OZONE CLEANING SYSTEM

• US 20090120473A1
• Filed: 03/13/2008
• Published: 05/14/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cleancore Solutions
• Original Assignee: Food Safety Technology, LLC
• Inventors: Lynn, Daniel W.
• Granted Patent: US 9,068,149 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 134/57.R
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 2215/0468 Numerical pressure values
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 23/23211 the liquid flowing in a thin film to absorb the gas
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 23/2323 by circulating the flow in guiding constructions or conduits
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 23/237613 Ozone
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 23/29 Mixing systems, i.e. flow charts or diagrams
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 25/104 characterised by the arrangement of the discharge opening
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 25/3121 with additional mixing means other than injector mixers, e.g. screens, baffles or rotating elements
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 33/71 working at super-atmospheric pressure, e.g. in pressurised vessels
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 2203/005 the liquid being ozonated
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 13/10 Preparation of ozone
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/78 with ozone C02F1/4672 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 2111/20 Industrial or commercial equipment, e.g. reactors, tubes or engines
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 3/3947 Liquid compositions

Abstract

An industrial cleaning system that produces and distributes an aqueous ozone solution is described. The system provides a centralized system for producing the aqueous ozone solution and distributing the aqueous ozone solution to different application points at different flow rates and concentrations. The system includes an ozone generator for generating ozone gas, which is injected into a supply of water to form the aqueous ozone solution. A reaction vessel receives the aqueous ozone solution from the injector. The reaction vessel reduces the bubbles of ozone gas in the aqueous ozone solution to increase the oxidation reduction potential of the aqueous ozone solution.

Claims

1. An industrial cleaning system that produces and distributes an aqueous ozone solution, comprising:

an ozone generator for generating ozone gas;

an injector in communication with the ozone generator and in communication with a supply of water, wherein the injector injects ozone gas from the ozone generator into the water from the supply of water to form an aqueous ozone solution;

a reaction vessel in fluidic communication with the injector for receiving the aqueous ozone solution from the injector, wherein the reaction vessel comprises a conical-shaped surface having a plurality of edges or ridges; and

a pump in communication with the reaction vessel for distributing the aqueous ozone solution.

2. The industrial cleaning system according to claim 1, wherein the aqueous ozone solution from the injector is discharged into the bottom of the reaction vessel at an inlet port, and the aqueous ozone solution travels up an inner vortex assembly sleeve in the interior of the reaction vessel, and nozzles discharge a stream of fresh water at the top of the reaction vessel into the inner vortex assembly sleeve.

3. The industrial cleaning system according to claim 2, wherein the inner vortex assembly sleeve has a narrow diameter near the inlet port and gradually increases in diameter toward an outlet which creates the conical-shaped surface on the inner vortex assembly sleeve.

4. The industrial cleaning system according to claim 1, further comprising a degassing separator in communication with the reaction vessel to remove ozone bubbles from the aqueous ozone solution.

5. The industrial cleaning system according to claim 1, further comprising an air compressor in communication with a dryer to provide compressed air to the dryer;

a dew point monitor that measures the dew point of the compressed and dried air from the dryer;

an oxygen concentrator in communication with the dryer that receive the compressed and dried air from the dryer to produce oxygen gas;

an oxygen storage tank in communication with the oxygen concentrator that receives the oxygen gas from the oxygen concentrator;

the oxygen storage tank in supply communication with the ozone generators to supply the ozone generators with the oxygen gas.

6. The industrial cleaning system according to claim 1, wherein the oxygen gas is approximately 95% to approximately 98% oxygen.

7. The industrial cleaning system according to claim 1, wherein the ozone generator comprises a cooling system to maintain the ozone generator at under approximately 100°

F.

8. The industrial cleaning system according to claim 7, wherein the cooling system is a water-cooled jacket in contact with the ozone generator.

9. The industrial cleaning system according to claim 1, wherein the reaction vessel is in fluidic communication with the injector for receiving the aqueous ozone solution from the injector and in fluid communication with the fresh water supply for supplying fresh water to the reaction vessel.

10. The industrial cleaning system according to claim 1, further comprising a distribution manifold in communication with the ozone generator to distribute the ozone gas, and one or more mass flow controllers to modulate the flow of ozone gas from the distribution manifold.

11. The industrial cleaning system according to claim 1, further comprising an applicator in fluidic communication with the pump, wherein the applicator dispenses the aqueous ozone solution, and the applicator comprises an ozone monitor to measure the concentration of ozone in the aqueous ozone solution dispensed from the applicator, wherein the ozone monitor is in electrical communication with a control panel that operates the system

12. The industrial cleaning system according to claim 11, wherein the control panel modulates the flow of ozone gas to the venturi based on the concentration of ozone in the aqueous ozone solution dispensed from the applicator as measured by the ozone monitor.

13. The industrial cleaning system according to claim 1, wherein the system produces and distributes aqueous ozone solution with an oxidation reaction potential of up to approximately 2.6.

14. The industrial cleaning system according to claim 1, wherein the system produces and distributes an aqueous ozone solution with an ozone concentration of up to approximately 20 ppm.

15. The industrial cleaning system according to claim 1, wherein the reaction vessel comprises approximately 10 to approximately 50 edges or ridges.

16. The industrial cleaning system according to claim 1, wherein the edges comprise a perpendicular angle.

17. The industrial cleaning system according to claim 1, wherein the reaction vessel is in fluidic communication with a supply of water, and water mixes with the aqueous ozone solution in the reaction vessel to form a solution that is approximately 10% to approximately 20% water.

18. The industrial cleaning system according to claim 1, wherein the reaction vessel is in fluidic communication with a contact tank.

19. The industrial cleaning system according to claim 1, wherein the system provides an applied dosage of an aqueous ozone solution that is consistent over time in terms of concentration and flow rate.

20. The industrial cleaning system according to claim 1, wherein the system is centrally located in an industrial facility, and the system comprises one or pumps that are in fluidic communication with one or more applicators for spraying the aqueous ozone solution in or about the industrial facility.

21. An industrial cleaning system that produces and distributes an aqueous ozone solution, comprising:

an air supply skid comprising an air dryer in communication with an oxygen concentrator to produce oxygen gas;

an ozone generation skid comprising an ozone generator in communication with the air supply skid to receive oxygen gas in order to generate ozone, the ozone generator in communication with a distribution manifold for distributing the ozone gas to one or more mixing skids; and

one or more mixing skids each comprising an injector in communication with the ozone generation skid and a supply of water, wherein the injector injects ozone gas from the ozone generation skid into the water from the supply of water to form an aqueous ozone solution;

a reaction vessel in fluidic communication with the injector for receiving the aqueous ozone solution from the injector, the reaction vessel in fluidic communication with the supply of water for mixing water with the aqueous ozone solution from the injector, and one or more pumps in communication with the reaction vessel for distributing the aqueous ozone solution to one or more applicators.

22. An industrial cleaning system that produces and distributes an aqueous ozone solution, comprising:

an ozone generator for generating ozone gas;

an injector in communication with the ozone generator and in connection with a supply of water, wherein the injector injects ozone gas from the ozone generator into the water from the supply of water to form an aqueous ozone solution;

a reaction vessel in fluidic communication with the injector for receiving the aqueous ozone solution from the injector;

the reaction vessel in fluidic communication with the supply of water for mixing the aqueous ozone solution with the water,

a pump in communication with the reaction vessel for distributing the aqueous ozone solution;

a control panel that operates the system; and

an applicator in fluidic communication with the pump, wherein the applicator dispenses the aqueous ozone solution, and the applicator comprises an ozone monitor to measure the concentration of ozone in the aqueous ozone solution dispensed from the applicator, wherein the ozone monitor is in electrical communication with the control panel.

23. An industrial cleaning system that produces and distributes an aqueous ozone solution, comprising:

an ozone generation system, comprising;

an air compressor in communication with a dryer to provide compressed air to the dryer;

an oxygen concentrator in communication with the dryer that receive the compressed and dried air from the dryer to produce oxygen gas;

an oxygen storage tank in communication with the oxygen concentrator that receives the oxygen gas from the oxygen concentrator;

the oxygen storage tank in supply communication with one or more ozone generators to supply the ozone generators with the oxygen gas to generate ozone;

an injector in communication with the one or more ozone generators and in communication with a supply of water, wherein the injector injects ozone gas from the ozone generator into the water from the supply of water to form an aqueous ozone solution;

a reaction vessel in fluidic communication with the injector for receiving the aqueous ozone solution from the injector and reducing a bubble size of ozone gas in the aqueous ozone solution;

a pump in communication with the reaction vessel for distributing the aqueous ozone solution; and

a control panel that operates the system.