Removable Electrolytic Cell Sections for Rapid Maintenance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional electrolytic cells used for producing acidic and alkaline electrolyzed water face challenges such as instability of hypochlorous acid, chlorine vapor escape, and aggressive oxidizing properties, leading to maintenance complexities and downtime during servicing and replacement.
Innovation Solution
A method involving a distribution manifold with removably connected cathode, anode, and electrolyte sections, including a degassing chamber, allows for simple and rapid troubleshooting, removal, and replacement of electrolytic cell components without disassembling connections, facilitating efficient maintenance and reducing downtime.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional electrolytic cells are used with fixed connections, then structural stability is maintained, but service time and downtime increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The electrolytic cell is divided into modular sections (anode section, cathode section, electrolyte section) that can be independently removed and replaced. Each section has standardized interfaces that allow quick connection and disconnection without affecting the entire cell structure, enabling rapid maintenance while maintaining overall structural integrity.
2Ease of repair
If all connections are disassembled for cell replacement, then complete service access is achieved, but reassembly complexity and error risk increase
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the cell into independently serviceable sections with standardized interfaces, the invention allows service personnel to access and replace only the specific faulty component without disassembling the entire cell. This reduces reassembly complexity and minimizes the risk of assembly errors while maintaining complete service access to all cell components.
Solution Approach 2:
The standardized interfaces and exchangeable sections create a universal system where the same connection mechanisms and interface standards apply across all cell sections. This multi-functionality allows any section to be replaced with any compatible section, simplifying the service process and reducing the need for specialized assembly procedures for different components.
3Reliability
If chlorine concentration is increased to enhance germicidal efficacy, then disinfection performance improves, but chlorine vapor escape and oxidizing aggression worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and removes chlorine gas from the electrolytic cell system by connecting the cell to a chlorine destruction device. This external removal system captures chlorine vapor at the source and destroys it, preventing its release into the environment while allowing the cell to operate at high chlorine concentrations for effective disinfection.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention converts the harmful chlorine vapor byproduct into a beneficial controlled process. By capturing and destroying the chlorine gas externally, the system maintains high chlorine concentrations in the electrolyte for germicidal efficacy while eliminating the harmful vapor escape, effectively turning a harmful byproduct into a controlled and useful process parameter.
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
This approach enables quick and efficient servicing and maintenance of electrolytic cells, reducing the risk of improper reassembly and minimizing downtime by allowing for removably connected sections and a degassing chamber that separates hydrogen gas from the catholyte solution, thus maintaining the cell's operational efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
a degassing chamber that separates hydrogen gas from the catholyte solution
Implementation Method 2
The production of acidic electrolyzed water and alkaline electrolyzed water by the electrolysis of water in which chlorine electrolyte has been added
Implementation Method 3
The hypochlorous acid in the acidic solution is a form of free chlorine and a very effective germicide
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2A
Figure 2B
AI summary
An improved electrolytic cell, its method and system configured for simple and rapid troubleshooting, removal and replacement of the cell or a component of the cell during service and maintenance procedures is disclosed. The electrolytic cell (12) is includes a host manifold (27) housing a degassing chamber (125) and various flow paths for routing liquid and gases into and out of a guest device (33) and the host manifold (27). The host manifold (27) is connected to input sources and output collections. The guest device (33) generally houses an anode chamber (104), a cathode chamber (112), and a brine chamber or reservoir (108) that serves as a source of anions and cations for the anode and cathode chambers. The guest device (33) is separable from the host manifold (27) to repair, maintain and/or replace the cell.