Ozonia* Membrel Electrolytic Ozone Generators

How It Works

The two primary ways of producing ozone for water treatment are through corona discharge or electrolytically. The Ozonia Membrel ozone generator uses an electrolytic process to produce ozone from water, making it the most effective method for ozone production in ultrapure water applications, where water purity is critical.

The Ozonia Membrel MkV is the latest generation of Veolia electrolytic ozone generators that uses proprietary ozonia Membrel modular cell technology and state-of-the-art electronics. The Membrel electrolytic ozone generator is a fundamentally different method of generating ozone because it uses the Ozonia Membrel cell membrane as the electrolyte instead of a gas such as air or oxygen.

The Membrel cell, which functions as both electrolyte and separator between the anode and cathode, is contacted on both sides by activated porous electrodes. The water fed to the anode side of the cell is dissociated at the interface between the anode and cell as a result of the current being applied.

Transitioning from production to sanitization is as easy as flipping a switch

• Simply turn the UV-based ozone destructors off and allow ozone to sanitize the entire pure water loop
• In production mode, UV-based ozone destructors are turned ON to stop ozone from going to Points of Use (POUs) 
• In sanitization mode, simply turn the UV-based ozone destructors off to allow ozone to sanitize the entire pure water loop

The Ozonia Membrel electrolytic ozone generator is used for Ultra-Pure Water (UPW) disinfection applications in industries where water quality is critical to end product quality. Electrolytic ozone systems are optimized for ultrapure water loops where water is produced, stored and distributed in a closed-loop and used in at multiple points-of-use (POUs) for integration into products.

Ozonia Membrel electrolytic ozone systems have been the market leader for decades in several industries:

• Pharmaceuticals
• Personal Care Products
• Cosmetics
• Microelectronics

Ozone System Design

Most modem pure water networks are constructed as closed loop systems where the water is pumped through one or more circulation loops to different point-of-use (POU) points. Depending on the source water and final application, there are different pieces of equipment (such as filters, reverse osmosis membranes, UV systems, tanks, pumps) installed. The Membrel unit is an essential part of this large-scale fixed installation (LSFI). For all applications, it is best to install the ozone generation system in the loop and return just before it re-enters the storage tank. The by-pass flow for the electrolytic system is tapped off before the loop’s pressure retaining valve and reintroduced on the low pressure side.

Total Organic Carbon (TOC)

One of the important factors to be taken into consideration when calculating the ozone dose is the organic content of the water being disinfected. If the organic content is high, the ozone demand will be correspondingly high and the ozone also will be used to reduce the organic content rather than just destroying microorganisms. During periods when ozone is being used to oxidize both microorganisms and organics, the kill rate will be slow. Once the total organic carbon (TOC) has been reduced to a minimum, the kill rate will increase accordingly.

Download ozonia Ozone Ultrapure Water Infographic

Ozone technology has many advantages over traditional disinfection technologies. While those benefits still apply, electrolytic ozone systems have other benefits applicable to pure water systems:

Minimize costs

• Minimal equipment is required because ozone is dissolved immediately in process water
• Robust – industry-proven – technology with low lifecycle costs
• Very low energy consumption compared to alternatives

Safe from contamination

• No ionic contamination is introduced to the process water
• Ozone is generated from the pure water already in the system
• Ozone decays into harmless oxygen leaving no residuals

Increase production up-time

• Continuous production reducing sanitization cycle frequency 
• No productions stops are required to protect against microorganisms
• Continuous ozonation ensures water quality protection at all times