Abstract:
A periodically reversed gas flow method and apparatus for ozone production is described. Because moisture reduces the efficiency of most ozonizers, moisture is removed from an oxygen containing fluid before it passes through the ozonizer and the moisture is returned to the oxygen and ozone containing fluid after the ozonizer. At least two moisture adsorbent material columns are used so that the oxygen containing fluid is first passed serially through the two columns with the ozonizer interposed and then periodically reversed to pass serially through the three components in the opposite direction so that at least one column is always in an adsorbent cycle while at least another column is always in a desorber cycle. The pressure of the oxygen containing fluid may be increased immediately upstream of the adsorber column and reduced immediately downstream of the adsorber column, for increased efficiency. The heat of adsorption is transferred from the adsorber column to the desorber column to provide the heat of desorption at the latter column, with the ozonizer serially interposed; the coolant fluid flow is preferably cocurrent to the oxygen fluid flow and reversed everytime that the oxygen containing fluid flow is reversed.