Ozone water is one of the most misunderstood chemicals in how it’s produced, its efficacy as a disinfectant, and it’s potential to replace chemical cleaning agents as a safe and environmentally friendly sanitizing agent. Ozone water as a term is in itself, misleading, with “ozonated water” being the correct term.
Ozone water is one of the world’s most powerful oxidizing agents, as it readily removes organic and microorganisms and pollutants in water supplies. Ozone is a molecular compound of three oxygen atoms (O3), in which two oxygen atoms from the basic oxygen molecule (O2 – the oxygen that humans breathe) and contains a third oxygen atom that can easily detach from the ozone compound and reattach to other molecules. When this third oxygen atom, called a radical, attaches to the molecules of other substances, it can break down their structure and destroy them. The traditional methods of chlorine treatments generate the extremely carcinogenic by-products of trihalomethanes (THMs), and cannot remove many pathogens from the drinking supply, including the notorious cryptosporidium. Ozone water systems kill cryptosporidium and other microbes, while oxidizing many other foreign substances and tannins that lurk in the supply.
How does Ozonation work?
Ozonation is the infusion of ozone with water to both disinfect water and to be used as a disinfection agent for a variety of applications and industries. During ozonation, ozone directly attacks the surface layer of microorganisms and destroys their cell walls, as it is a highly reactive oxidant. When ozone is added to water, it quickly dissolves contaminants without any changes to the composition of water and introduces no odor or taste. This infusion of ozone into water reduces the concentration of iron, manganese, and sulfur improving the aesthetic quality of the drinking supply. The ozonation method is highly effective in killing bacteria, viruses, and other microorganisms that contaminate water and can lead to cancers and other related illnesses. An ozonation system usually consists of a two-stage process; ozone generation and ozone reaction.
BES electrolytic ozone generators produce ozonated water through the use of energy using electrolysis technology. Our EOG (Electrolytic Ozone Generator) is safe as a NOx-free technology.
Electrolytic ozone is produced by passing an electrical current through the water breaking the oxygen molecules into atoms, where the free atoms can converge with oxygen molecules to form 03, generating a higher concentration of ozone than UV radiation or corona discharge methods. Ozone concentration is the total ratio of feed gas to ozone production and is factored by measuring grams of ozone per standard cubic meter [g(O3)/Nm³] or by weight percentage (wt%). The traditional ozone applications produce ozone from the air with a range of 2 to 6 wt% and from oxygen with concentration from 7 wt% to over 20 wt%. Electrolytic ozone has a concentration of more than 20wt%, and BES systems can achieve up to 28 percent overall concentration. Furthermore, ozone generated from the air has a much higher percentage of contaminants than ozone generated from water, and the high purity ozone dissolves in water up to 400% more effectively, and efficiently than other ozone generation methods. The resultant ozone from BES is then dissolved into the water for treatment, where it reacts with unwanted contaminants and neutralizes them.
Why Ozonated Water?
Water is one of the most critical and basic of human needs, yet is one of the most challenging to provide. One of the largest problems facing developed and developing nations alike is access to clean and safe drinking water. Clean, drinkable water is one of the world’s most valuable commodities, and every individual around the globe should have access to it. However, even though greater and greater numbers of countries continue to advance, modernize, and become more technologically advanced, there is not a corresponding increase in the number of people who have access to purified, clean water. The cost of this lack of access to disinfected water is measured not in dollars, but in health and lives. With the UN declaring access to clean water a basic human right, water is the one necessity governments absolutely must invest in. High-quality water systems contributing to flourishing, communities, and global progression.
However, providing clean, potable water for the world’s citizens isn’t as straightforward as simply purifying our water sources. When doing so, it is necessary to minimize the amount of Disinfection By-Products (DBPs) used in the process, as well as those present in the final result. Decontaminating water can become a complex process with a myriad of difficulties to overcome, as amongst the impurities found in unsafe water are allergens, bacteria, and viruses – all leading factors in human disease and death. To ensure the ongoing safety and growth of our societies, a revolution in current outdated, water supplies is crucial.
The use of ozone to disinfect water has been proven to be one of the most efficient methods possible, as it introduces the least amount of DBPs into the environment and air. Ozonation can completely oxidize and decontaminate water in a very short time, without producing any of the harmful by-products that are so damaging to both humans and our environment.
Benefits of Ozonated Water
Ozone water is one of the fastest and safest methods for disinfecting water and has numerous benefits for people and the environment. One of the greatest benefits of ozone is how effective it is in disinfecting water; it quickly and thoroughly kills bacteria, viruses, and disease-causing microorganisms. The oxygen in the water also improves brain function and overall physiological health contributing to increased well-being and quality of life among communities. Ozonated water also removes colors, taste, and odor from water, making it safer to drink. Ozonated water can purify water from most pathogens and create safe and clean ozone water for people to drink, cook with, and clean with.
Ozonation does not add chemicals to the water (as with chlorination) and can be used regardless of the unprocessed water’s initial pH level. This removes the need for any pH balancers and the associated time, cost, and equipment other methods introduce into the purification process. Perhaps most impressively, the resultant purified water is pH neutral with no extra steps or processing required.
After the water is disinfected, any remaining ozone simply breaks down naturally and doesn’t pollute the air or water – it quickly returns to the atmosphere as regular O2– oxygen that is safe to breathe. Consequently, ozonated water does not produce any harmful by-products, keeping the environment safe and clean, thus reducing overall pollution. On a macroscale, ozonated water can also be used to disinfect polluted waters caused by large industrial businesses. As ozonated water is created by the self-contained ozone generator, it doesn’t require costly and cumbersome storage or transportation. It can be implemented and built into existing infrastructure, seamlessly and with low-cost effort.
Developments in Ozone Systems
Traditional methods used to make ozone have been known to have limitations, including being generally more expensive than a chlorine-based system and requiring qualified professionals for design, operation, and maintenance.
However, with a new invention, BES electrolysis ozone generators have solved this problem, bringing high-quality water and efficient infrastructure to the market. Through the implementation of state of the art electrolysis technology that saves money due to lower power consumption, and by simplifying the technology so most technicians can quickly install ozone systems that automate the disinfection process, they are now the ideal choice in producing ozone water, with much more elevated capabilities than traditional chlorine applications.
Ozonated Water is Here to Stay
The use of ozone to disinfect and sanitize water is the most beneficial approach when protecting people from unwanted pathogens and microorganisms and promoting overall human health. The low environmental impact of the system helps to create and preserve flourishing biodiversity and interconnected ecosystems on the planet.
Ozone is an ideal solution to providing entire communities with clean and potable water that is essential to having a productive and vital society. On a larger scale, access to clean water, and low pollution urban center are imperative to human health and safety. Clean water is necessary for agriculture, food production, and sanitation of entire civilizations. All of these factors make for a healthier population and support a better quality of life, for humanity and the plant and animal life that co-exists amongst the technological advancements. BES ozone systems are the next evolution in the mass production and consumption of elegant water systems that reflect a new vision for an ever-advancing human population.