Methods Involving UV Radiation, Laser Light, Electron Beams, etc.
Patent #2,937,983--May 24, 1960
Ryan, Edmund J. Apparatus and Method for Producin a Controlled Ozone Content in Oxygen.
This patent is for a method of producing a controlled ozone and polymeric oxygen content in purified oxygen gas. The gas containing ozone is then used for therapeutic purposes. In this method, 98% oxygen gas is passed through two columns, one containing fragments of soda lime and one containing active charcoal, in order to remove impurities such as moisture and carbon dioxide as well as solid impurities such as dust particles. This purification process produces oxygen gas of approximately 99% purity. The purified oxygen gas than passes through a reaction chamber containing several coiled quartz tubes filled with inert gases such as argon and krypton. Each quartz tube has electrical lead wires attached to both ends, and the lead wires are surrounded by a globule of mercury in the tube end to improve electrical conductivity between the interior of the quartz tube and the lead wire. Each lead wire is connected to a transformer which supplies a voltage in the range of 3 kV to 10 kV. The electrically energized quartz tubes emit ultraviolet light in the wavelength range of 2,485 A to 2,537 A which converts oxygen to ozone and polymeric oxygen. This wavelength range is optimum for destroying bacteria as well as for producing ozone and polymeric oxygen. Each quartz tube is independently electrically energized so that controlled amounts of ozone and polymeric oxygen may be produced. Also, the pressure of the oxygen gas passing through the reaction chamber may be varied to produce differing concentrations of ozone and polymeric oxygen.
Patent #3,883,413--May 13, 1975
Douglas-Hamilton, Diarmaid H. Ozone Generator Using Pulsed Electron Beam and Decaying Electric Field.
This patent describes a system for producing ozone which involves subjecting oxygen in a controlled electric field to a beam of high energy electrons emitted by an electron gun. Oxygen gas is passed through a chamber in which an electric field is created by a sustainer capacitor which is charged by a high voltage supply. An electron beam gun irradiates the oxygen in this chamber with brief bursts of high energy electrons. The oxygen molecules in the chamber dissociate, and the atoms join with oxygen molecules to form ozone. The resulting mixture of oxygen and ozone exits the device through an outlet. The invention is based on the fact that ozone is generated more efficiently when the ratio of current carried by electrons relative to the current carried by ions in the gas is increased. The brief bursts of electrons produced by the electron beam gun increases the electron:ion density ratio, and the efficiency of ozone generation is increased.
Patent #4,124,467--November 7, 1978
Pincon, Andrew J. Method and Apparatus for Producing Ozone.
This patent discusses an ozonizer which uses varying wavelengths of ultraviolet light energy to bombard oxygen gas or air producing varying concentrations of ozone. The apparatus consists of a cylindrical casing coated on the inside with aluminum which is resistant to corrosion by ozone and reflects the ultraviolet radiation back through the gas. The casing has an inlet through which air or pure oxygen gas is fed and an outlet through which the produced ozone exits the apparatus. Inside the cylindrical casing are six ultraviolet lamps which are equally spaced in a circle. The lamps are made of fluorite glass through which UV light readily passes and are filled with deuterium. The cylindrical apparatus is closed on each ends by caps. The wiring necessary for operating the UV lamps is housed inside the caps. An electrical arc formed between electrodes located inside the end caps and passing through the deuterium-filled tubes will produce UV energy having a wavelength of about 1000 A, the wavelength at which optimum ozone production is achieved.
Patent #4,131,528--December 26, 1978
Tsujimoto, Minoru, et al. Process for the Mass Production of Ozone.
This patent describes a process for the mass production of ozone. In this process, liquefied oxygen is sent to an adsorption tower containing silica gel, alumina, or some other adsorbent, where hydrocarbons are adsorbed from the liquid oxygen. Next, the liquid oxygen, now free of hydrocarbons, is sent to a heat exchanger where it exchanges heat with air or any suitable fluid such as water. This heat exchange causes the liquid oxygen to become gasified. The gaseous oxygen is warmed between the boiling point of ozone, -112 °C, and the boiling point of oxygen which is -183 °C. The warmed oxygen gas is then sent to a reaction chamber where it is exposed to radiation such as laser beams, electron beams, or plasma radiation. This radiation causes the oxygen gas to be converted to ozone which is in the liquid state at the temperature inside the reaction chamber. The liquid ozone is then pumped from the reaction chamber and collected. The unreacted oxygen gas is then fed back to the heat exchanger, and the process is repeated. The patent also discusses an alternative method of converting oxygen to ozone in the reaction chamber. This method involves exposing the oxygen gas to an electric discharge instead of exposing it to the ozonizing radiations discussed above.
Patent #4,182,663--January 3, 1980
Vaseen, Vesper A. Converting Oxygen to Ozone by U.V. Radiation of a Halogen Saturated Hydrocarbon Liquid Containing Dissolved or Absorbed Oxygen.
This patent outlines a method for producing ozone dissolved in an inert liquid. Oxygen is absorbed by an inert, dielectric liquid which is non-miscible with water. Pressures in excess of atmospheric pressure are used so that greater amounts of oxygen may be dissolved in the dielectric liquid. The liquid in which oxygen is dissolved is then passed through ultraviolet radiation. The UV radiation energizes the oxygen and converts it to ozone in the liquid. The inert liquid in which ozone is dissolved may then be mixed with waste water for treatment purposes. The liquid, which is non-miscible with water is then easily separated from the water.
Patent #4,189,363--February 19, 1980
Beitzel, Stuart S. Process of Producing Ozone in Water.
This patent summarizes a process for producing ozone in water in order to purify the water. The ozonizing chamber consists of a cylindrical lamp which emits ultraviolet radiation surrounded by a cylindrical chamber into which a mixture of water and air is fed through an inlet. The chamber is separated from the lamp by a cylindrical tube which transmits the radiation emitted by the lamp. The chamber has on the wall facing the lamp a coating of polished stainless steel or a similar material which reflects the radiation from the lamp. The ultraviolet radiation passes through the water/air mixture and excites the oxygen to ozone. The chamber also has an outlet through which the treated water exits.
Patent #4,252,623--February 24, 1981
Vaseen, Vesper A. Ozone Production Via Laser-Light Energy.
This patent discusses ozone production using laser light energy which excites oxygen to ozone (see Figure 6). The method consists of passing laser light energy through a stream of oxygen molecules and atoms. The oxygen may be in the gaseous form or may be dissolved in an inert, fully halogenated, dielectric liquid hydrocarbon. The ozone generated from gaseous oxygen may be used immediately, and the ozone which is dissolved in the hydrocarbon may be used up to three days later. With sufficient laser energy, the method may yield up to 99.9% ozone, but the ozone decomposes rapidly due to the heat generated by the laser beam. The inert liquid hydrocarbon absorbs some of the heat, and this method of ozone production is therefore more power efficient.
Patent #4,317,044--February 23, 1982
Vaseen, Vesper A. Ozone Production Apparatus.
This patent describes an ozonizing apparatus which utilizes ultraviolet light energy in the wavelength range of 1100 A to 2200 A at subatmospheric pressures. Oxygen is dissolved in an inert, dielectric liquid such as a fully halogenated hydrocarbon, and the oxygen-rich liquid is then passed through the influent manifold of the apparatus. The dielectric liquid passes through a chamber which houses ultraviolet light sources in the form of elongated tubes. The chamber is
figure 7: Diagram of Apparatus Outlined in US Patent #4,252,623
surrounded by ultraviolet transparent glass which is coated with an ultraviolet reflective surface. The ultraviolet radiation converts oxygen to ozone, and the dielectric liquid in which 10% of the dissolved oxygen is now ozone, exits the apparatus through the effluent manifold.
Patent #4,329,212--May 11, 1982
Obenshain, David N. Method for Making Ozone.
The method for ozone production described in this patent involves using cathode rays produced by cathode ray tubes to bombard a substance which emits ultraviolet radiation only in the range of 130 to 170 nm (see Figure 7). The substance which emits the radiation is a specially designed phosphor made from a zinc oxide/magnesium oxide matrix with a small amount of an activator added. The range of 130 to 170 nm is optimum for ozone production since UV light in
Figure 8: Schematic Diagram of Apparatus in US Patent #4,329,212this range of wavelengths efficiently converts oxygen to ozone and does not destroy it. Air or oxygen is passed through a duct into a chamber through which the produced UV light is transmitted. The UV light converts oxygen into ozone inside the chamber.
Patent #4,427,636--January 24, 1984
Obenshain, David N. Method and Apparatus for Making Ozone.
This patent details a method for production of ozone that involves exposing oxygen or air to ultraviolet radiation of wavelengths between 130 nm and 170 nm. The UV radiation splits the oxygen molecules into two oxygen atoms which are very reactive and immediately recombine with oxygen molecules to form ozone. Wavelengths outside this range tend to destroy ozone, and the chosen range of wavelengths, 130 nm to 170 nm, is optimum for ozone production. The ozone generating cell in this invention is a cathode ray tube (CRT). The CRT consists of a nonconducting housing inside which is a cathode and an anode. The cathode is convex, and spreads the cathode rays (negative electrons) over a large area. The CRT is connected to a high voltage source and a vacuum pump. Opposite the cathode is a window made of a material such as fluorite that transmits radiation in the desired UV range. The inside of the window is coated with a phosphor prepared from a zinc oxide/magnesium oxide matrix containing an activator which emits radiation only in the optimum range when exposed to cathode rays from the cathode. The window is adjacent to a duct through which oxygen or air is passed; the oxygen or air is bombarded by the UV radiation produced by the apparatus, and ozone is produced.
Patent #4,857,277--August 15, 1989
Broomfield, Paul A. Ozone Generating Device.
This apparatus discussed in this patent is for an ultraviolet ozone generator. The device consists of a tube inside which is located an ultraviolet lamp of the cold cathode light-tube type. An input air duct formed of a ninety-degree ell is attached to the tube which houses the ultraviolet lamp. A fan at one end of the tube draws ambient air into the device, and the air is directed into the light chamber where it is exposed to wavelengths of ultraviolet which optimally convert the oxygen in air to ozone. The ozone is collected from another ninety-degree ell duct at the opposite end of the tube.
Patent #4,859,429--August 22, 1989
Nisenson, Jules. Ozone Generating Device.
This patent details an ozone generator which consists of an elongated cylinder with a fine wire approximately 0.003 inches in the center of the wire and spanning the length of the cylinder. Air to be ionized is fed into the cylinder, and a discharge between the wire and the cylinder results in the conversion of oxygen in the air to ozone. The air serves as a dielectric separating the wire, the inner electrode, and the cylindrical tube, the outer electrode. Air is introduced into the tube in a pulsed manner so that it is exposed to the corona discharge for a longer period of time than in ozone generators in which air is continuously fed into the generator. Continuously fed air pushes ozonized air out of the discharge gap, and the time of exposure to the discharge is less than the time of exposure to the discharge in this generator in which air is pulsed.
Patent #5,223,105--June 29, 1993
Arthurson, Craig J. Ozone Generator.
This patent outlines an apparatus which produces ozone using ultraviolet radiation and a high voltage, low current discharge. An oxygen-containing gas flows through a tube in which it is bombarded by ultraviolet radiation at the same time as it is exposed to a high voltage, low current discharge. This discharge is applied between widely spaced electrodes so that essentially no ozone is produced by the discharge alone. This method of combining UV radiation with a high voltage, low current electrical discharge produces up to ten times more ozone than UV radiation alone.
Patent #5,387,400--February 7, 1995
Pelster, Dennis E. Apparatus and Method for Water Purification Using Ozone Generated by UV Radiation with a Continuous Filament Bulb.
This method involves subjecting an oxygen-containing gas to ultraviolet light radiation of appropriate wavelength in order to convert it to ozone (see diagram at top of next page). The resulting ozone is injected into water in order to destroy undesirable contaminants such as viruses, bacteria, and other organic and inorganic compounds.
figure 9: Diagram of Apparatus Detailed in US Patent #5,387,400
