It is no secret to anyone that water purity is one of the prerequisites for normal human life today. However, in the modern world, not all natural underground and surface water bodies can be used as sources of drinking water.
But today there are a huge number of ways to clean it. Some of them are characterized by high efficiency, others are not so effective. To implement some methods, it is necessary to use expensive special installations, while others can be done using simple tools at hand.
Water purification with ozone is one of the most effective methods. This chemical element oxidizes contaminants and decomposes them into harmless components. In this case, the water is disinfected. The ozonation process is carried out using special purification systems.
Operating principle
Water purification using ozone is a fairly safe way. The ozone molecule contains three oxygen atoms. The molecule itself is unstable and can give off one free atom, thus forming a simple oxygen molecule. The free oxygen atom is an oxidizing agent and, when combined with the nearest molecules, it destroys them.
Where can ozonation be used?
Water purification with ozone can be used to disinfect and discolor water, to remove extraneous odors and flavors from it. The main process that occurs during purification is oxidation.
The water supply station is equipped with special generators generating an oxidizing gas. It is subsequently passed through the entire purified volume of water. Gas passing through it gives off free oxygen atoms. They destroy harmful microorganisms and bacteria. As a result of oxidation, oxygen molecules, the remainder of the ozone molecules, as well as carbon dioxide and gases formed during the decomposition of organic objects are released.
Efficiency
Note that water ozonation allows to achieve better results than chlorination. Firstly, the latter method helps to fight only with living organisms and does not eliminate dangerous impurities. And secondly, chlorine has a selective long-term effect, as a result of which compounds are formed that pose a danger to human health. Ozone water treatment is completely safe. It allows you to quickly eliminate bacteria and toxic components.
Ozonizers for water treatment also help get rid of magnesium and iron in the water. These substances can spoil the taste and give the liquid a yellow tint. In addition, their excessive amount can have a negative effect on human health. Due to the action of ozone, soluble compounds of these elements pass into an insoluble form.
Ozonation of water: stages
The described process is divided into several stages:
- First, the water is saturated with gas.
- Impurities in it, as a result of a chemical reaction, decompose into gaseous components or become insoluble.
- Upon completion of water purification with ozone, it is filtered, thereby removing suspended particles, sediment and decomposition products.
Water Treatment Plants
Of course, a special installation is needed for this process. All the work of such systems is programmed. To do this, you need to select the desired mode of operation, and first of all, it is worth considering the degree of water pollution. In addition, the installation must have enough ozone to eliminate all contaminants. But it should not be too much, since excess gas can remain in the water. It should also be borne in mind that this element at high concentration can be harmful to the body. Therefore, the operating mode should be selected by a specialist.
Water that has passed the ozonation procedure is passed through a special filter. Typically, carbon filler is used for this purpose. It helps to contain undissolved particles, gases, as well as a number of substances formed during oxidation.
Ozonation: advantages and disadvantages
Ozone water purification has its pros and cons. However, the advantages of this method are much greater, which explains its popularity.
So, using ozone, you can destroy all varieties of microorganisms in a fairly short period of time. This requires only a two-second exposure to the liquid. For other disinfectants, this takes a lot more time.
Microorganisms do not develop resistance to this chemical element. Microorganisms of any type are destroyed: algae, bacteria, fungi, protozoa and even viruses.
Ozone water treatment plant helps get rid of unpleasant odors and tastes. Water does not change its properties, and the ozone remaining after the process simply passes into the atmosphere. During processing, the acidity and other characteristics of the liquid do not change, and beneficial trace elements present in the water are also preserved.
Ozonation also has its drawbacks. For example, ozone cannot be stored and transported. It is made before the cleaning process. To eliminate complex pollution, ozone must be in direct contact with the liquid for a long time. Some compounds are thus destroyed slowly.
To obtain ozone, oxygen must be used.
What does it take to purify water with ozone?
To carry out the named procedure, do not use improvised means. A special installation called an ozonizer is required, which has a rather high cost. It is also worth considering that ozone is a strong oxidizing agent. Even a small amount of this substance can cause serious harm to health. Therefore, all processes are carried out using special monitoring devices.
Ozonation: application features
This method is used in agriculture, industry and medicine. It allows you to get high quality drinking water. It can also be used to disinfect drains.
Ozone cleaning helps get rid of biological and chemical contaminants. It can be used both in everyday life and in production. Ozonation is used today in water supply systems. Although it should be noted that the application of this method in the domestic sphere is limited by a rather high installation price. But the water supply station of a small cottage village may well be equipped with an ozonizer.
For a large number of households, the ozonation method may be the most appropriate option. The main thing is to correctly determine the nature and degree of pollution. Despite the fact that ozonizers are of high price, their use does not require significant costs. To use such installations, special reagents are not required. Therefore, the cost of installing such a system will pay off quickly enough.
Ozone Water Treatment: Implementation
Currently, ozonation is one of the most effective ways to make water usable. This technology is actively used at treatment plants, and can also be used to create communications for suburban cottage villages. The advantage of ozone is that it is able to eliminate almost any pollution. With its help, you can neutralize any harmful bacteria and microorganisms. Due to its absolute safety, ozone water treatment has become widespread. The cleaning procedure itself follows the principle by which a liquid absorbs air vapor.
The main way to produce ozone for chemical treatment of water is the production of oxygen. Then the gas moves to a special generator, where it is converted into ozone by the action of an electric current. After that, it is transmitted through glass tubes to the feed point. In some cases, two generators are used in ozonation installations at once. In this case, the first device performs a preliminary cleaning. Water is pumped to a special tank. First, water is oxidized in the main tank, after which the mixture of ozone and air enters the second. Here it interacts with fresh water, which has not yet passed the cleaning procedure.
Finally
The ozonation method has a number of positive aspects. As already mentioned, to obtain ozone, significant costs are not needed. When using this method, the main category of expenses can be attributed only to the electricity consumed by the generator. Ozonation helps get rid of harmful bacteria and microorganisms, and also improves the smell and taste characteristics of water.