Electrolysis: processes – compositions used therein – and methods – Electrolytic material treatment – Water – sewage – or other waste water
Reexamination Certificate
1999-05-06
2001-05-22
Drodge, Joseph W. (Department: 1723)
Electrolysis: processes, compositions used therein, and methods
Electrolytic material treatment
Water, sewage, or other waste water
C205S779500, C204S237000, C210S243000, C210S748080, C210S085000, C210S192000, C210S167150
Reexamination Certificate
active
06235188
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a water pollution evaluating system for evaluating the pollution of water stored in a reservoir such as a pool, bath, cooling tower, fish raising vessel and the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
As a method of evaluating the pollution of water stored in a reservoir such as a pool, bath, cooling tower, fish raising vessel and the like, a COD component which is mainly water soluble organic matters in water has been measured and the pollution of the water has been evaluated by the increase or decrease of the COD value thereof.
Recently, it has been recognized that it is important to manage and regulate the water stored in the reservoir such as the pool, bath, cooling tower, fish raising vessel and the like so that the water is maintained in a clean state. Thus, attention has been paid to a method of sterilizing and purifying water using hypohalogenous acid having a sterilizing and purifying capability which is slightly contained in the water or produced by electrolyzing the water by adding a suitable amount of chlorine ion or bromine ion to the water.
In the water stored in the reservoir such as the pool, bath, cooling tower, fish raising vessel and the like, when the concentration of the hypohalogenous acid produced by electrolysis is higher than a suitable concentration, it may aversely affect human bodies, raised fishes, equipment and the like which are in contact with the water and rough skin, death, corrosion and the like may be caused thereto by the hypohalogenous acid; whereas when the concentration of the hypohalogenous acid produced by the electrolysis is not sufficient, there arises a problem that the water is not sufficiently sterilized and purified so that a water passage is clogged by the occurrence of diseases, waterweeds and the like and a heat efficiency is lowered. Accordingly, the production of the hypohalogenous acid must be properly controlled in accordance with a degree of pollution of water.
Incidentally, as a method of measuring the COD as an index of the pollution of waters there has been employed a method wherein a portion of water to be measured is collected in a suitable amount; potassium permanganate is added to the water as an oxidizing agent under prescribed conditions; the amount of the potassium permanganate consumed to oxidize a COD component is measured by titration; and the pollution of the water is calculated by converting the amount of consumed potassium permanganate into the amount of oxygen. In the conventional method, however, not only is a long time required to take the measurement but also the measurement is complex because the water must be collected as necessary and the above procedure must be carried out. Accordingly, there has been desired a system capable of promptly and simply evaluating a COD value as an index of the pollution of water in an apparatus in order to control the production of the hypohalogenous acid as described above.
An object of the present invention made in view of the above problem is to provide a water pollution evaluating system capable of promptly and simply evaluating the polluted state of water as a COD value.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
To solve the above problem, a water pollution evaluating system of the present invention has a feature wherein it comprises an electrolyzer for electrolyzing water, which is stored in a reservoir such as a pool, bath, cooling tower, fish raising vessel, etc., contains chlorine ion and/or bromine ion and is supplied to the electrolyzer and circulated therethrough, and creating hypochlorous acid and/or hypobromous acid to sterilize and purify the water; a measuring electrode dipped into the water containing the hypochlorous acid and/or the hypobromous acid; a reference electrode dipped into water having a prescribed electric conductivity and containing neither hypochlorous acid nor hypobromous acid; and a potential difference measuring unit interposed between the reference electrode and the reference electrode for measuring the potential difference between the waters, wherein the measured potential difference is evaluated as a COD value as an index of pollution.
(a) According to the above feature, there is established such a correlation that when the COD component as the polluted component in the water increases, the hypochlorous acid and hypobromous acid produced in the electrolyzer to sterilize and purify the COD component is consumed and the potential difference caused between the respective electrodes drops, whereas when the COD component as the polluted component in the water decreases, the hypochlorous acid and hypobromous acid are not consumed and the potential difference caused between the respective electrodes increases. Accordingly, the measurement of the potential difference permits the COD value of the water at the time to be simply evaluated at an almost real time
In the water pollution evaluating system of the present invention, it is preferable that the reference electrode is dipped into the same water as that into which the measuring electrode is dipped except that the hypochlorous acid and/or hypobromous acid contained in the water into which the reference electrode is dipped is almost perfectly decomposed.
(b) With this arrangement, since the difference between the water into which the reference electrode is dipped and the water into which the measuring electrode is dipped resides only in the concentration of the hypochlorous acid and/or the hypobromous acid and the waters contain almost the same other electrolyte components, the potential difference resulting from the difference of concentrations of the other electrolyte components can be almost eliminated. Therefore, the potential difference based on the difference of the concentrations of the hypochlorous acid and/or the hypobromous acid can be correctly measured.
It is preferable that the water pollution evaluating system of the present invention further comprises a conversion unit for converting the potential difference into a pollution level set to a prescribed grade or a COD value; and an output unit for outputting the converted pollution level or the COD value.
(c) With this arrangement, since the pollution level or the COD value based on the potential difference is automatically converted by the conversion unit and output, the pollution level or the COD value of the water at the time can be directly confirmed when necessary.
It is preferable that the water pollution evaluating system of the present invention further comprises an auxiliary flow area which is branched from the main flow passage of the circulating water and through which a portion of the water passes in an approximately constant flow rate, wherein at least the reference electrode is disposed to the auxiliary flow area.
(d) With this arrangement, since the water flows through the auxiliary flow area in an approximately constant flow rate regardless of the fluctuation of the flow rate of the water in the main flow passage caused by the respective states of sterilization and purification, the change of the measured potential difference due to the fluctuation of the flow rate is reduced. Accordingly, the potential difference can stably be measured regardless of the state of the main flow passage.
It is preferable that the water pollution evaluating system of the present invention further comprises a time measuring unit for starting the measurement of time when the electrolysis carried out by the electrolyzer is interrupted, wherein the potential difference is measured when a preset time elapses from the start of the measurement of the time.
(e) With this arrangement, the effect of the charge accumulated in the water by the electrolysis on the measured potential difference can be reduced, whereby the potential difference can be more correctly measured.
It is preferable that the water pollution evaluating system of the present invention further comprises a reference electrode chamber surrounding the reference electrode and communicating with the water; a
Fukuzuka Kunihiko
Misawa Katsuhiro
Nakamura Shin-ichi
Okuda Akushige
Cecil Terry K.
Drodge Joseph W.
Hayes, Soloway, Hennessey, Grossman & Hage
Omega Co. Ltd.
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