Electrolysis: processes – compositions used therein – and methods – Electrolytic synthesis – Preparing nonmetal element
Reexamination Certificate
2001-10-17
2004-09-07
Phasge, Arun S. (Department: 1753)
Electrolysis: processes, compositions used therein, and methods
Electrolytic synthesis
Preparing nonmetal element
C205S424000, C204S263000, C204S266000, C204S228600
Reexamination Certificate
active
06787020
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a method for producing water containing ozone by water electrolysis, in detail, the present invention relates to the method and the same apparatus which can produce water containing ozone continually for long time. After here, the term of “water containing ozone” is shown by the tern of “ozone aqua”.
BACKGROUND ART
Conventionally, a gas dissolution method and water electrolysis method are known as typical methods for producing ozone aqua. Recently the water electrolysis method attracts attention, and practical use progresses. The gas dissolution method is a method producing ozone aqua by means of dissolving the ozone gas underwater. The water electrolysis method produces ozone aqua by means of the following process in which oxygen is generated at the side of an anodic electrode, the oxygen is converted to ozone by ozonization catalyst and the ozone is immediately dissolved into water flowing in the anode side. In such a water electrolysis method, a small electrolytic apparatus is employed, which uses water available easily as a material and a s small electric power supply having a specification of Several 10 Volt (V)×several 10 amperes (A).
As ozone aqua production methods by a water electrolysis, there are inventions proposed by Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 1-312092, No. 8-134677 and No. 8-134678. Summary of the apparatus will be described on the basis of a typical example shown in FIG.
17
. In the
FIG. 17
, a solid polymer electrolyte membrane
5
disposes between an anode side casing
1
and a cathode side casing
2
, which divides the anode side casing
1
and the cathode side casing
2
so as to be an anode chamber
6
and a cathode chamber
7
respectively. The solid polymer electrolyte membrane
5
is merely described with “membrane” or “electrolyte membrane” afterward. An inner surface of the anode side casing
1
is coating with materials having a corrosion resistance as against ozone such as a fluororesin or a glass. In the anode chamber
6
side, an anode
3
is pressed onto and touched with one face of the electrolyte membrane
5
, which comprises noble metals
16
such as a platina having catalyst function for generating ozone. On the other hand, in the cathode chamber
7
side, in similar, a cathode electrode
4
is pressed onto and touched with other face of the electrolyte membrane
5
, which has a contact face consisting of noble metal
20
such as a platina or silver. Inflow openings
8
,
9
and outflow openings
10
,
11
for material water are formed by each of the anode chamber
6
and the cathode chamber
7
. DC voltage is applied between both electrodes
3
,
4
from a direct-current power source
24
through electrode bars
19
,
23
.
In the apparatus having such a constitution, while the water flows through the anode chamber
6
and the cathode chamber
7
respectively, the direct current is applied between both of the electrodes so as to energize. Then water electrolysis occurs across the electrolyte membrane
5
. And oxygen and ozone generate in the anode
3
side, hydrogen generates in the cathode
4
side.
The ozone generated the anode
3
side becomes into ozone aqua to dissolve in water, then flows out from the outflow
10
as ozone aqua.
Here, wire nets
16
,
20
made with the noble metal such as a platina are employed to portions of the both electrodes
3
,
4
in contact with the electrolyte membrane
5
respectively in order to generate ozone aqua effectively as disclosed by a Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 8-134677. In addition, on the back face portions of the both electrodes
3
,
4
in contact with the electrolyte membrane
5
, lath nets
17
,
21
and electrode plates
18
,
22
are laminated sequentially and joined by mechanical conjugation methods such as a brazing, spot welding, other mechanical conjugation method so as to be integrated. The lath nets
17
,
21
are made of a materials such as titanium having the corrosion resistance as against ozone. The electrode bars
19
,
23
are joined with the electrodes having the integrated configuration as described above. While the material water flows through a duct which is formed by wire net and lath net, or lath net and lath net, intense turbulent flow and eddy current arise. By these flow and current, the ozone which arose in the anode side is instantly dissolved into water. Such a dissolution arises in the anode side continuously and then accumulates. As a result, the ozone aqua with high concentration is provided.
By the way, an ability of electrolyte membrane is getting down (membrane fouling) and a concentration of ozone aqua falls as time elapses while the apparatus as described above runs in succession in order to produce ozone aqua of predetermined concentration with an initialized current density. In order to prevent this problem, a method is taken, which raises current density. To describe in detail, as shown in
FIG. 18
, the current value A is controlled so as to maintain the concentration X of ozone aqua at a predetermined value Xs while keeping the current density uniformity. The current value rises as running time elapses, and finally, reaches a ceiling value Ae at a time t1. The ceiling value Ae is the maximum value which apparatus can permit. In the condition that the current value has reached the ceiling value Ae, the current value cannot increase any longer. Therefore, the concentration X of ozone aqua decreases gradually, then falls in a predetermined threshold value Xe at the time t2. When ozone concentration reaches this threshold value Xe, generally the running of apparatus is stopped. And the deteriorated electrolyte membrane
5
is exchanged after the apparatus is disassembled. However, according to this operational method, reassembling and disassembling of the ozone aqua production apparatus are troublesome and the apparatus operation efficiency becomes down remarkably, so that a cost for producing ozone aqua becomes expensive.
Therefore, one apparatus is proposed by this applicant et al. in Japanese Patent Application No. 9-340188 (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-172482), wherein the electrolyte membrane
5
recovers easily without dismantling apparatus so as to reduce the complicated exchange work of the electrolyte membrane.
In this apparatus, the electrode bars
19
,
23
are respectively connected to in the back faces of the anode electrode
3
and the cathode electrode
4
having the lamination type structure as shown in FIG.
19
. At this point, this apparatus is the same apparatus as shown in FIG.
17
. However, the structure of the apparatus as shown in
FIG. 19
is different form one as shown in
FIG. 17
at the following point. In the apparatus shown in
FIG. 19
, the electrode bars
19
,
23
pass through through-holes
12
,
13
respectively. The through-holes
12
,
13
are respectively formed the anode side casing
1
and the cathode side casing
2
. And edges of the electrode bars
19
,
23
are connected to fluid pressure cylinder devices
14
,
15
respectively. By this, the anodic electrode
3
and the cathode electrode
4
are able to advance and retreat as against the electrolyte membrane
5
respectively.
Operational method of this apparatus is described in the following.
In
FIG. 18
, when the current value A reaches to the allowed ceiling value Ae and the concentration X of ozone aqua reaches to the predetermined lower limit value Xe, the running apparatus is stopped (the supplies of the electricity and the water are cut off). And the fluid pressure cylinder
14
,
15
are actuated as shown in FIG.
20
. Then both electrodes
3
,
4
are respectively apart from the electrolyte membrane
5
, the pressing force against to the electrolyte membrane
5
is released. And, by means of keeping this condition for a regular time, the electrolyte membrane is recovered. The both electrodes
3
,
4
advance toward the electrolyte membrane again, and press the electrolyte membrane
5
by the predetermined pressing force. The supplies of the electricity and the running water are started, and the apparatus
Kanaya Takafumi
Okubo Noriaki
Oblon & Spivak, McClelland, Maier & Neustadt P.C.
Shinko Plant Construction Co., Ltd.
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