Ozone Cell Power Supply Apparatus and Method

Abstract

The present invention generally includes an ozone generation system with a power supply that measures the rate of energy delivered to the ozone generation cell. While changing voltage, frequency or current will likely affect the rate of energy delivery, current, frequency and voltage provide a very poor and unreliable control for an ozone generation cell. It is only through control of the rate of energy delivery that consistent, reliable ozone generation is possible. Based upon the measurements of the rate of energy delivery as measured at the ozone generation cell, compared to the rate of energy delivery supplied, the rate of energy delivery supplied can be adjusted to improve ozone production and control.

The invention claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of generating ozone, comprising:
 delivering power to an ozone generating cell;   measuring the rate of energy delivery applied to the ozone generating cell; and   adjusting a parameter of the output applied to the ozone generation cell.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the measuring comprises developing an analog of power supplied to one or more switching elements. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the measuring comprises feeding the measurement of power to a window comparator and delivering a pulse to an adder unit through a multi-vibrator. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising changing the frequency of the power in response to the measuring. 
     
     
         5 . For an ozone generation system having an ozone generation cell, a transformer having a high voltage output connected to the ozone generation cell for powering the ozone generation cell, and a power supply subsystem connected to an input of the transformer, the ozone generation system having a resonant frequency during operation, a method of operation comprising:
 driving current and voltage through the transformer and ozone generation cell at a driving frequency to control power delivered by the power supply subsystem to the ozone generation cell by the driving frequency; and   constraining the driving frequency to a range more than the resonant frequency of the ozone generation system.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5  further comprising:
 determining a phase relationship of the power supply current and voltage through the transformer and ozone generation cell; and 
 in response to the determined phase relationship, constraining the driving frequency in the range more than the resonance frequency of the ozone generation system. 
 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6  wherein the determined phase relationship has the power supply current lagging the power supply voltage. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7  further comprising:
 receiving operating parameters of the power supply subsystem for a targeted rate of energy delivery to the ozone generation cell. 
 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8  further comprising:
 measuring the rate of energy delivery to the ozone generation cell; and 
 constraining the energy delivered by the power supply subsystem to the ozone generation cell to the targeted rate of energy delivery through a feedback loop of the measured rate of energy delivery. 
 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9  wherein the step of constraining the rate of energy delivered to the ozone generation cell is responsive to the received operating parameters and the measured energy delivery rate. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 5  further comprising:
 receiving operating parameters of the power supply subsystem for a targeted rate of energy delivery to the ozone generation cell. 
 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11  further comprising:
 measuring the rate of energy delivery to the ozone generation cell; and 
 constraining the energy delivered by the power supply subsystem to the ozone generation cell to the targeted rate of energy delivery through a feedback loop of the measured rate of energy delivery. 
 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12  wherein the step of constraining the rate of energy delivered to the ozone generation cell is responsive to the received operating parameters and the measured energy delivery rate.