Ozone generator

Claim 2

An ozone generator comprising: a housing having a fluid inlet end and a fluid outlet end; an assembly of reactor plates, each plate having fluid passage means therethrough and a coating of ceramic material covering substantially the entire outer surface thereof to define a dielectric therefor; means mounting said assembly within said hOusing with said reactor plates thereof in interleaved, spaced, cantilevered, relationship with each other and with the mounting means dividing the assembly into two groups of plates, said mounting means including a pair of tubular mounts for each group, respectively, at least one of the mounts of each group being electrically conductive and in electrical contact with the corresponding reactor plates, said mounts being in fluid communication with the passage means of corresponding reactor plates and adapted to be coupled to a source of coolant, whereby a coolant can be directed into said passages and thereby into heat exchange relationship with said reactor plates; and air distribution means adjacent to the inlet end of said housing for permitting a fluid to flow substantially uniformly into the spaces between said plates, the ozone produced in said spaces being movable out of said housing through said outlet end.

Claim 3

An ozone generator as set forth in claim 1, wherein each pair of mounts are rigidly coupled to the reactor plates of a respective group to form a modular unit, the modular units being removably secured to said housing.

Claim 4

An ozone generator as set forth in claim 1, wherein each mount includes a first fitting between each pair of adjacent reactor plates of a corresponding group, and second fittings extending outwardly from the reactor plates at the outer ends of each group.

Claim 5

An ozone generator as set forth in claim 3, wherein said fittings are rigidly secured to respective plates.

Claim 6

An ozone generator as set forth in claim 3, wherein said fittings are removably coupled to respective plates, each fitting having at least one plate-engaging end face provided with an annular recess therein, and an O-ring seal in said recess for sealing the junction between the corresponding fitting and the adjacent reactor plate.

Claim 7

An ozone generator as set forth in claim 1, wherein each reactor plate has a pair of spaced holes therethrough, each mount being coupled to a corresponding plate at one of the holes thereof, the fluid passage in each reactor plate being in fluid communication with the holes thereof.

Claim 8

An ozone generator as set forth in claim 6, wherein each reactor plate has an annular, ceramic-free portion surrounding each hole, respectively, on each side thereof, each mount including a pair of electrically conductive, tubular fittings engaging respective annular portions.

Claim 9

An ozone generator as set forth in claim 1, wherein said housing has a pair of fluid manifolds adjacent to the inlet and outlet ends thereof, respectively, and a porous wall between each manifold and the interior of said housing.

Claim 10

An ozone generator as set forth in claim 8, wherein said wall has a number of spaced holes therethrough.

Claim 11

An ozone generator as set forth in claim 8, wherein said wall is formed from a sintered material.

Claim 12

An ozone generator as set forth in claim 1, wherein each reactor plate has a number of spaced fluid passages therethrough.

Claim 13

An ozone generator as set forth in claim 11, wherein each reactor plate has a pair of spaced holes therethrough, each pair of mounts being coupled to corresponding reactor plates at respective holes thereof, the fluid passages in each plate extending between respective holes and being fluid communication with each other.

Claim 14

An ozone generator as set forth in claim 1, wherein each reactor plate has a pair of opposed side margins, there being a pair of ears rigid to and extending laterally from one of the side margins, each ear having a hole therethrough, each hole being in fluid communication with the corresponding fluid passage, each pair of mounts being secured to the corresponding plates in fluid communication with respective holes thereof, the ears of each group of plates being aligned with each other, the ears of one group of plates being adjacent to one extremity of said housing and the ears of the other group of plates being adjacent to the opposite extremity of the housing.

Claim 15

An ozone generator comprising: a housing having a pair of spaced, opposed sides defining a plate-receiving space therebetween, a fluid inlet manifold at one end thereof, and a fluid outlet manifold at the opposite end thereof, there being a porous wall between said space and each manifold, respectively; a pair of groups of reactor plates, each plate having a plurality of fluid passages therethrough and a coating of ceramic material covering the entire outer surface thereof; and a pair of tubular mounts for each group of reactor plates, respectively, each pair of mounts being coupled to respective reactor plates and secured to and spanning the distance between the sides of the housing to cause the reactor plates thereof to be cantilevered with respect thereto, the reactor plates of one group being interleaved with and spaced from the reactor plates of the other group, each mount being in fluid communication with the fluid passages in respective reactor plates, at least a first of the mounts of each group being in electrical contact with the corresponding reactor plates, whereby the first mounts of said groups can be coupled to a source of electrical power, said mounts adapted to be coupled to a source of coolant to permit the coolant to pass through said fluid passages and in heat exchange relationship to said reactor plates.

Claim 16

An ozone generator comprising: a housing having a pair of spaced, opposed sides defining a plate-receiving space therebetween, a fluid inlet manifold at one end thereof, and a fluid outlet manifold at the opposite end thereof, there being a porous wall between said space and each manifold, respectively; a pair of groups of reactor plates, each plate having a plurality of fluid passages therethrough and a coating of ceramic material covering the entire outer surface thereof; and a pair of tubular mounts for each group of reactor plates, respectively, each pair of mounts being coupled to respective reactor plates and secured to and spanning the distance between the sides of the housing to cause the reactor plates thereof to be cantilevered with respect thereto, the reactor plates of one group being interleaved with and spaced from the reactor plates of the other group, each mount being in fluid communication with the fluid passages in respective reactor plates, at least a first of the mounts of each group being in electrical contact with the corresponding reactor plates, whereby the first mounts of said groups can be coupled to a source of electrical power, said mounts adapted to be coupled to a source of coolant to permit the coolant to pass through said fluid passages and in heat exchange relationship to said reactor plates.

Claim 17

An ozone generator as set forth in claim 14, wherein is included a refrigeration system having a quantity of a refrigerant and being in fluid communication with said mounts, whereby the refrigerant can flow through said plates in heat exchange relationship thereto to cause the plates to form the evaporator of said system.

Claim 18

An ozone generator comprising: a housing; a plurality of spaced, interleaved reactor plates in the housing, each plate having fluid passage means therethrough; coating means on said plates for defining a dielectric between each pair of adjacent plates; and a refrigeration system in fluid communication with the fluid passage means of each reactor plate, said reactor plates defining the evaporator of the system, there being a refrigerant in said system for cooling said reactor plates.

Claim 19

An ozone generator comprising: a housing; a plurality of spaced, interleaved reactor plates in the housing, each plate having fluid passage means therethrough; coating means on said plates for defining a dielectric between each pair of adjacent plates; and a refrigeration system in fluid communication with the fluid passage means of each reactor plate, said reactor plates defining the evaporator of the system, there being a refrigerant in said system for cooling said reactor plates.

Claim 20

An ozone generator as set forth in claim 16, wherein said housing has means for directing air into the spaces between said reactor plates, said refrigeration system including means for pre-cooling the air directed toward said spaces.

Claim 21

An ozone generator as set forth in claim 17, wherein said refrigeration system includes a compressor, said pre-cooling means including a heat exchanger between said compressor and said housing, the volume rate of flow of refrigerant through the system being sufficient to cause a portion of the refrigerant passing into the heat exchanger from the reactor plates to be in a liquid state.

Claim 22

An ozone generator as set forth in claim 16, wherein said housing has a fluid inlet end, and including fluid distribution means adjacent to said inlet end for permitting a fluid to flow substantially uniformly into and out of the same, each reactor plate having a plurality of fluid passage therethrough.

Claim 23

An ozone generator as set forth in claim 16, wherein each reactor plate has a coating of ceramic material covering the entire outer surface thereof, said coating defining said dielectric means.

Claim 24

An ozone generator as set forth in claim 16, wherein is included the reactor plates which are arranged in two groups, each group having a pair of tubular mounts for coupling the corresponding plates to the housing, at least one of the mounts of each group being electrically conductive and in electrical contact with the corresponding plates, the mounts of each group placing the plates in fluid communication with said refrigeration system.

Claim 25

An ozone generator as set forth in claim 21, wherein the plates of each group are cantilevered with respect to the corresponding mounts.

Claim 26

An ozone generator comprising: a housing; a plurality of reactor plates, each plate having a plurality of fluid pasSages therethrough and a coating of ceramic material covering the entire outer surface thereof to define a dielectric therefor; means mounting said reactor plates within said housing and in interleaved, spaced relationship with respect to each other with the mounting means dividing the reactor plates into two groups, said mounting means including a pair of tubular mounts for each group of reactor plates, respectively, the reactor plates being cantilevered relative to respective mounts, at least one of the mounts of each group being electrically conductive and in electrical contact with the corresponding reactor plates, said mounts being in fluid communication with the passages of corresponding reactor plates; and a refrigeration system in fluid communication with said mounts and having a refrigerant for cooling said reactor plates, the latter defining the evaporator for said refrigeration system.

Claim 27

An ozone generator comprising: a housing; a plurality of reactor plates, each plate having a plurality of fluid pasSages therethrough and a coating of ceramic material covering the entire outer surface thereof to define a dielectric therefor; means mounting said reactor plates within said housing and in interleaved, spaced relationship with respect to each other with the mounting means dividing the reactor plates into two groups, said mounting means including a pair of tubular mounts for each group of reactor plates, respectively, the reactor plates being cantilevered relative to respective mounts, at least one of the mounts of each group being electrically conductive and in electrical contact with the corresponding reactor plates, said mounts being in fluid communication with the passages of corresponding reactor plates; and a refrigeration system in fluid communication with said mounts and having a refrigerant for cooling said reactor plates, the latter defining the evaporator for said refrigeration system.