Ozone generator apparatus and method

In a tubular type ozone generator having elongated inner and outer concentrically spaced electrodes with an elongated tubular dielectric member spaced between the electrodes for developing ozone from a gas, the improvement comprising:

• means for supplying said gas under pressure between the inner electrode and the dielectric member and enabling said gas to traverse the space therebetween from a first end of the ozone generator to a second end of the ozone generator for developing ozone;
• sealing means at the second end of said ozone generator for receiving said gas and directing same to the space between said dielectric member and said outer electrode and enabling said gas to pass therebetween from said second end of the ozone generator to said first end for developing more ozone;
• and
• ozone outlet means at said first end for communicating ozone from said ozone generator.

In a tubular type ozone generator having elongated inner and outer concentrically spaced electrodes with an elongated tubular dielectric member spaced between the electrodes and a gas inlet for supplying a gas under pressure in the inner space between the dielectric member and the inner electrode at one end of the ozone generator, the improvement comprising:

• annular cap means at the other end of the ozone generator between the dielectric member and the inner electrode and including an apertured dielectric end cap having a plurality of apertures, said apertured dielectric end cap mounted to the dielectric member with said gas in the inner space being enabled to pass through said apertures;
• first sealed end means at the other end of the ozone generator and surrounding said outer electrode to form a gas return chamber;
• means communicating said gas return chamber to the outer space between the dielectric member and the outer electrode;
• second sealed end means at the one end of the ozone generator to form an ozone outlet chamber, including an ozone outlet port for communicating ozone from said ozone outlet chamber;
• means communicating said ozone outlet chamber with said outer space between the dielectric member and the outer electrode for directing ozone to said ozone outlet chamber;
• and
• gas inlet conveying means for supplying said gas through said second sealed end means to said gas inlet;
• said gas traversing (1) in a first direction from said gas inlet to said inner space between the inner electrode and the dielectric member to produce ozone and for cooling one surface of the dielectric member, (2) then through the apertured dielectric end cap to the gas return chamber, (3) then reversing direction and traversing said outer space between the dielectric member and the outer electrode for generating ozone and cooling the opposite surface of the dielectric member, and (4) then to the ozone outlet chamber for passing ozone and the remaining gas out the ozone outlet port.

In a tubular type ozone generator having elongated inner and outer concentrically spaced electrodes with an elongated tubular dielectric member spaced between the electrodes for developing ozone from an input feed gas, the improvement comprising:

• said inner electrode being hollow and including input gas coupling means for receiving said gas under pressure at one end and confined within the interior of the hollow inner electrode, said gas traversing from one end to the other end and within the interior of said hollow inner electrode;
• first sealing means for communicating said gas from said inner electrode other end and to direct the gas to the inner space between said inner electrode and said dielectric member, said gas traversing within said inner space and from the other end of the dielectric member to the one end of the dielectric member;
• second sealing means communicating said gas from said inner space at the dielectric one end to the outer space between said dielectric member and said outer electrode, said gas traversing said outer space from one end of the outer electrode to the other outer electrode end;
• and
• ozone output means communicating with said gas exiting the outer space between the dielectric member and the outer electrode for communicating ozone and the remaining gas from said ozone generator.

A method for producing ozone from a gas using a tubular type ozone generator with an elongated tubular dielectric member spaced between the electrodes, comprising the steps of:

• supplying said gas under pressure between one of the electrodes and the dielectric member;
• passing said gas in the space between said one electrode and the dielectric member in a direction from a first end of the ozone generator to a second end of the ozone generator for producing ozone;
• reversing the direction of said gas and produced ozone at the second end of the ozone generator;
• and
• passing said reversed gas and produced ozone in the space between the other electrode and the dielectric member from said second end to the first end of the ozone generator for producing additional ozone.

A method for producing ozone from a gas using a tubular type ozone generator with an elongated tubular dielectric member spaced between the electrodes, comprising the steps of:

• supplying said gas under pressure between the inner electrode and the dielectric member;
• passing said gas in the inner space defined between the inner electrode and the dielectric member in a direction from a first end of the ozone generator to a second end of the ozone generator for producing ozone in the inner space and cooling the dielectric member;
• reversing the direction of said gas and produced ozone at the second end of the ozone generator;
• and
• passing said reversed gas and produced ozone in the outer space defined between the outer electrode and the dielectric member from said second end to the first end of the ozone generator for producing additional ozone and additional cooling of the dielectric member.