12 Do's and Don'ts for a Successful Filling and Packaging machines

Ozone generators are the core of ozone therapy and there are many types of machines to choose from with a lot of different names and terminology. This article is meant to boil down some of those terms and clear up the confusion. ™

A quick history of ozone generators

The first ozone generators are considered to have been created by Werner von Siemens in 1857. By 1870, Dr. Packaging Machines Manufacturers C. Lender was using ozone to purify blood in test tubes. Dr. John Kellogg started using ozone steam saunas in Michigan in 1880 and the first water treatment facility to use ozone was built in Holland in 1893.

Famed inventor Nikola Tesla patented his ozone generator in 1896 and started selling machines and ozonated olive oil to doctors in the early 1900s. At the same time, Dr. S.R. Beckwith was using his Thermo-Ozone Generator to treat diseases. 1957 saw the patent of Dr. J. Hansler's ozone generator that helped create a basis for ozone in Germany. Over 8000 German doctors use it today.

Ozone therapy is seeing a dedicated resurgence in popularity today that has lead to the creation of a number of generators that range widely in terms of noise, ozone creation, ozone destruction through heat and more.

Methods of ozone creation

Ozone can be made in a variety of ways but many ozone generators primarily use one of these methods: electrochemical, ultraviolet radiation, cold plasma and corona discharge. Others use cold ozone production, an advanced corona discharge method, which has a number of advantages. Here is a quick rundown of each method.

Electrochemical: Typically, an electrical current is applied in an electrolytic solution of water and high electronegative anions. At the anode a mix of oxygen and ozone is created. You don't find many of these in ozone therapy circles.

Ultraviolet radiation: Ozone is created naturally in the air when oxygen meets ultraviolet rays. The same applies in machines using this method, as oxygen is bombarded with ultraviolet.

Cold plasma: You don't see a lot of cold plasma ozone generators on the market for ozone therapy because they produce very little ozone in comparison to a corona discharge ozone generator and you cannot adjust the strength of the ozone. Adjustable ozone strength is crucial when performing ozone therapy.

Corona discharge: Corona discharge is the most commonly used ozone production method for therapeutic purposes. With corona ozone generators you are able to adjust the frequency of the ozone. This means if you are looking for desired ozone strength at a precise flow rate chances are you will probably get what you are looking for.

Cold corona discharge: Corona discharge ozone generators have come a long way. They have become more efficient and when properly engineered produce virtually no heat. Also known as cold ozone production or cold spark technology, cold corona discharge is what the most modern generators use.

Besides the method of creating ozone, these machines have a number of other differences that you'll need to consider.

Glass vs. ceramic ozone cells

Glass and ceramic are two of the most popular materials for good ozone cells. Glass cells have disadvantages in that they are very temperamental and are subject to burnout over time. For that reason alone many companies are changing to ceramic cells. Ceramic is just as ozone resistant as glass and does not create contaminates. Washable cells are a big plus because, if a cell accidentally gets dirty, wet or oily, washable cells don't need to be replaced, potentially saving a lot of money.

How many cells do you need?

There really isn't any controversy when it comes to the number of ozone cells. If you've heard that a second cell will destroy ozone, you've heard a myth. All large commercial and industrial ozone generators use multiple cells because a single cell unit would get way too hot and can be very noisy. There are many advantages to having a multiple cell unit and no advantages to having a single cell unit.

Dealing with voltage

The great thing about ozone is that you don't have to have extremely high voltages to create it. A properly constructed machine can produce ultra pure ozone on only 12 volts. Units operating on 120 volts require special certification for shipping overseas. Lower voltages are just as effective and safer for the user.

If you are overseas or plan to go overseas with an ozone generator, you'll be much happier if the unit has universal voltage. This would allow you to use it anywhere as long as you have the right country plug, without the need to buy a separate step-down transformer.

Noise and heat in ozone generation

Noise and heat are the leading causes of complaints with some ozone generators. A high voltage, single cell unit has the potential to create a lot of heat and annoying sounds. Heat destroys ozone and units that create a lot of heat have to have noisy cooling fans or some other coolant to keep the ozone stable (to varying degrees of success). A unit with efficient ozone cells and low voltage will create the ozone you want without the noise or excess temperatures. These are especially ideal when doing insufflations. Be careful of companies that claim their machines don't create heat but install cooling fans inside. If there is no heat, there is no need for a fan.

Gamma ranges and how much is too much

Some companies will trumpet high gamma levels as a leading reason to buy their machine. Research from Russia has shown that gamma concentrations in the high 90s and higher are detrimental to human health. The ideal range for typical ozone therapy, therefore, would be mid 90s and lower.

Why where and how a machine is made is important

There is a growing desire for ozone generators that are made in the United States. There are good reasons for that. Some Chinese-made machines lack quality control and may not do what they're supposed to do. Companies that make their machines in their own country are more likely to have some or complete control over the process.

You'll also want to make sure you buy from a company that provides a good warranty and support. You don't want one that sells a machine and then won't offer even basic support. A toll free number is also helpful for your bottom line, and several companies have one.

You might also want to consider how much input a company actually has in the creation of their machines. It is easy to buy units from a business that makes ozone equipment and resell them as your own, but if someone designs a unit personally and oversees the manufacturing, that person is more likely to be able to assist you with using the unit and any potential troubleshooting.

The key factors in choosing an ozone generator

For the most options, best ozone creation and best support, look for the following:

Crazing is when a spiderweb of hairline cracks appear on an item. This is most common with pottery.

I am not talking about a chip. A large crack. Or even a small crack. Crazing refers a number of 'lines' that appear on pottery objects, such as ceramic cookie jars, where one could not even realize these are actually hairline cracks unless they rubbed their fingernail across the pottery.

On the one hand, obviously the better the condition an item is in the more valuable it is. However, with older products, those dating back before World War II, finding an item in perfect condition is either impossible or rare, or they are now so valuable as to be priced out of most people's ranges.

So we are left with imperfect collectibles.

Crazing can result simply from age. Old ceramics were not necessarily well made. Perhaps made great according to the technology of the time, but certainly production machines today are nothing like from years gone by.

Crazing can also result from humidity or temperature, or simply moving an item which causes unseen vibrations.

So what does it mean if there is crazing on an old ceramic collectible?

Nothing bad.

But consider the flip side - which is really where I want to lead you in this article...

Fakes can be a real problem in the collectibles world. Cheap knockoffs and fakes are easy to make today. Especially from place like China.

However, fakes and knockoffs made today are going be in perfect condition.

There is no crazing. It is virtually impossible to replicate crazing.

So what does it mean if you see an advertised 1920s collectible that does not have any crazing? Unless the price is very, very high, and there is some reliable authentication of the item - your red flags should be going off in your head. You should be thinking this is not authentic.

But if there is crazing? Ironically, that imperfection may worth a whole lot more because your item is the real deal.