Membrane-electrode assembly, electrolytic cell employing the same, electrolytic-water sprayer, and method of sterilization

• US 9,297,085 B2
• Filed: 04/18/2014
• Issued: 03/29/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: De Nora Permelec Ltd. (Industrie De Nora S.p.A)
• Original Assignee: De Nora Permelec Ltd. (Industrie De Nora S.p.A), Institute of National Colleges of Technology Japan
• Inventors: Suzuki, Tomohisa, Tanaka, Masashi, Furuta, Tsuneto, Nishiki, Yoshinori, Kitaori, Noriyuki, Sekido, Kota, Shibata, Tomoyasu
• Primary Examiner(s): Abraham, Ibrahime A
• Application Number:
  US14/256,605
• Publication Number:
  US 20140224649A1
• Time in Patent Office: 711 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/0088 Liquid substances
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/18 Liquid substances or solutions comprising solids or dissolved gases
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/183 Ozone dissolved in a liquid
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/186 Peroxide solutions
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2202/11 Apparatus for generating biocidal substances, e.g. vaporisers, UV lamps
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2202/15 Biocide distribution means, e.g. nozzles, pumps, manifolds, fans, baffles, sprayers
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/4618 for producing "ionised" acidic or basic water
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/66 by neutralisation; pH adjustment for degassing C02F1/20; using ion-exchange C02F1/42; for flocculation or precipitation of suspended impurities C02F1/52; for removing dissolved compounds C02F1/58
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2001/46142 Catalytic coating
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2001/46152 characterised by the shape or form electrodes in particulate form or with conductive or non-conductive particles between them C02F1/46114
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2001/46161 Porous electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2201/003 Coaxial constructions, e.g. a cartridge located coaxially within another
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2201/4611 Fluid flow
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2201/46115 Electrolytic cell with membranes or diaphragms
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2201/46125 Electrical variables
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2201/46145 Fluid flow
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2301/026 Spiral, helicoidal, radial
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2305/04 Surfactants, used as part of a formulation or alone
• CPC Class Codes: C25B 1/13 Ozone
• CPC Class Codes: C25B 11/02 characterised by shape or form
• CPC Class Codes: C25B 9/19 : with diaphragms

Abstract

The present invention provides a membrane-electrode assembly which includes: at least one rod-form or tubular electrode; a tubular diaphragm disposed around the periphery of the electrode; and a wire-form counter electrode disposed around the periphery of the diaphragm, the diaphragm being fixed to the rod-form or tubular electrode with the wire-form counter electrode to thereby form an electrode chamber having a gas/liquid passage between the diaphragm and the rod-form or tubular electrode.

Claims

1. An electrolytic cell which comprises:

a membrane-electrode assembly, which comprises an electrode chamber having at least one opening;

a feeder wire-fixing tube fitted to the at least one opening of the electrode chamber of the membrane-electrode assembly;

a feeder wire fixed between the at least one opening and the feeder wire-fixing tube,

wherein the membrane-electrode assembly comprising at least one rod-form electrode placed in a diaphragm which is preformed into a tube, thereby forming a tubular diaphragm;

the tubular diaphragm disposed around the periphery of the rod-form electrode; and

a wire-form counter electrode spirally wound around the periphery of the tubular diaphragm,

the tubular diaphragm being fixed to the rod-form electrode with the wire-form counter electrode so that the tubular diaphragm is in contact with at least a part of the rod-form electrode and the tubular diaphragm is in contact with at least a part of the wire-form counter electrode to thereby form the electrode chamber,

the electrode chamber having a spiral shape and having a gas/liquid passage between the tubular diaphragm and the rod-form electrode,

wherein the rod-form electrode is an anode and the counter electrode is cathode,

wherein the rod-form electrode comprises diamond, and

wherein the wire-form counter electrode is spirally wound at a pitch of 1-10 mm.

2. The electrolytic cell of claim 1, wherein the membrane-electrode assembly comprises a plurality of rod-form electrodes.

3. The electrolytic cell of claim 1, wherein a tube for forming a tubular counter electrode chamber is disposed around the electrode chamber and the counter electrode.

4. The electrolytic cell of claim 1, which yields electrolytic water, the electrolytic water comprising ozonized water as a main component.

5. The electrolytic cell of claim 3, which yields electrolytic water, the electrolytic water comprising ozonized water as a main component.