Engineering Energy Efficiency in Ozone Water Treatment Systems

As utilities and industries face increasing pressure to reduce operational energy demand, energy efficiency is no longer optional, it’s strategic. This is particularly true for ozone-based treatment systems, where energy usage can represent a significant portion of overall operating cost.

At Pinnacle Ozone Solutions, we don’t just build ozone systems for oxidation performance, we design them for energy intelligence, optimizing gas-phase production, mass transfer, and process control to minimize kilowatt-hour (kWh) consumption per gram of ozone delivered.

This blog examines where energy is consumed in ozone systems, what variables influence efficiency, and how Pinnacle designs for low-carbon, high-performance treatment.

Where Energy Is Consumed in Ozone Systems

Total energy use in an ozone treatment system typically comes from three key sources:

Ozone Generator Load – Corona discharge process using high-voltage power
Air/Oxygen Preparation – Feed gas compression or oxygen generation
Injection and Contacting System – Pumps, backpressure, and off-gas control

Each of these elements must be engineered for the target ozone concentration, water temperature, pressure conditions, and contaminant load to avoid energy overspending.

Ozone Generator Efficiency: Corona Discharge Optimization

The core energy metric is grams of ozone per kilowatt-hour (g O₃/kWh). Well-designed systems can reach:

6–20 gO₃/kWh at 6–10% weight ozone concentrations (oxygen feed)
Poorly optimized systems may fall below 6 g O₃/kWh, increasing power cost per lb. O₃ delivered by 30–50%

Key design variables:

Discharge gap spacing and cooling
Electrode geometry
Dielectric material
Power supply frequency and waveform

At Pinnacle, our QuadBlock® modules use a modular, serviceable design with optimized cooling to maintain high ozone yields with low thermal losses.

Reference: Rice & Netzer (1982); Langlais et al. (1991)

Feed Gas Source: Oxygen vs. Dry Air

Ozone generation efficiency is highly dependent on the feed gas composition:

Feed Gas	Typical O₃ Output (%)	g O₃/kWh (approx.)	Notes
Dry Air	1–3%	4–6 g/kWh	Low efficiency, higher flow rates
Oxygen	4–12%	6–20 g/kWh	Higher density, more efficient

Oxygen-fed systems have lower volume flow, meaning less energy required for compression and less gas to manage during off-gas treatment. However, on-site oxygen generation (via PSA or LOX) has its own electrical load.

At Pinnacle, we evaluate the total system energy profile, not just generator efficiency in isolation.

Mass Transfer Efficiency = Reduced Overdosing

In traditional systems, low ozone solubility or poor transfer efficiency leads operators to overdose ozone, wasting energy and increasing destruct burden.

We focus on:

High-efficiency venturi or pressurized injection systems
Custom-designed contactors achieving ≥95% mass transfer efficiency
Real-time dissolved ozone and ORP monitoring to avoid overfeed

By delivering more ozone into solution per unit energy, Pinnacle systems reduce both ozone generation and off-gas handling energy needs.

Process Controls: Adaptive Energy Usage Based on Demand

Advanced control systems allow for dynamic ozone dosing based on:

Flow rate (variable frequency drive pumps)
ORP / residual ozone feedback
Contaminant load (e.g., TOC, UVT, bromide)
Seasonal temperature and background oxidant demand

This allows facilities to scale ozone output to real needs, reducing energy waste during low-demand periods and increasing performance during transients.

Reference: IOA Operational Guidelines; Westerhoff et al. (2009)

Comparative Energy Cost Snapshot (Illustrative)

Ozone generation efficiency is highly dependent on the feed gas composition:

System Design	Avg. Energy Use (kWh/lb O₃)	Notes
Legacy air-fed system	14–20	Low output, high compressor load
Modern oxygen-fed, atmospheric	12–14	Moderate transfer losses
Pinnacle pressurized system	6–12	Optimized generator + high transfer

In a 5 MGD system running 5 ppm ozone, this difference can mean $30,000–$60,000 in annual energy savings, depending on local kWh rates and runtime hours.

Energy Efficiency and Sustainability Goals

Energy-efficient ozone systems support broader utility goals around:

ESG and decarbonization mandates
Energy audits and reporting for SRF and WIFIA funding
Resilience planning and emergency power scenarios
Operational flexibility for blending or seasonal switching

How Pinnacle Designs for Energy Efficiency

Our energy-optimized system architecture includes:

High-output, low-heat-loss ozone generators (QuadBlock®)
Smart ozone dose controllers based on water chemistry feedback
CFD-modeled contactors and pressure vessels for efficient gas transfer
Modular design to scale ozone production without over-sizing
System-level monitoring of kW, ozone output, ORP, and dissolved ozone

These components work together to reduce total energy per treated volume, not just per gram of ozone.

Conclusion

Energy performance in ozone systems is the result of deliberate design, not just component selection. At Pinnacle Ozone Solutions, we approach efficiency from a full-system perspective, reducing both direct energy use and indirect chemical demand.

Whether your project is driven by cost, carbon, or compliance, our systems deliver precision oxidation with optimized energy return.

Technical References

Langlais, Reckhow & Brink. (1991). Ozone in Water Treatment: Application and Engineering
Rice, R.G., & Netzer, A. (1982). Energy Use in Ozone Generation Systems. Ozone: Science & Engineering
IOA (International Ozone Association). Operational Guidelines and Best Practices
Westerhoff, P. et al. (2009). Optimizing Ozone Use in Surface Water Treatment. Journal AWWA
Pinnacle Ozone Solutions field performance data, 2020–2024