Pioneering ozone technology solutions
Thursday, 25 November 2010 | |
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To whom it may concern
Sustaining the localization of ozone technology for water treatment in Africa
The need for a more advanced technological response to water quality
Having witnessed an acceleration of water quality related threats and incidents across SA over the last number of years and particularly so for finite water resources, the need for considering alternative treatment technologies is on the increase. This follows global trends for water treatment goals for organic micro pollutants, disinfection byproducts (DBP) and microbial inactivation1 specifically requiring new disinfection and oxidation technologies. Conventional methods also fall short as far as disinfection against the resistant parasite cysts of giardia and cryptosporidium is concerned. Whereas coagulation and filtration will remove the cysts to some extent, it is known that chlorination (also chlorine derivatives), requires unrealistically high dose and exposure time to maintain the contact time (Ct) value where significant deactivation occurs. Conventional chemical treatment such as chlorination is furthermore expected to become less effective in future against bacterial species as certain bacteria are gradually developing resistance to halogen based disinfectants.
In recent years, Ozone (O3) has become an attractive alternative with well documented applications globally with a tenfold growth to 250 tons/day by 20102 in installed ozone capacity in for instance the USA, since 1990. Ozone destroys the cell walls of microorganisms, and penetrates inside the cell to oxidize essential cell components (proteins, DNA). Micro-organisms do not develop resistance to ozone, and the molecule acts blindly on micro-organisms as a universal disinfectant. Due to its oxidative strength, ozone is a highly effective agent against giardia and cryptosporidium cysts, requiring relatively low doses and contact time. Ozone rapidly destroys algae and phytoplankton by similar mechanisms, and is a strong fungicide, effectively destroying the spores and plants. Ozone typically sterilizes 1000 x more effectively (quicker at lower dose) than chlorine and chlorine derivatives. More recently, the effectiveness of ozone against organic micro pollutants for instance Endocrine Disruptor (EDC) destruction3 is also well recognized. An example of this recognition is the ozone plant constructed at Kalundborg (Denmark) with the sole purpose of EDC removal.
The localization context
Against this backdrop and generally ailing and outdated water quality treatment infrastructure and technologies and increasing insistence by the citizens of SA for access to safer water, calls for an indigenous and appropriate response. This convergence of economic empowerment, skills development and employment creation through localization of such water treatment technologies, whilst accelerating water service delivery pressure through more advanced treatment technology, is clearly riddled with opportunity.
The President of SA’s call during his opening address in Parliament this year, for a specific focus on localization as a strategy for fostering local value addition and accompanying employment creation and preservation, is as relevant if not more so in the water and environmental sector, as it would be for the SA automotive industry. This is because safe water and its relationship with a cleaner environment and impact on the already strained Healthcare system, much published growth in Tourism and other water dependent industries such as mining and electricity generation seeking investment, represents the most basic of building blocks to a better future economically, environmentally and socially.
Historically, high capacity ozone generation equipment was imported into South Africa from Europe at consequentially high capital cost. This situation limited design flexibility in that available generator capacities are fixed. This inevitably results in over or under capitalization and from a African perspective, limiting its application in small to midsized applications of between 20gr/h and 2kg/hr. Maintenance and support on larger installations were also obtained from overseas suppliers, with limited local equipment support, repair facilities, ozone diffusion and plant operation optimization expertise, to name a few areas.
More specifically, the above depicted nine key gaps in relation to imported ozone technology were identified by local company Purion, towards the early part of 2000. As a consequence, ozone plant affordability and rate of adoption of ozone applications in SA and Africa were identified as overriding focus for a localization and industrialization strategy. Moreover, the sheer potential for skills development, employment creation across the ozone technology value chain not to mention the foreign exchange savings, clearly must be seen as obvious motives to support local offerings.
With an estimated conservative 16 Tons/day of installed ozone plant in SA by 2030, the estimated 265 direct employment opportunities and a conservative R 2.9 Billion contribution to the GDP associated with this localization value chain over the next 20 years for South Africa alone, carries a huge opportunity cost if not supported by local water services authorities and industry.
Customer and market driven localized ozone technology
Traditional localization responses rely on some form a government support to achieve price parity with comparable imported equipment and technology. However, given the very compelling social and business case for localization, an appropriate technology response combined with a customer service delivery centric approach, with specific reference to achieving a lower owner and operating cost (life cycle cost), an industry led response is already underway. It is founded on the following three mutually supportive principles:
- Providing appropriate ozone technology solutions within the context of water quality and affordability challenges. This means being able to offer ozone products that can be scaled and customized to the unique water quality and throughput requirements of individual customers. As an obvious consequence over and under capitalization in terms of ozone generation capacity and space requirements is minimized by using a modular design approach whilst lowering the cost of for instance possible electrode replacement using local labour and materials;
Linking these installations to customer specific service support models as part of a localization response within the context of service delivery and skills retention challenges, faced by all water services providers in SA. This means that the customer service requirements be priced into such offerings with multiple options in terms of the level of support required at each" installation, moving away from the current “one size fits all” model. This could range from mere maintenance contracts to fully inclusive managed services, incorporating both operating and maintenance accountability by the supplier and best achieved through Private Public Partnerships (PPP’s) or at best a hybrid service shop and professional service model configuration;
- Aligning the localization model, technical ozone and service offering with applicable best practices in product realization and service life cycle management frameworks and standards such as COSO for enterprise risk management, Prince 2 in project management, BS 25999 for business continuity management, IDEF Ø notation for operating procedure and process standardization, the principles of PAS 55 for infrastructure an Asset Management together with due consideration of TOGAF™ and other enterprise architecture guidelines to ensure re-usability and knowledge transfer and last but not least, ISO 9001:2008.
Sustaining ozone technology localization
The ozone localization value chain depicted here and gradually developed over the last decade in SA is suggested to institutionalize this drive on the African continent. 
Two aspects of this initiative need to be highlighted namely the explicit interface with customer drinking water management with specific reference to the Blue and Green Drop Certification and other water quality frameworks to govern the outputs and quality of the localization drive. Secondly, the deployment of best practices in business continuity management such as Total Quality Management (TQM) and other practices to enable the perpetual improvement and constant innovation across the four core activities of ozone equipment design, supply chain development, manufacturing and installation and customer service model deployment. 
To turn this ozone technology value chain localization into reality, the emphasis by prospective users/owners of ozone plant should shift to a very rational and more holistic decision making model, comprising at least the five cost components indicated here. To this end, it is suggested that prospective customers insist on a customer specific service model to be priced into RFQ’s and tenders over a minimum period of say 10 years and configured to the unique skill and human capacity profile, supplier response time, mean time to repair (MTTR) and ozone plant availability requirements, as opposed to mere technical requirements. In other words, to shift the emphasis to the continued operation of the plant over extended periods of say 20 years plus, to deliver the required ozone dosage, when considering the financial implications of these investment decisions in relation to conventional water quality treatment solutions.
This approach becomes particularly relevant in evaluating decisions for sewerage effluent water disinfection and oxidation, where the initial capital cost for ozone installations may need to be compared with longer term labour cost, chemical cost escalation and its associated carbon footprint. It is anticipated that within the next decade, a sixth cost component related to the ecological life cycle cost will have to be incorporated in such decision making models.
Entrenching localized ozone technology
African developed ozone generator and oxygen concentrator technology has been developed over the last decade and is now available comprising a very high local procurement content in excess of 95 % by value and gradually closing the gaps referred to the localization context paragraph above. More specifically, this industry led localization drive now means more affordable ozone installations due to the modularity in design allowing ozone generator output scaling for small and large applications in mining, water services and manufacturing sectors. Moreover, the cost of and extent of customer service customization as outlined in the service model graphic using 100% local labour and technical skill, provides for a 360º ozone offering from within Africa.
Considering that capital outflows amidst severe pressure on the National BOP, stimulating local sustainable employment creation and skills development, reducing the impact on the environment4, improving utilization of existing water sources such as effluent and mine water, improving export earning potential, expanding the SA Revenue Service tax base through increased supply chain activity and more importantly, raising the level of potable and effluent water disinfection and oxidation suggest a very compelling baseline for localizing ozone technology and its associated services within Africa.
The extent of localization of technology and servicing capabilities must be recognized as a vital component for future sustainability in the water sector and fostering of an environment that will encourage local innovation and supplier network development, in line with National Government policies on economic growth, industrialization and Science and Technology development.
Given the economic multipliers and social impact on communities and individuals across the African continent, the current service challenges and relatively low level of technological advancement in water quality treatment, efforts by the City of Tshwane and others to support local technology should be applauded. The strategic value in going beyond lip service to extend local value chains and by implication, support the gradual expansion and competitiveness of an entire ozone localization value chain, means that the resulting benefits will transcend the African Continent to make it less reliant on imported technologies and more affordable to have access to safe water.
It is hoped that local water service providers and industry will recognize the value of adopting localized ozone technology because of its compelling and rational economic development and customer specific, life cycle cost benefits.
H Viljoen
Business Manager : Purion (Pty) Ltd
- American Water Works Association. 1993, Controlling disinfection by-products. Denver AWWA.
- IO News Vol 37,2 April 2009
- 2nd SA Water Quality Conference proceedings. May 2009. Ozone, an appropriate and accessible agent to raise the standard of communal water safety in SA with specific reference to Removal of Endocrine Disruptors and Cyanotoxins. Dr R Strydom
- Currently very dependent on conventional chemical treatment processes and their associated carbon footprint as opposed to more environmentally friendly point of use technologies
