COMMERCIAL OZONE PRODUCTION FROM ELECTRICAL DISCHARGE
The most common method of producing ozone commercially and industrially is electrical discharge, or corona discharge. A corona discharge is simply a diffused spark through a dielectric to spread out that electrical discharge to a large area for maximum efficiency.
There are many types and styles of corona discharge ozone generators. These go by many names, but are fundamentally the same, using these components:
- Corona cell using a dielectric
- Dielectric material may be glass, ceramic, or quartz
- Dielectric may be conical, or flat plate
- High voltage transformer to increase voltage of the electrical discharge
- Power supply to regulate power to transformer
- 60Hz machines will only regulate the voltage to the transformer
- High frequency machines (greater than 60 Hz) will regulate frequency and/or voltage to transformer
ADVANTAGES OF CORONA DISCHARGE OZONE GENERATOR
- Scalable and can create very large amounts of ozone
- Creates ozone at medium to high ozone concentrations (up to 30% by weight)
- Cost effective for long term operation
- Low maintenance
DISADVANTAGES OF CORONA DISCHARGE OZONE GENERATOR
- High cost for initial capital investment
- Creates excess heat that must be removed for efficient operation
- Requires very clean, dry air/oxygen feed-gas for reliable operation