U.S. patent application number 14/969615 was filed with the patent office on 2016-06-30 for electrolysis apparatus for producing chlorine dioxide with high performance.
The applicant listed for this patent is FENG-YUAN TSENG, JIUN-HONG TSENG. Invention is credited to CHENG-YU HO, FENG-YUAN TSENG, JUI-PO TSENG.
Application Number | 20160186340 14/969615 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 56151931 |
Filed Date | 2016-06-30 |
United States Patent
Application |
20160186340 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
TSENG; JUI-PO ; et
al. |
June 30, 2016 |
Electrolysis apparatus for producing chlorine dioxide with high
performance
Abstract
An electrolysis apparatus for producing chlorine dioxide,
comprising an electrolytic cell for producing chlorine dioxide, a
storage tank for receiving the produced chlorine dioxide, and a
temperature control system including a coolant supply unit for
providing a coolant, a directional valve, a cooling tank and a
helical circulation channel. Each cooling tank is configurated to
receive the electrolytic cell or the storage tankand is provided
with the helical circulation channel surrounding the electrolytic
cell or the storage tank. The directional valve is used to switch
the flow of the coolant, so as to control the coolant to pass
through the helical circulation channel surrounding the storage
tank only, or thorugh the helical circulation channels surrounding
the storage tank and the electrolytic cell sequentially. Thus, the
electrolysis apparatus of the present invention can produce
chlorine dioxide with high performance.
Inventors: |
TSENG; JUI-PO; (New Taipei
City, TW) ; TSENG; FENG-YUAN; (New Taipei City,
TW) ; HO; CHENG-YU; (New Taipei City, TW) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
TSENG; JIUN-HONG
TSENG; FENG-YUAN |
New Taipei City
NEW TAIPEI CITY |
|
TW
TW |
|
|
Family ID: |
56151931 |
Appl. No.: |
14/969615 |
Filed: |
December 15, 2015 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
204/274 |
Current CPC
Class: |
C25B 1/26 20130101; C25B
15/02 20130101 |
International
Class: |
C25B 15/02 20060101
C25B015/02; C25B 1/26 20060101 C25B001/26 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Dec 24, 2014 |
TW |
103145140 |
Claims
1. An electrolysis apparatus for producing chlorine dioxide with
high performance, comprising: an electrolytic cell, for producing
chlorine dioxide; a storage tank, for receiving the produced
chlorine dioxide; and a temperature control system, including a
coolant supply unit for providing a coolant, a directional valve, a
cooling tank and a helical circulation channel, wherein each
cooling tank is configurated to receive the electrolytic cell or
the storage tank and is provided with the helical circulation
channel surrounding the electrolytic cell or the storage tank; the
directional valve is used to switch the flow of the coolant, so as
to control the coolant to pass through the helical circulation
channel surrounding the storage tank only, or to pass through the
helical circulation channel surrounding the storage tank and the
helical circulation channel surrounding the electrolytic cell
sequentially.
2. The electrolysis apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each
helical circulation channel has a helical surrounding member and
surrounds outer peripheries of the electrolytic cell or the storage
tank.
3. The electrolysis apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the
directional valve is in a form of three ways and two positions.
4. The electrolysis apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the
directional valve is actuated by electromagnetic means or a
motor.
5. The electrolysis apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the
coolant is passed through the cooling tank receiving the storage
tank and is passed through the cooling tank receiving the
electrolytic cell sequentially.
6. The electrolysis apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the
storage tank configurated with the cooling tank is provided with a
temperature controlling sensor having an temperature range between
5.degree. C. to 10.degree. C. .
7. The electrolysis apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the
electrolytic cell configurated with the cooling tank is provided
with a temperature controlling sensor having an temperature range
between 35.degree. C. to 65.degree. C.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention is related to an electrolysis
apparatus for producing chlorine dioxide with high performance via
electrolysis and especially has a temperature control system that
can assist the electrolysis apparatus to produce chlorine dioxide
with high performance
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The electrolysis apparatus is conventionally used in
metallurgy and refining, used to form a variety of gain coating on
the surface of a processing object, or used to produce a variety of
kinds of gas via electrochemical mechanisms.
[0003] In view of the development in producing chlorine dioxide
with electrolysis, a number of manufacturers have developed a
variety of improvements for the production of chlorine dioxide. The
method of producing chlorine dioxide has been widespread gradually
since LINDSTAEDT (USA) firstly published electrolysis technology
for producing chlorine dioxide by using salt as a raw material in
1982. After analyzing various electrolysis methods, it is found
that the three critical factors are very important for
electrolysis. The three critical factors during the productive
process regulate the electricity, timing control of the
concentration for electrolysis, and temperature control. In other
words, obtaining the optimal parameters respectively for the above
three critical factors is important to obtain chlorine dioxide with
ideal quality and process for production with high performance.
[0004] In order to prevent the temperature from rising too high
during electrolysis, the peripheries of an electrolytic cell is
usually provided with a cooling device as shown in FIG. 7. The
electrolytic cell 120 is configurated in the case body 132. The
lower-left of the case body 132 has the cooling water inlet 135 and
the upper-right of the case body 132 has the cooling water outlet
136. The cooling water flows in the case body 132 via the cooling
water inlet 135 and then flowed out through the cooling water
outlet 136. Overall, the cooling water flows via one end of the
case body and flows out via the other end of it. However, such
arrangement would obviously cause the formation of much dead space
in the case body, where the cooling water is unable to get access
to easily. Therefore, it is ineffective and power wasting because
the cooling water must be flowed by long and lasting pumping.
[0005] Moreover, after the process of electrolysis is complete, the
temperature of the storage tank used for receiving the finished
product of chlorine dioxide in a gas-liquid mixing form would rise
because of the heat convection of the external environment. Since
the boiling point of chlorine dioxide is 11.degree. C., the
finished product of chlorine dioxide in a gas-liquid mixing form in
the storage tank would be gasified due to the rising of
temperature. Producing chlorine dioxide via electrolysis and
reducing the same via gasification at the same time is an
undesirable phenomenon. Such phenomenon will not only reduce the
concentration of chlorine dioxide and result in reducing
production, but also it will take much more time to proceed the
electrolysis. When time for the process of electrolysis is
unexpectedly increased, the optimal parameters of the three
critical factors described above would be changed, so as to result
in the poor performance. It will render the quality of the produced
chlorine dioxide unstable. Besides, since it is required to
increase more power supply, it would shorten the expected use time
of the electrode members for electrolysis.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] In order to solve above problems, the present invention
provides an electrolysis apparatus for producing chlorine dioxide
with high performance. The present invention includes an
electrolytic cell for producing chlorine dioxide; a storage tank
for receiving the produced chlorine dioxide; and a temperature
control system, including a coolant supply unit for providing a
coolant, a directional valve; each cooling tank configurated to
receive the electrolytic cell or the storage tank; and a helical
circulation channel. The cooling tank has a coolant storage space
formed between the cooling tank and the electrolytic cell and
between the cooling tank and the storage tank respectively; wherein
each cooling tank has a coolant inlet and a coolant outlet at lower
side and upper side respectively, so as to supply the coolant into
it for exchanging heat; in order to exchange heat substantially and
completely, each coolant storage space is provided with the helical
circulation channel surrounding the peripheries of the electrolytic
cell and the storage tank respectively for providing helically
circular flow path, and the coolant that flows into it flows
substantially in a helically circular way from bottom to top and
surrounding the peripheries of the electrolytic cell and the
storage tank respectively, thereby achieving the expected cooling
effect.
[0007] The directional valve is controlled to be at a first
position or at a second position, so as to switch the flow
direction of the coolant. When the directional valve is switched so
as to guide the flow direction of the coolant, the coolant can be
passed through the coolant tank of the storage tank only, or be
passed through the coolant tanks of the storage tank and the
electrolytic cell respectively. By means of the helically circular
flow of coolant, the electrolytic cell and the storage tank can
exchange heat entirely and substantially, so that the
temperature-control could be maintained stably within a preset
range. Thus, the electrolysis apparatus of the present invention
can produce chlorine dioxide with high performance.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0008] FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing a first preferred
embodiment of an electrolysis apparatus of the present
invention.
[0009] FIG. 2 is a schematic view showing the electrolysis
apparatus in FIG. 1 that is in operation, where the coolant flows
through the storage tank in a helically circular way.
[0010] FIG. 3 is another schematic view when the electrolysis
apparatus in FIG. 1 operates showing the coolant is flowed through
the storage tank and the electrolytic cell in a way of helically
circular flow at the same time.
[0011] FIG. 4 is a schematic view showing a second preferred
embodiment of the electrolysis apparatus of the present
invention.
[0012] FIG. 5 is a schematic view showing the electrolysis
apparatus in FIG. 4 operates.
[0013] FIG. 6 is another schematic view when the electrolysis
apparatus in FIG. 4 that is in operation.
[0014] FIG. 7 is a schematic view of the electrolytic cell of prior
art.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0015] The embodiments of the present invention are described in
details as follows in accordance with accompanying figures. The
same symbol in each figure indicates the same or equivalent
members.
[0016] Refer to FIGS. 1-3 which show a first preferred embodiment
of an electrolysis apparatus of the present invention. The
electrolysis apparatus includes an electrolytic cell 10 for
producing chlorine dioxide (ClO.sub.2); an electronic control unit
(ECU; 50) for supplying positive electricity and negative
electricity to anodes 15 and cathodes 16 of the electrolytic cell
10 respectively; a storage tank 30 in which proper amount of water
is stored in advance and is provided with a gas-liquid mixing
mechanism (not shown) and the air extracting pump 33; and a
temperature control system. The air extracting pump 33 is connected
with the chlorine dioxide output tube 13 and the chlorine dioxide
outlet 12 of the electrolytic cell 10 in turn, so as to extract the
produced chlorine dioxide from the electrolytic cell 10. The
produced gas of chlorine dioxide and the stored water are mixed by
the gas-liquid mixing mechanism (not shown), so as to form a
solution of chlorine dioxide. The temperature control system
includes a coolant supply unit 70, and a cooling tank (20, 40)
which is configurated to receive the electrolytic cell 10 or the
storage tank 30.
[0017] An electrolytic cell is usually be classified into a
box-shaped cell with a rectangular cross-section in an axial
direction and a circular-shaped cell with a circular cross-section
in an axial direction. The electrolytic cell of present invention
is designed to be a circular-shaped cell. The circular-shaped cell
has many advantages as follows. It is able to provide a cylindrical
electrolytic separating membrane and a cylindrical mesh electrode
components (not shown) therein. With the mechanical advantage of
the circular cross-section in the axial direction, the
circular-shaped cell could provide better mechanical strength to
reduce thickness of the body of the electrolytic separating
membrane and the electrode components. In addition to cost savings,
it also has the advantage of structural simplification (without the
need of using rigid reinforcing member), by which the
circular-shaped cell further can reduce the impedance of
electrolytic current and flow of electrolyte and the volume of the
electrolytic foam. Moreover, the body of the cylindrical anode and
cathode also can be configurated concentrically and equidistantly
with each other within the electrolytic cell, so as to be energized
uniformly without any dead space, which may improve the efficiency
of electrolysis and prevent electrolysis from the formation of
calcified dirt due to dead space in which the power supplying
fails.
[0018] The electrolytic cell 10 and the storage tank 30 both have
the electrolytic cell body 11 and the storage tank body 31 with
circular cross-section in an axial direction respectively. Each
cooling tank (20, 40) has the cooling tank body (21, 41) for
receiving the electrolytic cell body 11 and the storage tank body
31. Each coolant storage space (26, 46) is formed between each
cooling tank body (21, 41) and each electrolytic cell body 11 and
between each cooling tank body (21, 41) and each storage tank body
31 respectively. The coolant storage space (26, 46) is usually
fully filled with coolant. The lower right side and upper left side
of the cooling tank body (21, 41) have the coolant inlet (22a, 42a)
and the coolant outlet (22b, 42b) in the form of off-centre and
protruding radially respectively for the coolant to flow through
for heat exchange. Moreover, the interior of each coolant inlet
(22a, 42a) is provided with the inlet check valve (not shown) to
prevent the coolant that flows into the cooling tank body (21, 41)
from flowing in an opposite direction.
[0019] In order to exchange heat substantially and completely, each
coolant storage space (26, 46) within the cooling tank (20, 40) are
provided with the helical circulation channel (24, 44) surrounding
the peripheries of the electrolytic cell and the storage tank
respectively thereby providing helically circular flow path. Thus,
the coolant that flows into the coolant storage space (26, 46)
flows substantially in the helically circular way from bottom to
top while surrounding the electrolytic cell body 11 and the storage
tank body 31 respectively.
[0020] Each helical circulation channel (24, 44) has the helically
surrounding member (23, 43) that surrounds the peripheries of the
electrolytic cell body 11 and the storage tank body 31 respectively
from the position corresponding to the coolant inlet (22a, 42a)
axially to the coolant outlet (22b, 42b).
[0021] Each cooling tank (20, 40) is provided with the temperature
controlling sensor (25, 45). When the temperature controlling
sensor detects that the measured temperature reaches the preset
value, it will provide information to the electronic control unit
50, and then the coolant supplying pump 73 will provide coolant to
the cooling tank for cooling by the order sent from the electronic
control unit 50. Since the operating temperature for electrolysis
of chlorine dioxide is ranged between 45 and 65.degree. C., the
temperature controlling sensor 25 provided on the electrolytic cell
10 has the temperature range between 35.degree. C. to 65.degree. C.
Since the boiling point of chlorine dioxide is 11.degree. C., the
temperature controlling sensor 45 provided on the storage tank 30
has the temperature range between 5.degree. C. to 10.degree. C.
[0022] The coolant supply unit 70 includes the coolant storage tank
74 for storing the coolant, the cooling machine 71 for cooling and
the coolant supplying pump 73 for pumping the coolant outwardly. In
order to maintain the condition of low temperature control for the
storage tank 30, the interior of the coolant storage tank 74 for
storing the coolant has the temperature range between 3.degree. C.
to 9.degree. C. controlled by the cooling machine 71.
[0023] Since the temperature of the electrolytic cell 10 and the
storage tank 30 would rise at the same time during the process of
electrolysis, in order to solve this problem, the better solution
is described as follows: the coolant is firstly passed through the
helical circulation channel surrounding the storage tank 30, and
then passed through the helical circulation channel surrounding the
electrolytic cell 10 for cooling in series, and the temperature
controlling range of the storage tank 30 to be lower than that of
the electrolytic cell 10 is set. The best solution is described as
follows: the directional valve 47 that can change the flow of the
coolant is provided between the electrolytic cell 10, the storage
tank 30 and the coolant storage tank 74. The directional valve 74
is preferably actuated by electromagnetic means or a motor, so as
to be controlled automatically by the electronic control unit 50.
The directional valve is preferably in a form of three ways and two
positions, and this form is easily commercially available. The
three ways of the directional valve are respectively connected with
coolant reflux port 72b of the coolant storage tank 74, the coolant
outlet 42b of the cooling tank 40, and coolant inlet 22a of the
cooling tank 20. The directional valve in a form of two positions
represents the first position and the second position. The
directional valve 47 normally is at the first position and the
directional valve 47 can be controlled automatically to be changed
to the second position by the electronic control unit 50. When the
directional valve 47 is at the first position, the coolant is
passed through the helical circulation channel surrounding the
cooling tank 40 of the storage tank 30 only (shown in FIG. 2). When
the directional valve 47 is at the second position, the coolant is
passed through the helical circulation channel surrounding the
cooling tank 40 of the storage tank 30 first, and then passed
through the helical circulation channel surrounding the cooling
tank 20 of the electrolytic cell 10 (shown in FIG. 3).
[0024] The operation of the present invention is described as
follows. Firstly, the water is poured into the storage tank 30 via
the water inlet (not shown). If the temperature controlling sensor
45 provided in the storage tank 30 detects that the temperature at
this time is higher than the preset value, the temperature
controlling sensor 45 would send a signal to the electronic control
unit 50, thereby making the coolant supplying pump 73 to pump the
coolant for cooling. Then, the coolant flowing into the cooling
tank 40 cools the storage tank 30 entirely in a helically circular
way along the direction indicated by the arrows (as shown in FIG.
2) until the temperature controlling sensor 45 stop sending the
signal, and the process of maintaining constant temperature for the
storage tank 30 is finished. Secondly, the process of electrolysis
is in operation (not described here). During electrolysis, the
produced gas of chlorine dioxide is pumped outwardly into the
storage tank 30 along the chlorine dioxide output tube 13 via the
chlorine dioxide outlet 12 by means of the air extracting pump 33.
The produced gas of chlorine dioxide and the water are mixed by the
gas-liquid mixing mechanism (not shown), so as to form chlorine
dioxide solution. During the process of gas-producing of chlorine
dioxide and gas-extracting of chlorine dioxide, if the electronic
control unit 50 receives the signal from the temperature
controlling sensor 45 showing that the temperature is rising, the
above steps will be repeated, and the coolant will be passed to the
helical circulation channel surrounding the cooling tank 40 of the
storage tank 30 by the coolant supplying pump 73 for cooling.
[0025] Since the temperature of the electrolytic cell 10 continues
rising during the process of electrolysis, if the electronic
control unit 50 receives the signal from the temperature
controlling sensor 25 showing that temperature is rising, the
electronic control unit 50 will send a signal to make the
directional valve 47 changed to the second position and make the
coolant supplying pump 73 operated. The pumped coolant is passed
the cooling tank 40 first and then passed to the directional valve
47 along the direction indicated by the arrow via the coolant
outlet 42b of the cooling tank 40. Since the directional valve 47
is changed to the second position, the coolant is passed into the
cooling tank 20 via directional valve 47 and the coolant inlet 22a
of the cooling tank 20 sequentially, so as to cool the electrolytic
cell 10 until the sending of the signal representing that
temperature is rising from the temperature controlling sensor 25 is
stopped. At this time, the coolant supplying pump 73 is also
stopped pumping by the electronic control unit 50.
[0026] Refer to FIGS. 4-6, in which a second preferred embodiment
of the present invention is shown. The process of electrolysis is
processed step by step as follows. The first step involves a
feeding stage for sending the electrolyte into the electrolytic
cell and sending water into the storage tank. The second step
involves a waiting stage during the electrolysis. The third stage
involves an arranging stage for discharging electrolytic residues,
cleaning the electrolytic cell, and releasing solution of chlorine
dioxide. Among these three stages, the most time-taking stage is
the waiting stage (electrolysis) that takes ninety minutes. In
other words, the "waiting time" for the entire process of producing
chlorine dioxide will be ninety minutes. Thus, in order to solve
this problem, the second preferred embodiment of the present
invention is configurated by means of three storage tanks (30A,
30B, 30C) together with two electrolytic cells (10A, 10B). The
advantage of this configuration is illustrated below.
[0027] In the second preferred embodiment of the present invention,
in the operation of the first round, the storage tank 30A is
arranged with the electrolytic cell 10A to cooperate together. When
the process of electrolysis begins in the electrolytic cell 10A,
the operation of the second round starts, in which the storage tank
30B is arranged with the electrolytic cell 10B to cooperate
together. When the process of electrolysis begins in the
electrolytic cell 10B, the water is supplied to the storage tank
30C which prepares the operation of the third round. The operation
of the first round completes at the time when the filling of water
in storage tank 30C is finished. The operation of the next round
and so on would go on continually. Thereby, the entire operation
process would proceed reasonably without the occurrence of the
"waiting time (electrolysis)" described above.
[0028] Since the second preferred embodiment of the present
invention is configurated by means of three storage tanks together
with two electrolytic cells, the coolant inlet valves (19a, 19b,
49a, 49b, 49c) are provided at upstream of the coolant inlets of
each electrolytic cell and each storage tank respectively, so as to
separate the flow of each coolant inlet. The coolant inlet valves
(19a, 19b, 49a, 49b, 49c) are normally closed and can be opened
respectively by the electronic control unit 50.
[0029] The exemplary operation of the second embodiment of the
present invention is illustrated as follows. Referring to FIG. 5,
when the temperature of electrolytic cell 10A is at upper limit,
the temperature controlling sensor 25 would send a signal to the
electronic control unit 50 (not shown) to open the coolant inlet
valve 19a and change the directional valve 47 to the second
position. At the same time, the electronic control unit 50 would
automatically compare the temperature detected currently by each
temperature controlling sensor 45 provided in each cooling tank
(40A, 40B, 40C), and then the coolant inlet valve (for example, the
coolant inlet valve 49a indicated by the arrow is opened in FIG. 5)
of the cooling tank(s) with higher temperature would be opened. In
this way, the coolant can be passed to the target position along
the direction indicated by the arrow in FIG. 5 for cooling.
[0030] Another exemplary operation of the second embodiment is
illustrated as follows. Referring to FIG. 6, the coolant is passed
sequentially into the cooling tank 40B and the cooling tank 20B for
cooling. Thus, it is determined that the directional valve 47 is
changed to the second position and the two coolant inlet valves
(19b, 49b) are opened. Thus, the coolant can be passed to the
target position along the direction indicated by the arrow.
[0031] The progress, the advantages, the benefit, and the
industrial value of the present invention are illustrated as
follow. According to the present invention, because the coolant
that is passed into the cooling tank (20, 40) can be flowed in a
helically circular way from bottom to top and surrounding the
peripheries of the electrolytic cell 10 and the storage tank 30
respectively, a thorough heat exchange is possible. Besides, since
the directional valve 47 can be switched to guide the flow
direction of the coolant, the coolant can be passed through the
coolant tank 40 of the storage tank 30 only or be passed through
the coolant tanks (40, 20) of the storage tank 30 and the
electrolytic cell 10 respectively. By means of such unique and
entire circulation for the flow of coolant, it is able to control
the temperature of the electrolytic cell 10 and the storage tank 30
at the best state. Under such temperature control, the electrolytic
cell 10 can produce stably gas of chlorine dioxide with
high-quality at the preset power parameters. After the produced gas
of chlorine dioxide with high-quality is passed into the storage
tank 30 and mixed to form the chlorine dioxide solution, under such
temperature control, its concentration can be quickly increased to
the target value, and thus the operation of the electrolytic cell
10 can be completed at preset time or before the preset time. By
means of the cooperation of the electrolytic cell 10 and the
storage tank 30, it is not only able to slow the qualitative change
of the components of the electrolytic cell 10 and thus make the
electrolytic cell 10 more durable, but it is also able to produce
higher amount and higher purity of chlorine dioxide in comparison
with the prior art.
[0032] Moreover, in prior art, it is required for a conventional
cooling device of the electrolytic cell to pump cooling water
continually for a long time (shown in FIG. 7). In comparison, in
the present invention, the coolant supplying pump 73 is usually in
the state of standby and would not be in operation unless it is
required for cooling. When it is required for cooling, the coolant
supplying pump 73 will be operated to pump the coolant. Thus, power
supply required for the apparatus of the present invention could be
significantly reduced.
[0033] The disclosure mentioned above together with and the
accompanying drawings illustrate the present invention. Although
the embodiments of the present invention have been described in
details, many modifications and variations still might be made by
those skilled in the art from the teachings disclosed hereinabove.
Therefore, it should be understood that any modification and
variation conforming to the spirit of the present invention are
regarded to fall into the scope defined by the appended claims.
* * * * *