#ozone systems

The Untold Secret to Ozone Generators in Less than Ten Minutes

Introduction

Have you heard these familiar words or seen catchy phrases like, “breathe activated oxygen, “safe and effective air purifiers” or “natural odour removers”, when you were shopping for an air purifier or an ozone generator. Ozone is the flavour of the season beating out its familiar competitor, chlorine for its high oxidising capabilities and removing pathogens without leaving residues.? Do you know what manufacturers are not telling you in reality?

Not every form of ozone is good for you. There is the presence of ozone in the stratosphere, which does the hero’s job of saving you from the villainous ultra-violet rays and then, there is the really bad ozone, found in the lower atmosphere or the ground level, in the form of smog-causing enough and more damage to an individual’s health. Matters get worse if you are already suffering from any breathing problems like asthma or if you have been exposed to a higher concentration of ozone, it rapidly progresses the lung disease. Children and elders are the most vulnerable, understandably so because of their immune system.

The Untold Secrets

As the mystery behind the use of ozone intensifies, it is only that you are aware of some untold secrets. So you have been told by manufacturers that there is a definite difference between ozone produced outdoors and ozone that is produced indoors. They could not be farther from the truth. Research indicates that there is practically no difference between ozone that is produced outdoors and when it is produced indoors. Ozone is produced indoors through the use of electronic air cleaners, ozone generators, and through ion generators, albeit indirectly. As much as the powerful uses of ozone have been flaunted, there has also been a lot of alarm bells that have been sounded off on the use of ozone beyond prescribed limits.

Environmental laws have clearly spelt out the standards for air quality and factors that affect public health. Ozone is considered one such pollutant that requires monitoring. Yet another monitoring body has prescribed that ozone levels indoors should not exceed 100 ppb (parts per billion). It is clear that ozone has both positive and negative effects beyond a certain level. Indoor medical devices have a prescribed limit of 50 ppb. Air purifiers that are sold to the common man are labelled as safe assuring a direct production of ozone when in reality it is only produced as a by-product as a result of the internal working of the device.

How effectively does an Ozone Generator remove odors?

Introduction

Ozone has for a long time now been considered as an excellent purifier because of its high oxidation capabilities. Ozone is made up of three atoms of oxygen and is odorless and unstable. As an oxidant, the extra molecule of oxygen attaches itself to the cells of the pathogen, destructing it by altering its structure and composition chemically, and completely destroying it without giving out any offensive odor. The human nose can distinguish about 10,000 types of smells, thanks to the millions of neurons that make up the olfactory epithelium responsible for our sense of smell. This is important to understand since odors are not always pleasant. You also have pungent odors, some are extremely offensive, and some odors like strong perfumes can even trigger a nasty headache. So most options ask for masking or temporarily doing away with the bad smell, but they do not necessarily eradicate it.

Ozone, with its powerful oxidizing capabilities, almost three-thousand time more capable than its lesser cousin, chlorine, makes it a formidable choice. Also remember the distinction between the benefits of ozone in the upper atmosphere that protect humans from ultra-violet rays and ozone at ground level that mixes with air pollutants to create smog.

How effective are ozone generators in odor removal?

Ozone generators became popular after the benefits of ozone became evident across the globe. Also, since ozone is short lived, it needs to be produced onsite at the location where it needs to be treated for it to be even effective. Ozone generators are ideal for killing mildews, bacteria, getting rid of odors, and molds. They can even remove body odor including odor left over from cigarettes, food, or pets.

Ozone generators should typically be used in sealed spaces or where there is no habitation, or move the habitation outside until the treatment is done. This is because ozone gas beyond a certain level can be toxic and within the normal levels, it may not necessarily be effective. This is so because of the shock treatment that is induced to kill molds, which requires high ozone levels and the generator also has to be kept running for 30 minutes, though overall, there may be a better cost efficiency. Portable generators are used during travel. You may not realise the even in supermarkets, ozone is probably used at low levels, enough to eliminate any odors and preserve food and vegetables.

Are Ozone Generators Effective in Controlling Indoor Air Pollution?

Introduction

Ozone a powerful oxidant has been much touted for its benefits compared to its other alternatives for water treatment and air treatment, where use of ozone is most popular. Ozone is a powerful oxidant which lasts on site for a very short period of time before rolling back to its original state as oxygen. After all, ozone comprises three molecules of oxygen. You must understand the distinction between ozone present in the higher reaches of the atmosphere and the presence of ozone in the lower areas. The former, found in the stratosphere protects us from the harmful effects of ultra violet radiation. The latter known as smog causes breathing problems and other associated health issues. The advantages of ozone have been advertised by manufacturers of ozone generators who package it as activated ozone. However on the contrary, much has been discussed about the effectiveness of ozone in controlling air pollution.

Effectiveness of Ozone Generators

Ozone generators became a popular choice for indoor air cleaning. Since ozone has to be produced onsite under specific conditions and lasts for a short time, ozone generators came into production. Ozone generators are marketed and sold as air purifiers since they produce ozone. However, the scientific evidence points in the other direction and is also accepted by health professionals. Terms such as mountain fresh air, energized oxygen, saturated oxygen are commonly used to describe ozone generators, which are sold as air cleaners. While there is not hard data on the side effects on the use of ozone to treat pollution, research indicates that ozone is not very effective as an air purifier. While the presence of specific volatile compounds did show a decline, however, overall it did not seem to have a positive effect.

Further, the concentration of indoor ozone air purifiers is not at the required level to kill molds and bacteria or neither does it remove any particles in the air such as dust or pollen for example. Any higher level will actually be harmful for humans and other inhabitants in such residential places. In any case, there is a possibility that the level of indoor ozone production has an adverse effect since it is not at an optimum level. Most members of the public are also not aware that ozone generators induce far reaching chemical reactions that result in the production of more pollutants that affect the individual’s health. So inhaling ozone can lead to lung irritation and cause damage, and even at what is considered low levels of ozone can still cause chest irritation, breathing problems, and even chest pain.

All You Need To Know About Air Treatment With Ozone

Introduction

The use of ozone for a host of treatments including water treatment and air treatment is widely popular. At the same time, ozone is also known to have adverse effects on humans in the lower levels of the atmosphere, through smog. However, the converse is not true. Ozone found in the upper layers of the atmosphere in the form of gas is known for its role in protecting human beings from harmful ultra-violet radiation. In fact, in several studies undertaken to understand the effects of ozone, there has been considerable evidence pointing out to respiratory issues including inflammation of lungs and bronchial tissues as a result of prolonged exposure.

This in turn reduces oxygen intake in the system due to narrowed airways. Moreover, these issues do not just affect asthmatics, but non-asthmatics also. However, because it is highly effective in treating strong odors and other airborne chemicals, ozone still remains a popular option for air purification.

Air Treatment with Ozone

The basic element in purifying air includes eliminating bad odors and ensuring any bacterial presence is effectively sterilized. Ozone exists for a very short period of time after oxidation before it reverts to its original state, which is oxygen. Ozone thus needs to be produced on site in real-time for it to be effective. Another benefit of using ozone is that it does not leave behind any residue. Ozone is produced using the corona discharge method and ultra-violet radiation. In the former method, a high electric voltage of almost 5,000-10,000v is generated to split the oxygen molecules and convert it to ozone.

In the second method, ozone is produced through collision of ultra-violet rays with contaminants in the presence of oxygen. Both methods are used by manufacturers for ozone production. Ozone application is widely spread in hospitals, residential areas, hotels to keep the air fresh and odor free. Studies have also recommended the level of ozone exposure applicable since prolonged exposure leads to health issues.

Though ozone is used is for odor treatment in residential areas, it is recommended that the ozone treatment should be executed when there are no humans or pet present. In some states, use of ozone in residential areas has been banned while in others still, regulations and standard practices such as certifications of air purifiers were set in motion. Recommended levels are between .01 ppm to .05 ppm since it is only a .01 ppm ozone is detected by the human system. When applied in the house, using a fan to distribute it around the area is effective. Further, rather than cranking up the device to its maximum, generate ozone from the lowest level and slowly move it to its highest level.