Washing Nozzle Sterilization Using Flow-Modulated Electrolytic Water
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Solution Overview
Problem
Sanitary washing devices face challenges in effectively sterilizing washing nozzles due to varying chlorine ion concentrations in tap water, leading to insufficient biofilm removal and increased load on electrodes, which affects the efficiency and longevity of the electrolytic cell.
Innovation Solution
A sanitary washing device with a flow rate adjusting part and a controller that reduces the water flow rate to the electrolytic cell, combined with a pressure modulator to create unsteady flow, ensuring effective sterilization while maintaining the concentration of hypochlorous acid and reducing electrode load.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If the current is increased to increase the chlorine generation efficiency, then the concentration of hypochlorous acid is improved, but the load on the electrodes increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the parameter of water flow rate through the electrolytic cell to optimize the balance between hypochlorous acid concentration and electrode load. By adjusting the flow rate parameter, the system achieves effective sterilization while preventing excessive current density that would overload the electrodes.
2Quantity of substance
If the flow rate of supplied water is reduced to increase hypochlorous acid concentration, then the sterilization effectiveness is improved, but the force of cleaning away dirt and dirty water from the washing nozzle is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the water flow path into two distinct channels: one channel delivers sterilizing water with high hypochlorous acid concentration to the washing nozzle for sterilization, while another channel supplies clean water at higher flow rate to flush away dirt and dirty water from the nozzle surface. This segmentation allows both sterilization effectiveness and cleaning force to be optimized independently.
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 solution ensures efficient sterilization of the washing nozzle by maintaining the concentration of hypochlorous acid and improving the cleanliness of the nozzle, while reducing the load on the electrodes and extending their lifespan.
Implementation Method 1
Here, hypochlorous acid is produced by electrolysis of chlorine ions in tap water
Data Source
AI summary
A sanitary washing device, includes: a nozzle including a water discharge port and configured to squirt water from the water discharge port to wash a human private part; a water conduit configured to guide water supplied from a water supply source to the nozzle; a sterilizing water supply part provided midway along the water conduit and capable of producing sterilizing water; a flow rate adjusting part configured to adjust flow rate of water flowing in the sterilizing water supply part; a flow state varying part configured to vary flow state of water flowing in the water conduit; and a controller configured to control the flow state varying part to vary the flow state of the water flowing in the water conduit when producing the sterilizing water by the sterilizing water supply part in a state in which the controller controls the flow rate adjusting part to make the flow rate of the water flowing in the sterilizing water supply part lower than maximum flow rate.