Ozone supply unit and method for providing ozone for a flame burner apparatus and/or for an oxygen cutting apparatus

A method for providing ozone for a flame burner apparatus or for an oxygen cutting apparatus (10), the method comprising:

• supplying oxygen (18) to the flame burner apparatus or to the oxygen cutting apparatus (10),
• wherein said oxygen cutting apparatus comprises a cutting head, an oxygen supply line, and an ozone supply unit (26), wherein said ozone supply unit (26) is integrated in the cutting head and/or the oxygen supply line, and said flame burner apparatus comprises a burner head, an oxygen supply line, and an ozone supply unit, wherein said ozone supply unit (26) is integrated in the burner head and/or the oxygen supply line;
• converting at least a part of the oxygen (18) supplied to the flame burner apparatus or to the oxygen cutting apparatus (10) into ozone (18a) by generating a plasma between the at least two electrodes of the ozone supply unit (26);
• and
• providing at least a part of the ozone (18a) converted by the ozone supply unit (26) and at least a part of the non-converted oxygen (18) to a combustion process via the flame burner apparatus or to an oxygen cutting process via the oxygen cutting apparatus (10), respectively,
• wherein the ozone supply unit (26) comprises:
• an oxygen inlet (28) to be supplied with oxygen (18);
• an ozone generator (32) coupled to the oxygen inlet (28) and configured to convert at least a part of the oxygen (18) supplied to the oxygen inlet (28) into ozone (18a);
• and an outlet (30) coupled to the ozone generator (32) for discharging from the ozone supplying unit (a) at least a part of the oxygen (18) that was supplied to the oxygen inlet (28) and not converted into ozone in the ozone generator and (b) at least a part of the ozone (18a) formed by the ozone generator (32);
• wherein the ozone supply unit (26) is integrated in a cutting head (12) of an oxygen cutting apparatus or is integrated in a burner head of a flame burner apparatus;
• wherein the ozone generator (32) of the ozone supply unit (26) comprises two electrodes (34) arranged between the oxygen inlet (28) and the outlet (30) and further comprises a dielectric member (36), arranged concentrically with the two electrodes (34) forming gaps through which the supplied oxygen (18) can stream through the ozone generator (32), the gaps forming a reaction chamber (37) in which the plasma is generated, and
• wherein the converting of at least a part of the supplied oxygen (18) into ozone comprises generating a plasma within said reaction chamber (37).