Development of a high performance ozone generator

• Grant number: 98/15038-1
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Innovative Research in Small Business - PIPE
• Start date: April 01, 1999
• End date: August 31, 2002
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Physics - Physics of Fluids, Plasma Physics and Electrical Discharge
• Principal Investigator: Wilfredo Milquiades Irrazabal Urruchi
• Grantee: Wilfredo Milquiades Irrazabal Urruchi
• Company: Aluisio Pimentel de Camargo - ME
• City: Santa Bárbara D'Oeste

Abstract

The present piece of research consists of developing new types of generator intended to increase the efficiency of ozone production. Matters relating to the lowering the cost of the generator production and the consumption of electricity in its operation will be studied. Taking into account the climatic conditions prevailing in Brazil, the operational difficulties of installing ozone generators available in the international market, allied to their high cost, the purpose of the project was, in the initial stage, simply to develop technologically a high-performance ozone generator. The work was carried out based on conventional ozone generators, produced commercially by the company Qualidor Saneamento Incorporação. The generators were developed based on cylindrical cells where the ozone production is based on electrical discharges with specially prepared dielectric barriers to obtain high productivity, with a high concentration of ozone and low electricity consumption. Systems appropriate for drying and purifying the air were developed as an integral part of the generators, achieving relative air humidity of close to zero and a dew point of less than -40° C. This concept of implementing an air purification system is a determinant factor in adapting the generators developed to this country’s climatic and atmospheric conditions in order to ensure appropriate degrees of productivity and durability. The air humidity produces nitric acid during the production of ozone, damaging both the equipment and the environment. The most important result of the First Stage of this project was to complete building an experimental generator able to produce 33 g/h, at a concentration of 1.8 per cent ozone, in contrast to the capacity originally manufactured by Qualidor of 7g/h and a concentration of 1.2 per cent. Another important characteristic achieved by the equipment built is its continuous operation for long periods, in principle, for more than a week. Based on these results, the following work will carried out in the Second Stage: the development of peripheral equipment to ensure proper and reliable working of the generator for each type of application chosen for the project, with emphasis on automation, including a digital control system of its various operational functions, coupled to a microprocessor control system; construction of generators to meet demand in terms of carrying out in situ experiments; improvement of fixed laboratories (ITA and Unimep) for monitoring and qualifying the generators to be constructed and the materials to be handled by them; and the implementation of a mobile laboratory station for the analysis of ozone and humidity content, to appraise the working of the generator over time, and properly to collect samples of the materials treated with ozone produced by the generator. (AU)