Dual Diaphragm Electrolysis cell assembly and method for generating a cleaning solution without any salt residues and simultaneously generating a sanitizing solution having a predetermined level of available free chlorine and PH

Abstract

An electrolysis cell assembly to produce diluted Sodium Hydroxide solutions NaOH and diluted Hypochlorous Acid HOCl solutions having cleaning and sanitizing properties. The electrolysis cell consists of two insulating end pieces for a cylindrical electrolysis cell comprising at least two cylindrical electrodes with two cylindrical ion selective membranes arranged co-axially between them. The method of producing different volumes and concentrations of diluted NaOH solutions and diluted HOCl solutions comprises recirculating an aqueous sodium chloride or potassium chloride solution into the middle chamber of the cylindrical electrolytic cell and feeding softened filtered water into the cathode chamber and into the anode chamber of the cylindrical electrolysis cell.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of making electrolyzed liquids utilizing an electrolysis cell comprising an outer cylindrical electrode separated from an inner cylindrical electrode by at least one cylindrical cation ion-exchange membrane and at least one anion ion-exchange membrane arranged coaxially one within the other to create a cathode chamber, an electrolyte chamber and an anode chamber wherein the outer cylindrical electrode is of greater diameter than the anion ion-exchange membrane proximal to the outer cylindrical electrode which is of a diameter greater than the cation ion-exchange membrane to the outer cylindrical electrode and the diameter of said cation ion-exchange membrane is greater than the inner cylindrical electrode; providing a pair of end pieces where the space between the inner tubular electrode and the cation ion-exchange membrane and the space between the anion ion-exchange membrane and the outer tubular electrode defines anode and cathode chambers; where the space between the anion or cation ion-exchange membrane defines the electrolyte chamber and where one of the electrodes functions as an anode and the other electrode functions as a cathode; providing a saturated brine solution to the electrolyte chamber of the electrolysis cell and providing softened water to the anode and cathode chamber applying a current across the electrodes, wherein each end piece provides a sealing engagement between four sections of the end piece and each of the cylindrical electrodes and the anion ion-exchange membrane and the cation ion-exchange membrane, wherein the end piece has a lateral inlet through an outer wall thereof, said inlet being provided with a fitting for tangential feeding of the liquid to the inside of the end piece, and wherein three pairs of ports for entrance or exit of fluid are situated in an upper and a lower end piece, each comprising an external fitting for attachment of a hose or pipe, wherein said first pair of ports at opposite ends of said assembly internally addresses a space between said outer electrode tube and said anion ion-exchange membrane and said second pair of ports at opposite ends of said assembly internally addresses a space between
 said·cation ion-exchange membrane and said anion ion-exchange membrane and said third pair of ports at opposite ends of said assembly internally addresses a space between said inner electrode tube and said cation ion-exchange membrane. 
 
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said outer anion ion-exchange membrane and the inner cation ion-exchange membrane are cylindrical polymer ion-exchange membranes. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the Selective ion-exchange membrane material can be wrapped or coextruded in order to create a cylindrical ion-exchange membrane tube of single or multiple layers of similar or dissimilar materials. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said Selective ion-exchange membrane material can be wrapped in any of several ways including, but not limited to: single wrap cylinder, multiple wrap cylinder, diagonally wrapped cylinders; said cylindrical wraps can be of any geometric shape, including, but not limited to circular, oval, square, hexagon, or even tetrahedral. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said cylindrical ion-exchange membrane can be of any thickness, length and diameter by wrapping two similar or dissimilar polymer (perfluorinated) selective ion-exchange materials at a predetermined angle, whereby said selective ion-exchange materials bond together to form a cylindrical ion-exchange membrane with specific characteristics. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the bonding of said layers of polymer or perfluorinated selective ion-exchange membrane material can be achieved by any of a number of acceptable methods including, but not limited to: adhesive bonding, dielectric bonding, vibrational welding, ultrasonic welding or any of a variety of other thermal and chemical bonding techniques, said bonds can be lineal, circular or spiral in order to achieve the maximum strength longevity of the membrane itself. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said Ion-exchange membrane tube can be inserted to a set of pre-fabricated end pieces to assist in the subsequent assembly of cylindrical three-chamber cell assembly. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein a bushing constructed of Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) is inserted at both ends of the cylindrical ion exchange membrane to seal said Ion-exchange membrane tube with said bushing. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein a collar made of Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) is positioned over the tube ends of said Ion-exchange membrane tube, thereby creating a leak-free seal between said cylindrical ion-exchange membrane and said bushing. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein said selective ion-exchange membrane material wrapped around a skeleton made of Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC), thereby creating a cylindrical ion-exchange membrane tube of a single layer, wherein said tube ends of said skeleton constructed and arranged for insertion of said membrane in said end pieces of said cylindrical electrolysis cell. 
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 10 , wherein said selective ion-exchange membrane material is coextruded, thereby creating a cylindrical ion-exchange membrane tube of a single layer, wherein said tube ends of said skeleton constructed and arranged for insertion of said membrane in said end pieces of said cylindrical electrolysis cell. 
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said anode and cathode, comprise a titanium base activated with a mixed metal oxide coating structure comprising ruthenium, iridium, titanium, tantalum, rhodium or mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said upper and lower end pieces comprise four stackable sections of complimentary topography with at least one seal forming feature at every interface between adjacent sections wherein said seal forming feature comprising a sealant, compressible ridge, a gasket, or an  0 -ring. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the upper and lower end pieces comprise Polyvinyl Chloride, said gaskets or  0 -rings comprised of Ethylene Propylene, Nitrile, Fluorocarbon or combination of a plastic and a rubber. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein an electrolyte is circulated through the electrolyte chamber is a sodium chloride solution or a potassium chloride solution. 
     
     
         16 . The ·method of  claim 1 , wherein the electrolyte is saturated by circulating the electrolyte through an intermediate chamber lined with sodium chloride or potassium chloride and where the intermediate chamber can be opened to fill the reservoir with granular sodium chloride or granular potassium chloride and whereas the intermediate chamber is an external brine reservoir and not part of the cylindrical electrolysis cell. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , whereas the electrolyte is saturated by circulating said electrolyte between the middle chamber and the brine reservoir using a variable speed peristaltic pump and where said pump being in communication with the reservoir through a main feed line made from a flexible and resilient material and to the middle chamber. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , whereas the intermediate chamber is pressurized with softened water and whereas the electrolyte in intermediate chamber can be drained by opening a valve. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises, isolating an alkaline cleaning liquid having a negative redox potential ranging from 600 to 1200 mV, a pH ranging from 9-12 and 10-100 ppm of OH+. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises, isolating an acidic sanitizing solution having a positive redox potential ranging from 600 to 1200 mV, a pH ranging from 2-5 and 10-100 ppm of HOCl−. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a portion of the liquid exiting the cathode chamber is fed into the anode chamber and another portion collected in a storage tank or drained. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a part of a diluted Sodium Hydroxide solution NaOH is fed successively through the anode chamber to produce a more neutral pH Hypochlorous Acid solution HOCl. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein softened water is supplied to both the anode chamber and cathode chamber at a lower end piece of the electrolysis cell and cleaning solutions NaOH and usable non residue forming sanitizing solutions HOCl are obtained from an upper end piece of the cell. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the cathode chamber comprises an inlet fitting connected to a tube that passes tangentially through a specific section of the lower end piece to communicate with the cathode chamber through an aperture and wherein the anode chamber comprises an inlet fitting connected to a tube that passes tangentially through a specific section of the lower end piece to communicate with the anode chamber through an aperture. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein a specific section of the lower end piece comprises an inlet fitting connected to a pipe that passes through the specific section of the lower end piece to communicate with the middle chamber through an aperture. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the cathode chamber comprises an outlet fitting connected to a tube that passes tangentially through a specific section of the upper end piece to communicate with the cathode chamber through an aperture and wherein the anode chamber comprises an outlet fitting connected to a tube that passes tangentially through a specific section of the upper end piece to communicate with the cathode chamber through an aperture. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein a specific section of the upper end piece comprises an outlet fitting connected to a pipe that passes through a specific section of the upper end piece to communicate with the middle chamber through an aperture. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said ports address said spaces through said end pieces or through said electrode tubes adjacent to the site of insertion of said electrode tubes into said end pieces. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the electrolyte is circulated in the middle chamber and fed into the cathode chamber wherein softened water in the cathode chamber is enriched with OH+ ions giving the softened water a high pH and cleaning properties and said electrolyte is rejected by the cation ion-selective membrane; and softened water is fed into the anode chamber wherein softened water in the anode chamber is enriched with Cl− ions giving the softened water a low pH and sanitizing properties and the electrolyte is rejected by said anion ion-selective membrane rejects; whereby the generated cleaning and sanitizing solutions will not create salt residues on surfaces. 
     
     
         30 . A method of making electrolyzed liquids using an electrolysis cell comprising a cylindrical ion-exchange membrane having a cation or anion material made of either polymer or a perfluorinated impregnated cloth or reinforcing media of some kind; or an extruded or otherwise processed polymer, combined with suitable molded or otherwise fabricated attachment mechanisms, constructed and arranged to operate in conjunction with a suitable shell in a cylindrical electrolysis cell having an anode chamber, a cathode chamber, said anode chamber and said cathode chamber are separated from each other by at least one ion-exchange membranes constructed and arranged for generating a diluted Hypochlorous Acid sanitizing solution with a pH between 4.5 and 7.5, an ORP of +800 to +1200 mV and a free available chlorine content between 10 to 1000 ppm, said ion-exchange membranes simultaneously generate a dilute Sodium Hydroxide (NAOH) cleaning solution with a pH between 9.5 and 12.5 and an ORP of −500 to −1000 mV.