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The Technology of Ozone Washing Machines

Brittany Sanders

Ozone laundry systems have been popular for the various advantages that it can offer. Through its advancement, the technology itself generates a process designed to make each ozone washing machine unique from each other.


Two mechanisms are employed in this process: the fine bubble diffusion injection and direct Venturi injection. Both of these are used depending on what type of application is desired. Nevertheless, the important criteria in choosing the type of scheme for the cleaning of clothes depends on how efficient it is in dissolving the pressurized ozone gas in the water.


An ozone washing machine that uses fine bubble diffusion injection method has been patterned from the technology used in the bottled water industry. Ozone gas is introduced in the diffuser at the bottom of the tank. Water is delivered at the top of the tank and flows downward where it exits.


As the flowing water meets the rising ozone gas, turbulence in flow is induced. This increases the interaction of the ozone gas and water inside the machine. It also signifies that the gas is forced to be dissolved in the water, forming a mixture that is capable of cleaning the laundry.


For buyers of ozone washing machine that employs this process, caution must be made with regards to choosing the right equipment. It must be noted that sufficient pressure to deliver the gas is needed to accomplish the turbulence. Efficient mass transfer must be achieved by these machines in order to dissolve a large percentage of the ozone gas delivered in the water system.


Most ozone washing machine designs that use the fine bubble diffusion only reach efficiencies ranging from 25-40%. This would mean that on a best-case scenario basis, 60% of the delivered gas were undissolved. This implies great danger on the part of the people that are present in the laundry room, as these gaseous compounds have a large probability of escaping towards the surroundings.


Ozone has high oxidizing properties, making it a hazardous chemical as it damages the respiratory system of any animal that inhales a small amount of it. Currently, technologies to destroy the excess ozone gas before it escapes from the machine are currently being developed to solve this issue.


The direct Venturi injection is the more expensive version than the former. It uses the pressure drop of the water stream across a Venturi pipe to create a suction. The ozone gas is applied into the suction port, allowing 85-90% of the gas to be dissolved in the system. The remaining percentage of undissolved gases found in the water are destroyed through an ozone degassing chamber. In effect, no excess amount of the compound is released in the atmosphere that can harm any person.


In fact, this process is considered to be a more stable and reliable scheme than bubble infusion injection. The Venturi injection process allows a rapid rate of ozone dissolution in the water, making it advantageous in terms of reducing the overall washing cycle.


For the fine bubble injection, it would take around 20 minutes to reach an appropriate ozone concentration in the system before it can be used in the cleaning process. On the other hand, the water-ozone mixture delivered through the Venturi injection can be instantly used since the gas concentration contained in it is sufficiently high.

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