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for swimming pool technology

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Ozone systems Compact filter units Chlorine-free pool water treatment

 Basic information for pool water treatment

Water treatment for swimming pools and baths

Importance of Everyone emits unwanted substances into the water

water when bathing. Even very thorough showering and
treatment for washing cannot prevent this. These emissions include
public pools micro-organisms, viruses, causes of contagious diseases,
organic substances such as excretions from mouth
throat and nose as well as the ears, urine, excrements
and sweat, skin particles and dandruff, blood from inju-
ries, fungi, sun protection products, skin care products,
etc..

When bathing in the bath tub at home, this does not

represent a problem, since the bath water is generally
only used by one person. However, in public baths up to
several hundred persons often share the same water at
the same time, thus causing the water pollution men-
tioned above. Bath water must therefore be treated and
dis-infected continuously through corresponding measures for hygienic reasons and in
order to avoid epidemics.

If one tried to solve the problem of water cleaning simply

by diluting it, enormous amounts of fresh water and
energy would be required. Therefore the water in swim-
ming pools and baths is usually circulated via a water-
treatment system.

An important step in water treatment is the formation

of a disinfectant depot in the pool water. The task of the
disinfectant in pool water is in particular the immediate
degerming of the water in order to prevent the direct
transfer of disease-causing agents to other bathers.

However, this chemical process also requires good water

mixing and intensive pool flow. A good and even surface
discharge in order to remove floating matter such as hairs
and slime from the pool is also important.

Pool A good flow through the pool forms the basis for the even distribution of the disinfec-
hydraulics tant and the certain and rapid removal of destroyed micro organisms, impurities and
pollution materials. It is important that the entire volume flow drains evenly over the pool
edge in order to ensure good water quality in the head area.

All too often wall cleaning and in particular bottom cleaning are forgotten. The water
speed at the boundary surfaces wall and bottom approach zero. It is thus logical that
problems are almost preordained if materials that are not ideal are selected - paired with
insufficient pool hydraulics (greasy wall surfaces, black joints, etc.).

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 Basic information for pool water treatment

The pool hydraulics should therefore be planned exclusively by experienced experts of

swimming pools and baths - in particular in case of artistic designs - because:
Inadequate pool hydraulics cannot be compensated by water treatment!
During later operation, periodic manual cleaning of the wall and of the bottom (under-
water cleaner) has to be carried out, since sedimentation of solids in the pool can ulti-
mately not be avoided.

Task of water Treatment of swimming pool and bath water may not be limited to disinfection.
treatment Disinfection is rather the last step in the process chain of ensuring hygiene in the bath
water.
The flocculation filtration preceding the disinfection is also part of the hygiene proces-
sing. In addition to retaining particles and cloudy materials the main task of the filter
stage is also to retain the particle-bound, organic carbon and to eliminate the greater
part of the solved organic carbon emitted by the swimmer. An oxidation stage with
ozone supports this process considerably. A functional filter stage can thus also reduce
the consumption of disinfectant.

Diagram Treatment circuit when HYDROZON compact units are used.

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 Basic information for pool water treatment

Flocculation The aim of flocculation is to optimise the filter performance. Flocculation materials are
filtration inorganic electrolytes on the basis of iron or aluminium salts. Flocculation materials com-
pensate (= destabilise) electric charges at the surface of solids. This leads to the formati-
on of micro and macro flocks that in turn form larger agglomerates and are stopped by
the filter. The flocculation filtration in particular cleans the water of corpuscular particles
as well as colloidally solved impurities. In addition phosphate is precipitated through
flocculation.

Disinfection Disinfection is defined as the inactivation of micro-organisms in bathing water through

the separation of an oxygen atom fixed in the disinfectant. The disinfection process can
thus be compared with wet combustion, whereby the atomic oxygen penetrates the cell
structure and the irreparably damages or terminates the living process. The disinfectant
that has a bearer function. This is the same for chlorinating with chloric gas. Through the
protolytic reaction (disintegration under protontransition) of the chlorine hypochlorous
acid and hydrochloric acid result after the chlorination process. In the process the hydro-
chloric acid lowers the pH value that has to be compensated again. The hypochlorous
acid is the actual active substance for the disinfection. Note that the protolysis is a balance
reaction depending on the pH value. In the range relevant for bathing water between
pH = 6 - 8 the contents of effective disinfectant decreases continuously as the pH value
rises. More disinfectant is therefore required as the pH value increases.

Disinfectant Disinfectants containing chlorine, bromine and iodine are used in greatly varying area
in everyday use. The working mechanisms of the three halogens and their compounds
for disinfection are largely identical and known. Disinfectants also act oxidizing and thus
lead to the formation of undesired by-products in particular in the combined effect with
organic water substances.

Oxidation In oxidation elements or compounds are combined with oxygen. In the process the sub-
stance to be oxidized emits electrons that are in turn taken up by the oxidation agent.
Ozone is regarded as an excellent oxidation agent in the field of swimming pool and
bath water treatment. Ozone is activated oxygen with a high specific oxidation potential
(2.07 V).

Potentials of Oxidant Potential in V

important Hydroxyl radical OH 2.80
oxidants
Ozone O3 2.07
Hydrogen peroxide H2O2 1.78
Potassium permanganate KMnO4 1.70
Hypochlorite HOCl 1.49
Chlorine Cl2 1.36
Chlorine dioxide ClO2 1.27
Oxygen O2 1.23

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 Basic information for pool water treatment

Effects of Due to its high oxidation potential ozone produces a very fast oxidation of organic and
ozone inorganic water impurities.
ozone = activated
oxygen

activating
energy cracks
oxygen
molecule
atomic oxygen
reacts on water-
molecular components
oxygen
ozone creation ozone decomposition

Ozone is both an excellent oxidation agent as well as disinfectant. For this reason treat-
ment basins in clinics with a high infection rate must in particular be equipped with
ozone stages. Through ozonisation the reaction products resulting from urea through
chlorine reaction are also mineralised. Ozone is not stable and therefore has to be
generated at the point of use by means of special ozone generators. Oxygen from the
ambient air and electrical power are required in order to generate ozone.

Nominal Nominal capacity is defined as the total permissible number of persons who are in the
capacity pool in an hour. This value is determined during the pool design. The nominal capacity is
a calculated value and takes the type of pool, the pool sizeas well as the frequency of use.
The German Standard DIN 19643-1 for example provides empirically obtained data for
determining the nominal capacity.

Volume flow Volume flow is the recirculation of the water contents required for a properly run swim-
ming pool that is determined by calculation. This value - often also known as the recircu-
lation volume flow or circulation capacity - is oriented purely to the type of pool plus sup-
plements for the attractions included in the pool. The circulation capacity is determined
in accordance with the specifications of German Standard DIN 19643-1.

Hygiene The hygiene auxiliary parameters include the pH value, the redox voltage and the capabi-
auxiliary lity of oxidation.
parameters In accordance with German Standard DIN 19643-1 the pH value in the pool water
should lie between 6.5 and 7.6 or 7.8 at seawater. As already shown the pH value is a
decisive factor for the effectiveness of disinfection.
The most important parameter is the redox voltage. The redox voltage indicates the
degree of disinfection prevalent in the pool water. The redox voltage should not lie below
750 mV for freshwater and 700 mV for seawater.
The difference in the capability of oxidation between the filling water or the pure
water at a system not under strain respectively and the pool water is an indicator of
the effectiveness of water cleaning or of the strain on the pool water. In case of water
containing bromide be sure to take the bromide content of the water into consideration
when the capability of oxidation is determined in a laboratory!

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 Basic information for pool water treatment

Chlorine-free pool water treatment with the HYDROZON process

Pool water Pool water treatment without chlorine is provocative statement for many hygiene
treatment specialists and manufacturers of chlorine products. After all, chlorine has been added
without chlorine for decades in order to disinfect swimming pool and bath water.

Alternatives to chlorine can therefore only win through if:

the disinfection result is comparable to that of chlorine
the disinfectant content is easy to measure
automatic operation control functions load-specifically and reliably
the potential risk in handling the alternative is smaller than that of chlorine
an excellent or improved water quality is reached
the water is tolerated well by the skin
the operating costs are reduced
he consumption of chemicals is minimised

Advantages of The patented HYDROZON compact process (ozone-bromide method) implements

the HYDROZON chlorine-free treatment and disinfection of swimming pool and bath water in almost
process ideal fashion..

This process that has proved itself over many years is distinguished by:
integrated ozone stage for oxidation and disinfection highly efficient water treatment
pleasant, non-odorous and optically perfect bathing water with a high disinfection result for
all types of baths, including baths under strong strain
particularly suitable for persons with a sensitive skin pleasant water quality
disinfectant production in the treatment circuit through ozone from bromide
low consumption of chemicals low costs and easy to operate
durable system technology with high operational reliability
compact, space-saving and standardised units in modular structure

How does the At the HYDROZON process the ozone

process production and mixing takes place in the
function? closed hydraulic system. Ozone is genera-
ted in the ozone generator from oxygen
from the air using electrical power. The
bromide is added to the pool water as salt
(NaBr), in an aqueous solution or with the
flocculation material Bromofloc.
Mixing of the ozone-gas/air mixture with
the water is implemented in a high-power
venturi / injector system combination
before the filter. The water is disinfected
and oxidized in the reaction chamber. At
the same time excess ozone reacts with
bromide ions and generates the disinfec-
tant hypobromous acid or hypobromite. Disinfection in the pool area is carried out by the
separation of an oxygen atom from the active disinfectant. After disinfection in the pool
area the bromide ion is available again for reaction with ozone.

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 Basic information for pool water treatment

Bromide is thus constantly contained in the circuit. Addition bromide therefore only has
to be added to compensate for fresh water supply or back-flush water losses.
With this process the required bromide ion content is extremely low with approx.
20 ppm (= 20mg/l). Seawater contains up to 60 ppm bromide.

HYDROZON- The HYDROZON process stages are well-suited to each other and optimised for this
process stages process in the compact units. The stages are::

Flocculation - Oxidation with ozone - Filtration - Disinfection

Existing baths can be converted to this process combination if an ozone stage exists or is
retrofitted. An activated charcoal filter is not required for the HYDROZON process, be-
cause the rest ozone reacts completely with the bromide, thereby producing disinfectant.

Hygiene An important parameter is the measured free bromine. Depending on the type of pool,
auxiliary the measured value should lie in the range of 0.5 - 1.5 mg/l (max. 2.0 mg/l).
parameters The practical value to be striven for lies at 0.8 - 1.2 mg/l. The process is pH-value-neutral.
Practical pH values lie at 6.8 - 7.0. The value to be striven for lies at 6.9. As the most
important hygiene total parameter the redox potential should not lie below 750 mV.
It provides information about the current strain of the pool water and about the effec-
tiveness of the disinfectant measured as free bromine. A high redox potential at a low
disinfectant content indicates a high disinfection result and a low water strain. At the
HYDROZON process there is a direct correlation between the generated ozone quantity,
the free bromine and the redox potential.

Free bromine The values for the free bromine of 0.5 - 1.5 mg/l superficially lie higher than at chlorine
disinfection. The reason is that the atomic weight of bromine at 79.9 lies more than
twice as high as that of chlorine at 35.45. This regularity or the corresponding factor
must also be observed when determining the reaction by-products (e.g. haloforms).
The German Standard DIN 19643 specifies values between 0.3 and 1.0 mg/l for the free
chlorine - depending on the pool. The disinfection contents can thus be compared direct-
ly with each other.

Capability of The bromide contents have to be taken into consideration when determining the capabi-
oxidation lity of oxidation. The reason is the formation of hypobromous acids through there action
of bromide with potassium permanganate. This is generally done by calculated correction
of the measured values. A better monitoring parameter for checking the effectiveness of
the water treatment is therefore to determine the spectral linear absorption coefficient of
the total carbon contents.

Chlorine-free pool water treatment with the HYDROZON process

HYDROZON- Compact units Type P10 Compact units Type H25 Oxidator units Type POX
compact units from 10 - 20 m3/h from 10 - 75 m3/h from 8 - 100 m3/h
treatment capacity treatment capacity flow capacity
per unit per unit per unit
Areas of Treatment systems in the Treatment systems in the Ozone stages, new or
application private field public field existing systems
Special versions for applications available on request!

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