The Ozmotics Insider

Properly sizing an ozonation skid is a very important task when planning to use ozone for a particular application. Not adding enough ozone can undermine the effectiveness of the process while adding too much ozone can add unnecessary costs in terms of additional equipment needed to destroy ozone not consumed by the process.

Ozone Production Capacity Considerations:

Generally speaking there are four factors that determine how much ozone is required for a particular application:

Application: Different applications will require different concentrations of ozone. Even the same application will sometimes require a different concentration of ozone (i.e. wastewater treatment applications vary in their requirement for ozone depending on biological and chemical make-up of the effluent).

Contaminants: Ozone is a very strong oxidant, therefore ozone will react with both biological and non-biological contaminants and in general will be effective on both. The “one size fits all” approach cannot normally be used when sizing for anticipated ozone consumption during the particular process. Different elements react differently with ozone. Some applications need very small concentrations of ozone to oxidize contaminants while others will need much larger concentrations to complete the process. (i.e. certain biological organisms are harder to inactivate and therefore require higher ozone concentration).

Temperature and Pressure: Ozone is very effective at lower temperatures and less effective at higher temperatures. As such any application that requires higher temperatures to operate will be a less effective candidate for the use of ozone. Where the temperatures of the medium to be treated with ozone is above 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit) the medium may need to be chilled in order to be more effectively treated by ozone.

While ozone works best at lower temperatures the extremely low temperatures are not desired either when considering using ozone.

Still, the optimum temperature for ozonation is strongly dependant on the type of contaminant present and there is no single number or range of temperature readings that produce the best result.

Alternatively, ozone will dissolve better in a pressurized medium therefore elevating the pressure of the application can also benefit the process.

Flow and Capacity: The amount of ozone required to effectively treat the contamination will depend on the flow rate and capacity of the application. The faster the flow rate (measured in gallons per minute GPM or liters per minute LPM) the shorter the contact time between the ozone and the liquid will be thereby resulting in a higher concentration of ozone required. Same can be said for capacity. 10, 000 gallons of effluent to be treated will require more ozone to be injected than treating 1,000 gallons of the same.

Ozone Dosing – General Guidelines:

The following are general guidelines published by “Water & Waste Digest” magazine (http://www.wwdmag.com/).

- Bottled Water: Low to Mid-Range Residual: (0.05 ppm -0.3 ppm)
- Cooling Tower: Low to Mid-Range Residual: (0.05 ppm -0.3 ppm)
- Water Reclamation: Mid to High Range: (0.2 ppm -0.5+ ppm)
- Iron, Sulfur and Manganese Oxidation: Ultra Low Range: (below detectable levels)
- Water Reclamation for Odor Control Only: Low Range: (Less than 0.01 ppm)
- Bacteria Kill: Mid to High Range: (0.2 ppm -0.5+ ppm)

Sizing an Ozone Generator – General Guidelines:

The following are general guidelines for sizing the ozone injection skid based on the type of application (source: http://www.wwdmag.com/)

- Iron, Sulfur, Manganese Oxidation: 0.5 grams/hour (500 ppm) per 5 GPM flow capacity.
- Bottled water to maintain purity: 1 gram/hour per 5 GPM flow capacity.
- Killing bacteria: (100 cfu) = 1 gram per 1 GPM flow capacity.

Other Considerations When Sizing an Ozone Injection Skid:

There are several other factors that could influence the size of the ozonation skid required.

Type of Injection: The larger the contact area ozone has with the contaminant the more effective it will be. Air stone diffusers typically generate large ozone bubbles therefore decreasing the overall contact area. The Venturi injector is a much better technology as it creates many micro bubbles therefore increasing the contact area of ozone with the contaminant. Having a larger contact area will result in a more effective utilization of ozone therefore requiring less ozone to be injected.

Inline Versus Mixing Tank Design:With an inline treatment the entire flow of liquid is treated with the ozone. This means that the ozonation skid will be required to process a larger flow volume. Larger flow volumes will require a larger processing capacity (larger pumps, injectors, etc.). A larger ozonation skid will also require more ozone since the utilization to loss ratio of ozone will also be higher.

The multi-stage mixing tank design typically involves diverting a smaller portion of the flow to the ozonation skid. Ozone is injected and dissolved at a higher than required concentration. The concentrated ozonated flow is then mixed with the main body of water diluting the ozone concentration to the required levels.

Monitoring the Dissolved Concentration of Ozone:

In order to be effective ozone must be kept in a desired concentration within the medium to be treated. A low dissolved concentration will undermine the effectiveness of the ozone and too high a concentration will cause ozone to escape unused therefore requiring larger ozone destruct unit.

So how do you ensure the ozone concentration is maintained at the proper level?

ORP (oxidation-reduction potential) or a REDOX probe will measure the concentration of the dissolved ozone by measuring the oxidation potential of the medium. Since ozone is a strong oxidant agent , the oxidation potential of the medium measured will rise as the concentration of ozone increases. If the concentration levels of ozone decrease the oxidation potential will decrease as well.

Positioning the ORP probe strategically within the application infrastructure will give relatively accurate readings of the ozone concentration at certain points of the system. For example, an ozone mixing tank (baffle tank) will require a higher concentration of ozone than the external storage tank. Placing an ORP probe within the baffle tank and the external tank will allow you to effectively measure and adjust the concentration at both points.

Ozone Sizing – Conclusion

Properly sizing the ozone injection and dissolve rates is an important step in engineering any ozone application. To properly size the amount of ozone needed for a particular application ( as well as to maintain the optimal dissolve rate of the ozone) an experience is the key factor. However in the majority of cases the complexity of factors present will make it very difficult to precisely determine the concentration and quantity of ozone required. In such cases a pre-deployment pilot study may be required. Gathering feedback about parameters and factors affecting the effectiveness of the ozone treatment will make the full implementation of the ozonation technology more effective as well as reduce the overall operating costs by sizing the ozone injection skid properly.

If you require additional help and assistance in sizing a unit, please contact an Ozmotics representative at 1-877-386-3763 for a complimentary consultation and review of your application’s requirements.

Clean in place (CIP) is a method for cleaning the interior of pipes and other inacessible spaces where regular cleaning methods fail to produce adequate results. The main benefit of the CIP process is that it requires no disassembly of the infrastructure while still being able to provide the sanitation level as required by the applicable standards and regulations.

Benefits of Ozonation in Industrial Cleaning Applications

The typical Clean in Place process consists of injecting water, heat and a combination of chemicals to clean the inacessable surface areas such as pipes, valves, pumps, etc., all of which are difficult to clean with conventional methods.

Most of CIP processes involve the application of heat as well as multiple water flushings with or without the use of chemical agents to aid in cleaning process. The CIP process although simpler than manually disassembling the infrastructure, still requires considerable use of energy and resources. CIP also requires considerable production down-time in order to elevate the temperature of the surfaces to be cleaned and then cool down back to the original working temperature (source: International Ozone Association, Clean in Place publication http://www.Io3a.org).

Unlike conventional methods used for the CIP process, the use of ozone for the CIP process requires no elevation in the surface temperature of the equipment to be cleaned (pipes, pumps, valves, etc.) as ozone is most effective at lower temperatures. As such the warm-up and cool-down times typically associated with the conventional CIP processes and techniques are greatly reduced.

The second benefit of using ozone in industrial cleaning applications is the fact that ozone is effective for the remediation of both biological as well as non-biological contamination. Ozone is a well-known and proven oxidizing agent that will destroy even the hardiest microbiological organisms as well as can oxidize the majority of organic components.

In addition to its universal application, ozone wil leave no residue or chemical traces after the cleaning process is completed therefore making it a safe medium for the remediation and decontamination of the CIP surfaces used in the food industry (i.e. wineries, breweries, food processing etc.). Because of its short half-life cycle and its tendency to quickly revert to oxygen, ozone will typically leave the clean surface free of trace contamination therefore requiring less rinsing compared to other CIP processes.

Effectiveness of Ozone in the Inactivation of Microbiological Organisms

Ozone is very effective in inactivating the majority of biological micro organisms that it comes in contact with. It would appear that ozone will rupture the inner cell membrane of the microbiological organism it reacts with therefore destroying or incapacitating the affected organism. For viruses and other multi-cell micro organisms (that are less affected by the inner membrane rupture) ozone is still an effective destruct medium. Ozone will diffuse through the protein coat into the nucleic acid core, resulting in damaging the viral RNA or oxidizing the outer shell of the viral organism therefore affecting the DNA and RNA structure of the viral organism (source: Ozone Inactivation of Microorganisms: Kinetics and Mechanisms, Ahmed Yousef, Professor of Food Microbiology Ohio State University, Ozone-V Conference April 2, 2007,Fresno California).

Effectiveness of Ozone in Oxidizing Organic Compound Contaminants

Ozone is a strong oxidant with the oxidation potential exceeding that of chlorine and other strong oxidants. As such, ozone will react with most of the complex organic compounds reducing them to simpler elemental compounds that are easy to flush out of the infrastructure being sanitized.

For example, most of BTEX compounds will be oxidized to carbon dioxide (CO2) and water (H2O) both being safe to release into the environment and neither being considered as a dangerous contaminant byproduct in the CIP process. As such, ozone is a choice reactant for in-situ treatment and remediation of the areas affected by the BTEX (in situ ozone sparging: http://www.ozmoticsinsider.com/2008/10/ozone-for-soil-and-ground-water-remediation-in-situ-ozone-sparging/ ).

In addition to soil and ground water remediation for BTEX contamination, ozone can be effectively used to decontaminate and remediate the inner surfaces of equipment and infrastructure (i.e. cleaning of the petroleum storage tanks, pipes, pumps,etc.).

Besides hydrocarbon derivatives, ozone can be used to aid in the CIP procedure for most of the organic compound contaminated infrastructure elements. And since most of the residual and unused ozone will revert back to oxygen during or shortly after the treatment has finished, ozone can be used both as a stand alone CIP agent or it can be used in combination with other chemicals or treatment procedures (such as a pre-wash).

Ozone for Clean in Place Applications – Conclusion

Ozone is very effective for Clean in Place and other industrial infrastructure and equipment decontamination and remediation procedures. The energy and water savings achieved by introducing ozone as an active cleaning agent for the CIP procedure, are well documented. And since ozone generation technology can easily be scaled to fit any application (ozone is generated on-site from ambient air so the only requirement for using the ozone generator on site is the availability of electrical power), ozonation technology for the CIP application can be made quite portable.

If you are interested in learning more about the integration of ozone for Cleaning in Place (CIP) applications or need help sizing a unit please contact an Ozmotics representative at 1-877-386-3763.

There have recently been multiple published incidents where contaminated food products have found their way into the market place and ultimately onto the consumer’s table. When this happens, typically the remedial action is to do a mass recall of any products that are even remotely suspected of being contaminated.

But the damage that happens when a product is recalled is far greater and significant than the direct financial loss the business suffers from mass- recalling and destroying large quantities of their product that is already on the store shelves and ready to be sold.

For example costs resulting for lawsuits launched by the consumers affected by the recalled product (i.e. getting sick from eating tainted food or drinking the contaminated water) can be significant. The bad publicity it brings and the loss of trust in the brand or the manufacturer of the tainted product can present even more significant liability than the monetary loss incurred due to the cost of recalling the tainted product.

Benefits of Ozone in Preventing Food Product Contamination

Ozone is well known for its ability to quickly and effectively kill the majority of microbiological organisms including some that are resistant to chlorine. Moreover, unlike chlorine, ozone leaves no dangerous trace by-products and therefore can be used not only for sanitizing the work surfaces that come into contact with the processed food but can also be used to sanitize the food directly. This can be accomplished by spraying fruits and vegetables with ozonated water thereby sanitizing the food and destroying any organic contaminants that may be present. Also, ozonating the processed meat and meat products will ensure that those products are free of any traces of bacteria or other microbiological contaminants.

Ozone can also be injected inside cold rooms and other storage compartments that house perishable foods. And unlike chlorine and other chemicals that leave the residue even after the sanitization process has been completed, ozone will leave the food residue-free when the food is ready to be packaged, consumed or further processed.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the use of ozone as both a direct and indirect antimicrobial agent for the treatment, storage and processing of foods. – Source: Ozone Cip: Ozone Cleaning in Place in Food Industries, Albert Canut, Andrés Pascual, IOA Conference and Exhibition Valencia, Spain – October 29 – 31, 2007.

Use of Ozone for “Clean in Place” ( CIP ) and Work Surface Sanitization

In addition to keeping the food source clean and free of microbiological contamination, ozone is also effective in decontaminating and sanitizing equipment and common processing areas (benches, tables, floors, racks, processing equipment, etc.).

Published research even suggests the ozone to be more effective than chlorine in sterilizing certain microbiological growth on stainless steel (SS) surfaces (Source: A Comparison of Ozonation and Chlorination for the Disinfection of Stainless Steel Surface, ANNEL K. GREENE, BRIAN K. FEW, and JOAO C. SERAFINI, Department of Animal, Dairy and Veterinary Sciences, Clernson University
- Clemson, SC 29634.)

The above study using the bacterial growth on the milk culture on the stainless steel plate medium found ozone to be equivalent to a 4.6 log reduction for chlorinated sanitizer and a 5.6 log reduction for ozone for P. fluorescens and equivalent to a 4.2 log reduction for chlorinated sanitizer and a 4.4 log reduction for ozone for A. faecalis. While both chlorine and ozone were able to achieve bacterial inactivation significantly above 99% percentile, ozone was found to be slightly more effective for sanitizing stainless steel surfaces in the food processing industry.

Other Benefits of Ozone in the Food Industry

The other major benefit of ozone is that it can be effectively combined with other food sanitation procedures without any adverse reaction or need to change or modify the already established procedures used to sanitize food or perform other CIP procedures on surfaces  that come in contact with the food source.

Ozonation can be used in conjunction with a hot water wash of work surfaces as well as prior to the application of chlorine or other chemicals used to sanitize work surfaces. Ozone technology is very portable and does not require more than the initial investment to purchase the equipment (ozone is generated on site using ambient air so there are no storage or shipping costs or considerations). The technology is very scalable making it available to even the smallest food processing facilities and since the storage requirements for ozone has been eliminated.

Ozone Use in The Food Industry – Conclusion.

The benefits of introducing ozone as a means of keeping the processed and packaged food free of  microbiological contamination, are well documented. Ozone has been approved by the FDA for both indirect and direct contact with handled food. Ozonation is an inexpensive, portable and very effective technology that can be used as a stand-alone method for preventing food source contamination and it may be used in conjunction with the other cleaning and sterilization processes and as well.

As such the use of ozonation technology in the food processing, packaging or any other application where food could be exposed to the contaminant, is strongly recommended.

If you have an application that requires the use of ozone and need help sizing a unit please contact an Ozmotics representative at 1-877-386-3763.

The importance of maintaining a sterile and clean environment in the wine industry is immense. Cross contamination between batches of wine is a major concern and so is the management of the active yeast.

The yeast is a major ingredient in the fermentation process and without it the fermentation process would not occur. However, the Brettanomyces (a non-spore forming genus of yeast in the family Saccharomycetaceae) can contaminate the finished wine product and give it an undesired off-flavor.

While the Brettanomyces is a desired ingredient to some wines and according to some wine makers that rely on Brettanomyces to give their distinctive character (i.e. Château Musar), most wine producers see the Brettanomyces as a wine spoiler (source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brettanomyces)

Benefits of Ozone in the Wine Making Process

It is well known fact that the best recognized wine brands often obtain their finishing palate and bouquet (distinctive trademark flavor and smell) by being stored in oak barrels as part of the aging process. To retain such distinctive flavor, it is important that those barrels be kept free of contaminants that can spoil the wine.

Use of chlorine to sanitize oak barrels is not recommended since the oak barrels will absorb the chlorine during the washing process and release it during the wine storing process therefore running the risk to spoil the batch pf wine being stored in the chlorine contaminated barrel.

Ozone is well known as being as effective as chlorine in oxidizing organic matter as well as killing any microbiological growth. However unlike chlorine, it will not leach into the oak barrels and will revert quickly back to its more stable oxygen form shortly after treatment. As such the use of ozone for washing the barrels between the batches is well preferred over the use of chlorine.

Ozone is also effective in killing the active yeast growth (Brettanomyces ) so the proper ozonation of wine barrels and other surfaces that may come in touch with the wine during the fermentation and/or storage of the wine, will help greatly reduce the development of the off-taste and spoilage of the wine.

Portability of the Ozone Equipment

The second large benefit of using ozone in the wine making industry is the portability of the ozone making equipment and technology. Ozone is typically generated on-site using ambient air and the entire ozonation skid can be made to be portable therefore allowing it to be moved from place to place without the need to disassemble or reassemble the equipment.

This portability means that even the smallest winery can easily acquire the necessary ozonation equipment and use it to aid in maintaining the proper sanitation levels of the wine making and storing equipment and facilities.

On-site Cleaning

While barrel and fermentation tank sanitation are a lesser problem because of the ready access and area to spray wash the surface, the cleaning of pipes and other infrastructure used to transfer the wine between the many vessels used within the different stages of the wine making process, is a far more delicate and complex operation. As such it is not a wonder that many wineries report the contamination to happen exactly at this stage (inside piping and other small chamber areas where proper washing and sanitation is hard to accomplish). Use of ozone for the on-site cleaning and sanitation of areas has proven more effective than any other method and the related contamination and undesired microbiological growth has been effectively eliminated.

Cleaning in place involves injecting the ozonated water inside the pipes and other small vessels typically difficult to decontaminate in any other conventional way. The ozonated water will clean and effectively decontaminate the inside of the equipment therefore preventing the cross contamination of the new batch of wine.

Sanitizing the wine making, transportation and storage equipment with about 2.5 ppm of ozone for approximately 2 to 5 minutes after the hot water wash has been applied, is a recommended practice for sanitizing (source: International Ozone Application – “Ozone in Wine Industry” publication , http://www.io3a.org).

General Area Cleaning and Sanitation

Ozone is also effective at general area cleaning and sanitation as well.

For example ozone can be used to clean common areas such as passages, catwalks and other areas used to gain access to wine making and storage equipment areas.

Using ozone to decontaminate such areas is also a very good practice and the same equipment that is used to wash the wine barrels, pipes and inside of the fermentation tanks can be used with minimal or no modification to wash and sanitize the general areas and infrastructure.

Conclusion

The benefits of using ozone in the wine making process are many. From the accessibility of the technology and portability of the ozone generating equipment to the ability to use ozone in many other processes and areas within the winery, ozone has proven to be a wine maker’s best friend.

If you require additional information about the ozone technology, engineering and design of the turn-key ozone injection skid or if you need help sizing a unit please contact your Ozmotics representative at 1-877-386-3763.

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Ozone is well known for its ability to destroy a wide variety of pathogens, bacteria and other micro organisms that may contaminate drinking water.

Chlorine has been used in the past as the most common drinking water additive to keep the water free of the microbiological organisms that may find their way inside the holding water reservoir or other waterway infrastructure.

However the problem with chlorine is that it leaves chemical residue that may leave an after taste in the water as well as creates other problems if the treated water is to be used for applications other than drinking and cooking.

Drinking Chlorinated Water – The Risks

Chlorinated drinking water may have dangerous levels of chloramines and other chemical byproducts if directly injected into a fish tank or other body of water where increased levels of ammonia are commonly found.

The other potential danger of chlorinated water is that some research suggests that when chlorine and humic acid interact a by-product group of mutagenic substances (halogenated) could possibly represent a significant genetic or carcinogenic risk to the human population (Source: Mutagenic By-Products from Chlorination of Humic Acid by John R. Meier, H. Paul Ringhand, W. Emile Coleman, Kathy M. Schenck, Jean W. Munch, Robert P. Streicher, William H. Kaylor, and Frederick C. Kopfler, published in: Environmental Health Perspectives Vol. 69, pp. 101-107, 1986).

Humic acid is one of the major components of humic substances[1] which are dark brown and major constituents of humus soil organic matter that contributes to the soil’s chemical and physical quality, and are also precursors of some fossil fuels. They can also be found in peat, coal, many upland streams, dystrophic lakes and ocean water (source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Humic_acid).

Since so much of city and municipal clean water ends up being used in other applications the question of the interaction of the chlorine with the humic acid and mutagens that find their way back into our water shed and from there into the food chain, should be further investigated.

Ozone as an Alternative to Chlorine in Drinking Water

Ozone is just as effective in inactivating the potential biological micro organisms that may find their way into municipal drinking water. Furthermore, ozone is effective in also killing  microbiological organisms that cannot be destroyed by chlorinating it (cysts such as Guardia lamblia and Guardia muris that are very resistant to chlorination). For more information on the biological sanitizing capabilities of the ozone in comparison to the biological sanitzing capabilities of chlorine please read the article: Use of ozone for waste water treatment: http://www.ozmoticsinsider.com/2008/11/use-of-ozone-for-waste-water-treatment/

Other Benefits of Using Ozone in Drinking Water

Unlike chlorine, ozone will not leave any post treatment residue and therefore the taste of water treated with ozone is very pure and refreshing. Ozone will also oxidize many other trace elements such as iron and sulfur which had been typically associated with the fresh water after taste.

In addition to biological micro organisms sterilization and the oxidation of the trace organic substances in drinking water, ozone will also help keep bottled water fresh and eliminate the stale water taste that is commonly reported if the bottled water is kept to long between bottling, distribution and finally … consumption. Many sources report that bottled water treated with ozone stays pure and after taste free for as long as a year or longer thereby increasing its shelf life.

The Disadvantages of Ozone Used In Municipal Drinking Water

One of the disadvantages of ozone compared to chlorine in treating municipal drinking water is that ozone leaves no safeguard against the re-growth or re-contamination of purified water. Unlike chlorine which has a much larger half-life and can stay as a trace element in the chlorinated water (therefore eliminating the need to re-treat the water) ozone will vacate the treated water quickly and completely leaving it pure and trace contaminants free. It is, however,  also susceptible to the accidental re-contamination should the contaminant find its way into the treated water body after it has been ozonated.

Using Ozone To Treat Drinking Water – Conclusion

Because of the inherent risk of the re-contamination, ozone may not be ideal as a sole treatment medium for large city and municipal drinking water delivery networks but it still can be incorporated as a primary treatment mechanism while chlorine could be added only as a preservative (in the maintenance stage of the drinking water delivery infrastructure). By eliminating the chlorine as a primary treatment agent for treating drinking water, the amounts of trace chlorine that finds its way to our tap water and from there to all other applications that the common municipal tap water supply is being used for, we are eliminating all risks that chlorine is associated with.

Furthermore, the introduction of ozone into the municipal drinking water treatment and processing, the final product (the water that finds the way to the consumer’s taps) will also be free of  microbiological organisms that are resistant or difficult to treat with chlorine only (cysts, etc.).

For the application of ozone in the water bottling industry, the addition of ozone before the treated water is to reach the batch processing is of a great benefit. The ozonated water will taste more pure (no after taste, discoloration or contamination) and will stay pure longer therefore enhancing the quality of the product and the overall satisfaction the end-user will have with the ozonated bottled water product versus the product where ozone has not been used.

If you have an application that requires drinking water treatment and need help sizing a unit please contact an Ozmotics representative at 1-877-386-3763.

Ozone is a very active form of oxygen. It is formed when the oxygen ( O2 ) molecules are broken down to oxygen atoms ( O). Oxygen atoms ( O ) in turn react with other oxygen molecules ( O2 ) to form ozone molecules (O3).

The simplified formula for the process is:

O2 + energy = 2 O1

2 O1 + 2 O2 + energy = 2 O3

Is ozone found in nature?

Ozone is indeed found in nature! In nature ozone is formed by lightning (largest source of naturally generated energy) and the oxygen in the air. In fact, ozone is considered to be mother nature’s air freshener as it’s that fresh smell that’s in the air after a thunder and lightning storm.

Ozone is also found in the upper stratosphere and is the main shield protecting the Earth from harmful UV radiation. Without ozone more UV radiation would reach the Earth’s surface causing the irreversible damage and harm to all living organisms exposed.

If ozone is that good for the environment why we don’t we breathe it rather than oxygen?

Ozone cannot be inhaled directly by humans, animals or any air breathing organism. The concentration of ozone that is found naturally in the lower atmosphere (where we live and breathe) is very small. Additionally, ozone is very unstable and it reverts quickly to oxygen by the reverse process through which ozone molecules were created. The ozone decomposition formula can be represented simplified as:

2 O3 = 3 O2

Is ozone technology a new technology?

Ozone has been used for centuries to treat drinking water. The first water treatment plant that used ozone to purify the water was built in Netherlands in 1893. Nice (France) was the first large city to use ozone to treat their drinking water. Los Angeles, California has the largest modern day water treatment facility using ozone technology to treat around 600 million gallons of water each day.

Where else is ozone used?

The applications of ozone span a variety of applications and industries.

Used as an alternative for chlorine and bromine in swimming pools, ozone is a very effective disinfectant, which even prevents the formation of chlorine and bromine byproducts.

For soil remediation, ozone has been used to clean up sites containing a variety of soil contaminants, including oil and fuel.

Ozone is an effective medium in controlling microbiological growth in cooling towers.

A major problem in cooling tower water treatment is legionella (legionnaires disease). In the prevention and control of legionella causing microbes, ozone has taken an eminent roll. The specific characteristics of the ozone disinfectant make sure it gets the job done where others fail.

Ozone injected to a cooling tower will also aid in the prevention of the formation of algae thus reducing fouling and increasing heat-transfer efficiency.

The benefits of ozone within the cooling tower applications are not only environmental in nature but are also helping reduce the cost of the operating and maintaining the cooling tower infrastructure therefore improving the overall bottom line.

Following is information about a few of the other applications and industries where introduction of the ozone is of great benefit:

- Aquaculture
- Agriculture
- Bottling
- Disinfection
- Electronics
- Farming
- Winery Sanitation
- Pharmaceutical
- Food Processing and Preservation
- Hydroponics
- Laundry
- Pools and Spas
- Hospitals
- Soil Remediation
- Wastewater Treatment

How is ozone generated?

To make the ozone in the large enough quantities and the high enough concentration to be useful for industrial and commercial processes the more efficient way of generating the ozone is required.

One of the most common and economical ways of generating large quantities of the industrial ozone supply is using a corona discharge (forcing the air through narrow gap in presence of high power energy field (corona discharge).

The process of ozone generation via the corona discharge can be described in two steps:

First, the feed air required to generate ozone must have the nitrogen and other trace elements removed since the air we breathe contains only about 21% oxygen and as much as 78% of nitrogen.

The oxygen concentrator removes nitrogen from the ambient air leaving almost pure oxygen to be feed to the ozone generator.

This process is by far more economical than using chemicals that need to be hauled from off-site and stored on-site until the time they are ready to be used. Ozone is generated on-site and on demand therefore eliminating the transportation and storage costs.

Since there is no residue (any residual ozone not used by the process will revert back to the more stable oxygen form without any additional requirement or intervention) ozone technology is very eco-friendly (creates virtually no pollution).

I need more information about using the ozone. Who I can contact?

If you require additional information about the ozone technology, engineering and design of the turn-key ozone injection skid or need help sizing a unit please contact your Ozmotics representative at 1-877-386-3763.

The rapid global increase of the population as well as the industrialization of the global economy have put the human population in direct or indirect exposure with waste water.

The exposure to waste water and microbiological organisms found within it is one of the biggest concerns in third world countries. Interestingly, the issue of accidental exposure and contamination of  drinking water with microbiological organisms commonly found in waste water, has not eluded even developed countries.

The commonly found organisms in domestic wastewater include enteric bacteria, viruses, and protozoan cysts. Most of these organisms had been closely linked to the outbreak of illnesses that range in severity from minor to most serious or even deadly.

The following is a short-list of bacteria and the associated illnesses each is responsible for:

Bacteria

• - Escherichia coli (enterotoxigenic) – Causes Gastroenteritis
• - Leptospira (spp.) – Causes Leptospirosis
• - Salmonella typhi – Causes Typhoid fever
• - Salmonella (≈2,100 serotypes) – Causes Salmonellosis
• - Shigella (4 spp.) – Causes Shigellosis (bacillary dysentery).
• - Vibrio cholerae -  Causes Cholera

Protozoa

• - Balantidium coli  – Causes Balantidiasis
• - Cryptosporidium parvum – Causes Cryptosporidiosis
• - Entamoeba histolytica – Causes Amebiasis (amoebic dysentery)
• - Giardia lamblia – Causes Giardiasis

Helminths

• - Ascaris lumbricoides – Causes Ascariasis
• - T. solium -  Causes Taeniasis
• - Trichuris trichiura – Causes Trichuriasis

Viruses

Enteroviruses (72 types, e.g.,  polio, echo, and coxsackie virus) – Cause Gastroenteritis, heart anomalies, meningitis.

• - Hepatitis A virus – Cause Infectious hepatitis
• - Norwalk agent  – Cause Gastroenteritis
• - Rotavirus – Cause Gastroenteritis

> Source: National Small Flow Clearinghouse: http://www.nesc.wvu.edu

Waste Water Treatment:

Historically, three distinct technologies have been used to treat waste water and destroy the microbiological contaminants within it.

1. UV Radiation - UV radiation is generated using an electrical discharge through a mercury vapor medium. The resulting UV radiation is used to incapacitate and destroy the microbiological growth inside the waste water.
2. Chlorination – Perhaps the most widely-used method for disinfecting waste water. Chlorine is a strong oxidant that destroys microbiological growth by oxidizing cellular material.
3. Ozonation – Ozone is also known as a strong oxidizing agent. In fact, the oxidation potential of ozone is much higher than the oxidation potential of chlorine (2.07 versus chlorine oxidation potential of 1.36).

Ozone versus Chlorine (Pros and Cons):

Perhaps the largest advantage of chlorine is the initial cost of the system. Chlorine is typically produced off-site and brought on-site for the treatment. As such the initial costs are typically lower.

Ozone treatment may on the other hand require a larger initial capital investment since ozone is typically produced on-site (due to the short life of the ozone, which is highly reactive) will quickly revert to more stable oxygen molecule.

However, once the technology is procured and installed the only additional cost of operating it is the cost of electricity and scheduled maintenance costs of the equipment therefore making the ozone less costly to use in the long-term.

Unlike chlorine, ozone leaves no residual trace elements once the treatment has been completed (any unused ozone will simply revert back to the more stable oxygen molecule). As such ozone is preferred where the water will be discharged back into the environment as it produces no trace residual pollutants.  The main downside of ozone, however is that it must be constantly introduced into the water being treated (even after the treatment) to prevent the recontamination of the water. Chlorine on the other hand can be dissolved and remain in the treated water therefore no follow-up treatment is needed.

The Method of Ozone Disinfection:

It is widely believed that ozone kills viruses, bacteria and other microbiological organisms by attacking the inner membrane wall of the microbiological organism’s cellular structure.

The effectiveness of ozone to destroy bacteria viruses and other microbiological organisms had been tested and results published in several scientific papers and other journals. The following is a summary of results published to date:

• - E. coli – Destroyed with 0.02 mg.min/l of O3 at pH: 6 to 7
• - Poliovirus 1 – Destroyed with 0.1-0.2 mg.min/l of O3 at pH: 6 to 7
• - Rotavirus  – Destroyed with 0.006-0.06 mg.min/l of O3 at pH: 6 to 7
• - Giardia lamblia cysts  – Destroyed 0.5-0.6 mg.min/l of O3 at pH: 6 to 7
• - Giardia muris cysts – - Destroyed 1.8-2.0 mg.min/l of O3 at pH: 6 to 7

The same experiment repeated at the same pH level using the chlorine as a disinfection agent:

• - E. coli – Destroyed with 0.034-0.05 mg.min/l of Cl at pH: 6 to 7
• - Poliovirus 1 – Destroyed with 1.1-2.5 mg.min/l of Cl at pH: 6 to 7
• - Rotavirus  – Destroyed with 0.01-0.05 mg.min/l of Cl at pH: 6 to 7
• - Giardia lamblia cysts  – Destroyed 47->150 mg.min/l of Cl at pH: 6 to 7
• - Giardia muris cysts  – Destroyed 30-630 mg.min/l of Cl at pH: 6 to 7

Note – For the destruction of the Giardia muris cysts, chlorine dioxide (ClO2) is reported as more effective although for all other biological organisms reported above, the concentration of chlorine dioxide was at par or significantly higher compared to simple chlorine molecule.

• - Giardia muris cysts  – Destroyed 7.2-18.5 mg.min/l of ClO2 at pH: 6 to 7

> Source: Ozonia Ltd – Switzerland

Using Ozone for Waste Water Treatment (Conclusion):

With the exception of the initial cost to deploy the technology, ozone has proven to be more effective, more environmentally friendly and has longer-term economical benefits to use in the waste water treatment process.  Unlike chlorine, ozone is effective in destroying a wide spectrum of microbiological organisms including some protozoa (Giardia lamblia and giardia muris cysts) which have been shown to be extremely resistant to chlorine.

If you have an application that requires waste water disinfection or treatment and need help sizing a unit please contact your Ozmotics representative at 1-877-386-3763.