Water-conducting electric device and method for operating a water-conducting electric device

Abstract

A water-conducting electrical device having a water receiving element, an electrochemical cell having electrodes and designed to produce a bleaching agent when it contains a salt-containing solution and a DC voltage is applied to the electrodes, a pump designed to convey fluid located in the electrochemical cell out of the electrochemical cell into the water receiving element, and a control unit configured to selectively apply both DC voltage and AC voltage to the electrodes of the electrochemical cell. A method for operating the water-conducting electrical device includes feeding a salt-containing solution into the electrochemical cell, applying DC voltage to the electrodes of the electrochemical cell for a predetermined period of time in order to produce the bleaching agent in the electrochemical cell, applying AC voltage to the electrodes of the electrochemical cell for a predetermined period of time in order to heat fluid located in the electrochemical cell, and conveying the fluid out of the electrochemical cell into the water receiving element.

1 . A water-conducting electrical device comprising:
 a water receiving element,   an electrochemical cell having electrodes and configured to produce a bleaching agent when it contains a salt-containing solution and a DC voltage is applied to the electrodes,   a pump configured to convey fluid located in the electrochemical cell out of the electrochemical cell into the water receiving element, and   a control unit configured to selectively apply both DC and AC voltage to the electrodes of the electrochemical cell.   
     
     
         2 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the control unit has a relay designed to switch from DC to AC voltage and vice versa. 
     
     
         3 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the control unit has a rotary relay designed to connect a grounded N conductor to an electrode of the electrochemical cell that is arranged at an inlet and an outlet of the electrochemical cell, and/or the control unit has a protective ground designed such that a polarity of the supply voltage can be determined. 
     
     
         4 . The device according to  claim 1 , further comprising a recirculation system for conducting water from a first region of the water receiving element into a second region of the water receiving element, wherein the recirculation system has, as the pump, a recirculation pump designed to pump water out of the first region through the electrochemical cell into the second region. 
     
     
         5 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein an inlet and an outlet of the electrochemical cell are arranged in an upper part of the electrochemical cell, in relation to an operational set-up position of the device, wherein the inlet is connected to the pump and the outlet is connected to a line designed to feed fluid through the line to the water receiving element. 
     
     
         6 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the electrochemical cell is connected via an outlet valve to a point of a water line system of the device that is arranged fluidically upstream of an outlet pump designed to discharge water from the device. 
     
     
         7 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein it can be connected to a water connection, and the control unit is configured to automatically control a water supply from the water connection into the water receiving element. 
     
     
         8 . The device according to  claim 1 , further comprising a metering unit designed to meter the salt-containing solution into the electrochemical cell. 
     
     
         9 . A method for operating a water-conducting electrical device having a water receiving element, an electrochemical cell having electrodes and designed to produce a bleaching agent when it contains a salt-containing solution and a DC voltage is applied to the electrodes, a pump designed to convey fluid located in the electrochemical cell out of the electrochemical cell into the water receiving element, and a control unit, wherein the method has the following steps:
 a) feeding a salt-containing solution into the electrochemical cell;   b) following step a), applying DC voltage to the electrodes of the electrochemical cell for a predetermined period of time in order to produce the bleaching agent in the electrochemical cell;   c) following step b), applying AC voltage to the electrodes of the electrochemical cell for a predetermined period of time in order to heat fluid located in the electrochemical cell; and   d) conveying the fluid out of the electrochemical cell into the water receiving element.   
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 9 , wherein water continues to be introduced in a predetermined water quantity into the electrochemical cell.