To reduce the content of oxygen in the vicinity of the free surface of a photographic developer bath and to minimize the air oxidation of photographic developer by forming solid electrolyte of a substance having conductivity to O2- ion under the existence of current and temperature at which an electrode and the electrolyte can dissociate the oxygen to O2- ion.
The free surface of the developer 11 comes into contact with atmospheric air. An electrolytic cell (cell) 12 including the solid electrolyte is put in the vicinity of the free surface. The respective surfaces of the cell 12 are coupled to the electrodes 14a and 14b connected with a power source 16, and a pipe 13 and a pump 15 realize the exhaust of the oxygen extracted from the atmospheric air by the solid electrolyte. The cell 12 is put in a heating source 12b in order to perform operation at desired temperature. The solid electrolyte shows the conductivity of O2- in the case of impressing some voltage from one to the other, and at a temperature between 250°C and 700°C. In such a case, the power source generating a current density of 100 to 1500 mA/cm2 at a voltage of 1 to 30 V is used.
PONCELET OLIVIER JEAN
BOIVIN JEAN-CLAUDE FREDDY
MAIRESSE GAETAN JEAN-MARIE
NOWOGROCKI GUY JEAN
