About Ozonation

Effective

As a disinfectant, ozone is more effective than chlorine. Ozone kills bacteria and other water-borne organisms — including Giardia Lamblia (both parasitic and cystic forms) that may be problematic in chlorine-based systems — and effectively inactivates viruses. Often, less than one minute of contact time is required for disinfection.

Ozone removes undesirable taste, odor, and color compounds in water.

Concentrated ozone works as a disinfectant by oxidizing the external membranes of water-borne organisms so that they cannot survive. Even in low concentration, ozone destroys most viruses on contact – by oxidizing the viral capsid, then destroying the viral DNA and RNA it contains. Ozone also oxidizes soluble manganese and iron, causing them to precipitate out of solution so that they (and their associated unpleasant taste and coloration) can be filtered out of the water supply.

Efficient

Ozonation is highly efficient because small concentrations of ozone can treat large quantities of water. Thorough perfusion of ozone in treated water is easy to achieve because ozone is very soluble in water — approximately 13 times more soluble in water than oxygen.

Because ozone possesses a greater oxidizing potential than an equivalent amount of chlorine, lesser concentrations of ozone are needed to meet oxidation demands.

Ozone reduces the amount of conventional flocculation agents needed to produce filtered water, because ozone pre-treatment produces filtered water turbidities that are consistently lower than pre-chlorinated water at the same filtration rates

Economical

Pressureless ozonation systems integrate into existing water treatment facilities, and are customized to meet the exact requirements of each facility. The ozonation system can be expanded as needs increase.

Because ozone and air are pulled through the system by means of a vacuum, the systems do not include compressors, eliminating the need for expensive, time- consuming compressor maintenance.

The use of negative pressure instead of pneumatic pressure greatly reduces the risk of broken pipes and leaky gaskets, along with associated personnel and equipment costs.

In addition, a state-of-the-art computer system monitors and operates the system automatically around the clock, reducing the need for costly personnel time.

Safe

Pressureless ozonation systems create ozone from ambient air — much safer than pure oxygen. In addition, ozone and air are drawn through the system by a vacuum, eliminating hazards that can result from pneumatic pressure.

Not a single fatality due to overexposure of ozone has been recorded since its first use for commercial water treatment in 1906. As awareness of the potential health hazards of chlorine has increased, more water treatment plants are using ozone instead of chlorine.

Ozone is produced at the point of use as it is needed, requiring only air, cooling water, and electricity. Ozonation does not require shipping, handling, or storage of large quantities of toxic chemicals.

Ozone that is not consumed in water treatment processes quickly reverts to oxygen.

Although ozone is a pollutant when airborne, when used as an agent in water treatment it is exempt from regulation and permitting requirements in most places.

Ozone does not combine with organic carbons to form cancer-producing compounds.

Environment Friendly

Ozone has a brief existence, with a half-life of only about 16.5 minutes in distilled water at 20° C. If oxidant-demanding materials are present in the solution, its half-life is even shorter. Because ozone rapidly reverts to oxygen, ozone residuals in effluent water do not endanger aquatic life. And the high concentrations of oxygen that ozonation effluent contains can actually enhance stream quality.