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How to Dry a Wet Ozone Destruct System

Ozone destruct systems allow you to divert ozone when you’re not actively using it to keep excess ozone from entering the room. There are some important notes to make sure you get the most out of your system.

Sometimes water can back up into your destruct system, and when this occurs it will render the system ineffective. The following brief article will demonstrate how to dry that destruct material so you can easily get your system up and running again. For this you will need a baking sheet, enough foil or parchment paper for the purpose of covering the baking sheet, a paper towel, and ideally a funnel. If an actual funnel is not available you can fashion a crude one by rolling up a paper towel, foil, or parchment paper.

We carry two types of ozone destructs, our standard and the stainless steel. You can find out how to dry the material in both below.

Standard Ozone Destruct

The first step is to remove one of the end caps – this will allow you access to the material. It can help to act as if you are “unscrewing” the cap from the body of the destruct itself. While the cap is not actually threaded onto the body of the destruct, this allows more control when removing the cap to prevent the cap from briskly being removed and destruct material flying everywhere.

There is white fiberglass wool utilized internally to catch any fine particulates and keep them in the destruct system tube. It will likely stay in the gray end cap, but if it is loose set it aside to replace it before closing the tube back up.

Lay the foil or parchment paper out to cover the baking sheet. Spread the destruct material (aka charcoal-looking material) evenly in a single layer on the sheet.

To expedite the drying process for the destruct material, place the sheet in a 350°F oven for 30 minutes. If you do not have an oven available, you can leave the material spread on the baking sheet and allow it to air dry for a few hours. Take this time to then dry out the inside of the clear plastic destruct tube with a paper towel to remove all excess moisture, if any.

[Click any image below to see a larger version.]

If baked allow the material to cool, and with the funnel begin to refill the destruct system tube about half way. Tap the side of the destruct system tube a few times to settle the material, then refill with half of the remaining material left on the sheet. Tap to settle once more, then refill the tube with the last of the destruct material.

The last step is to replace the end cap. If the fiberglass wool was removed, simply replace on top of the destruct material before replacing the end cap.

Stainless Steel Ozone Destruct System

Take the destruct system in your hand, and unscrew the lid on the end of the destruct; this is the end with the 3-way stopcock valve and is threaded which will allow you to unscrew the end cap.

[Click any image below for a larger version.]

Remove wool

Spread material on baking sheet

You will see a pronounced ball of fiberglass wool once the cap is off akin to a cotton ball. Remove and set that aside to replace later.

Take foil or parchment paper and completely cover the baking sheet. Spread the destruct material (aka charcoal-looking material) evenly in a single layer on the sheet.

To expedite the drying process for the destruct material, place the sheet in a 350°F preheated oven for 30 minutes. If you do not have an oven available, you can leave the material spread on the baking sheet and allow it to air dry for a few hours. Take this time to then dry out the inside of the stainless steel destruct tube with a paper towel to remove all excess moisture, if any.

If baked allow the material to cool, and with the funnel begin to refill the destruct system tube about half way. Tap the side of the destruct system tube a few times to settle the material, then refill with half of the remaining material left on the sheet. Tap to settle once more, then refill the tube with the last of the destruct material.

Lastly, check the dampness of the fiberglass wool. If it feels damp to the touch, remove as much excess liquid by blotting dry with a paper towel. Then replace on top of the refilled destruct material and screw the lid back on.

That’s it.

Conclusion

It’s important to know why this can occur so you can keep it from happening in the future. Normally these destruct systems are being utilized with our water bubbler/humidifier glassware piece, which has two connections on the top – essentially an input from the tubing connected to the ozone out port of the ozone generator and an exhaust that is then connected to the stopcock of the destruct system. These are dedicated and not interchangeable. 99% of the time when backflow into the destruct system occurs, it is because these two connections have been accidentally swapped. The easiest way to ensure you have the proper connections is to remove the bubbler stem from the flask. The connection from the ozone generator out tubing should be connected to the luer lock that appears to be directly connected to the stem of the bubbler- this allows the ozone to travel down the bubbling stem and out through the diffuser. This connection will appear to be smack in the center of the stem. The remaining connection, more on the periphery of the two connectors on the stem, is the exhaust that you will connect to the destruct system.

Following these simple steps will help to ensure your destruct system is up and functional again. For further information on our destruct system, please visit our other ozone videos on our Videos page.