Ozone injection: an advantageous option for systems water distribution in the pharmaceutical industry

Abstract

Purified water system at CGEBs Production Plant has a nominal
generation capacity of 1 500 L/h . This system uses as raw water softened water that is
obtained on a suitable system the Production Plant. The system is formed by several
elements that combine their functions to give to water USPs 24 quality specifications.
Main processes in this system are reverse osmosis and continuous demineralization.
Distribution of produced purified water is carried out on a system formed by a storage
tank of 2 000 L, a centrifugal pump, an UV lamp and a closed loop with 28 sanitary
point of use. The loop construction material is stainless steel 316L and the loop returns
to the storage tank. Ozone is injected continuously on the storage tank, using an injector
installed on the loop return to the tank, to avoid growing of microbial organisms and
at the beginning of the loop an UV radiation lamp is installed to destroy residual ozone
before point of use. Sanitization of the loop is performed with ozone and the established
frequency is once in a month or when microbiological results exceed specifications
approved for purified water according USP 24. The objectives of the work were to
evaluate effectiveness of the ozone injection in the storage tank and to demonstrate
the advantages of the used sanitization system.