Inventor: Peter Koltay, Szombathely

Rita Brunner, Egyhazashollos

The solution which is the object of the utility model is an ozone generator with a gas insufflating system especially for the production of ozone-air or ozone-oxygen gas mixture.

It is a well-known fact that in this day and age the positive effects of ozone gas have been recognised and ozone-air or ozone-oxygen gas mixtures are used in more and more professional areas for sterilisation procedures.

Experience gained over the course of several years or even decades shows that the most effective method to eliminate contagious pathogens more and more widespread in our modern world is a sterilisation procedure that utilises ozone gas. Such efficiency is proven by the fact that the sterilisation effect of ozone, as proven by measurements and depending on the concentration of the ozone, is 3000-9000 times larger than, for instance, that of chlorine in gaseous or mist form. Laboratory experiments show that the time necessary for the elimination of E coli bacteria is 15,000 seconds in the case of chlorine while only 4 seconds in the case of ozone.

Ozone not only eliminates most bacteria and viruses, but also fungi, fungus spores, toxins produced by fungi and all other known pathogens. The reason for such an effective sterilisation capability is that ozone has extremely strong oxidising properties.

The oxidisation process is so effective that microorganisms cannot build up an immunity (resistance), which can occur when using traditional chemicals.

Ozone does not leave traces, refreshes the air in the treated area, as well as completely eliminating pathogens, it also removes unpleasant odours. Moreover, the precautionary period is extremely short after the procedure. Upon examining the ozone generator apparatuses as available at the present state of technology for the production of ozone-air and ozone-oxygen gas mixture in the literature, among patent data and in practical application we can find several constructive solutions. The most widespread state of the art solution is that of Siemens' apparatus applied in different technical situations. This solution utilises cylindrical grid electrodes and a cylindrical dielectric tube with an air gap on one or both sides in many cases with water cooling. There is a great variety of high voltage drive generators in terms of the amount and frequency of the drive voltage.

These modern technologies are viable, but their solutions include their limitations on efficiency, because the shortcomings of all the solutions are that due to the cylindrical shape the surface area and the number of grid electrodes are limited, it is difficult to form the necessary air gap, due to the enclosed shape cooling can only be carried out in a complex way, usually with a cooling liquid, and the malfunction of the cooling system can pose a fire hazard. Due to the disadvantageous properties mentioned above, the performance of these ozone generators is greatly limited.

The aim of the utility model based on findings is to eliminate the shortcomings mentioned above connected to the production of ozone-air or ozone-oxygen gas mixture, namely to construct an ozone generator apparatus, which is capable of producing great quantities of high concentration ozone operating non-stop if necessary, which has a simple structure, where the air or oxygen used as the source of ozone and circulated through the apparatus also serves as a cooling medium, where the apparatus can be operated at low costs, which has great efficiency and efficacy, which does not pose a fire hazard, moreover, where the operation of the apparatus does not strain or pollute the environment electronically or in any other way.

According to the set target the apparatus has to solve the following tasks:

The apparatus has to ensure the production of great quantities of high-concentrate ozone from the air or oxygen circulated through it.

The structure of the apparatus has to be simple and precise to build, or produce.

The apparatus by virtue of its construction must ensure that the air or oxygen, which is circulated through it and serves as the source of ozone, functions as a cooling medium in such a way so as to not pose a fire hazard or a risk of environmental pollution. The high-voltage power generator of the apparatus has to ensure that while in operation it does not negatively affect the power network that supplies it, be economical, and ensure the safe operation of the unit producing the ozone.

The high-voltage power generator of the apparatus has to ensure that, by the internal regulation of its operational parameters, it optimises the electric specifications necessary for the production of ozone based on the parameters of the air or oxygen that serves as the source of ozone.

The high-voltage power generator of the apparatus has to ensure that by regulating its operational parameters externally the amount and concentration of the ozone produced can be adjusted.

One of the important findings the utility model is based on is that flat-plate electrodes have to be used in order to increase the amount of ozone produced and to simplify the construction of the ozone producing apparatus. An increase in the surface area of the flat-plate electrodes results in an increase in the amount of ozone produced. By placing the groups of electrodes comprised of flat-plate electrodes, next and parallel to each other the total surface area of the electrodes can be increased substantially, while there is only a minimum increase in the space required by the electrodes. The optimal number of electrodes, depending on the shape of the outer insulating housing, is between 3 and 20 by design.

Another important finding the utility model is based on is that if the electrodes are made of steel sheets which by design are cut and corrugated by extrusion, on the one hand the number of discharges occurring on the surface of the flat-plate electrodes increases and on the other hand we can increase the efficiency of cooling of the flat-plate electrodes by the air or oxygen that also serves as the source of the ozone. The thickness of the electrode plates is 0.3-1.5 mm by design.

A further important finding the utility model is based on is that the amount of ozone produced is greatly affected by the precise adjustment of the air gap between the flat-plate electrodes and the dielectric plate, and by the adjustment of the air gap based on the type of the air or oxygen used as the source of ozone. It is part of the finding that the adjustment of the air gap to the precise dimensions can be ensured most effectively by the use of insulating shim plates. The size of the air gap is 0.1-0.9 mm by design.

Another important finding the utility model is based on is that if microcontrollers are used for internal adjustments in the high- voltage power generator and if we also take the environmental parameters (air temperature, humidity, gradient measured in the high-voltage units) into consideration when implementing the adjustments, then the pulse shape of the power supply voltage arriving at the ozone production structural unit can be substantially approximated to the ideal pulse wave shape necessary for optimum ozone production. The power supply voltage of the ozone production structural unit is 6 - 12 kV and its frequency is 25 - 65 kHz by design.

The utility model solves the tasks described above by placing the ozone generator unit in the path of the insufflated air or oxygen which serves as the source of ozone. The ozone generator unit, the operation of which is based upon the principle of alternating current auxiliary electrode cold arc discharge increased by limited arc discharge, operates with a voltage source with alternating voltage. This solution does not result in a high-temperature arc discharge, so the risk of fire can be eliminated, and at the same time the device is capable of producing large quantities of ozone. The ozone generator structural unit is placed in one or more, by design, cylindrical or square cross sectional insulating housings which are placed parallel to or on the same axis as the direction of the insufflation. The discharge occurs on two flat electrode plates of the same size, which are, by design, cut and corrugated by extrusion. The flat electrode plates are placed parallel to each other or at a small angle. These two flat electrode plates are placed parallel to the direction of the insufflation. The flat electrode plates are separated from each other by a glass or ceramic flat dielectric plate by design. Between the flat electrode plates and the flat dielectric plate there are air gaps which are expediently placed. The flat electrode plates, the insulating shim plates and the flat dielectric plate are joined by one or more insulating frames and secured in the exterior insulating housing. The apparatus has a power generator which produces high voltage and high frequency voltage and is connected to the ozone producing unit by high voltage cables. The high voltage generator has a power supply with a capability to improve power factor, a high frequency breaker unit with a complete bridge system, a high voltage and high frequency transformer and filter unit, a central control unit and sensors measuring outside temperature, humidity and electromagnetic flow sensors.

The solution of the utility model is described in more detail with the help of diagrams, which show a constructed example of the utility model of the ozone generator:

Diagram 1. is the perspective representation of the ozone producing unit of the ozone generator. Diagram 2. is the connection schematics of the ozone producing unit of the ozone generator with a theoretical placement of several groups of electrodes.

Diagram 3. shows the theoretical schematics of the high voltage high frequency power generator mechanism of the ozone generator, its electric coupling and the coupling of the ozone producing structural unit.

Diagram 1. shows the perspective representation of the ozone producing unit of the ozone generator. The two flat electrode plates (1), which by design are cut and corrugated by extrusion, are placed parallel or at a small angle to each other and to the dielectric plate (2). The precise size of the defined sized air gap (18) between the flat electrode plates (1) and the dielectric plate (2) is ensured by the insulating shim plates (3). The ozone producing mechanism is connected to the high voltage high frequency power generator (8) by the high voltage cable I (6) and the high voltage cable II (7). The high voltage cable I (6) and the high voltage cable II (7) is connected to the flat electrode plates (1) by the electrode studs (5). The flat electrode plates (1), the dielectric plate (2) and the insulating shim plates (3) are held together and secured by the insulating frame (4).

Diagram 2. is the connection schematics of the ozone producing unit of the ozone generator with a theoretical placement of several groups of electrodes. The groups of electrodes can be secured to the exterior insulating housing (9) with the help of the insulating frame (4). The diagram shows the air gaps (18) as well as the order of the electrical coupling of high voltage cable 1 (6) and the high voltage cable 11 (7).

Diagram 3. shows the theoretical schematics of the high voltage high frequency power generator mechanism (8) of the ozone generator, its electric coupling and the coupling of the ozone producing structural unit. Abbreviations of English terminology are used on the diagram when using schematic notations of individual parts. The line power supply voltage is transformed into direct current by the power factor correction switched mode power supply (10) in a controlled way. The direct current altered in the power factor correction switched mode power supply (10) is changed into high frequency pulse voltage by the high frequency full bridge breaker (11). The high frequency full bridge breaker (11) is controlled by the central control unit (15) through the pulse modulation device (14) and the bridge driver (13). The high frequency pulse voltage formed by the high frequency full bridge breaker (11) becomes high voltage high frequency voltage by passing through the high frequency high voltage transformer and filter unit (12), which is connected to the ozone producing unit by the high voltage cable I (6) and the high voltage cable II (7). The central control unit (15) measures the current load (CL) of the high frequency full bridge breaker (11), moreover it measure the environmental parameters with the help of the temperature and humidity sensor unit (16) and the electromagnetic flow meter sensor unit (17), and depending on the results of the measurements taken regulates the frequency of the high voltage to be formed and controls the pulse modulation device (14) in order to achieve the ideal pulse-wave shape necessary for optimal ozone production.

The advantage of the solution represented by the utility model is that if the components are expediently coupled, their beneficial properties strengthen each other resulting in a more positive effect and more efficient operation based on the target than other similar solutions presently known with the same goal.

The utility model is of course not limited exclusively to the constructed example of the ozone generator described above, but within the utility model protection determined by the utility model claims it can be realised in several different ways.

LIST OF REFERENCE SYMBOLS:

flat-plate electrode

dielectric plate

insulating shim plate

insulating frame

electrode stud

high voltage cable I

high voltage cable II

high voltage high frequency power generator unit

exterior insulating housing

power factor correction switched mode power supply (PFC SMPS) high frequency full bridge breaker (FBR)

high voltage high frequency transformer and filter unit (HV-HF) bridge driver (BRDR)

pulse modulation device (PWM/PDM)

central control unit (MCU)

temperature and humidity sensor unit (Temp + RH)

electromagnetic flow meter sensor unit (EFS)

air gap