How ozone is used in pools and spas for water disinfection and sanitation by ozonation
Ozone Water Treatment
Ozone has been around since the beginning of time. Also called tri-atomic oxygen, ozone is a molecule consisting of three atoms of oxygen, formed when oxygen molecules are broken apart and rejoined again. The ozone layer in the stratosphere that seems to have an ever widening hole over Antarctica is a 6 mile thick layer of tri-atomic oxygen.
The ozone molecule is a very powerful oxidizer and sanitizer. It destroys anything it comes in contact with, faster and more effectively than anything else available. And when the sanitation is complete, or if ozone finds nothing to oxidize, it returns to molecular oxygen (2 oxygen atoms).
Ozone is produced in the stratosphere by two methods. UV radiation from the sun will break apart molecular oxygen into individual nascent oxygen atoms. These atoms quickly attach themselves to the first molecule they encounter. When they join with an oxygen molecule, tri-atomic oxygen (ozone) is born. Another way in which ozone is created is through lightning, corona discharge, occurring in the stratosphere. The electricity breaks apart the molecules and rejoins them in the same manner as UV radiation.
Ozone is produced for swimming pool water in these two methods. In the UV method, air is passed over a UV bulb, and the radiation creates nascent oxygen and then ozone. The molecules are then introduced into the water where they can do their stuff. In the corona discharge method, a small lightning storm is created in an air filled chamber.
Ozone is indeed a powerful sanitizer, but it is a gas. It is not marketed as a stand alone technology simply because of the production required to have ozone molecules visit every square inch of your pool before it is changed into something other than ozone. In other words, we still have problems with the short life span of ozone, and the distribution of it. Ozone is also not very effective on algae, so a bottled algaecide or Potassium Tetraborate is necessary.
However, ozone will continue to grab market share for pools. It gives water a better smell, taste and clarity than chlorine alone, and because it produces no byproducts, it doesn’t contribute to TDS. Ozone removes certain dissolved metals and rids the pool of soaps, scum, oils and chloramines. It also has synergy with halogens, meaning that when combined, they work even better on certain micro contaminants.
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