On-Site Sodium Hypochlorite Production Without Storage or pH Dosing
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional sodium hypochlorite production systems face environmental contamination, high maintenance costs, and safety risks due to the discharge of anode water and the use of hazardous chemicals, along with complex facility configurations.
Innovation Solution
A sodium hypochlorite production system that branches water streams for electrolysis and reaction, omitting facilities like anode and cathode water tanks, and integrates electrolysis and reaction steps to minimize pH difference, allowing direct injection of sodium hypochlorite into treated water without storage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional diaphragm-type electrolyzer with separate water tanks is used, then stable production of high-concentration sodium hypochlorite is achieved, but device complexity and maintenance cost increase due to multiple facilities
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the anode water tank and cathode water tank into a single shared water tank, allowing both electrodes to operate from a common electrolyte source. This reduces the number of facilities while maintaining stable production through continuous circulation and pH control mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The shared water tank serves multiple functions: it acts as the electrolyte source for both anode and cathode chambers, a storage reservoir, and a circulation system. The single tank design provides universal functionality that replaces multiple specialized tanks, simplifying the overall device configuration.
2Reliability
If conventional system with separate water tanks is used, then electrolysis process is stable, but environmental contamination occurs due to discharge of anode water
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of discarding anode water as waste, the system recycles it by circulating the shared electrolyte solution through both electrodes continuously. The water is recovered and reused multiple times, eliminating harmful discharge while maintaining process stability through controlled circulation.
Solution Approach 2:
The shared water tank system automatically circulates electrolyte between anode and cathode chambers without requiring separate discharge and treatment systems. The system serves itself by internally recycling the electrolyte, preventing environmental contamination while maintaining stable operation.
3Stability of the object's composition
If caustic soda injection facilities are added to maintain pH, then storage stability of sodium hypochlorite is improved, but device complexity and maintenance cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The shared water tank system maintains pH stability through automatic circulation and natural buffering, eliminating the need for external caustic soda injection facilities. The system self-regulates pH by continuously circulating electrolyte between electrodes, reducing device complexity while maintaining composition stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The continuous circulation of electrolyte through the shared tank maintains stable pH conditions without requiring periodic or continuous chemical injection. The uninterrupted flow ensures consistent composition stability through natural electrochemical balance, removing the need for additional injection facilities.
4Productivity
If chlorine gas and hydrogen gas are circulated through exposed pipes, then electrolysis products are efficiently transported, but safety risks increase due to exposure of hazardous chemicals
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses a closed-loop circulation system with sealed connections between the shared water tank and electrode chambers, preventing exposure of hazardous gases to the environment. The continuous flow through sealed pathways maintains transport efficiency while eliminating safety risks associated with exposed piping.
Solution Approach 2:
The system converts potentially harmful exposed gas circulation into a beneficial closed-loop liquid circulation system. By transporting electrolyte solutions instead of exposed gases through sealed pathways, the system maintains productivity while transforming a hazardous configuration into a safe one.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system reduces environmental impact, simplifies maintenance, and enhances safety by eliminating the need for pH adjustment and storage facilities, while maintaining efficient production and application of sodium hypochlorite.
Implementation Method 1
a second means for electrolyzing the saturated salt water and the purified water to obtain a cathode product and an anode product
Implementation Method 2
a third means for obtaining sodium hypochlorite by making the cathode product and the anode product react each other
Data Source
AI summary
Provided, according to one aspect of the present invention, are a sodium hypochlorite production system and a water treatment method using same, the sodium hypochlorite production system comprising: a first means for obtaining saturated brine and purified water using a first sub-stream branching off from a main stream of water to be treated; a second means for obtaining an anodic product and cathodic product by electrolyzing the saturated brine and purified water; and a third means for obtaining sodium hypochlorite by reacting the anodic product and cathodic product using a second sub-stream branching off from the main stream of the water to be treated.