Modified electrolysis cell and a housing for the same

Details Modified electrolysis cell and a housing for the same Modified electrolysis cell and a housing for the same

2001-07-23

2003-12-02

Nguyen, Nam (Department: 1753)

Chemistry: electrical and wave energy

Apparatus

Electrolytic

C204S242000, C204S275100

Reexamination Certificate

active

06656334

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND
The process for electrolyzed water is known and devices employing this process are commercially available both in portable and commercial sizes. Electrolyzed water is produced by electrolysis, a process involving the passage of an electric (D.C.) current through a mixture of potable water and brine, a solution of water and sodium chloride. The electrolysis device normally used is a cell made up of a chamber or a series of chambers with a membrane separator on each chamber.
The electrolysis cell is part of an electrolysis system for producing electrolyzed water. In the process of producing electrolyzed water, potable water is mixed with salt water or brine at a desired ratio and the resulting mixture is fed into the electrolysis cell, hereinafter also referred to simply as cell. Consequently, upon prolonged usage, electrodeposits, usually of calcium and magnesium ions are deposited and build up as scales on the electrolysis cell, thereby requiring periodic cleaning and/or replacement. While periodic cleaning can be accomplished by passage of cleaning solutions accompanied by rerouting the supply and exit lines with the use of valves, these processes merely prolong the life of the cell but has not removed the necessity of replacing the electrolysis cell. Replacement becomes necessary after a period of time because the electrodes themselves erode and become inefficient. This invention relates to an improvement in the design of the electrolysis cell for the production of electrolyzed water, other products of electrolysis, and on process cells involving the passage of electric current and on the housing enclosing the components of these electrolysis systems and other process systems. Current enclosed electrolysis systems such as those used for producing electrolyzed water are housed with the electrolysis cell and other components of the system in one compartment. The compartment is typically six walled with one wall or base holding most of the parts of the system and five walls or panels attaching together usually by means of screws, thereby enclosing the system. It is tedious to replace the electrolysis cell with the current housing. In a commercial unit, to replace the electrolysis cell, one has to unscrew at least one side panel of the housing adjacent to the wall attached to the cell. However, to do the replacement with less time, preferably two, a side and a top panel are removed. This facilitates access to the electrolysis cell. Once the walls are removed, one has to disconnect the cell from the compartment, the power source, system's other components and from all the tubings or pipings connected to its entry and exit ports. This replacement requires downtime which may discourage or procrastinate the replacement of the cell, thereby affecting its performance both in flow characteristics and efficiency.
Current electrolysis cells addressed by the claimed invention, usually have a front panel and a back panel for holding the anode and the cathode chambers. The front panel usually has the connectors for the entrance and exit ports. The back panel may be a plain block panel or may have holes for attaching the cell to a holder to keep the cell in place. The present means for attachment is preferably by the use of self tapping screws which requires time for removal and replacement.
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a housing or cabinet having a separate accessible compartment for the cell where one can immediately replace the cell without disturbing the other components of the electrolysis system.
It is also an object of this invention to provide different configurations of the housing or cabinet that are equally applicable for facilitating the replacement of the cell.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a modified electrolysis cell that allows quick methods for fastening and detaching the cell from the holder or the compartment that is enclosing the cell to reduce replacement downtime for the system.


REFERENCES:
patent: 3623969 (1971-11-01), Hushihara
patent: 4089768 (1978-05-01), Fischer et al.
patent: 4257864 (1981-03-01), Gacki
patent: 4289599 (1981-09-01), Fushihara
patent: 5060990 (1991-10-01), Smith et al.
patent: 5846390 (1998-12-01), Eki et al.
patent: 5928481 (1999-07-01), Briggs
patent: 6358395 (2002-03-01), Schorzman et al.

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