Ozone Disinfection for Pool Water

Since ozone is a strong oxidizer and has a strong disinfection mechanism it is widely used for treating swimming pool water. Swimming pool water pollutants comprise of three groups: microorganisms, undissolved pollutants and dissolved pollutants that can cause disease. Visible floating particles, such as hairs and skin flakes, colloidal particles like skin tissues and soap remains come under undissolved pollutants whereas dissolved pollutants consist of urine, sweat, eye fluids and saliva. The presence of such pollutants can prove determental to health hence it is necessary to get rid of them using proper disinfecting system. There are different methods that are used for disinfection but the ozone treatment of water is an effective medium that can enhance the quality of the water.

Ozone treatment systems
Ozone treatment system normally make the use of corona discharges for generating ozone gas that acts as oxidizer, sanitizer, and flocculent. Ozone is injected into a slipstream of water by venturi jets. Sometimes ozone is injected into a contact chamber where it is mixed with water before being discharged (ozonated water ) into the pool. As ozone is more unstable, it oxidizes the pathogens at a faster rate as compared to chlorination. The use of ozone improves the quality, odour and taste of water.


The use of ozone increase the pace of biodegradation that is the larger molecules are diminished to smaller molecules. These smaller molecules can be easily decomposed by a filter. However the bacterial growth will be encouraged in the system as as organic matter is a bacterial nutrient. The bacterial regrowth can be used positively by injecting ozone on a sand filter. This also increases the oxygen concentration in the filter. If ozone is added in a sand filter then the total Organic Carbon (TOC) removal can be increased to 35%.

For effective filtration generally coagulant is added which prevents the clogging and increase filter capacity. The addition of ozone in the filter increases the pace of coagulation.

Ozone production and dispension in pools
Ozone is normally generated by an electrical equipment which make the use of corona discharge method. In this method oxygen is passed through high energy electric field resulting in the creation of ozone. The ozone so produced are dispensed in the pool using one of the following dissolution methods:

• Venturi Injector
• Bubble Diffuser
• Turbine Mixer

Advantages
Following are the advantages of ozone treatment of pool water:

• It enhances the effectiveness of sand filters through flocculation of of organic waste materials.
  
  
• It is effective in getting away with all sorts of pathogens like bacteria, viruses and fungus.
  
  
• There are no toxic residuals left in the pools. The ozone gas that is undissolved is removed prior to the entrance of treated water in pools.
  
  
• As ozone can be produced onsite it does not require storage or transport.
  
  
• Both organic and inorganic matter can be oxidized to in the water without the formation of unwanted by products.
  
  
• The ozone application also diminish the chlorine scent.

Extra Resources
Case Study: Ozone Treatment of Pool Water