METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR OZONE GENERATION

Abstract

This invention describes a stand-alone ozone generator and method to generate high quantities of ozone which can be injected in a multitude of applications where great quantities are needed at a low production cost. This generator can be useful for flue gas oxidation, water purification, HVAC air purification, and any other commercial or industrial process where ozone is needed to oxidize organic or inorganic species. The process relies on the reaction of air or oxygen with a solution of white or yellow phosphorus contained in a reactor. In this method, the ozone generated is purified in-Situ and can be directly used in any process. The elemental phosphorus and the phosphorus derivatives are enclosed in the ozone generator and are not allowed to escape. The process can pay for itself by the sales of the phosphorus derivatives generated through the reaction.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will now be further described by way of example only and with reference to the attached drawings, wherein

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a preferred ozone generation process in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a variant of the ozone generation process of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is schematic diagram of a preferred embodiment of an ozone generator in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of a modified ozone generator as shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of a preferred ozone generation process in accordance with the invention for the reaction of the generated ozone directly with other chemical species;

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of another exemplary ozone generation process in accordance with the invention wherein the source gas is bubbled through a phosphorus solution;

FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram of another exemplary process in accordance with the invention wherein the ozone gas is used for treatment of a liquid;

FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram of another exemplary ozone generation process in accordance with the invention wherein a liquid to be treated and the phosphorus solution are simultaneously sprayed into a reaction tower;

FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram of another exemplary ozone generation process in accordance with the invention wherein the ozone produced is used directly to treat solid waste;

FIG. 10 is a variation of the process shown in FIG. 9, wherein the solid to be treated is fluidized; and

FIG. 11 is a graph illustrating the NO conversion rate achieved with an exemplary embodiment of the process schematically shown in FIG. 5.

Claims

1. A method for producing ozone, comprising the steps of obtaining a phosphorus solution including white or yellow phosphorous dissolved in a solvent and contacting the phosphorus solution with a source gas containing oxygen, for reaction of the oxygen with phosphorous present in vapor form at a phosphorus solution/source gas interface.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of contacting the phosphorus solution is carried out by passing the source gas over the solution.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of contacting the phosphorus solution is carried out by passing the source gas through the solution.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of contacting the phosphorus solution is carried out by distributing the phosphorus solution in the source gas.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the distributing of the phosphorus solution is carried out by spraying the phosphorus solution into the source gas.

6. The method of any one of claim 1, wherein the rate of release of phosphorus vapor from the phosphorus solution is controlled by controlling at least one of the ambient pressure, the temperature of the solution and the temperature of the source gas.

7. The method of any one of claim 1, wherein the solvent is an organic or inorganic solvent in which the white or yellow phosphorus is at least partially soluble.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the solvent is an organic or inorganic solvent in which the white or yellow phosphorus is fully soluble.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the solvent is an organic solvent.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the solvent is ethanol, ether, chloroform, hexane, benzene, carbon disulfide, olive oil, oil of turpentine, oil of cloves, oil of mace, or oil of anis seed.

11. The method of any one of claim 1, further comprising the step of capturing ozone gas generated upon reaction of the phosphorus vapor with the oxygen.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of purifying the ozone gas for removing phosphorus oxides.

13. A method of oxidizing a chemical compound, including the steps of producing ozone according to the method of any one of claim 1 and contacting the chemical compound with the ozone.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the source gas is pure oxygen gas, air, a flue gas, or any other gas containing oxygen in the gaseous phase.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the source gas is a flue gas and the chemical compound is nitric oxide gas contained in the flue gas.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the solution is sprayed into the flue gas as a fine mist.

17. An ozone generator, comprising a phosphorous solution supply;a supply of a source gas containing oxygen; andmeans for contacting the phosphorus solution with the source gas to produce ozone by reaction of the oxygen with phosphorus vapor present at a source gas/phosphorus solution interface.

18. The ozone generator of claim 17, wherein the means for contacting is a reaction chamber, the phosphorus solution supply is a container located in the reaction chamber and holding the phosphorus solution and the source gas supply is a conduit entering the reaction chamber for directing the source gas onto the phosphorus solution in the container.

19. The ozone generator of claim 17, wherein the means for contacting is a reaction chamber, the source gas supply is a flue gas conduit connected to the reaction chamber for directing an oxygen containing flue gas stream into the chamber, and the phosphorus solution supply is a spray arrangement for spraying the phosphorus solution into the flue gas stream in the reaction chamber.

20. A method for producing phosphorus vapor at a controlled rate, comprising the steps of generating a phosphorus solution by dissolving white or yellow phosphorus in a solvent in which the phosphorus is at least partially soluble, and controlling a rate of release of phosphorus vapor from the solvent.