis of water as follows, and at the same time, the liquid in the electrode chamber 7 becomes alkaline due to the caustic soda.

[0029] H2O+2e - → 1 / 2H2+OH - Na + +e - → Na NaOH - → NaOH+e -

[0030] Meanwhile, in the electrode chamber 6, as the electrolysis proceeds, chloride ions are oxidized on the surface of the electrode 2 to become chlorine (Cl2) as shown below, and at the same time, this reacts with water to produce hypochlorous acid (HClO), and the liquid in the electrode chamber 6 becomes acidic due to the produced hydrochloric acid.

[0031] H2O → 2H + +1 / 2O2+2e - 2Cl - → Cl2+2e - Cl2+H2O ⇔ HClO+HCl

[0032] In this way, acidic electrolyzed water is generated in the electrode chamber 6, and alkaline electrolyzed water is generated in the electrode chamber 7. The generated acidic electrolyzed water and alkaline electrolyzed water are discharged from the electrolyzed water discharge pipes 12, 13 to the outside of the electrode chambers 6, 7, i.e., to the outside of the electrolytic cell 5. The acidic electrolyzed water and alkaline electrolyzed water passing through the electrolyzed water discharge pipes 12, 13 are used for sterilization, for example. With the discharge of the acidic electrolyzed water and alkaline electrolyzed water, the generator 1 supplies water that has passed through the hardness suppressing means 15 to the electrode chambers 6, 7 through the water supply pipes 10, 11, and supplies the electrolyte from the tank 18 to the electrolyte chamber 8.

[0033] In the tank 18, the agitator 19 agitates the electrolyte. The agitator 19 rotates in the opposite direction to the spiral direction of the flow path portion 26, that is, in this embodiment, in the clockwise direction as viewed from above, with the rotating shaft 21. Therefore, when the main body portion 25 rotates with the rotation of the rotating shaft 21, the electrolyte is sequentially pushed into the inside of the flow path portion 26 from the lower end portion 26a of the flow path portion 26. The electrolyte pushed into the flow path portion 26 is pumped upward in the flow path portion 26 because the flow path portion 26 gradually narrows toward the upper end portion 26b and the electrolyte is continuously pushed into the inside from the lower end portion 26a with the rotation of the main body portion 25, and is discharged from the upper end portion 26b. As a result, the electrolyte accumulated in the lower portion of the tank 18 is circulated to the upper portion of the tank 18. At the same time, the outer periphery of the main body portion 25, which rotates with the rotation of the rotating shaft 21, forms a water flow in the electrolyte. As a result, the agitator 19 effectively agitates the electrolyte inside the tank 18. Preferably, the stirrer 19 stirs the electrolytic solution at all times, regardless of whether electrolytic water is being generated or not.

[0034] In this way, in the generation device 1 equipped with the pipes 16, 17 for supplying and discharging the electrolyte between at least one of the chambers of the electrolytic cell 5 and the tank 18, by disposing the agitator 19 for agitating the electrolyte in the tank 18 in the tank 18, crystallization of the substance to be electrolyzed in the electrolyte can be suppressed by stirring the electrolyte with the agitator 19. Therefore, clogging of the pipes 16, 17 due to the crystallized substance to be electrolyzed can be suppressed, the electrolyte supplied to the electrolyte chamber 8 can be stabilized, and voltage fluctuations in the electrolyte chamber 8 during the generation of electrolyzed water can be suppressed, so that electrolyzed water can be stably generated.

[0035] The agitator 19 agitates the electrolytic solution in the tank 18 both when electrolytic water is being generated and when it is not being generated, so that crystallization of the substance to be electrolyzed can be more reliably suppressed.

[0036] The stirring device 19 is provided with a spiral flow path section 26 that rotates together with the rotating shaft 21 arranged in the vertical direction around the rotating shaft 21, and as the rotation occurs, the electrolyte is sucked in from one end of the flow path section 26 and expelled from the other end, making it easy to stir the electrolyte.

[0037] Since the lower end 26a and the upper end 26b of the flow path section 26 are both submerged in the electrolyte, the electrolyte circulating from the lower end 26a to the upper end 26b can stir the electrolyte stored in the tank 18 up and down without disturbing the water surface.

[0038] Since the main body 25 is basically formed in a cylindrical or conical shape with no irregularities on the surface, the electrolyte can be stirred in a clear flow state when rotating.

[0039] By rotating shaft 21 in the direction opposite to the spiral direction of flow path portion 26, the electrolyte can be efficiently sucked into flow path portion 26 as the rotating shaft 21 rotates.

[0040] Since flow path portion 26 gradually narrows toward upper end portion 26b, the electrolyte solution sucked into flow path portion 26 from lower end portion 26a can be reliably pressure-fed to upper end portion 26b.

[0041] Furthermore, by suppressing clogging of the pipes 16 and 17, the frequency of maintenance of the pipes 16 and 17 can be reduced, and the running costs of the generation device 1 can be reduced.

[0042] Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

[0043] The generator 1 shown in Fig. 3 is a diaphragm-type electrolytic cell in which an electrolytic cell 5 is divided into electrode chambers 6 and 7 by a diaphragm 4. In other words, the generator 1 of this embodiment is a two-chamber type electrolyzed water generator.

[0044] An electrolyte is supplied to at least one of the electrode chambers 6, 7. In this embodiment, the electrolyte is supplied to each of the electrode chambers 6, 7. The electrode chambers 6, 7 are connected to liquid supply pipes 30, 31 and electrolytic water discharge pipes 12, 13. The electrolyte is supplied to the electrode chambers 6, 7 from the tank 18 through the liquid supply pipes 30, 31. For example, the electrolyte supplied to the electrode chambers 6, 7 is a mixture of neutral water and electrolyte mixed from the tank 18 through the pipe 32, so that water can be supplied to the electrode chambers 6, 7 from the liquid supply pipes 30, 31. That is, in this embodiment, either neutral water or electrolyte can be selectively supplied to the electrode chambers 6, 7 from the liquid supply pipes 30, 31. The amount of neutral water or electrolyte supplied to the electrode chambers 6, 7 is controlled by a water amount adjustment means 14 for the electrode chambers 6, 7, such as an electromagnetic valve (not shown). The electrode chambers 6, 7 may be connected to separate pipes for supplying electrolytic water and neutral water.

[0045] In addition, electrolyte discharge pipes 33, 34, which are pipes for discharging the electrolyte, may be connected between the electrode chambers 6, 7 and the tank 18. In the illustrated example, the electrolyte discharge pipes 33, 34 are set separately from the electrolytic water discharge pipes 12, 13, but this is not limiting, and the electrolyte discharge pipes 33, 34 may share a portion with the electrolytic water discharge pipes 12, 13, and may be switched between discharging to the tank 18 side and discharging to a side other than the tank 18 by a directional control means such as a valve.

[0046] The diaphragm 4 is an ion exchange membrane capable of transferring cations and / or anions from one of the electrode chambers 6 and 7 to the other. In this embodiment, the diaphragm 4 transfers cations such as sodium ions from the electrode chamber 6 to the electrode chamber 7 and transfers anions such as chloride ions from the electrode chamber 7 to the electrode chamber 6 during electrolysis.

[0047] Other configurations of the generating device 1 according to the second embodiment are basically the same as those of the first embodiment, and are indicated in FIG. 3 by the same reference numerals.

[0048] The generation device 1 supplies the electrolyte to the electrode chambers 6, 7 via liquid supply pipes 30, 31 and pipe 32, and supplies a constant direct current from the power supply unit to the electrolytic cell 5 via the electrodes 2, 3, thereby electrolyzing the electrolyte in the electrode chambers 6, 7 in a manner basically similar to that of the first embodiment described above.

[0049] Therefore, acidic electrolyzed water is produced in the electrode chamber 6, and alkaline electrolyzed water is produced in the electrode chamber 7. The produced acidic electrolyzed water and alkaline electrolyzed water are discharged from the electrode chambers 6 and 7, i.e., from the electrolytic cell 5, through the electrolyzed water discharge pipes 12 and 13, respectively.

[0050] In the tank 18, the agitator 19 agitates the electrolyte in the same manner as in the first embodiment. That is, when the main body 25 rotates by rotating the rotating shaft 21 in the opposite direction to the spiral direction of the flow path 26 as viewed in the axial direction, which is clockwise as viewed from above in this embodiment, the electrolyte is sequentially pushed into the inside of the flow path 26 from the lower end 26a of the flow path 26, rises inside the flow path 26, and is discharged from the upper end 26b. As a result, the electrolyte accumulated in the lower part of the tank 18 is circulated to the upper part of the tank 18. At the same time, the outer periphery of the main body 25, which rotates with the rotation of the rotating shaft 21, forms a water flow in the electrolyte. As a result, the agitator 19 effectively agitates the electrolyte inside the tank 18. Preferably, the agitator 19 agitates the electrolyte at all times, regardless of whether electrolytic water is being generated or not.

[0051] In this way, in the generation device 1 equipped with piping 30-34 for supplying and discharging the electrolyte between at least one of the chambers of the electrolytic cell 5 and the tank 18, by disposing an agitator 19 in the tank 18 for agitating the electrolyte in the tank 18, crystallization of the substance to be electrolyzed in the electrolyte can be suppressed by agitating the electrolyte with the agitator 19, as in the first embodiment described above.

[0052] In the second embodiment, the generator 1 may be configured to supply water to either one of the electrode chambers 6, 7 and the electrolyte to the other, and generate only acidic electrolyzed water or only alkaline electrolyzed water by electrolyzing the water by transferring cations or anions from the electrolyte to the water through the diaphragm 4.

[0053] In each of the above-described embodiments, the main body 25 may be formed in a pipe shape having the flow passage 26 therein. In this case, a cylindrical or truncated cone-shaped cover for covering the main body 25 may be disposed.

[0054] The stirring device 19 is not limited to that used in the production device 1, but may be used in any other device that stirs a liquid. [Explanation of symbols]

[0055] 1 generator 2,3 electrodes 4 Diaphragm 5 Electrolytic cell 6,7 Electrode chamber as a chamber 8. Electrolyte Room 16 Electrolyte supply piping 17 Electrolyte discharge pipe 18. Tank 19 Stirring device 21 Rotation axis 26 Flow passage 26a Lower end 26b Upper end 30,31 Liquid supply piping 32 Piping 33,34 Electrolyte discharge pipe

Claims

1. A generator for generating electrolytic water using a pair of electrodes and a diaphragm that are supplied with electricity, comprising: an electrolytic cell having a plurality of chambers separated by the diaphragm; A tank for storing an electrolyte; a pipe for supplying and discharging the electrolytic solution between at least any one of the chambers of the electrolytic cell and the tank; a stirring device disposed in the tank and configured to stir the electrolytic solution in the tank; The stirring device is A rotation axis arranged in the vertical direction; A main body portion provided on the rotating shaft; a tunnel-shaped flow path formed in a spiral shape around the rotation shaft in an axial direction of the rotation shaft within the main body, The rotating shaft rotates integrally with the main body and the flow path, and the electrolytic water passes through the flow path from the lower end to the upper end due to the spiral shape of the flow path. A generating device characterized by:

2. The stirring device stirs the electrolyte in the tank when electrolyzed water is being generated and when it is not being generated.

2. The generating device according to claim 1 .

3. The flow passage gradually narrows toward the upper end.

3. The generating device according to claim 1 or 2.

4. The main body is gradually tapered toward the top.

4. The generating device according to claim 1, wherein the generating device is a device for generating a plurality of images.

5. The main body is block-shaped, The flow path portion is formed by hollowing out the main body portion.

5. A generating device according to claim 1, wherein the generating device is a device for generating a plurality of images.

Images