Strong acid sterilizing liquid containing hypochlorous acid at a low concentration, method and apparatus for generating same, and apparatus for generating and dispensing same

A method for generating acid sterilizing liquid comprising the steps of:

• providing first and second adjacent, parallel flat wall surfaces arranged to form a channel between them having a flow direction, wherein there is no barrier between the first and second wall surfaces;
• providing a positive electrode plate to form at least part of said first wall surface;
• providing a negative electrode plate to form at least part of the other of said wall surfaces;
• providing a slit in the second wall surface at right angles to the flow direction;
• passing salt water through the channel;
• electrolyzing the salt water passing through the channel, generating a layer of acid liquid proximal to the positive electrode, and a layer of alkaline liquid proximal to the negative electrode;
• and
• taking the layer of alkaline liquid through the slit, whereby acid sterilizing liquid is provided by said channel.

An apparatus for generating acid sterilizing liquid comprising:

• an electrolytic cell having first and second adjacent wall surfaces forming a first channel therebetween having a flow direction, wherein there is no barrier between the first and second wall surfaces, the first wall surface having a slit formed therein at right angles to the flow direction constructed to remove a layer of acid liquid proximal to the first wall surface, a positive electrode plate forming at least part of the first wall surface, a negative electrode plate forming at least part of the second wall surface;
• a second channel communicating with the slit to remove acid liquid proximal to the first wall surface;
• a third channel communicating with the first channel downstream of the slit to remove alkaline liquid proximal to the second wall surface;
• a salt water tank;
• a fourth channel communicating between the salt water tank and the first channel to supply salt water from the tank to the first channel;
• and
• a DC power supply operatively connected to the positive and negative electrodes to apply a voltage across the electrodes.

An apparatus for generating acid sterilizing liquid comprising:

• an electrolytic cell having first and second adjacent wall surfaces forming a first channel therebetween having a flow direction, wherein there is no barrier between the first and second wall surfaces, the second wall surface having a slit formed therein at right angles to the flow direction constructed to remove a layer of alkaline liquid proximal to the second wall surface, a positive electrode plate forming at least part of the first wall surface, a negative electrode plate forming at least part of the second wall surface;
• a second channel communicating with the slit to remove alkaline liquid proximal to the second wall surface;
• a third channel communicating with the first channel downstream of the slit to remove acid liquid proximal to the second wall surface;
• a salt water tank;
• a fourth channel communicating between the salt water tank and the first channel to supply salt water from the tank to the first channel;
• and
• a DC power supply operatively connected to the positive and negative electrodes to apply a voltage across the electrodes.

An apparatus for generating and dispensing acid sterilizing liquid comprising:

• a non-barrier electrolytic cell having first and second adjacent wall surfaces forming a first channel therebetween having a flow direction, wherein there is no barrier between the first and second wall surfaces, a positive electrode plate forming at least part of the first wall surface, a negative electrode plate forming at least part of the second wall surface, the first wall surface having a slit formed therein at right angles to the flow direction constructed to remove a layer of acidic liquid proximal to the first wall surface;
• a second channel communicating with the slit to remove acid liquid proximal to the first wall surface;
• a third channel communicating with the first channel downstream of the slit to remove alkaline liquid proximal to the second wall surface;
• a salt water tank;
• a fourth channel communicating between the salt water tank and the first channel to supply salt water from the tank to the first channel;
• a supply device which feeds salt water from the salt water tank to the non-barrier electrolytic cell;
• a recovery tank connected to the third channel to recover the alkaline liquid;
• a DC power supply operatively connected to the positive and negative electrodes to apply a voltage across the electrodes;
• and
• a controller operatively connected to control the operation of the DC power supply and the supply device.

An apparatus for generating and dispensing acid sterilizing liquid comprising:

• a non-barrier electrolytic cell having first and second adjacent wall surfaces forming a first channel therebetween having a flow direction, wherein there is no barrier between the first and second wall surfaces, a positive electrode plate forming at least part of the first wall surface, a negative electrode plate forming at least part of the second wall surface, the second wall surface having a slit formed therein at right angles to the flow direction constructed to remove a layer of alkaline liquid proximal to the second wall surface;
• a second channel communicating with the slit to remove alkaline liquid proximal to the second wall surface;
• a third channel communicating with the first channel downstream of the slit to remove acid liquid proximal to the first wall surface;
• a salt water tank;
• a fourth channel communicating between the salt water tank and the first channel to supply salt water from the tank to the first channel;
• a supply device which feeds salt water from the salt water tank to the first channel of the non-barrier electrolytic cell;
• a recovery tank connected to the second channel to recover the alkaline liquid;
• a DC power supply operatively connected to the positive and negative electrodes to apply a voltage across the electrodes;
• and
• a controller operatively connected to control the operation of the DC power supply and the supply device.