JPS5870880A - small water generator - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain a small-sized water purifier having simplified structure easy to handle, by locating an anodic cell provided with an anode contiguous to a cathodic cell provided with a cathode, and providing a selectively permeable common wall at a boundary between the two electrolytic cells and an electric power source part for applying an electric current between the cathode and the anode. CONSTITUTION:A cathodic cell B provided with a cathode 6 is located in such a manner to surround an anodic cell A provided with an anode 7, a selectively permeable common wall 5 comprising a plate material prepared by applying a semipermeable film (e.g. cellulose) to a bisque plate is provided at a boundary between the two electrolytic cells A and B, and an electric power source part for applying an electric current between the cathode and the anode is provided at the cover part of a water-reforming cell 1. Said electric power source part is constituted by a means for transducing A.C. from the outside into D.C. During operation, raw water is poured into the cell A up to a level shown in the solid line l, for instance, while purified water is poured into the cell B up to a level shown in the solid line l. By applying D.C. between the electrodes 6 and 7, positively charged water in the cell A is transferred through the wall 5 into the cell B. At this time, impurities in the raw water are removed by the semipermeable film of the wall 5, so that the raw water is changed into purified water at the side of the cell B. As a result, the water level rises up to the height shown by the broken line (m).

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a device for selectively removing impurities from raw water, that is, a water generator. There are ,,,f.

Conventionally, methods for removing impurities from raw water include, for example, an evaporation method in which the raw water is distilled to remove impurities, an electrodialysis method in which an electrode is provided with an ion exchange resin sandwiched between the electrodes and electricity is applied to the electrode to obtain pure water; Reverse osmosis method that uses the difference in osmotic pressure between pure water and an aqueous solution containing dissolved impurities, ion exchange method that uses the ion exchange action of cation exchange resins or anion exchange resins, and adsorption that absorbs and removes impurities using adsorbents. There is a law.

Each of the above methods has various problems such as the structural complexity of the equipment used, the need for pre-treatment of raw water, the necessity of recycling the materials used, and the maintenance problems of the equipment. There were drawbacks. Furthermore, there is a limit to the miniaturization required for portable or home use, and there is also the disadvantage that it is difficult to handle and use for soil odor applications.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the above-mentioned drawbacks of conventional devices, it is an object of the present invention to provide a relatively energy-saving water dispenser that is particularly easy to downsize, has a simple structure, is easy to handle, and is easy to handle.

Bokuto utilizes the principle of electroosmosis, in which a semipermeable membrane that is charged either positively or negatively is immersed in raw water containing impurities, and the raw water is charged with the opposite polarity, negative or negative. Water is produced by positively charging the raw water and passing an electric current through it to allow pure water to pass through while leaving impurities on the raw water side of the semipermeable membrane.

The configuration of the small water generator of the present invention will be described below.

FIG. 1 shows a front view of the small water generator of the present invention.

The main parts of this device include a water production tank 1 for converting raw water into purified water, and a power supply unit 2 having a power supply unit above the water production tank 1 which also serves as a lid for the water production tank 1. Power can be supplied to the power supply unit 2 using an external AC power supply, and the external power supply is connected to the power supply connection unit 2a. The power supply unit 2 includes a rectifier circuit and converts input alternating current into direct current. The finished purified water is taken out from intake tap 3.

The plan view of the above water production tank is shown in Figure 2, and the vertical cross-sectional view is shown in Figure 3.
Put it on the diagram.

The water production tank 1 is provided with two tanks. That is, there is an inner tank (inner tank) A and an outer tank (outer tank) B surrounding it.

The inner tank A and the outer tank B are completely partitioned by a common wall 5, and the common wall 5 is made of a selectively permeable material. The inner tank A is surrounded by a common wall 5, and the outer tank B is surrounded by a common wall 5 and an outer wall 4.

The permselective common wall 5 is made by coating or impregnating a semipermeable membrane of cellulose or the like on the surface of a porous unglazed substrate, for example, and becomes negatively charged when immersed in water. It can also be positively charged by selecting a semipermeable membrane on the substrate surface.The inner tank A and the outer tank B are each equipped with an anode 7 and a cathode 6. Both electrodes are fixed in place on a support frame 8 in an electrically insulated state, and the terminal end of each electrode, that is, the anode end 7a
And the cathode end 6a is connected to a terminal for supplying direct current from a power supply section 2 set at the upper part of the water generation tank l. Therefore, in the embodiment shown in the figure, the intake tap 3 is provided on the outer tank B side as described above, and the selectively permeable common wall 5, which is negatively charged, is used, so that the inner tank A is connected to the anode tank and the outer tank is connected to the anode tank. Tank B becomes the cathode tank.

Next, the water supply mechanism of this device will be explained.

As shown in FIG. 4, before operating the small water generator of the present invention, for example, raw water is injected into the inner tank A up to the level indicated by the solid line t, and purified water is injected into the outer tank B up to the level indicated by the solid line t. It is assumed that When the device starts operating and full direct current is applied between the anode 7 and the cathode 6 of the inner tank A and outer tank B, the positively charged water in the inner tank A is drawn toward the cathode, which is made of a selectively permeable material. It passes through the common wall 5 and moves to the outer tank B side. At this time, impurities contained in the raw water on the inner tank A side cannot pass through the semipermeable membrane of the common wall 5 and are selectively removed, and the outer tank B side becomes purified water. The purified water thus increased is stored in the outer tank B, while the raw water in the inner tank A decreases, and the water level moves to the broken line m at the end of the operation. Note that the common wall 5 retains water that has been sufficiently guided without returning to the inner tank A side even if the electricity is turned off. The increased water is taken out of the equipment by opening the water intake tap 3 attached to the outer wall 4.

The common wall 5 is, as shown in FIG. 5, a plate material in which a cellulose-based semipermeable membrane 10 is adhered to one side of an unglazed plate 9.

Note that instead of using alternating current as an external power source as shown above, the power supply section of the device may be configured to use direct current from a solar cell, either directly or after being charged.

Furthermore, it is of course possible to add or replace the reduced raw water supply.

Next, purified water can be taken out from the inner tank by changing the arrangement of the cathode and anode, or by selecting an appropriate semipermeable wall material with different charge polarity. The device has an extremely simple structure, is easy to handle, and can generate water with relatively low energy consumption, making it useful for portable and home use, as well as in times of disaster and in areas without drinking water. There is an effect that can be provided.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view of a small water generator according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a plan view of the water generator tank, and FIGS. 3 and 4 are longitudinal sectional views of the water generator tank.
FIG. 5 is a partial sectional view of the common wall. ... common wall,
6... Cathode, 6a... Cathode end, 7... Anode, 7a
...Anode end, 8...Support frame, 9...Unglazed plate, 1
0: Semi-permeable membrane. Agent Patent Attorney Aihiko Fukushi Figure 1

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A power supply section that includes a cathode tank equipped with a cathode and an anode tank equipped with an anode adjacent to each other, a selectively permeable common wall disposed at the boundary between the two electrode tanks, and which supplies current to the cathode and anode. A small water generator characterized by comprising: 2. The small water generator according to claim 1, wherein the other tank (outer tank) is set in a structure surrounding one tank (inner tank) of two tanks, a cathode tank and an anode tank. 3. A small water generator according to claim 2, characterized in that the cathode tank is an outer tank and the anode tank is an anode tank. 4. A small water generator according to claim 1, wherein a plate material made of an unglazed plate covered with a semi-permeable membrane is used as the permselective common wall. 5. The small water generator according to claim 1, wherein the power supply section of the small water generator is a device that exchanges external alternating current into direct current. 6. The small water generator according to claim 1, wherein the power supply unit of the small water generator is a device that can use power from a solar cell directly or by charging it.