28 May Driving Forces for On-Site Chlorine Generation
On-Site Generation (OSG) is a safe, cost-effective, and reliable method used to produce chlorine and sodium hypochlorite on-site at the point of use. This method has many advantages over traditional methods of chemical procurement. The following represents some of the primary considerations to evaluate when determining whether or not to invest in the transition.
Safety
Safety is one of the main and often the primary concern when owners and operators first evaluate whether or not to make the transition to on-site generation. Not only does on-site chlorine generation eliminate the need to transport and store potentially dangerous pressurized chlorine, but Klorigen™ on-site chlorine generators also offer additional measures to ensure safe operation, including but not limited to:
- Hydrogen produced is immediately diluted to less than 2% of the LEL and is safely vented to the atmosphere as produced
- When using a Klorigen™ system to produce chlorine gas, chlorine is injected directly into the water feed for disinfection as it is produced; chlorine is never stored and is effectively eliminated from the site
- Many fail-safes and redundancies are built into the system to ensure safety for the plant and its operators
- Less than 1-2 pounds of chlorine gas is present in the system at any time (per 2,500 pounds/day production) and is contained in the system under vacuum
- Klorigen is considered a Qualified Anti-Terrorism Technology by the Department of Homeland Security due to its inherent safety features
Efficient & Cost-Effective
Another consideration that weighs heavily when evaluating a switch from traditional disinfection procurement to an on-site generation system is the efficiency of the OSG system and the cost benefits that can be provided to the user.
- The generation costs of Klorigen™ produced sodium hypochlorite is often significantly lower than that of bulk delivered sodium hypochlorite
- Klorigen™ M-Series and K-Series operate at higher efficiencies than competing 0.8% low-strength on-site chlorine generation systems, requiring less salt, water and power per pound of chlorine equivalent produced
- Caustic Credit – when operated as a chlorine generator, Klorigen™ units produce a co-product sodium hydroxide that can be used elsewhere in the facility, defraying from the production costs of chlorine gas
Ease of Operation
Klorigen™ systems were designed with the understanding that water treatment plant operators would be operating the systems, and therefore was designed to be more forgiving of adverse conditions compared to large chemical plants that require advanced, highly trained operators.
- Systems are automated and controlled via PLC, minimizing the amount of direct operator intervention required
- Typically, no more than 30 minutes to an hour per day is required for minor tasks such as checking the system for leaks and replacing filters
Maintenance + Life Cycle
Klorigen™ systems are engineered with minimal maintenance required to optimize operating conditions and expand the expected life of the system.
- Durable and reliable components are used
- An onboard ion-exchange brine treatment/softening process is implemented to produce a high-quality brine solution largely free of hardness and impurities, resulting in an expected electrolyzer/membrane life of 5-6 years
- The overall expected lifespan of a Klorigen™ K-Series on-site generation system is 10-15 years (can be engineered to exceed)
Product Quality
Ensuring that the product produced by the on-site generator is high quality and meets the stringent requirements for water treatment is important to consider when exploring OSG options. Klorigen™ systems can produce chlorine gas, NaOH, and/or sodium hypochlorite at concentrations up to 15% (150 g/L).
- Klorigen’s sodium hypochlorite is NSF/ANSI Standard 60 compliant (certification can be obtained where required)
- Production near the point of use is optimal as it eliminates the degradation experienced during transportation and storage
- On-site and on-demand production eliminates the need for lengthy storage periods
Support
Receiving the proper support from the technology provider in times of need is critical to ensuring the proper operation of an OSG system. ETS provides access to our team of engineers around the clock. To provide seamless support, remote PLC monitoring and reporting can be implemented at Klorigen™ installations.
- Electrolyzers are warranted to 5 years on a pro-rata basis
- Electrolytic Technologies is headquartered in Miami, FL (USA), with offices in Hong Kong, Johannesburg, and Bangkok
- Our team is available 24/7/365 to ensure our customers can always receive the support they deserve
- Management and Technical teams have extensive track records in Chlor-alkali technologies, water treatment, and project management
Interested in learning more about Klorigen and how it can benefit your chemical procurement process? Contact us here or email info@electrolytictech.com.