Performance Maintaining Method For Electrolyzed Functional Water Generating Apparatus

Abstract

A performance maintaining method for an electrolyzed functional water generating apparatus capable of maintaining a state allowing steady generation of high-performance electrolyzed functional water is provided. A cation-exchange membrane provided in contact with an anode between a cathode and the anode regenerates a membrane by desorbing cations adsorbed to the cation-exchange membrane while to-be-electrolyzed raw water is subjected to electrolysis with a positive polarity in a state where an electrolytic chamber is supplied with to-be-electrolyzed raw water in the electrolyzed functional water generating apparatus having an electrolytic cell with a special structure that allows intake of the entire amount of water as cathode water.

1 . A performance maintaining method for an electrolyzed functional water generating apparatus, which comprises an electrolytic chamber to which to-be-electrolyzed raw water is supplied, at least one separating membrane which separates the inside of the electrolytic chamber from the outside thereof, at least a pair of electrode plates provided inside and outside the electrolytic chamber sandwiching the separating membrane, an electrolytic cell in which the electrode plate outside the electrolytic chamber is provided in contact with the separating membrane, and a DC power source that supplies a DC voltage between electrodes in the electrolytic cell; said method employing a cation-exchange membrane as the separating membrane and comprising:
 regenerating a membrane by applying a DC voltage from the DC power source between a cathode or an electrode plate provided inside the electrolytic chamber and an anode or an electrode plate outside the electrolytic chamber in a forward direction in a state where the electrolytic chamber is supplied with to-be-electrolyzed raw water; wherein cations such as calcium ions or magnesium ions adsorbed into the cation-exchange membrane are desorbed while the to-be-electrolyzed raw water is subjected to electrolysis with a positive polarity so as to regenerate the membrane.   
     
     
         2 . The performance maintaining method for an electrolyzed functional water generating apparatus set forth in  claim 1 , wherein a DC voltage from the direct current source is applied in a forward direction between both electrodes, and a current density of the anode is set to a value exceeding a critical current density or the lower limit in order to desorb cations adsorbed into the cation-exchange membrane. 
     
     
         3 . The performance maintaining method for an electrolyzed functional water generating apparatus set forth in  claim 1 , wherein a regeneration level of the cation-exchange membrane is grasped based on changes in PH over time of electrolyzed functional water resulting from subjecting the to-be-electrolyzed raw water to the electrolysis with a positive polarity. 
     
     
         4 . The performance maintaining method for an electrolyzed functional water generating apparatus set forth in  claim 1 , further comprising a reverse descaling process of applying a DC voltage with a reverse polarity from the DC power source between the cathode or the electrode plate provided inside the electrolytic chamber and the anode or the electrode plate outside the electrolytic chamber in a state where to-be-electrolyzed raw water is supplied to the electrolytic chamber. 
     
     
         5 . The performance maintaining method for an electrolyzed functional water generating apparatus set forth in  claim 4 , wherein once the reverse descaling process is carried out, the membrane regenerating process is carried out. 
     
     
         6 . The performance maintaining method for an electrolyzed functional water generating apparatus set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the membrane regenerating process is intermittently carried out. 
     
     
         7 . The performance maintaining method for an electrolyzed functional water generating apparatus set forth in  claim 1 , wherein soft water is used as the to-be-electrolyzed raw water supplied to the electrolytic chamber when regenerating the cation-exchange membrane while subjecting the to-be-electrolyzed raw water to the electrolysis with a positive polarity. 
     
     
         8 . The performance maintaining method for an electrolyzed functional water generating apparatus set forth in  claim 1 , wherein deionized water is used as the to-be-electrolyzed raw water supplied to the electrolytic chamber when regenerating the cation-exchange membrane while subjecting the to-be-electrolyzed raw water to the electrolysis with a positive polarity. 
     
     
         9 . The performance maintaining method for an electrolyzed functional water generating apparatus set forth in  claim 1 , wherein replacing the to-be-electrolyzed raw water supplied to the electrolytic chamber is carried out when regenerating the cation-exchange membrane while subjecting the to-be-electrolyzed raw water to the electrolysis with a positive polarity. 
     
     
         10 . The performance maintaining method for an electrolyzed functional water generating apparatus set forth in  claim 9 , wherein replacing the to-be-electrolyzed raw water supplied to the electrolytic chamber is carried out by circulating the to-be-electrolyzed raw water.