Abstract:
An electrolyzed water producing apparatus comprises an electrolysis unit including a diaphragm electrolytic cell and a diaphragmless electrolytic cell; a water supply pipe with a three-way valve; a water take-out pipe having one end connected to each anode chamber to remove anode electrolyzed water; a water take-out pipe having one end connected to each cathode chamber to remove cathode electrolyzed water; and a water take-out pipe provided with a free chlorine removing filter and having one end connected to each diaphragmless electrolytic chamber to remove mixed electrolyzed water. The diaphragm electrolytic cell contains a pair of electrode plates, and a plurality of electrolytic chambers, at least one of which includes an anode chamber and a cathode chamber. The diaphragmless electrolytic cell contains a pair of electrode plates, and diaphragmless electrolytic chambers which are the remaining electrolytic chambers.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to an electrolyzed water production apparatus. More specifically, the invention relates to an electrolyzed water production apparatus which can produce three kinds of electrolyzed water including anode electrolyzed water produced on the anode side in electrolysis of water, cathode electrolyzed water produced on the cathode side, and mixed-electrolyzed water in which the anode electrolyzed water and the cathode electrolyzed water are mixed. 
       BACKGROUND ART 
       [0002]    An electrolyzed water production apparatus includes an electrolyzed water production apparatus having a format that includes a diaphragm electrolytic cell in which a pair of electrodes separated by a diaphragm is arranged and an electrolyzed water production apparatus having a format that includes a diaphragmless electrolytic cell in which a pair of electrodes is arranged without providing a diaphragm. Those electrolyzed water production apparatuses are used according to purposes. 
         [0003]    In the diaphragm electrolytic cell, acidic electrolyzed water is produced on the anode side, and alkaline electrolyzed water is produced on the cathode side (the acidic electrolyzed water is hereinafter referred to as “anode electrolyzed water” and the alkaline electrolyzed water is hereinafter referred to as “cathode electrolyzed water”). The anode electrolyzed water and the cathode electrolyzed water produced in the diaphragm electrolytic cell are taken from the electrolyzed water production apparatus. 
         [0004]    Electrolysis raw water (water to be electrolyzed) contains electrolyte. When the electrolyte contained in the electrolysis raw water is chloride, the anode electrolyzed water to be produced contains hydrochloric acid, hypochlorous acid, and dissolved oxygen as electrode reaction products. The hypochlorous acid exhibits strong chlorination action and oxidation action. Thus, the anode electrolyzed water is used for sterilization, for example. Meanwhile, the cathode electrolyzed water has been widely known as alkali ion water for drinking. An alkali ion water production apparatus is commercially available as a medical instrument and the like and is widely used. 
         [0005]    In the diaphragmless electrolytic cell, the anode electrolyzed water and the cathode electrolyzed water produced by electrolysis are mixed in the cell (the mixture is hereinafter referred to as “mixed-electrolyzed water”). Thus, the mixed-electrolyzed water is kept in neutrality. In the mixed-electrolyzed water, the dissolved oxygen concentration, the dissolved hydrogen concentration, the hypochlorous acid concentration, and so on change compared with the electrolysis raw water. Those concentrations are changed by, for example, kind and concentration of solute contained in the electrolysis raw water and the magnitude of electrolysis energy applied to the electrolysis raw water. In general, in electrolyzed water produced using high electrolysis energy, the dissolved oxygen concentration, the dissolved hydrogen concentration, the hypochlorous acid concentration, and so on significantly change compared with the electrolysis raw water. The mixed-electrolyzed water is used in various applications. 
         [0006]    In order to produce the anode electrolyzed water, the cathode electrolyzed water, and the mixed-electrolyzed water in a single apparatus, the apparatus is required to have a diaphragm electrolytic cell and a diaphragmless electrolytic cell. In order to enhance the ability to produce electrolyzed water, it is preferable that the electrolyzed water production apparatus includes a plurality of electrolytic cells. However, such an electrolyzed water production apparatus including a plurality of electrolytic cells is expensive, because the use of electrode plates formed of noble metal such as platinum is increased. 
         [0007]    Patent Document 1 discloses an electrolyzed water production apparatus including a diaphragm electrolytic cell and a diaphragmless electrolytic cell. In this apparatus, the diaphragm electrolytic cell and the diaphragmless electrolytic cell are separated. When the number of electrolytic cells provided in the electrolyzed water production apparatus is increased, the use of the electrode plates is increased, and therefore, it becomes expensive. The size of a housing supporting those components increases to increase the size of the electrolyzed water production apparatus. 
       CITATION LIST 
     Patent Documents 
       [0008]    Patent Document 1: JP 1998-118654 A 
       SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
     Technical Problem 
       [0009]    This invention provides an electrolyzed water production apparatus which can produce an arbitrarily selected combination of three kinds of electrolyzed water:
   (1) anode electrolyzed water and cathode electrolyzed water;   (2) mixed-electrolyzed water; and   (3) anode electrolyzed water, cathode electrolyzed water, and mixed-electrolyzed water,
 
can be manufactured at low cost, and has a simplified structure.
   
 
       Solution to Problem 
       [0013]    As a result of intensive studies made by the present inventors to solve the above problems, the inventors have devised a configuration in which in an electrolyzed water production apparatus having a plurality of electrolytic cells, an electrode plate used in the electrolytic cell is also used as an electrode plate used in an adjacent electrolytic cell. The inventors further have devised a configuration in which a valve is installed upstream of an electrolysis section, and electrolyzed water to be produced is switched between anyone of (a) anode electrolyzed water and cathode electrolyzed water, (b) mixed-electrolyzed water, and (c) anode electrolyzed water, cathode electrolyzed water, and mixed-electrolyzed water. The present invention has been completed based on such finding. 
         [0014]    The present invention to solve the above problems is as follows. 
         [0015]    An electrolyzed water production apparatus includes: an electrolysis section which comprises a plurality of electrolysis chambers comprising a pair of electrode plates, provided in a cell near one facing side wall of the cell in parallel with the one side wall, and at the same time partitioned by at least one electrode plate by dividing the inside of the cell in a watertight manner by at least one electrode plate in parallel with the one side wall, constitutes a diaphragm electrolytic cell having an anode chamber and a cathode chamber, provided by dividing the electrolysis chamber into two portions with a diaphragm attached in at least one electrolysis chamber in parallel with the at least one electrode plate, and comprising a pair of electrode plates, and constitutes a diaphragmless electrolytic cell having a diaphragmless electrolytic chamber in a remaining electrolytic chamber and comprising a pair of electrode plates; a wiring which connects the electrode plate in the cell alternately to an anode and a cathode of a DC power supply; a water supply pipe which comprises interposing a three-way valve and supplies electrolytic raw water to any one of the following (1) to (3) by switching the three-way valve:
   (1) an anode chamber and a cathode chamber in each diaphragm electrolytic cell;   (2) a diaphragmless electrolytic chamber in each diaphragmless electrolytic cell; and   (3) the anode chamber and the cathode chamber in each diaphragm electrolytic cell and a diaphragmless electrolytic chamber in the diaphragmless electrolytic cell;   
 
         [0019]    a water extraction pipe whose one end is coupled to each anode chamber and through which each anode electrolyzed water in each anode chamber is extracted outside; a water extraction pipe whose one end is coupled to each cathode chamber and through which each cathode electrolyzed water in each cathode chamber is extracted outside; and a water extraction pipe in which a free chlorine removal filter is interposed, whose one end is coupled to each diaphragmless electrolytic chamber, and through which mixed-electrolyzed water is extracted outside from each diaphragmless electrolytic chamber, wherein the three-way valve is switched to thereby switch electrolyzed water to be produced between any one of the following (a) to (c):
   (a) anode electrolyzed water and cathode electrolyzed water;   (b) the mixed-electrolyzed water; and   (c) the anode electrolyzed water, the cathode electrolyzed water, and the mixed-electrolyzed water.   
 
       Advantageous Effects of the Invention 
       [0023]    An electrolyzed water production apparatus (hereinafter referred to as “this apparatus”) according to this invention can reduce the number of electrode plates constituting the apparatus. Further, a housing of the apparatus can be reduced in size. Therefore, manufacturing and maintenance costs are low. 
         [0024]    Since this apparatus is provided with a plurality of electrolytic cells, electrolyzed water production capacity is large. Accordingly, when a small amount of electrolytic raw water is supplied, electrolyzed water to which a high electrolysis energy is applied can be produced. 
         [0025]    In this apparatus, electrolyzed water to be produced can be switched between any one of (a) anode electrolyzed water and cathode electrolyzed water, (b) mixed-electrolyzed water, and (c) anode electrolyzed water, cathode electrolyzed water, and mixed-electrolyzed water by switching a valve. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         [0026]      FIG. 1  is a schematic configuration diagram showing an example of this apparatus. 
           [0027]      FIGS. 2A to 2D  are explanatory views showing an example in which electrode plates are shared. 
           [0028]      FIG. 3  is an explanatory view showing another configuration example of an electrolysis section. 
           [0029]      FIG. 4  is a schematic configuration diagram showing a yet another configuration example of this apparatus. 
           [0030]      FIG. 5  is a schematic configuration diagram showing a yet further another configuration example of this apparatus. 
       
    
    
     REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 
       [0000]    
       
           100 ,  200 ,  300  electrolyzed water production apparatus 
           50  electrolysis section 
           11  water supply pipe 
           15  switching valve 
           17 ,  19  supply pipe 
           21 ,  23 ,  25 ,  27  anode plate 
           31 ,  33 ,  35  cathode plate 
           41 ,  43 ,  45  diaphragm 
           51 ,  53 ,  55 ,  57  side wall 
           16  water extraction pipe 
           63  water extraction pipe 
           65  water extraction pipe 
           67  piping 
           71 ,  73 ,  75  free chlorine removal filter 
           81 ,  84 ,  87  anode chamber 
           82 ,  85 ,  88  cathode chamber 
           83 ,  86 ,  89  mixed electrolysis chamber 
           81   a  to  89   a  supply port 
           81   b  to  89   b  discharge port 
           150  electrolysis section 
           101  to  103 ,  111  to  113 ,  121  to  123 ,  131  to  133  electrode plate 
           104 ,  114 ,  115 ,  124  diaphragm 
           105 ,  116 ,  118 ,  126  anode chamber 
           106 ,  117 ,  119 ,  127  cathode chamber 
           107 ,  125 ,  134 ,  135  mixed electrolysis chamber 
       
     
       DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS 
       [0056]    (1) Configuration of this Apparatus 
         [0057]    First, the configuration of this apparatus will be described.  FIG. 1  is a schematic configuration diagram showing an example of this apparatus. 
         [0058]    In  FIG. 1 , reference numeral  100  is an electrolyzed water production apparatus, and reference numeral  50  is an electrolysis section. The inner shape of the electrolysis section  50  is a hollow box shape. The electrolysis section  50  includes anode plates  21  and  27  arranged near side walls  51  and  53  facing each other so that the anode plates  21  and  27  are in parallel with the side walls  51  and  53 . There are provided cathode plates  31 ,  33 , and  35  and anode plates  23  and  25  alternately arranged between the anode plates  21  and  27  in parallel with the side walls  51  and  53 . Accordingly, the inside of the electrolysis section  50  is partitioned into six spaces in a liquid-tight manner by the anode plates  23  and  25  and the cathode plates  31 ,  33 , and  35 . The anode plates  21 ,  23 ,  25 , and  27  are connected to an anode of a DC power supply (not shown) through wiring, and the cathode plates  31 ,  33 , and  35  are connected to a cathode of the DC power supply (not shown) through wiring. 
         [0059]    The anode plate  21  and the cathode plate  31 , the anode plate  23  and the cathode plate  33 , and the anode plate  25  and the cathode plate  35  are provided respectively with diaphragms  41 ,  43 , and  45  in between so that the diaphragms  41 ,  43 , and  45  are situated in parallel with the anode plates  21 ,  23 , and  25  and the cathode plates  31 ,  33 , and  35 . 
         [0060]    According to the above constitution, the electrolysis section  50  includes a diaphragm electrolytic cell “a” constituted of a pair of electrode plates, constituted of the anode plate  21  and the cathode plate  31 , the diaphragm  41 , and the side walls  55  and  57  perpendicular to the side walls  51  and  53 . The electrolysis section  50  further includes a diaphragm electrolytic cell “c” constituted of a pair of electrode plates, constituted of the anode plate  23  and the cathode plate  33 , the diaphragm  43 , and the side walls  55  and  57 . The electrolysis section  50  furthermore includes a diaphragm electrolytic cell “e” constituted of a pair of electrode plates, constituted of the anode plate  25  and the cathode plate  35 , the diaphragm  45 , and the side walls  55  and  57 . 
         [0061]    Similarly, the electrolysis section  50  includes a diaphragmless electrolytic cell “b” constituted of a pair of electrode plates, constituted of the cathode plate  31  and the anode plate  23 , and the side walls  55  and  57 . The electrolysis section  50  further includes a diaphragmless electrolytic cell “d” constituted of a pair of electrode plates, constituted of the cathode plate  33  and the anode plate  25 , and the side walls  55  and  57 . The electrolysis section  50  furthermore includes a diaphragmless electrolytic cell “f” constituted of a pair of electrode plates, constituted of the cathode plate  35  and the anode plate  27 , and the side walls  55  and  57 . 
         [0062]    The diaphragm electrolytic cell “a” includes an anode chamber  81  surrounded by the anode plate  21 , the diaphragm  41 , and the side walls  55  and  57  and a cathode chamber  82  surrounded by the diaphragm  41 , the cathode plate  31 , and the side walls  55  and  57 . The diaphragm electrolytic cell “c” includes an anode chamber  84  surrounded by the anode plate  23 , the diaphragm  43 , and the side walls  55  and  57  and a cathode chamber  85  surrounded by the diaphragm  43 , the cathode plate  33 , and the side walls  55  and  57 . The diaphragm electrolytic cell “e” includes an anode chamber  87  surrounded by the anode plate  25 , the diaphragm  45 , and the side walls  55  and  57  and a cathode chamber  88  surrounded by the diaphragm  45 , the cathode plate  35 , and the side walls  55  and  57 . 
         [0063]    The diaphragmless electrolytic cell “b” includes a mixed electrolysis chamber  83  surrounded by the cathode plate  31 , the anode plate  23 , and the side walls  55  and  57 . Similarly, the diaphragmless electrolytic cell “d” includes a mixed electrolysis chamber  86  surrounded by the cathode plate  33 , the anode plate  25 , and the side walls  55  and  57 . The diaphragmless electrolytic cell “f” includes a mixed electrolysis chamber  89  surrounded by the cathode plate  35 , the anode plate  27 , and the side walls  55  and  57 . 
         [0064]    In this apparatus, the cathode plate  31  constituting the diaphragm electrolytic cell “a” is the same as the cathode plate  31  constituting the diaphragmless electrolytic cell “b”. Similarly, the anode plate  23  constituting the diaphragmless electrolytic cell “b” is the same as the anode plate  23  constituting the diaphragm electrolytic cell “c”. The cathode plate  33  constituting the diaphragm electrolytic cell “c” is the same as the cathode plate  33  constituting the diaphragmless electrolytic cell “d”. The anode plate  25  constituting the diaphragmless electrolytic cell “d” is the same as the anode plate  25  constituting the diaphragm electrolytic cell “e”. The cathode plate  35  constituting the diaphragm electrolytic cell “e” is the same as the cathode plate  35  constituting the diaphragmless electrolytic cell “f”. Namely, in the cathode plates  31 ,  33 , and  35  and the anode plates  23  and  25 , a single electrode plate is shared in two electrolytic cells. The total number of the electrode plates used in the electrolysis section  50  is seven. 
         [0065]    The side wall  55  constituting the anode chamber  81  is provided with a water supply port  81   a.  The side wall  57  constituting the anode chamber  81  is provided with a water discharge port  81   b.  Similarly, the side wall  55  constituting the anode chamber  84  is provided with a water supply port  84   a.  The side wall  57  constituting the anode chamber  84  is provided with a water discharge port  84   b.  The side wall  55  constituting the anode chamber  87  is provided with a water supply port  87   a.  The side wall  57  constituting the anode chamber  87  is provided with a water discharge port  87   b.    
         [0066]    The side wall  55  constituting the cathode chamber  82  is provided with a water supply port  82   a.  The side wall  57  constituting the cathode chamber  82  is provided with a water discharge port  82   b.  Similarly, the side wall  55  constituting the cathode chamber  85  is provided with a water supply port  85   a.  The side wall  57  constituting the cathode chamber  85  is provided with a water discharge port  85   b.  The side wall  55  constituting the cathode chamber  88  is provided with a water supply port  88   a.  The side wall  57  constituting the cathode chamber  88  is provided with a water discharge port  88   b.    
         [0067]    The side wall  55  constituting the mixed electrolysis chamber  83  is provided with a water supply port  83   a.  The side wall  57  constituting the mixed electrolysis chamber  83  is provided with a water discharge port  83   b.  Similarly, the side wall  55  constituting the mixed electrolysis chamber  86  is provided with a water supply port  86   a.  The side wall  57  constituting the mixed electrolysis chamber  86  is provided with a water discharge port  86   b.  The side wall  55  constituting the mixed electrolysis chamber  89  is provided with a water supply port  89   a.  The side wall  57  constituting the mixed electrolysis chamber  89  is provided with a water discharge port  89   b.    
         [0068]    Reference numeral  11  is a water supply pipe through which electrolysis raw water is supplied from its one end. The other end of the water supply pipe  11  is connected to a switching valve  15 . The switching valve  15  is connected in a switchable manner to one end of a supply pipe  17  through which the electrolysis raw water is supplied to the diaphragm electrolytic cells “a”, “c”, and “e” and to one end of a supply pipe  19  through which the electrolysis raw water is supplied to the diaphragmless electrolytic cells “b”, “d”, and “f”. 
         [0069]    The other end side of the supply pipe  17  is branched and connected to the water supply ports  81   a,    82   a,    84   a,    85   a,    87   a,  and  88   a.  The other end side of the supply pipe  19  is branched and connected to the water supply ports  83   a,    86   a,  and  89   a.    
         [0070]    Reference numeral  61  is a water extraction pipe through which anode electrolyzed water is extracted from the anode chambers  81 ,  84 , and  87 . One end side of the water extraction pipe  61  is branched and connected to the water discharge ports  81   b,    84   b,  and  87   b.  Reference numeral  63  is a water extraction pipe through which cathode electrolyzed water is extracted from the cathode chambers  82 ,  85 , and  88 . One end side of the water extraction pipe  63  is branched and connected to the water discharge ports  82   b,    85   b,  and  88   b.    
         [0071]    Reference numeral  65  is a water extraction pipe through which mixed-electrolyzed water is extracted from the mixed electrolysis chambers  83 ,  86 , and  89 . One end side of the water extraction pipe  65  is branched and connected to the water discharge ports  83   b,    86   b,  and  89   b.  There is interposed a free chlorine removal filter  71  in the water extraction pipe  65 . 
         [0072]    The anode plates  21 ,  23 ,  25 , and  27  and the cathode plates  31 ,  33 , and  35  are formed of an electrochemically inactive metal material. As the metal material, platinum, platinum-alloy, or the like is preferably used. The thickness of those electrode plates is preferably 0.1 to 2.0 mm and particularly 0.5 to 1.5 mm. An interval between the anode plate and the cathode plate is 3.0 to 1.0 mm, and preferably 2.0 to 1.0 mm. 
         [0073]    As the diaphragms  41 ,  43 , and  45 , diaphragms conventionally used as electrolysis diaphragms such as an ion-exchange membrane and an uncharged membrane can be suitably used. For example, a non-charged membrane produced by Japan Gore-Tex, Inc. (called Gore-Tex SGT-010-135-1) is used. 
         [0074]    The free chlorine removal filter  71  may be installed in any place downstream of the electrolytic cell. As the free chlorine removal filter  71 , a well-known filter using an absorbent such as activated carbon or a zeolite can be used. When electrolyzed water is not used for drinking, the free chlorine removal filter may not be interposed. The free chlorine removal filter may further be installed at the upper stream of the electrolysis section. 
         [0075]    In  FIG. 1 , although a three-way valve is used as the switching valve  15 , the invention is not limited thereto, and any suitable type such as a ball valve or a float type valve maybe used as long as it can freely switch a flow path. 
         [0076]      FIGS. 4 and 5  are schematic configuration diagrams showing another configuration example of this electrolyzed water production apparatus. In this electrolyzed water production apparatus, the same components as those in the electrolyzed water production apparatus of  FIG. 1  are denoted by the same reference numerals, and explanations thereof are omitted. 
         [0077]    In  FIG. 4 , a free chlorine removal filter  73  is interposed in the water extraction pipe  61  of an electrolyzed water production apparatus  200 . Hydrochloric acid, hypochlorous acid, and the like contained in the anode electrolyzed water are removed by the free chlorine removal filter  73 . 
         [0078]    In  FIG. 5 , the water extraction pipes  61  and  63  of the electrolyzed water production apparatus  300  are connected to a piping  67 . A free chlorine removal filter  75  is interposed in the piping  67 . In the piping  67 , anode electrolyzed water and cathode electrolyzed water are mixed. Hydrochloric acid, hypochlorous acid, and the like contained in the mixed electrolyzed water are removed by the free chlorine removal filter  75 . 
         [0079]    Electrolyzed water from which hydrochloric acid, hypochlorous acid, and so on have been removed can be provided for drinking. 
         [0000]    (2) Operation of this Apparatus 
         [0080]    Next, the operation of each section will be described when electrolyzed water is produced using the electrolyzed water production apparatus  100  of  FIG. 1  will be described. The arrow in  FIG. 1  shows a water flowing direction in the apparatus. Electrolytic raw water supplied from one end of the water supply pipe  11  is fed to the switching valve  15 . 
         [0081]    When the switching valve  15  is switched so that the electrolytic raw water is supplied to the supply pipe  17 , the electrolytic raw water is supplied into the anode chambers  81 ,  84 , and  87  and the cathode chambers  82 ,  85 , and  88  respectively from the supply ports  81   a,    82   a,    84   a,    85   a,    87   a,  and  88   a  through the supply pipe  17 . The electrolytic raw water supplied into the anode chambers  81 ,  84 , and  87  and the cathode chambers  82 ,  85 , and  88  is electrolyzed by a DC voltage/current applied to the anode plates  21 ,  23 ,  25 , and  27  and the cathode plates  31 ,  33 , and  35 . 
         [0082]    The anode electrolyzed water is produced in the anode chambers  81 ,  84 , and  87  by electrolysis, and the cathode electrolyzed water is produced in the cathode chambers  82 ,  85 , and  88 . The anode electrolyzed water is extracted outside the apparatus from the discharge ports  81   b,    84   b,  and  87   b  through the water extraction pipe  61 . The anode electrolyzed water as acidic electrolyzed water is used in various applications. The cathode electrolyzed water is extracted outside the apparatus from the discharge ports  82   b,    85   b,  and  88   b  through the water extraction pipe  63 . The cathode electrolyzed water as alkaline electrolyzed water is used in various applications. 
         [0083]    When the switching valve  15  is switched so that the electrolytic raw water is supplied to the supply pipe  19 , the electrolytic raw water is supplied into the mixed electrolysis chambers  83 ,  86 , and  89  respectively from the supply ports  83   a,    86   a,  and  89   a  through the supply pipe  19 . The electrolytic raw water supplied into the mixed electrolysis chambers  83 ,  86 , and  89  is electrolyzed by a DC voltage/current applied to the anode plates  23  and  25  and the cathode plates  31 ,  33 , and  35 . The mixed-electrolyzed water is produced in the mixed electrolysis chambers  83 ,  86 , and  89  by electrolysis. The mixed-electrolyzed water is extracted outside the apparatus from the discharge ports  83   b,    86   b,  and  89   b  through the free chlorine removal filter  71  and the extraction pipe  65 . The mixed-electrolyzed water as neutral electrolyzed water is used in various applications. 
         [0084]    When the switching valve  15  is switched so that the electrolytic raw water is supplied to the supply pipes  17  and  19 , the anode electrolyzed water, the cathode electrolyzed water, and the mixed-electrolyzed water are produced. 
         [0085]    An electric current applied to an electrode plate in each of the electrolytic cells “a” to “f” is preferably not less than 0.5 A with respect to electrolytic raw water having a flow rate of  1  L per minute and particularly 1 to 5 A. When the electric current is less than 0.5 A, an amount of dissolved oxygen in electrolyzed water cannot be made larger than that of the electrolytic raw water. Moreover, hydrogen cannot be dissolved in the electrolyzed water. 
         [0086]    The flow rate of the electrolytic raw water supplied to each of the electrolytic cells “a” to “f” is preferably 0.5 to 10 L/min and particularly 1 to 5 L/min. 
         [0087]    Examples of the electrolytic raw water include tap water, well water, and an electrolyte aqueous solution such as a sodium chloride aqueous solution. 
         [0088]    The ionic strength of the electrolytic raw water is preferably not less than 0.1 mM in total and particularly 0.1 to 0.5 mM in total. An electrolyte adding apparatus is provided in this apparatus, and electrolyte may be added to the electrolytic raw water in this apparatus. 
         [0089]    This apparatus  100  is provided with three diaphragm electrolytic cell and three diaphragmless electrolytic cells. Thus, the amount of water to be treated in one electrolytic cell can be reduced compared with an electrolyzed water production apparatus having only one electrolytic cell. Namely, in the electrolyzed water produced using this apparatus  100 , the electrolysis energy applied to the electrolyzed water can be raised compared with electrolyzed water produced using a conventional apparatus. In electrolyzed water produced using a high electrolysis energy, pH, an oxidation-reduction potential, a dissolved oxygen concentration, a dissolved hydrogen concentration, a hypochlorous acid concentration, and so on can be significantly changed. 
         [0090]    The electrolytic raw water contains hydrochloric acid in the form of, for example, Cl − , Cl 2  and OCl − . Hypochlorous acid is produced with the hydrochloric acid by electrolysis. Hypochlorous acid has a bactericidal action. When the electrolyzed water is used for sterilization, it is preferable that the electrolyzed water is taken outside the apparatus without being passed through a free chlorine removal filter. Meanwhile, when the electrolyzed water is used for drinking, hypochlorous acid is required to be removed. 
         [0091]    In this apparatus  100 , the electrolytic raw water can be supplied by connecting one end of the water supply pipe  11  to a facet of tap water. In this case, in this apparatus, electrolytic raw water and electrolyzed water produced by electrolyzing the electrolytic raw water can be transferred by the water pressure of the tap water. 
       (3) Example of Sharing of Electrode Plate 
       [0092]    In this apparatus, the number of electrode plates can be reduced compared with the prior art. In a conventional electrolyzed water production apparatus, two electrode plates are required to be provided in each electrolytic cell. Namely, the number of the electrode plates required for an electrolyzed water production apparatus having n electrolytic cells is at least (2n). Meanwhile, in this apparatus, an anode plate and/or a cathode plate constituting a single electrolytic cell is shared as an electrode plate constituting another electrolytic cell. Thus, the number of the electrode plates required for the electrolyzed water production apparatus having n electrolytic cells is at least (n+1). 
         [0093]    The examples of sharing of the electrode plate includes a combination shown in  FIG. 2 .  FIG. 2A  shows an example in which a diaphragm electrolytic cell and a diaphragmless electrolytic cell are combined. In  FIG. 2A , reference numerals  101 ,  102 , and  103  are electrode plates. A diaphragm  104  is situated between the electrode plates  101  and  102 , and a diaphragm electrolytic cell is formed. The diaphragmless electrolytic cell is formed by the electrode plates  102  and  103 . Namely, the electrode plate  102  constitutes an electrode plate of the diaphragm electrolytic cell and, at the same time, constitutes an electrode plate of the diaphragmless electrolytic cell. 
         [0094]      FIG. 2B  shows an example in which two diaphragm electrolytic cells are combined. In  FIG. 2B , reference numerals  111 ,  112 , and  113  are electrode plates. A diaphragm  114  is situated between the electrode plates  111  and  112 , and a diaphragm electrolytic cell is formed. Meanwhile, a diaphragm  115  is situated between the electrode plates  112  and  113 , and another diaphragm electrolytic cell is formed. Namely, the electrode plate  112  constitutes an electrode plate of one diaphragm electrolytic cell and, at the same time, constitutes an electrode plate of another diaphragm electrolytic cell. 
         [0095]      FIG. 2C  shows an example in which a diaphragm electrolytic cell and a diaphragmless electrolytic cell are combined. In  FIG. 2C , reference numerals  121 ,  122 , and  123  are electrode plates. The diaphragmless electrolytic cell is formed by the electrode plates  121  and  122 . A diaphragm  124  is situated between the electrode plates  122  and  123 , and the diaphragm electrolytic cell is formed. Namely, the electrode plate  122  constitutes the electrode plate of the diaphragmless electrolytic cell and, at the same time, constituting the electrode plate of the diaphragm electrolytic cell. 
         [0096]      FIG. 2D  shows an example in which two diaphragmless electrolytic cells are combined. In  FIG. 2D , reference numerals  131 ,  132 , and  133  are electrode plates. One diaphragmless electrolytic cell is formed by the electrode plates  131  and  132 . The other diaphragmless electrolytic cell is formed by the electrode plates  132  and  133 . Namely, the electrode plate  132  constitutes an electrode plate of one diaphragmless electrolytic cell and, at the same time, constitutes an electrode plate of the other diaphragmless electrolytic cell. 
         [0097]    The electrolysis section can be freely designed by the combinations of  FIGS. 2A to 2D .  FIG. 3  is an explanatory view showing other configuration example of the electrolysis section. An electrolysis section  150  includes anode chambers  116 ,  118 , and  105 , cathode chambers  117 ,  119 , and  106 , and mixed electrolysis chambers  107 ,  134 , and  135 . Namely, a diaphragm electrolytic cell, a diaphragm electrolytic cell, a diaphragm electrolytic cell, a diaphragmless electrolytic cell, a diaphragmless electrolytic cell, and a diaphragmless electrolytic cell are provided from the left side of the drawing. The number of the electrode plates used in the electrolysis section  150  is seven in total.