WO2002009869A1

WO2002009869A1 - Tesla field device for the production of ozone and methods for operating the same

Info

Publication number: WO2002009869A1
Application number: PCT/US2001/024023
Authority: WO
Inventors: John Algis Ruseckas
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2000-07-31
Filing date: 2001-07-31
Publication date: 2002-02-07
Anticipated expiration: 2003-01-31
Also published as: AU2001283057A1

Abstract

The present invention relates generally to an ozone generator and methods for operating the same, and more particularly to an ozone generator which can manufacture an ozone plasma from standard household current and voltages, but produces relatively large quantities of desirable, negatively charged ozone, together with, for example, other oxygen allotropes (e.g., monatomic oxygen, herein sometimes referred to collectively as 'ozone) at relatively low amperages and low temperatures compared to traditional ozone production devices. The very desirable negatively charged form of ozone is produced without producing any large amounts of undesirable by-products such as nitric oxide (NOx) gases or nitric acids. The ozone generator is simple to manufacture, comprises stackable, removable and replaceable elements (12), and is made of inexpensive and readily available materials. The ozone generator if further capable of delivering ozone remotely, under pressure, without the requirement of any pumping mechanism on an exit side of the generator.

Description

TESLAFIELDDEVICE FORTHE PRODUCTION OFOZONE ANDMETHODSFOROPERATING THE SAME

TECHNICALFIELD

The present invention relates generally to an ozone generator and methods for operating the same, and more particularly to an ozone generator which can manufacture an ozone plasma from standard household current and voltages, but produces relatively large quantities of desirable, negatively charged ozone, together with, for example, other oxygen allotropes (e.g., monatomic oxygen, herein sometimes referred to collectively as "ozone") at relatively low amperages and low temperatures compared to traditional ozone production devices. The very desirable negatively charged form of ozone is produced without producing any large amounts of undesirable by-products such as nitric oxide (NO ) gases or nitric acids. The ozone generator is simple to manufacture, comprises stackable, removable and replaceable elements, and is made of inexpensive and readily available materials. The ozone generator is further capable of delivering ozone remotely, under pressure, without the requirement for any pumping mechanism on an exit side of the generator.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Ozone has long been known as a useful oxidation agent having many different applications in a wide variety of processes. Ozone is known to destroy bacteria associated with, _, for example, undesirable odors. Ozone has been used in water purification applications such as pool cleaning, fishing ponds, zoos, aquariums, sewage treatment plants, bottled water plants, etc. Ozone is known to kill bacteria more rapidly than chlorine due to the process by which ozone acts on bacteria, namely, rupture of cellular walls of the bacteria. Moreover, the process of ozonation will remove cyanides, manganese, arsenic, sulfur dioxide, detergents, phenols, iron, and other unwanted components from water. Still further, in contrast to chlorination, very few harmful residues are left behind by the ozonation process. In fact, ozone has been shown to be quite useful in both gas and aqueous phase oxidation reactions.

Evidence also exists that ozone will destroy viruses. Accordingly, ozone can be useful in clinical environments such as hospitals and research environments, as well as any other applications where sterilization is important, on a variety of different surfaces, including semiconductor manufacturing operations and pharmaceutical manufacturing operations, to name but a few. Ozone is also useful for biological and/or chemical decontamination situations.

Accordingly, many potential uses for ozone exist and the use of ozone would unquestionably be more widespread if relatively inexpensive and relatively efficient apparatuses for the production of desirable forms of ozone existed. In this regard, ozone is most widely produced for commercial activities by a process known as the "silent electric discharge process", sometimes also referred to as "the corona arc discharge process". In this process in tlie prior art, an air or oxygen source is passed through a relatively intense and high frequency alternating current electric field. By passing air or oxygen through such a field, the oxygen component in air, or oxygen itself, becomes ozone, O₃, a blue gaseous allotrope of oxygen. The amount or yield of ozone from a typical corona arc process is quite low, for example, in the vicinity of around two percent ozone in an output gas. This means that any output gas typically comprises about two percent O₃ by weight with the remainder being oxygen, nitrogen, and certain very- undesirable by-products known as, for example, nitric oxides (NO ). It has been observed that when high humidity exists, the amount of undesirable nitric oxide that is manufactured increases. The generation of undesirable nitric oxides can result in the formation of nitric acid in both the ozone generator and in the output gas. The presence of nitric acid in the generator can result in corrosion of certain components within the generator and cause a decrease in the amount of ozone produced. The nitric oxides and/or nitric acids expelled in the output gas can also be a respiratory irritant.

Various attempts have been made to control the harmful nitric oxides and nitric acids that are produced during typical ozonation processes, as well as simultaneously increasing the amount of ozone in an output gas. However, to date, these processes and apparatus have been very complicated as well as expensive to manufacture. For example, dry oxygen has been used as an input gas; expensive air dryers have been included with ozone generators, etc. Thus, there has been a long felt need to apply the basic and fundamental concepts of the corona arc process to reasonably large scale commercial applications, such applications not requiring capital intensive equipment and/or complicated processes to achieve desirable ozone concentrations in the output gas of an ozone generator. To date, that long felt need remains unfulfilled. Another process for the production of ozone uses an ultraviolet light source. In this process, typically, a relatively small machine is utilized and relatively small amounts of ozone are generated. The UV devices cause air to be passed by an ultraviolet source (e.g., a bulb), wherein oxygen in the air reacts with the UV source to produce very small amounts of ozone. While these devices are quite simple, the amount of ozone produced is insufficient for any significant commercial activity.

A third known general process for the production of ozone is the electrolytic process, wherein an electric current is applied across electrodes immersed in an electrolyte. Specifically, typically, an electrically conducting fluid (e.g., water) is typically exposed to a DC current across the electrodes. When the electrolyte comprises water, oxygen and hydrogen will disassociate as a precursor step followed by oxygen being converted to ozone (O₃) by a series of steps. This process suffers from the cumbersome equipment required to operate an electrical chemical cell and is expensive to manufacture and/or difficult to operate.

Accordingly, the prior art has focussed upon various embodiments of corona arc discharge devices whenever commercial or reasonably large quantities of ozone are required.

One of the earliest known corona arc devices is disclosed in U. S. Patent 568,177, issued to Tesla (1896). Tesla teaches placing two insulated conducting plates in parallel to each other and running fan actuated air between the plates and collecting or using an output of ozone at an end of the plates opposite to the location of the fan. U. S. Patent 955,818, issued to Lohman (1910) teaches placing apile or stack of dielectrics and dischargers in a suitable housing, the housing being provided with an inlet opening and an outlet opening. The discharger assemblies comprise a series of flat plates, each pair of plates being interposed by a dielectric material (e.g., micanite). Strips of glass are used to separate the dischargers and to form air channels therebetween. U. S. Patent 1,396,222, issued to Lindemann (1921) discloses using a conducting material such as a fine mesh screen being interposed between two plates of dielectric material such as glass. The screen creates numerous discharge points between adjoining plates. Lindemann further discloses that the units are slideably mounted in racks so as to be readily removable therefrom for the purpose of repair, cleaning, or replacement. Lindemann also discloses introducing air through the plates by forcing air, under pressure, through an inlet opening and capturing ozone through an outlet opening.

U. S. Patent 811,364, issued to Birtman (1906) discloses multiple parallel plates placed within an ozone-generating chamber, each of the plates being substantially parallel to each other and the plates having a voltage potential therebetween. The chamber has an inlet port for receiving an input gas and an output port for collecting ozone produced within the ozone- generating chamber.

U. S. Patent 1,363,000, issued to Lindemann (1920) discloses providing compressed air into an ozonizing chamber. The ozonizing elements are in the form of flat plates, in which a perforated metal plate or fine wire mesh screen is embedded in a dielectric material (e.g., glass). Air is forced into the ozonizing chamber by at least one inlet and is allowed to escape from the ozonizing chamber by an exit passage.

U. S. Patent 4,892,713, issued to Newman (1990) discloses a grid assembly for generating ozone. The grid assembly includes at least three dielectric plates, a pair of dielectric spacers, an anode and a cathode. The dielectric plates are spaced apart in a substantially parallel relationship and air is passed through a space between the plates resulting in the production of ozone in such space.

U. S. Patent 5,137,697, issued to Lathan, et al (1992) discloses a series of plates wherein the plates are separated by an insulating sheet and which plates receive only a negative and less positive charge from each half cycle of an applied alternating current. Lathan further discloses an air treatment element for use with the device to prevent undesirable gases from being formed during the process of generating ozone.

As is apparent from a review of the corona arc discharge prior art, the common theme in most of the prior art devices is parallel electrical plates (either flat or concentric tubes) having some sort of electric potential being applied across at least two plates, with some sort of air or oxygen supply being supplied between the plates. The plates are separated by some type of dielectric material. It is clear from the proliferation of corona arc devices that the search continues for a device which is simple to manufacture, economical to operate and which produces only desirable ozone and not any significant amounts of the undesirable by-products including NO_χ gases, nitric acids, etc. The present invention satisfies the long felt need for a simple, reliable, and economical device which produces only desirable ozone, under pressure (if desired) and not any significant amounts of the undesirable by-products that can result from an ozonation process. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The current process for producing ozone is referred to as the TESLA FIELD PROCESS™.

A first object of this invention is to produce ozone using readily available household currents and voltages. Moreover, the ozone that is produced according to the ozone generator of the present invention, uses relatively low AC currents, and thus relatively low wattages.

It is another object of the present invention to produce ozone without producing deleterious amounts of undesirable by-products including nitric oxides and nitric acids.

It is still further an object of the invention to produce predominantly negatively charged ozone. In a more preferred embodiment, the ozone which is created is that ozone which is known to resonate at a wavelength of approximately 185 nanometers (i.e., that ozone which is the predominant form of ozone produced by nature), which is the more desirable form of ozone to use for most applications.

It is another object of the invention to minimize the production of undesirable constituents (e.g., NO_x components) in the plasma by operating the ozone generator under a desirable set of operating conditions.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an ozone generator which is relatively simple to manufacture.

It is another object of the invention to manufacture an ozone generator which has elements (i.e., electrode assemblies) therein which are easily replaceable. It is a further object of the invention to produce ozone that can be remotely directed to another location.

It is another object of the invention to produce ozone that can be remotely directed to another location without the use of any fan or pump on the exit side of the ozone generator. It is another object of the invention to provide pressurized input air (e.g., up to about 15 - 18 psi, but at least about 5 - 12 psi) into the ozone generator so that ozone exiting the ozone generator is under a desirable pressure (e.g., the exit pressure may be substantially the same as input pressure). It is another object of the invention to provide pressurized input air into the ozone generator without modifying adversely the spacing within and/or between the elements (i.e., electrode assemblies) comprising the pod in the ozone generator.

It is another object of the invention to provide pressurized ozone at an exit point in the ozone generator without adversely impacting the amount or composition of ozone produced by the ozone generator.

It is a further object of the invention to direct ozone produced by the ozone generator according to the present invention to a location remote from the elements comprising the pod in the generator by utilizing a suitable pipe or tubing means which does not adversely react, in any significant amount, with any constituents comprising the ozone. It is another object of the invention to be able to destroy and/or modify and/or neutralize undesirable bacteria, viruses and/or chemicals at a location remote from the ozone generator.

It is a further object of the invention to be able to desirably modify at least a surface which is remotely located from the ozone generator.

It is another object of the invention to produce ozone substantially uniformly across substantially all the surface areas of the electrodes in the elements so as to avoid any "hot spots" on the electrodes. The invention strives to achieve an essentially uniform static discharge across the electrodes.

It is another object of the invention to maintain (i.e., not destroy) the majority of the ozone which is produced within each element. It is another object of the invention to form pods from at least two, and more preferably, at least four, elements stacked, preferably, on top of each other or next to each other. However, as many as a dozen elements or more may be combined in accordance with the other teachings of the invention. It is still a further object of the invention to provide an ozone generator which can be readily made from inexpensive materials.

A still further object of the invention is to produce ozone at relatively low temperatures (e.g., 90-130°F and most preferably, 100-120°F), which permits desirable ozone to be produced without producing any significant amount of undesirable constituents in the ozone plasma.

To achieve all of the foregoing objects and advantages, and to overcome the disadvantages of the prior art ozone generators, the present invention comprises an ozone generator which utilizes the TESLA FIELD PROCESS™ for the production of desirable ozone. Specifically, the ozone generator, according to the present mvention, comprises the following important elements :

(1) Element Construction. Each element assembly comprises a pair of substantially uniform, parallel, electrically conducting, electrodes, each electrode being substantially completely covered (and in a most preferred embodiment completely covered) by a dielectric material, with an air gap existing between the two dielectric-covered electrodes. The dielectric material comprises at least one relatively inexpensive plastic material (e.g., a polycarbonate and/or an acrylic) which is readily available commercially. However, the plastic material should be capable of withstanding all operating conditions of the invention including, but not limited to, temperature, the presence of ozone, operating pressures and other operating conditions generated within the device. The gap that exists between the dielectric material that covers the electrodes (as well as the gap between the electrodes themselves) is very important to the operation of the invention and is designed such that when an appropriate voltage and amperage is applied across the electrodes, conditions are created which result in the formation of desirable ozone, which ozone, when formed, is not subsequently destroyed in any significant quantity. Without wishing to be bound by any particular theory or explanation, it is believed that tlie novel combination of operating conditions of the present invention results in a certain substantially uniform static field being set up between the dielectric-covered electrodes. This static field is different from the prior art teachings.

(2) Element Stacking. The elements comprising the electrode assemblies are constructed such that they can be placed or stacked on top of, or next to, each other so that; (i) the amount of ozone generated is a function of the number of elements provided in the system; (ii) the elements can be standardized for manufacturing purposes; and (iii) the elements can be readily replaced if damaged. Stacked elements, or elements assembled next to each other, are known as a pod. Typical pods comprise at least two elements, and more preferably, at least four elements. However, up to twelve (12) elements of the approximate size described herein, can be provided in accordance with the teachings of the present invention. The present invention provides for a means for cooling (e.g., in a preferred embodiment cooling by air is achieved) between elements as well as a means for supporting each element so as to maintain a substantially parallel relationship between the dielectric-covered electrodes in each element. Additionally, in a preferred embodiment of the invention, the elements are arranged in a pod such that the input (e.g., air) for each element is separately provided by a manifold device to each element and the output for each element (e.g., a gas or plasma comprising desirable ozone) is separately collected by a similar manifold device. Thus, both the input and output gases can be desirably managed by utilizing, for example, a manifold assembly located proximate to each set of inlet and outlet openings. Alternatively, gasses may flow sequentially from one element in the pod to the next. The particular arrangement (i.e., either a series flow arrangement, a parallel flow arrangement and/or a combination of a series and parallel flow arrangement) may be selected as a function of design and or performance criteria. For example, if significant output pressures are required, (e.g., about 5-10 psi or greater) a manifold or parallel flow structure may be more desirable than a sequential or series structure. Further, the electrical connection of the dielectric- covered electrodes in adjacent elements within a pod is made in a parallel manner (see, for example, Figure 6 herein).

(3) Operational Temperature. The present invention provides for operation of the ozone generator at relatively low temperatures. Specifically, the dielectric-covered electrode assemblies within an element, when subjected to all operating conditions of the present invention, should operate at temperatures between about 90°F- 130°F, and most preferably, between about 100°F - 120°F. The operational temperature of the elements (and thus the pod) is important because minimal amounts of, or effectively no, undesirable nitric oxide (NO_x) gases and nitric acids are produced; the majority of ozone that is produced is the more desirable ozone (e.g., substantially the same ozone that is produced in nature which is that ozone that is negatively charged and which resonates at a primary wavelength of about 185 nanometers); the desirable ozone which is produced is not immediately destroyed due to the low operating temperatures experienced by the ozone generator, resulting in more ozone and/or a higher concentration of desirable ozone being produced relative to prior art devices; and the low operating temperatures of the ozone generator permit the use of relatively inexpensive and easy to manufacture materials such as plastics (e.g., polycarbonate(s) and/or acrylic(s)) as the dielectric material(s).

It is very desirable to be able to utilize plastic materials such as polycarbonate as the dielectric because, typically, plastic materials have significant advantages over glass materials. For example, when plastic is heated, its conductivity typically decreases, thus its dielectric constant typically increases. This behavior is opposite to most glasses. Further, glasses tend to be much more brittle than plastics. Accordingly, glasses are known to fracture from tensile stresses which can occur, for example, from temperature gradients and pressure gradients. Plastics, typically, are much more damage tolerant than glasses and do not fail catastrophically like most glasses. Moreover, for some unknown reason, it appears that the air gap (it is noted that the air is the primary dielectric in this device and the plastic is the secondary dielectric in this device) that exists between dielectric-covered electrodes is less critical when plastics are used, in comparison to prior art glass devices. However, the gap is a vitally important feature of this invention when used in combination with the other operating parameters of the invention.

(4) Electrical Connection. The electrical connection between desirable external electrical circuitry and the electrodes within an element assembly is an important feature of this invention. Specifically, the manner in which the external electrical source is connected to the electrodes results in a more reliable electrode and element assembly. In this regard, once an acceptable portion of an electrode is caused to be accessible to the external electrical circuitry, an epoxy is utilized to connect an external wire to the electrode. It has been unexpectedly discovered that certain two-part conductive epoxies permit the electrodes to function in a desirable manner. Moreover, once electrical contact has been achieved, the electrical connection is isolated from the external atmosphere by utilizing an appropriate sealing resin to fill in any gaps. (5) Electrical Source. The electrical circuitry of the present invention is unique. Specifically, the electrical device which powers the ozone generator is capable of being plugged into any standard 110-120 Volt, 60 Hertz, household outlet and produce heretofore unheard of amounts of ozone. Briefly, a commercially available electrical transformer, suitably modified as discussed herein, can be used to generate a voltage of from about 12 kV to about 16 kV, and most preferably from about 14.5 kV to about 15.5 kV and even more preferably, about 15 kV. Moreover, the amperage which is utilized by each element of the present invention, is quite small, preferably in a range of about 0.5 milliamps to about 2.5 milliamps and most preferably about 0.8 milliamps to about 2.0 milliamps for each element. An entire ozone generator comprising four elements manufactured and operated according to the present invention as described herein uses less than about 2.0 amps and typically, less than about 1.5 amps (e.g., do primarily to heat loss). The combination of this voltage and amperage, along with the specifics of the electrical circuitry, and the gap which exists between the dielectric-covered electrodes, etc., are what provide for the desirable production of predominantly negatively charged ozone that has a primary resonant wavelength of about 185 nanometers, as discussed in greater detail later herein.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figures la, lb, lc and Id show various views of one embodiment of an ozone generator according to the present invention; Figure 1 e shows a partially exploded view of certain elements of another embodiment of an ozone generator according to the present invention;

Figure 2a is a perspective view of one preferred embodiment of an element formed according to the present invention;

Figures 2b, 2c, 2d, 2e, 2f and 2g show various views of a second preferred embodiment of an element formed according to the present invention;

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of the element shown in Figure 2 taken partially along the line M-M;

Figures 4a, 4b and 4c show an electrical connection according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; Figure 5 shows an exploded view of a pod assembly according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 6a shows a first preferred electrical circuit of a first embodiment used in the present invention; Figure 6b shows a second preferred embodiment of an electrical circuit used in the present invention;

Figure 7 shows a perspective view of an apparatus for measuring the output of ozone from an ozone generator according to the present invention; and

Figure 8 shows a schematic of an actual example of an ozone generator according to the present invention being utilized at a sewage treatment plant.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An ozone generator according to a first embodiment of the invention is shown generally in Figure 1. Specifically, Figures la, lb, lc and Id show various views of a first preferred embodiment of an ozone generator according to the present invention. Figure 1 a shows a top view of an assembled ozone generator according to the present invention. Viewing slots 104 are provided so that optional windows provided in the elements 12 can be viewed from the top. An output tube 106 is provided on a kangaroo pouch 108, which contains the entire output of the ozone generator in a tube or hose. A power cord 107 is contained within the kangaroo pouch 108. Figure lb shows a front view of an ozone generator (with the cover removed) according to the present invention. A cooling fan 100 is provided for circulating air between the elements 12 for cooling thereof. The cooling fan 100 can be any conventional circulating fan powered by the same AC source as the ozone generator.

An internal pump 102 is provided for pumping an input gas into each element 12. The internal pump can utilize the same AC source as the ozone generator. The internal pump 102 is caused to communicate separately with each element 12. Such communication can occur by, for example, the use of an intake manifold 101. In this regard, the intake manifold 101 connects to an individual input of each element 12, such that the elements 12 function in parallel. It may be desirable for the internal pump 102 to be in communication with an appropriate filter (e.g., an activated carbon filter) to assure that any input gasses into the pump 102 do not contain any chemical constituents (e.g., free ozone) which could be harmful to the action of the pump 102. The intake manifold 101 can also, optionally, be attached to an external pump (not shown) for certain applications. In such cases, a pressure valve or a check valve could be used in combination with an external pump to assure that appropriate operating pressures are achieved in the gap 11 of the elements 12.

An AC power source 105, which typically comprises a transformer, and in a preferred embodiment a 15kV transformer, is provided to power the elements 12. The transformer 105 is connected individually to each of two electrodes within each element 12. The electrically conducting lines 40 are provided for an electrical connection between the transformer 105 and the electrodes in the elements 12.

A carrying handle 103 is provided for ease of movement of the ozone generator. Wheels 109 are provided for rolling the ozone generator on a hard surface floor. Figure lc shows a bottom view of the ozone generator according to the present invention.

Figure Id shows a side view of the ozone generator according to the present invention. Figure le shoes a partially exploded perspective view of certain elements of an ozone generator made according to a second embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, an activated carbon filter 102 is provided upstream of the pump 102 to assure that the input air into the pump 102 is clean. In this regard, for example, it is possible that ozone provided by the ozone generator could be present locally, for a variety of operational reasons, near the intake for the pump 102. The pump 102 can be a conventional, and relatively inexpensive air pump. If ozone was allowed to be introduced into the pump 102, the pump would rapidly become inoperable. Additionally, in this embodiment, a plurality of bolts 56 extend through the four elements 12 and the support elements 52 which are present to provide rigidity to the pod assembly. This second embodiment differs from the first embodiment shown in Figures 2a, 3 and 5 in that the air gap 11 (shown in Figure 3) is defined or constructed differently. Specifically, the center spacer 9 (shown in Figure 2a) has been replaced by a plurality of ring spacers 14 (shown in, for example, Figures 2b and 2f), described in greater detail later herein. The end spacers 7 (shown in Figure 3) are also utilized in the second embodiment, but have been suitably modified to function as manifolds for introducing air into the gap 11. Specifically, as shown in Figures 2b, 2d, 23, 2f and 2g, the longitudinal manifold 112 with the openings 113 now serve a similar function as the end spacers 7. In this particular embodiment, ten (10) bolts 56 are used to fasten the compression plates 52 to the elements 12 to assure parallelism between the electrodes 2 (shown in Figure 3) in the elements 12.

An air manifold 101 is located vertically relative to the pod assembly 50. The air manifold 101 communicates with each element 12 (i.e., each air space 11) within the pod assembly 50. The connection between the air manifold 101 and each element 12 is shown in greater detail in Figures 2b, 2c, 2f and 2g and is discussed in greater detail later herein. A second air manifold 101 (not shown) could be located on an opposite side of the pod assembly 50. A cover 111 is provided to enclose and house the pod assembly.

Figure 2a shows a perspective view of one preferred embodiment of an element 12 made according to the present invention and Figure 3 shows a cross sectional view taken partially along the line M-M in Figure 2. Figures 2a and 3 show a pair of electrodes 2 which are positioned in a substantially parallel relationship with each other. These electrodes can be made from any suitable electrically conductive material, but in a preferred embodiment, comprise thin sheets of aluminum foil. Desirable thicknesses "c" for the electrodes 2 range from about 0.001" to about 0.003", with a most preferred thickness being about 0.002". A desirable length "x" for the electrode 2 is about 14" to about 17", with a most preferred length being about 16". A desirable width "y" for the electrode 2 is about 8" to about 23" with a most desirable width being about 10". Each electrode 2 is substantially completely covered by a first sheet 4 and a second sheet 3 which, together, isolate both electrodes 2 in an element 12 from an air gap 11. It is most preferred that each electrode 2 is completely isolated from the air gap 11 so as to prevent any direct arcing, as well as hot spots, between each electrode 2. The first and second sheets 4 and 3 can be made of any material which is capable of functioning within the operating conditions of the ozone generator, including, but not limited to, operational temperatures, operational pressures, ozone production, etc. Acceptable materials for the sheet 4 include polycarbonate and acrylic materials, with polycarbonates being the most preferred. Glass can also be used as the sheet 4, but is not as preferred as plastic. Moreover, when plastic is selected as the sheet 4, it is preferable for the plastic sheet 4 to have a relatively high dielectric constant. Further it is desirable for the dielectric constant of the plastic sheet 4 to increase with increasing temperatures. When polycarbonate is selected as the material for the sheet 4, a desirable thickness "a" for the polycarbonate sheet 4 is about 0.80" to about 0.170", with a most desirable thickness of about 0.100" to about 0.140", with 0.125" being the most preferred.

The second sheet 3 can also be made of any material which is capable of withstanding the operating conditions of the ozone generator. Acceptable materials for the second sheet 3 include glass and plastic materials, with plastic being the most preferred. A most desirable plastic material is a somewhat porous polyvinylchlori.de (PVC) material known as Sintra^®. A desirable thickness "b" for the PVC sheet 3 is about 6mm to about 10mm, with a thickness of about 6mm being the most preferred. Whatever material is chosen as the sheet 3, the material should be rigid enough to provide structural support for the electrodes 2 so that when the element 12 is used as part of an ozone generator, the electrodes 2 are maintained in a substantially parallel relationship. Further, the distance "z" which is that distance which extends laterally beyond the edge of the electrode 2 measures about 0.188" to about 0.500" within the center spacer 9 and about 0.625" to about 0.875" along an outer edge of the element 12.

In a preferred embodiment, when the sheet 4 comprises a polycarbonate material and the sheet 3 comprises a porous PVC material, the electrodes 2 are attached to the sheets 3 and 4 by a glue which is capable of surviving the operating conditions of the ozone generator. An acceptable glue is a multipurpose, multibonding plastic glue with Weld-On #4052 being preferred. Moreover, for plastic-to-plastic bonding, Weld-On #16 works very well. It is important that no air bubbles are created between the sheets 3 and 4 and the electrode 2 because such air bubbles could lead to hot spots in the element 12 and ultimately render the element 12 useless.

The gap 11 which exists between the sheets 4 covering the electrodes 2 is a very important feature of the present invention. In general, the width "d" of the gap 11 should be wide enough so as to prevent any arcing (or hot spots) between the electrodes 2 under the operational conditions of the element 12, while permitting a substantially uniform static field to be created between the dielectric-covered electrodes 2. The presence of a substantially uniform static field within the gap 11 in the first embodiment is a critical feature of the present invention and will be discussed later herein. The width of this gap 11 is defined by the end spacers 7 and the center spacer 9. Once again, the spacers 7 and 9 can be made from any suitable material which can withstand the operating conditions of the element 12, but also should be capable of maintaining the distance "d" between the dielectric covering (i.e., the sheets 4) on the electrodes 2. An acceptable material for the end spacers 7 is a polycarbonate material, similar to the polycarbonate sheet material 4. Similarly, polycarbonate materials can also be used for the spacer 9, however, a PVC material is also suitable. In this regard, the PVC material used as the PVC sheet 3 has been found to be acceptable for use in the element 12. The end spacers 7 can be placed between the sheets 4 in any desired manner to define a width "d", however; Figure 3 shows a preferred method for positioning the spacers 7 which involves forming a groove in at least one of the sheets 4. The spacers 7 can be attached to the sheets 4 by a glue similar to that discussed above herein. In order to seal completely the ends of the unit 12 so as to create an air gap 11 which is substantially completely gas tight, additional components 5 and 6 are also provided. The component 6 seals directly the spacer 7 and the component 5 is a slat which gives further sealing capabilities to make a gas-tight seal in the air gap 11. While Figure 3 shows the components 5, 6 and 7 as three separate components, it is of course within the scope of the invention for these three components to comprise one or two pieces rather than three.

In a preferred embodiment, the components 5, 6 and 7 all comprise plastic materials which are glued together by similar glues to those discussed above herein. The components 5, 6 and 7 are preferably made from the same polycarbonate and PVC materials discussed above herein, however, other materials suitable for use with the present invention can also be used. The spacer 9 performs at least three important roles. Its first role is similar to that of the spacers 7 in that it helps define a specific width "d" in the gap 11. Its second role is that is breaks-up or disturbs the pattern of air flow when air is pumped into either one of the inlet/outlet tubes 8. Specifically, in order to assure that all portions of the electrodes 2 take part in any reaction, it is important for the gas (e.g., air) flow to be disturbed or interrupted when such gas is introduced into the gap 11. The location/shape of the spacer 9 insures that any gas flow introduced into the gap 11 will be disturbed in a desirable manner thus permitting all areas of the electrodes 2 to interact with the introduced gas. Its third role is that it permits a fastening rod (not shown in Figures 2 or 3) to be inserted into the hole 1 located on the spacer 7. The importance of the fastening rods will be discussed later herein, however, such rods hold together multiple elements 12. The spacer 9 can be fastened to the sheets 4 by utilizing a glue similar to that discussed above herein.

The importance of all of the components 5, 6, 7 and 9 is that not only do these components establish initially the width "d" between the sheets 4, but they also substantially maintain the width "d" during the operation of the element 12 in the ozone generator. It has been found that under the normal operating condition of the element 12, that the preferable width "d" for the gap 11 is about .183" to about .193", with about .186" to about .190" being more preferred and about .188" being the most preferred.

Specifically, under the operating conditions of the element 12, when the gap 11 has the substantially uniform width "d" discussed above, a highly uniform static field which is unique to the invention is created. In this regard, the typical voltages applied to the electrodes 2 is about 14,000 V to about 16,000 V, with about 15,000 V being the most preferred. The electrical power source used to create these voltages is discussed in greater detail later herein, however, a preferred voltage is an AC voltage applied at a frequency of about 50 Hz to about 70 Hz, with about 60 Hz being used most frequently due to, among other factors, convenience. However, other signals, including pulsed signals, may also function in accordance with the teachings of the present invention and result in the formation of desirable ozone plasmas. Accordingly, the element 12 is caused to function as a capacitor which cycles, in a preferred embodiment, at about 60 cycles every second or about 120 half cycles every second (i.e., the "capacitor" discharges about 120 times per second). The primary dielectric in the element 12 is the gas

(e.g., air) which exists in the gap 11, and the secondary dielectric is the sheet material 4 (e.g., in a preferred embodiment the material comprises polycarbonate). When the element 12 is exposed to all operating conditions, the gas (e.g., air) which is pumped (e.g., by any suitable internal or external pump) into either of the inlet/outlet openings 8, undergoes a reaction which is unique in type and quantity to the present invention. Specifically, when air is used as the input gas, the operating conditions of the invention cause the oxygen component in the air to turn into a desirable form of ozone, without producing undesirable secondary products such as NO_x gasses or nitric acids. The specifics of this unique phenomena are discussed later herein. When the gap 11 is of a width "d" which is less than the width of the present invention, the element 12 starts to function in a manner which is outside the desired parameters of the present invention and begins to function in a manner closer to the prior art, namely, certain undesirable excess heat is created. This undesirable heat results in an undesirable softening, or in extreme cases, a melt-down of internal plastic parts. The undesirable heating also results in certain undesirable chemical reactions including the destruction of ozone which has already been manufactured. This is contrasted with the operating conditions of the present invention which do not encourage such higher temperatures, but rather, encourages a much more gentle process of the lower temperature static discharge similar to the operation of a capacitor.

However, when the gap 11 is of a width "d" which is greater than the width of the present invention, the total dielectric constant of the air in the gap 11 and sheets 4 is too high and thus prevents the electrodes 2 from creating a substantially uniform static discharge therebetween. Accordingly, it should be clear to an artisan of ordinary skill, that the combination of dielectric constant, voltage, frequency of AC applied, and width of the gap 11, are interdependent on each other, and the changing of any one of the operating conditions requires a corresponding change in at least one other of the operating conditions so that the element 12 can be caused to function in accordance with the teachings herein. For example, a higher voltage would require a larger dielectric constant (e.g., a larger gap "d"). Additionally, a higher frequency will result in more static discharges per second and could thus increase the amount of ozone produced by the element 12 in the same amount of time relative to a lower frequency. However, care must be taken not to exceed the internal cooling capacity of the pod assembly so as to result in damage or destruction of the element 12.

The element 12 in Figure 2a shows five separate support and alignment tabs 10. These tabs each have at least one hole 1 therethrough. The holes 1 are provided so as to permit an appropriate fastening rod to be inserted therethrough. The tabs 10, as well as the spacer 9, permit various multiple elements 12 to be stacked on top of each other and fastened together. An acceptable fastening rod for holding together multiple elements 12 would be a threaded metal rod of an appropriate diameter and length. Acceptable materials for the tabs 10 include plastics such as polycarbonates and plastics. The tabs 10 can be glued directly to the slat 5 by utilizing glues similar to those discussed above herein. Additionally, the tabs 10 can be formed as an integral piece with one or more other components of the element 12.

At least two of the support and alignment tabs 10 can function as an inlet and an outlet opening 8 to the gap 11 created within the element 12. The inlet and outlet opening 8 can be made of any suitable material which can withstand the operating conditions of the element 12. Acceptable materials for the inlet and outlet opening 8 include plastics, such as polycarbonates and acrylics, as well as, in limited cases, metals such as stainless steel. An acceptable means for attaching the inlet and outlet opening 8 to the tabs 10 include drilling a hole in appropriate tabs 10 and gluing the inlet and outlet opening 8 therein. However, any suitable means for maintaining a gas-tight inlet and outlet seal, as well as a gas-tight area within the gap 11 would be acceptable, so long as significant undesirable interactions occur with the ozone plasma or gas that is produced.

An appropriate means for pumping an oxygen-containing gas (e.g., in a preferred embodiment the gas comprises air) can be utilized for pumping the gas into the gap 11. The pump should be sized such that it has a sufficient capacity to provide enough of an oxygen- containing gas into the gap 11 to permit conversion of oxygen to ozone at an acceptable rate, as well as permitting, in certain applications, the produced ozone to be delivered to a location remote from the gap 11. In a preferred embodiment, the internal pump 100 (shown in Figure 1) is capable of generating about 5 psi, however, typical operating pressures within the gap 11 are around 0.5 - 0.6 psi. An optional external pump can communicate with the gap 11 (e.g., in most embodiments of the invention which utilize an external pump, the pump communicates with a plurality of gaps 11) such that pressures of about 5 - 18 psi are input into the elements 12. However, in elements manufactured according to the present invention, the pressures input into the element(s) 12 through the inlet 8 should preferably be 5 - 15 psi, with the most preferred range being about 5 - 10 psi. The precise amount of pressure needed within the gaps 11 is a function of all of the operating requirements of the element 12, and the distance required for ozone provided by the ozone generator to be delivered.

A hole or slot 13 is provided to permit electrical contact between an external electrical supply and the electrode 2. Figure 4 shows the electrical connection in greater detail. It should be noted that the use of the optional external pump on the inlet side 8 of each element 12 containing the gap 11 is an important feature of the present invention. Specifically, by pressurizing the input gas (e.g., air), the ozone which is produced is delivered under a pressure on the outlet side 8 of the element 12. Thus, no additional pump is required for many applications which require ozone to be delivered to a location remote from the element(s) 12. The lack of the need for a pump on the outlet side 8 of the element 12 is important because potentially undesirable interactions with such a pump are eliminated (e.g., ozone may undesirably interact with portions of the pump and/or desirable ozone may be converted to less desirable and/or undesirable constituents due to flowing through such a pump. Accordingly, for example, a pressure of about 8 - 10 psi at the inlet side 8 of the element 12 can result in a desirable ozone being delivered by a black PVC tube (having an inside diameter of about 5/8") 50 - 100 meters or more in length, whereby one end of such a tube can be submerged in a liquid (e.g., sewage) to a depth of about 3 - 4 meters.

Figures 2b-2g show particular elements of a second embodiment of one element 12 made according to the present invention (Note: like reference numerals have been used wherever practicable). Many aspects of the first embodiment of the element 12 described above herein are the same or similar to many aspects of the second embodiment of the element 12. Accordingly, for brevity, only key distinguishing differences between the first and second embodiments are highlighted.

Figures 2b, 2c, 2d and 2f show various aspects of an alternate embodiment for creating the gap 11 shown in Figure 3 as well as for communicating outside air with the gap 11.

Specifically, a plurality of ring spacers 14 (five are used in the drawings representing this second embodiment) are used in conjunction with bolts 56 which extend through the ring spacers 14 as well as through the holes 1 in the tabs 10. A total often bolts 56 are used in this second embodiment. The plurality of ring spacers 14 are used instead of the center spacer 9 (shown in Figure 2a) to sustain even greater parallelism between the electrodes 2 (e.g., shown in Figure 2a) even under pressures input to the inlet/outlet 8 which approach about 10 - 18 psi.

The ring spacers 14 can be made of similar PVC (polyvinylchloride) materials discussed above herein. The outside diameter of the ring spacers 14 is about 3/4" and the inside diameter is about 1/4", but the inside diameter should be large enough to accommodate the outside diameter of the bolts 56 (e.g., stainless steel). However, in a most preferred embodiment, another material which is electrically insulating (e.g., polycarbonate) can be placed inside the inside diameter of a ring spacer 14 that has been machined to have a 3/8" inside diameter. This additional electrically insulating material has an inside diameter of about %". Thereafter, bolts 56 (e.g., stainless steel) can be placed inside the V" inside diameter insert. The outside diameter of the bolts 56 can be suitably selected such that they are just below ! " outside diameter. Additionally, as shown in Figures 2c, 2d and 2g, an additional concentric space is provided between the outside diameter of the ring spacer 14 and inside diameter of the hole la provided in the electrode 2 material. Specifically, for example, as shown in Figure 2c, the outside diameter of the ring spacer 14 is represented by the dotted line within the hole la, provided within the electrode 2. Also, as shown in Figure 2f, the distance "n" represents the distance between the outside diameter of the ring spacer 14 and the inside diameter of the hole la. In this embodiment, the distance "n" is about 1/8". It is important for there to be a radial space between the electrode 2 and the ring spacer 14 so that undesirable electrical arcing does not occur. The top and bottom portions of the ring spacers 14 are suitably glued to the sheet 4 (shown in Figure 3) by means similar to those discussed above herein.

Figures 2b, 2d, 2e, 2f and 2g show a particular combination of elements which permit an outside atmosphere to enter through the inlet/outlet opening 8 and be present within a longitudinal manifold 112 and distributed substantially uniformly through the openings 113 into the gap 11 (shown in Figure 3). This particular configuration provides for substantially uniform flow of input gases through the gap 11, even when the input gasses are pressurized, as discussed herein. Multiple longitudinal manifolds 112, each being associated with an element 12, can be vertically connected by, for example, the vertical manifold 101 (shown in Figure le). The particular combination of inlet/outlet openings 8 with the longitudinal manifold 112, openings 113 and vertical manifold 101 provide for substantially uniform input into the gap 11 between each set of electrode 2 within each element 12. Moreover, the bolts 56 and ring spacers 14, when combined with suitable support plates 52 (as shown in Figure 5 and discussed herein) permit substantial pressures to be applied within the gap 11. Pressures of up to about 15 - 18 psi can be input into the inlet/outlet opening 8 when the teachings of the present invention are followed. Specifically, when electrode elements of the sizes discussed above herein are utilized, the ten (10) bolts 56, when used in conjunction with the other teachings herein, permit the electrodes 2 to remain substantially parallel. If the electrodes 2 are not substantially parallel, then the desirable aspects of the present invention are difficult or impossible to achieve. Accordingly, the second embodiment of the invention permits the use of a standard pump as an input for the inlet 8 which still achieving pressured ozone at an outlet 8 for the use at some location remote or distantly removed from the ozone generator. In this regard, ozone can be delivered to remote locations away from the generator up to about 100 meters and depths of up to about 3-4 meters can be achieved by simply running a hard, black, polyvinylchloride, 5/8" inside diameter pipe from one outlet opening 8.

Figures 4a, 4b and 4c show the wire 40 which is used to connect each electrode to the external power source. Each wire 40 includes a barrel splice 41, a resistor 42 and an electrical lead wire 43 for connecting to each electrode 2. An acceptable wire material for the wire 40 is a GTO 15 spark plug wire. The barrel splice 41 is a standard, commercially available barrel splice. The resistor 42 is preferably a 2 watt, 10 K-ohm resistor. The electrical lead 43 can be any standard electrical lead, however, a solder-coated copper wire provides a particularly suitable electrical connection. The dashed line 44 represents a preferred embodiment of the invention wherein the lead 43 is bent back to provide for more areal contact between the lead 43 and the electrode 2. Figure 4b shows the other end of the wire 40. Specifically, a ring lug 45 is provided for connecting to the external power source.

Figure 4c shows the opening 13 where the bent lead 44 is inserted into the hole 47 and connected to the electrode 2. Figure 4c is oriented such that it is a cut-away view looking down onto the top of Figure 3, whereby the wire 40 would be inserted into the back of the page, relative to the orientation of Figure 3 (i.e., the dashed line 13 in Figure 3 is dashed because it does not extend all the way to the cross-sectional line "M-M". However, a similar hole or slot 13 can be located in the element 12 wherever it is convenient. The electrical connection is an important feature of the invention because it is desirable to have a reliable electrical connection to the electrode 2. It has been discovered that an electrically conductive epoxy (e.g., such as Circuit Works #2400 conductive epoxy) works very well with the invention. After the bent lead 44 has been attached to the electrode 2 and the connection media has set, a filler material (e.g., such as a commercially available fiberglass resin) is placed into the hole 47 through the opening 46 so as to seal completely the electrical attachment from the outside environment and to preclude the presence of air bubbles.

Figure 5 shows the assembly of a plurality of elements 12 together to form a "pod" 50. Specifically, the elements 12 are aligned such that the holes 1 in the support tabs 10 are positioned so that a rod could be placed through all corresponding holes 1 in each element 12. Moreover, for simplicity, only a single wire 40 is shown. A total of eight wires 40 (i.e., one for each electrode) are necessary. A first set of wires 40 are typically connected in parallel to all of the "top" electrodes in each of the elements 12, while a second set of wires 40 are typically connected in parallel to the "bottom" electrodes in each of the elements 12. Similarly, for clarity, only two inlet/outlet tubes 8 are shown. A pair of inlet/outlet tubes are typically required for each element 12. Windows 55 are also shown. The windows 55 are an optional inclusion with each element 12, however, tlie windows permit each element 12 to be visually inspected to determine if it is operational. For example, when each element 12 is functioning properly, a sky blue glow can be observed through each of the windows 55. An acceptable material for each of the windows 55 is a transparent plastic material, such as a polycarbonate, which is capable of withstanding all operating conditions of the element 12. The windows 55 can be glued in place by an acceptable glue, such as those discussed above herein. A honeycomb material 53 is provided between adjacently located elements 12, as well as on the outermost surfaces of each of the outer elements 12. The honeycomb material is provided to permit circulating air from a cooling fan (not shown in Figure 5) to come into contact with surfaces of the elements 12. The honeycomb material 53 can be any suitable material which is capable of being bonded to the elements 12 and which can provide an acceptable amount of air to be circulated onto the surfaces of the elements 12. Acceptable materials for use as the honeycomb material 53 are plastics. A most preferred plastic is a polycarbonate Thermolclear^® honeycomb material. As is shown in Figure 5, each honeycomb material 53 has a corresponding number of holes therein that correspond to the holes 1 in each of the elements 12. These holes also function as alignment holes and permit an appropriate rod to be inserted therethrough.

The numeral 52 designates an appropriate support material for providing rigidity to the pod 50, and thus all of the elements 12. Rigidity of the pod 50 is important, because parallelism of the electrodes 2 (within each element 12) is important to be maintained. This parallelism is important because of the manner in which each element 12 functions, namely, each element functions as a capacitor which attempts to achieve a static discharge on the order of at least one hundred times each second. The elements 52 can be made of any suitable material, with materials such as light metals, plywood, wood, etc., being acceptable. In a most preferred embodiment, for ease of assembly as well as cost, 0.750" plywood can be utilized. Plywood is useful for pressures of less than about 12 - 18 psi being input into the inlet 8. For pressures greater than about 12 - 18 psi, additional support structures are desirable. When additional rigidity is required, the panels 52 can be doubled, supported or entirely replaced with an alternate relatively stiff metal or, they may be used in conjunction with a relatively stiff metal. (However, when metals are utilized, care should be taken to ensure that such metals are appropriately grounded so as not to create any shock hazards.) In the embodiment shown in Figure 5, the sheets 52 are used in conjunction with a relatively stiffer metal plate 54. In this regard, any metal suitable for maintaining parallelism of the electrodes 2 within the elements 12 for pressures of up to about 30 psi, are acceptable. Such higher pressures are typically achieved when an external pump is connected to the elements 12. For example, when plywood sheets 52 having a thickness of about 0.750"_are used in conjunction with the pod assembly 50, then it is desirable to use mild steel compression plates having a thickness of about 0.375" are desirable. A primary purpose for all of the support structures 52 and 54 is to provide rigidity to the pod assembly 50. As is shown in Figure 5, a plurality of holes 51 are provided in the support structure 54. These holes correspond in size and location to the holes 1 in each of the elements 12.

Once all of the elements 54, 52, 53, and 12 are assembled, appropriate rods can be inserted into each of the holes so as to hold all of the elements together. Acceptable rods comprise metal rods having a diameter of, for example, about 0.250" to about 0.375" depending on, for example, the pressures present in the gap 11 in the element 12. Washers and nuts are then utilized to hold all of the elements together in a conventional manner.

Figure 6 shows a first embodiment of the electrical schematic of the circuitry that is used with the present invention. The schematic depicts four ozone generating elements numbered 12ι, 12 , 12₃ and 12₄. These four elements 12 correspond to the elements in a pod in the exploded view of Figure 5. One output side 62 of a 15 kV transformer 60 is attached to a first electrode in each of the elements 12 through the resistors R_l5 R₃, R₅ and R ; while the second output side 63 of the transformer 60 is connected to the second electrode in each of the elements 12 through the resistors R , R__t, R₆ and R₈. Each of the resistors Ri - R₈ correspond to the resistor 42 in Figure 4a and each resistor has a preferred resistance of about 10 K-ohms at about 2 watts and is specifically adjusted to achieve frequency related impedence matching.

The primary windings 64 of the transformer 60 are connected at the hot lead 66 through what is known as a pre-load circuit. It is desirable to use a pre-load circuit in this invention because each element 12 is a relatively low current device and commercially available transformers in the 15 kV range are typically made for high current applications (e.g., like those known corona arc devices of the prior art). Thus, the transformer 60 is operating in an underload environment which can result in overload voltage which can result in voltage swings and spikes, as well as a rising overheat situation which can cause the secondary windings 65 of the transformer 60 to weld. Accordingly, by using a pre-load circuit comprising the resistors R₉ and R_10, wired as shown (each of R₉ and R₁₀ having a resistance of 51 ohms at 25 watts), the underload environment is ameliorated.

Another important electrical circuit modification is the addition of two "double crowbar circuits" on the primary windings side 64 of the transformer 60; a first of such circuits being connected to the hot lead 66 and the second being connected to the neutral lead 67. Specifically a first varistor V_1; allows about 190 volts peak to peck to flow to the hot lead 66 of the transformer 60. A second varistor V₂ allows 37 volts peak to the neutral terminal 67 of the transformer 60. The use of the varistors Vi and V₂ prevent any voltage damage to the circuitry due to any unforeseen high voltage spikes. Moreover, the voltage supply needs to be correctly polarized.

Figure 6B shows a second embodiment of an electrical schematic of the circuitry that is used with the present invention. A standard plug Pi connects with standard Line, Ground and neutral electrical connections. A key switch S_t and fuse Fi are provided in series. The fuse ¥ι can be a standard "MDL 1.0". An air pump 102, Fan 100, operating light Li, Fuse F (MDL 0.25) a resistor R₉ and capacitor Ci are all also located on a low winding side of the transformer 60. Acceptable values for the resistor R₉ in the configuration is about 50 ohms and 10 watts. Acceptable values for the capacitor in this configuration is about 0.5 microfarads at 350 VAC.

The elements 12 are all wired as shown and the resistors Rι-R₈ can be about 10 K-ohm at 5 watts for the configuration shown in Figure 6B.

Figure 7 shows an apparatus which is utilized to measure the amount of ozone output from an ozone generator. Specifically, a plastic container 70 has a hose 71 which can be connected to the output of an ozone generator. The ozone output is directed into the output line 72 of a submersible pump 73. The submersible pump 73 will create a Venturi effect at the junction in the hoses 71 and 72, thereby drawing ozone into the hose 72 and thus ultimately into the solution 74 at the exit point 75 of the hose 72.

The following steps are those experimental steps taken to measure the ozone output of an ozone generator:

Step 1: 200 grams of potassium iodide (KI) is dissolved into 10 liters of distilled water. The solution is kept cool and in the dark in appropriate containers for about 12-24 hours.

Step 2: The KI solution is poured into the clear plastic cylinder 70. The submersible pump 73 is activated, thereby creating agitation of the solution 74 as well as a negative air pressure in the hose 71 resulting in a Venturi effect therein. Step 3: The ozone generator output is connected to the line 71 and the ozone generator is turned on for a timed period which is typically 2-3 minutes.

Step 4: If ozone is present in the output of the ozone generator, the clear potassium iodide solution will turn from a clean color, to a yellow color, to ultimately a brown color, the color changes occurring at a rate which is a function of the amount of ozone being introduced into the solution 74.

Step 5: After the ozone generator is disconnected, a 100 ml sample of the discolored KI solution 74 is extracted from the container 70. This 100 ml sample is acidified until a Ph of less than 2 is achieved by utilizing a 10% strength solution of sulfuric acid (H₂SO ). Step 6: The color of the brownish-colored KI sample is then neutralized by gradually dripping a 0.005 Molar solution of sodium thiosulphate (Na₂S₂O₃) from a graduated burette. When the color of the 100 ml sample of the discolored KI solution approaches a clear color, some starch indicator solution is then added to the 100 ml sample. This starch indicator turns the 100 ml sample blue. A continued dripping of the sodium thiosulphate is continued until the blue color just disappears.

Step 7: The amount of sodium thiosulphate that is required to produce a clear color in the sample is recorded in milliliters (ml). The amount of sodium thiosulphate that is required to produce a clear color corresponds to the presence of a certain number of micro-grams of ozone (i.e., each milliliter of sodium thiosulphate used to produce a clear color in the 100 ml sample, corresponds to 120 micro-grams of ozone being introduced into the system).

An ozone generator which was manufactured according to the present invention was hooked to the line 71 and allowed to run for about two minutes. After conducting the experimental steps discussed immediately above herein, the amount of ozone that was calculated as an output on an hourly basis was about 70-80 grams per hour. Accordingly, it is clear that the ozone output from the ozone generator manufactured according to the present invention is significant.

In order to show even further the significant output of an ozone generator manufactured according to the present invention, three ozone generators were utilized at a sewage lifting station in Laughlin, Nevada. Specifically, the Clark County Sanitation District in Laughlin, Nevada, agreed to allow three ozone generators manufactured according to the present invention to be utilized as part of an experimental test. As shown in Figure 8, three ozone generators 85 manufactured according to the invention were utilized. Specifically, an easternmost lifting station of three lifting station shafts located at the Clark County Sanitation District was used in this experimental test.

The shaft 81 is of an old concrete construction, and is covered with an unsealed rectangular steel trap door 82. The shaft 81 itself is circular, approximately 10 feet in diameter, and is approximately 40 feet deep. A pipe 83 is located on the perimeter of the shaft 81 on the south side thereof. The pipe is about 12 inches in diameter, having an "L" shape, is made of steel and serves as a vent pointed in a northerly direction.

During normal operation of the lifting station, raw sewage 84 at the bottom of the shaft 81 rises slowly depending on how often toilets are being flushed across the street (Casino Drive). When the raw sewage level 84 comes within about 3-4 meters of the top of the shaft 81, automatically activated industry standard pumps re-establish the original sewage level (about 40 feet down). Pumping time for this part of the cycle is approximately 10 minutes. Hydrogen sulfide gas (H₂S) concentrations can vary widely in such a shaft, but a typical concentration would be in the 100-ppm (parts per million) range.

For the purpose of the test, three ozone generation units 85 manufactured according to the present invention were utilized. The output tube 86 of the first generator was introduced into the open vent 83, while the output tubes 87 and 88 of the other two were inserted into an existing small opening 89 in the trap door 82. The three output tubes 86, 87 and 88 each dangled about 8 feet into the shaft 81.

About 5 to 10 minutes after the three ozone generation units 85 were turned on (during a rising phase of the lifting shaft), it was possible to put one's head into the open 12 inch vent 83 without being subjected to any hydrogen sulfide odors, or any other odors whatsoever, with the exception of the odor of fresh air. In fact, after 5-10 minutes, one of the ozone generator units 85 could be turned off and the two remaining units nullified noxious odors. It is possible, due to the detection of ozone during the experiment, that a single unit 85 may have been sufficient to neutralize the noxious odors. From the above, it can be deduced that the output of the three ozone generators 85 was sufficient (1) to neutralize all hydrogen sulfide gas present in the shaft 81, (2) to neutralize all odors imbedded within, and emanating from, the porous concrete walls of the shaft 81, and (3) to neutralize the hydrogen sulfide gas emanating from the continuously renewing surface of the raw sewage 84 at the bottom of the shaft 81.

It is clear from the foregoing information that large quantities of ozone are being produced in a manner which is new to the art. Without wishing to be bound by any particular theory or explanation, it appears that the ozone generator apparatus, and associated process, according to the present invention are completely new. Specifically, the apparatus is a low energy, low temperature, wide field, substantially uniform static plasma discharge device which produces desirable 185 nanometer wavelength, negatively charged ozone without producing quantities of undesirable by-products. The apparatus and process also seem to be largely independent of the humidity in air, which prior art devices have gone to great lengths (and expense) to avoid. A reason for all of these desirable occurrences may be that the substantially uniform static discharge that is achieved in a field- wide manner in the elements of the present invention is quite different from multi-point current flow, high temperature and/or high current devices pursued in the prior art. The amount of current used is small and thus the overall wattage is small. The operating temperatures are also relatively low. The aforementioned combination of conditions seem to favor the production of.desirable 185 nanometer wavelength ozone and not favor the production of other types of ozone or other undesirable products. Also, due to the lower amperages, wattages and temperatures, it appears that a vast majority of the ozone that is produced, is not subsequently destroyed, as seems to be the case in many to most prior art devices. All of these factors cause the output of the ozone generator according to the present invention to greatly surpass all known devices in a cost/performance comparison.

While there has been illustrated and described what is at present considered to be the preferred embodiments of the present invention, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made, and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the true scope of the invention. In addition, many modification may be made to adapt the teachings of the invention to a particular situation without departing from the central scope of the invention. Therefore, it is intended that this invention not be limited to the particular embodiments disclosed as the best mode contemplated for carrying out this invention, but that the mvention will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. An ozone generating apparatus comprising: at least one pair of a first and a second electrode; at least one dielectric material physically separating each of said first and second electrodes, said at least one dielectric material substantially completely covering both of said first and second electrodes thereby creating a gap therebetween; a means for providing an oxygen-containing gas in at least a portion of said gap between each of said first and second electrodes; a means for creating a static, wide field state between each of said first and second electrodes; and a means for collecting ozone generated within the gap in each of said first and second electrodes.

2. The ozone generating apparatus of claim 1, wherein said first and second electrodes comprise at least one thin sheet of aluminum foil.

3. The ozone generating apparatus of claim 2, wherein said at least one dielectric material comprises at least one plastic material.

4. The ozone generating apparatus of claim 3, wherein said plastic material comprises at least one material selected from the group consisting of a polyvinylchloride, polycarbonate and acrylic.

5. The ozone generating apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said oxygen-containing gas is first passed through an activated carbon filter prior to being provided in said gap.

6. The ozone generating apparatus of claim 3, wherein said aluminum foil is glued to said at least one plastic material.

7. The ozone generating apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a plurality of spacers are provided between said first and said second electrodes.

8. The ozone generating apparatus of claim 7, wherein said plurality of spacers cooperate to define said gap, said gap substantially maintaining its parallelism and spacing when said oxygen-containing gas is provided under pressure.

9. The ozone generating apparatus of claim 8, wherein said pressure is at least about 3 psi.

10. The ozone generating apparatus of claim 8, wherein said pressure is at least about 5 psi.

11. The ozone generating apparatus of claim 8, wherein said pressure is at least about 10 psi

12. The ozone generating apparatus of claim 8, wherein said pressure is at least about 15 psi.

13. The ozone generating apparatus of claim 7, further comprising at least two rigid backing plates which are substantially parallel to said first and second electrodes.

14. The ozone generating apparatus of claim 1, wherein said first and second electrodes and said at least one dielectric material comprise an element and a plurality of said elements are provided in a substantially parallel relationship to form a pod.

15. The ozone generating apparatus of claim 14, wherein each of said elements is replaceable in said pod.

16. The ozone generating apparatus of claim 14, wherein at least four elements comprise a pod.

17. The ozone generating apparatus of claim 16, wherein at least one common intake manifold and at least one common exit manifold are provided in said pod.

18. The ozone generating apparatus of claim 17, wherein a remote pump provides said oxygen- containing gas under a pressure of at least about 10 psi into said manifold and an output ozone is remotely provided from said exhaust manifold.

19. The ozone generating apparatus of claim 1, wherein said means for creating said static, wide field state comprises at least one wire connected to said at least one pair of a first and second electrode by an electrically conductive epoxy.

20. An ozone generating apparatus comprising: at least one reaction chamber; a pressurized oxygen-containing gas being provided to at least one opening in said at least one reaction chamber, said pressurized oxygen-containing gas being provided at a pressure of at least about 5 psi; and a means for collecting and remotely providing pressurized ozone from said at least one reaction chamber.

21. The ozone generating apparatus of claim 20, wherein said pressure is at least about 10 psi.

22. The ozone generating apparatus of claim 20, wherein said pressure is at least about 15 psi.

23. The ozone generating apparatus of claim 1, wherein an operating temperature of the generator is about 90 - 130°F.

24. The ozone generating apparatus of claim 20, wherein an operating temperature of the generator is about 90 - 130°F.

25. A plasma generating apparatus comprising: at least four pairs of a first and second electrode; at least one dielectric material physically separating each of said first and second electrodes, said at least one dielectric material substantially completely covering both of said first and second electrodes thereby creating a gap therebetween, said at least four pairs of electrodes and said dielectric materials forming a pod; at least one longitudinal intake manifold communicating with each electrode pair; at least one longitudinal exhaust manifold communicating with each electrode pair; at least one vertical intake manifold communicating with all of said longitudinal intake manifolds; at least one vertical exhaust manifold communicating with all of said longitudinal exhaust manifolds; a means for maintaining a constant separation between each of said electrode pairs; a means for applying at least one pressurized oxygen-containing gas into said at least one vertical intake manifold, wherein a pressure of at least 5 psi is applied; a means for creating a static wide field state between each of said first and second electrodes; and a means for collecting plasma generated within the gap in each of said first and second electrodes.