Improved Apparatus for Generating Ozone.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 16th June, 1899
Complete Specification Left, 7th Feb., 1900-Accepted, 16th June, 1900
I, WILLIAM ELWORTHY, of No. 16, Rosebery Gardens, Crouch End, in the
County of Middlesex, Electrical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
-
According to my invention I construct apparatus for generating ozone as
follows:-
A number of tubes of dielectric material preferably glass, are arranged side
by side at small distances apart within an enclosing casing.
Within each tube is a metal rod of smaller diameter than the interna!
diameter of the tube, so as to allow of a free, passage for the air or oxygen
through the tubes, which are so arranged that when the air has passed through
the interior of the tubes it will pass from the discharge end into the spaces sur-
rounding the tubes in which it is made to travel in the contrary direction in
contact with the outside surfaces of the tubes, around which is wound wire or
metal cord or chain.
The metal rods within the tubes are connected to the one pole and the wires
or chains outside to the other pole of a suitable generator of electricity, pre-
ferably a transformer, using an alternating current of suitable potential, such
as about 5,000 volts.
By this means air or oxygen passed into the apparatus is first ozonised on its
passage through the tubes, and is then further ozonised on its passage
in contact with the wire, cord or chain on the outer surfaces of the tubes,
thus providing two successive distinct electrical operations upon the body of
air or oxygen whereby a comparatively large conversion of the oxygen into
ozone is effected.
1001
1
1°0
1000
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.
Improved Apparatus for Generating Ozone.
I, WILLIAM ELWORTHY, of No. 16, Rosebery Gardens, Crouch End, in the
County of Middlesex, Electrical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
According to my invention I construct apparatus for generating ozone as
11

page_text: by side at small distances apart within an enclosing chamber into which their
lower ends open, so that no air or oxygen can enter the said chamber except
through the said tubes.
The upper ends of the tubes open into an upper chamber hermetically
separated from the lower chamber by a horizontal partition, through which the
tubes pass, and from which they are suspended.
Within each tube is a metal rod or tube of smaller diameter than the internal
diameter of the dielectric tube and arranged so as not to be in contact with it,
and around the outer surface of each dielectric tube at a slight distance there-
from is coiled a wire or metal cord or chain in such manner as not to be in con-
tact with the tube. The metal rods within the tubes being connected to the
one terminal of an electric circuit including any suitable electric generator,
while the coiled wire is connected to the other terminal of the circuit, air or
oxygen is admitted through an inlet in the upper chamber, whence it passes. down
through the annular space between the metal rod and the inner surface of the
dielectric tube, being partially ozonised during such transit by the electric dis-
charge from the central metal rod to the inner surface of the dielectric tube.
On issuing from the lower open end of the dielectric tube into the surround-
ing space of the lower chamber, the air or oxygen then passes up both in the
small space between the outer surface of the dielectric tube and the wire coil
surrounding the same, and also generally in the spaces between the several tubes
in the chamber, during which passage the air or oxygen will be again subjected
to the electric discharge from the dielectric tubes to the wire coils, whereby it
will become ozonised in a very perfect manner before passing away through an
outlet at the upper end of the lower chamber.
The accompanying drawing shews the construction of my above described
ozone generating apparatus which I prefer to employ. Fig. 1 shews a vertical
section and Fig. 2 a sectional plan.
Within the casing A is provided a horizontal-partition B of ebonite or other
suitable dielectric material, cemented in so as to divide the casing into an upper
chamber 1) and a lower chamber E which are hermetically separated from each
other.
The partition B has screw threaded openings C for the reception of the upper
ends of the glass tubes F; these tubes are for this purpose fixed in caps G of
vulcanite or other dielectric material, having openings G₁ at top and a threaded
boss G2 which screws tightly into one of the openings of the partition B, so
that this holds the glass tubes F suspended in the lower chamber E. On the
lower end of each glass tube is fixed another cap H, and a metal rod I is passed
through a central hole in the cap G down through the tube F and into a central
hole in the cap H, so that the rod I will thereby be held perfectly central in
the tube, and out of contact therewith.
Surrounding the outside of the glass tube F at a small distance therefrom is
a coiled wire J, the upper end of which is connected through a hole in the
boss G2 by a wire K to one of two conducting bars L fixed to the partition B
which bars are connected to the terminal M of the electric circuit. The upper
ends of the rods I are all connected by wires N to the second terminal R of the
circuit. For keeping the coiled wires J out of contact with the tubes F various
arrangements may be employed, thus, as shown, a cord or strip O of dielectric
material may be coiled round the outer surface of the tube F in the contrary
direction to that in which the wire J is coiled, or a thread of dielectric material
may be wound round the wire, metal cord or chain forming the coil J.'
P being the inlet for air or oxygen into the upper compartment D and Q the
outlet for the ozonised air. or oxygen from the lower compartment E it will be
seen that the action of the apparatus will be as follows:-
The air or oxygen will enter the upper ends of the tubes F through the holes
in the cap G and in passing down through the same will be partially ozonised
by the current discharge from the metal rod I.

page_text: On issuing from the tubes through the holes of the bottom caps H the
partially ozonised air or oxygen will travel upwards partly through the narrow
spaces between the outer surface of the tubes F and the wire coils J and also
through the spaces between the several tubes. In flowing upward the air or
oxygen is consequently subjected to a second ozonising action by the electrical
discharges.
This action is rendered the more perfect by the fact that owing to the sectional
area of the chamber E between the glass tubes being much greater than that of
the collective area of the interiors of all the glass tubes, the upward flow of the
air or oxygen will take place at a much slower rate than that of the downward
flow within the tubes and consequently the electrical discharges will operate
upon the same during a much longer time.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this in-
vention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:
In apparatus for generating ozone, the combination of tubes such as F of
glass or other dielectric metal rods such as I passing through the tubes out
of contact therewith, metal wires cords or chains such as J coiled helically
round the tubes in such manner as to be out of contact therewith, means for
connecting the central metal rod with the one terminal of an electric circuit,
and the outer coiled wire with the other terminal of the circuit, and means
for causing air or oxygen to pass first down through the tubes so as to be sub-
ject to the ozonising action of the electrical discharge between the rod and the
inner surfaces of the tubes and then up through the space between the outer
surface of the glass tubes and the outer coiled wire, so as to be there 'subjected
to a second ozonising action, substantially as described.
Dated this 7th day of February 1900.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.