The Photochemical Generation of Ozone : Present State–of–the–Art

This paper reflects an investigation of the feasibility of photochemical generation of ozone by irradiating gases containing oxygen with Hg lamps of the highest performance emitting the 185 nm line. Besides the expected photostationary equilibrium, determining factors for practical yields in ozone generation by the 185 nm wavelength are : the reactor and gas temperature, the reactor geometry, and the gas composition, as well as the pressure.

Further developments are expected in the field of lamp construction and also improvement of reactor geometry. A better knowledge of the aging of the lamps is required, as well as of the photochemical reactions of oxygen in the technologies applied.

Systems presently available are most promising for application on small scale or in areas of public water distribution which have no developed structure.