US 12,110,246 B2
Ion removal system
Ayane Takehisa, Nara (JP); Takuya Kanda, Kyoto (JP); Tomohiro Akita, Osaka (JP); and Yasunari Maeda, Osaka (JP)
Assigned to Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd., Osaka (JP)
Appl. No. 17/442,361
Filed by Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd., Osaka (JP)
PCT Filed Feb. 10, 2020, PCT No. PCT/JP2020/005179
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Sep. 23, 2021,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/195254, PCT Pub. Date Oct. 1, 2020.
Claims priority of application No. 2019-061699 (JP), filed on Mar. 27, 2019; and application No. 2019-139357 (JP), filed on Jul. 30, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2022/0169548 A1, Jun. 2, 2022
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. C02F 1/24 (2023.01); C02F 1/38 (2023.01); C02F 1/46 (2023.01); C02F 9/00 (2023.01); C02F 1/461 (2023.01); C02F 101/10 (2006.01)
CPC C02F 9/00 (2013.01) [C02F 1/24 (2013.01); C02F 1/38 (2013.01); C02F 1/461 (2013.01); C02F 2101/10 (2013.01); C02F 2201/005 (2013.01); C02F 2301/046 (2013.01)] 6 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An ion removal system comprising:
an electrolysis device configured to generate alkaline water and acid water by electrolysis;
a hard water flow path connected to the electrolysis device to supply the electrolysis device with hard water;
a batch treatment tank provided in the hard water flow path to store the hard water;
a return flow path connected to the batch treatment tank to return the alkaline water or the acid water generated by the electrolysis device to the batch treatment tank;
a circulation flow path that includes the batch treatment tank, the electrolysis device, and the return flow path;
a fine bubble generation device configured to generate fine bubbles in the circulation flow path, wherein the generated fine bubbles adsorb and remove metal ions in any one of the acid water, the alkaline water, and the hard water, or a mixture thereof;
a first flow path and a second flow path through which the alkaline water and the acid water generated by the electrolysis device selectively can alternately flow in first and second modes of operation, and
a controller,
wherein the return flow path includes a first return flow path connected from the first flow path to the batch treatment tank, and a second return flow path connected from the second flow path to the batch treatment tank,
wherein in the first mode of operation, the alkaline water flows in the first flow path and the acid water flows in the second flow path,
wherein in the second mode of operation, the acid water flows in the first flow path and the alkaline water flows in the second flow path, and
wherein the controller is configured to switch between the first and second modes of operation by changing a polarity of electrolysis.