Because of its strong oxidizing ability, ozone has the second highest sterilizing power among natural elements after fluorine, making it a very effective means of deodorization, sterilization, etc.
In addition, ozone returns to oxygen after a short time, so there is no need to worry about residual chemicals such as hypochlorous acid or chemicals remaining in the air, making it a highly safe means of sterilization. For this reason, ozone is often used in medical, food, and other commercial applications.
However, high concentrations of ozone are harmful not only to bacteria and viruses, but also to the human body and other living organisms. In environments where people and animals are present, ozone concentrations must be kept within standards considered safe (0.1 PPM or less).
However, COMFORLD’s patented technology has made it possible to reduce ozone concentration to a level that does not affect the human body while maintaining the high sterilizing power of ultraviolet rays and ozone, thereby achieving both high sterilizing power and safety. COMFORLD has succeeded in achieving both high sterilizing power and safety.
In order to control ozone safely, Cam Fold uses a powerful corona discharge system to remove the released ozone, reducing its concentration to 0.03ppm, far below the environmental standard value (0.1ppm).
In addition, the airflow generated by the fan + high-voltage discharge circulates the air, making the air purifier suitable for indoor sterilization.
Ozone is also present in the natural environment
Ozone is a naturally occurring substance, and the normal atmosphere contains 0.005 ppm ozone.
Ozone levels of 0.02 to 0.05 ppm can be observed at sun-drenched beaches and 0.02 to 0.05 ppm in forests.
The ozone layer also moderates the effects of ultraviolet rays arriving from the sun. If the ozone layer were to disappear from the earth, living organisms and plants might become extinct.
Ozone (O3) is a substance consisting of three oxygen atoms (O) bonded together. It is produced when oxygen (O2) is exposed to electrical discharge or ultraviolet radiation and is converted back to oxygen (O2) by heat or light.
In general, ozone is an unstable substance and decomposes quickly into oxygen over time. However, high concentrations can be detected at the point of generation.
High concentrations of ozone are used for virus inactivation and sterilization in the medical, food, and other commercial fields.
Safety Standards for Ozone Concentration in Japan
Safety standards for ozone in the work environment are guided by the recommendations of the Japan Society for Occupational Health (JSOOH) on allowable concentrations, etc. The JSO’s recommendations are intended to prevent health problems among workers due to environmental factors.
The Japan Society for Occupational Health sets the allowable concentration of ozone as a working environment standard at 0.1 ppm (0.2 mg/m3).
Under the condition that workers work 8 hours a day, 40 hours a week, and are not physically strenuous, if the ozone concentration is below this value, it is considered to be a concentration at which no adverse health effects are seen in workers.
Cam Fold uses a powerful corona discharge system to remove the ozone it emits, reducing its concentration to a value (0.03ppm) far below the environmental standard (0.1ppm).
The Japan Ozone Association has published environmental standards and indices for effects on the human body.
| Concentration | Effects |
|---|---|
| 0.01 ppm | Sensitive people perceive the odor |
| 0.02 ppm | Ozone-specific odor is perceived |
| 0.05 ppm | Permissible concentration by the Japan Air Pollution Control Association |
| 0.06 ppm | Environmental standard value for photochemical oxidants |
| 0.1 ppm～ | Irritation to nose and throat |
| 0.2 to 0.5 ppm | Decrease in eyesight |
| 0.4 to 0.5 ppm | Perceived irritation to upper respiratory tract |
| 0.6 to 0.8 ppm | Sensing chest pain, cough |
| 1 to 2 ppm | Perception of fatigue, headache, heaviness of head, changes in respiratory function |
| 5 to 10 ppm | Dyspnea, increased pulse |
| 50 ppm and up | Life-threatening |
(From “Ozone Handbook” by the Ozone Association of Japan, a non-profit organization, etc.)
Other indoor environmental standards include the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of the United States, which has established a maximum allowable concentration of 0.05 ppm in 24 hours, and the Japan Air Purification Association, which has also established a maximum allowable concentration of “indoor gases from ozone-producing equipment” of 0.1 ppm and an average of 0.05 ppm.
Ozone concentration control
COMFORLD is an air purifier developed by engineers who have been involved with ozone for many years.
It has the ability to take air inside to sterilize and deodorize, and the ozone is decomposed and ionized at the outlet, making it possible to reduce ozone to a safe concentration.
In addition, the output of the ozone-generating UV lamp is automatically adjusted according to the operation mode (sleep, weak, medium, or strong) and the size of the room to ensure safety.
Another advantage is that ozone returns to oxygen when decomposed, so it does not have residual toxicity like chemicals and chemical substances.
Ozone generation by ultraviolet lamps
Ozone is a naturally occurring substance, and 0.02 to 0.05 ppm of ozone can be observed on beaches and in forests.
It is a well-known fact that ozone has bactericidal power even at trace amounts. However, handling ozone requires knowledge and experience because ozone can be harmful to the human body and living organisms if its concentration is not controlled properly.
In the past, Cam Fold’s developers have developed products that utilize ultraviolet light and ozone, such as ozone water production equipment for water sterilization, washing water by electrolysis of hypochlorous water, and room deodorization equipment for hotels.
If ozone can be well controlled, it can be a very effective sterilization method. However, the method of generating ozone by electrical discharge is difficult to control the concentration, and we have experienced difficulties in development.
In addition, I recall that when installed in a humid place such as a restroom, white nitrates (urine, cleaning chemicals, etc.) would quickly accumulate around the electrodes, making maintenance very difficult.
However, adjusting the amount of ozone generation is not that simple, since lowering the amount of ozone generated will reduce the sterilization effect and take longer to sterilize the bacteria.
There are various methods of ozone generation, from the method of making it by electric discharge to the method of making it by plasma, but what we finally arrived at through various trials and errors is the ozone generation using ultraviolet CCFL lamps (ozone, germicidal rays).
The following wavelengths emitted from the ultraviolet lamps are used for sterilization and ozone generation.
Germicidal ray … Wavelength 253.7 nm
Ozone ray … Wavelength 184.9 nm
With this method, the amount of ozone generation can be controlled simply by selecting the lamp and output (W) according to the size and use of the room. Also, the amount of ozone emitted in the room can be kept at a level that does not exceed environmental standards.
While maintaining the high sterilizing power of ultraviolet rays and ozone, Cam Fold makes it possible to reduce the ozone concentration to a level that does not affect the human body, thereby successfully achieving both sterilizing power and safety.