9.   Do private wells need NSF certification?  No… unless state regulations require such.  NSF certification may be required on public water systems, which are 15 or more service connections and serving 25 or more people.   In California, this definition extends down to 5 service connections at which the counties have regulatory jurisdiction.  Most private wells are a single connection, thus not a public water system and NSF certification is not required.

10. Is the i-chlor system NSF certified?  No… most state public drinking water system regulations have adopted the National Sanitation Foundation (NSF) certified chemical additives and materials Standards 60 and 61.  Because i-chlor produces chemical on demand, it is not possible to obtain Standard 60 and/or 61 certification for i-chlor.  However, there is a certification adopted for such equipment by the EPA through the NSF call the Environmental Technology Verification (ETV).  The ETV process is a third party verification that of what the equipment claims to do.  In i-chlor‘s case… does it make chlorine? 

 In efforts to keep costs low to the consumer, we have list of approved manufacturers of power supplies (for different production rates), pluming fittings (for different applications), and so on that we use to fabricate our systems.  This method of production is similar to a “kit” method of assembly… which is not conducive to obtaining an ETV certification because of the wide variability of customized products.    Although Chlorine Generators Incorporated plans to eventually have an i-chlor system that is ETV certified, for now the regulators will need to believe the discovers of chlorine and the century old process of making chlorine as an acceptable method for producing chlorine. For now… perhaps a trial installation showing proof of performance is all that your regulator needs.  Besides… if chlorine gas systems are allowed, where is their certification? 

11. What are mixed oxidants?  Mixed oxidants are a combination of two or more oxidants such as chlorine, chlorine dioxide, ozone, hydrogen peroxide and so on.  Our research conducted several years ago on our prototypes revealed that our chlorine generators produced ozone and chlorine dioxide gases in addition to chlorine gas.  This is an expected outcome since EPA has classified theses types of systems under Mixed Oxidant Generators.  Although our claim is that when you purchase and install an i-chlor system, you are purchasing a chlorine generator.  The mixed oxidants that result from the system are simply an added benefit to the process.  You will find that there is a difference especially in high chlorine demand and fluctuating chlorine demand sources such as a surface water supply (fewer to no chlorine adjustments needed with hour to daily variations in chlorine demand).  You will also find that in most cases, the system oxidizes manganese without the need for potassium permanganate.  This is due to the mixed oxidants and the development of free radicals that provide a high order oxidation power.  Lastly, it is speculated but yet proven that disinfection precursors in surface water are destroyed by the free radicals allowing for a reduced disinfection byproduct (DBP) formation from the chlorine.  It is important to note that chlorates were not detected in our research since chlorate would result from the liquid phase, and not the gas phase of the process. 

12. Does i-chlor use a pump?  No… the i-chlor system has no moving parts.  Gas produced from the process is removed under vacuum to the process.  In a well application, this can be the water system pressure that injects the water down to the well pump.  In a pressurized system, a booster pump may be needed to create a vacuum injection to the high pressure system. 

13. How can i-chlor operate with no moving parts?  The i-chlor system operates in similar fashion to a battery.  No moving parts equal a quite operation with extreme reliability.   During operation, the vacuum system produces a gurgle noise resulting from the relief air passing through the vacuum relief system.  Dosage is controlled electronically by adjustment of amperage to the cell.  They more amps, the more chlorine.  To reduce chlorine output, reduce the power supply amperage. 

14. Do I use my existing gas chlorination equipment if I replace with the i-chlor system?  The only piece of existing gas chlorination equipment that may be used with the i-chlor system is the vacuum injector.  The rotameter and regulator are not needed with the i-chlor system. 

15. Does i-chlor use a rotameter?  No… the i-chlor system uses the most accurate method of chlorine dosing through electro-chemical adjustment… the elementary basis of chlorine production.  The electronic dosage method allows fully open passage of chlorine to the process, eliminating all possibilities of pathway plugging with impurities or other foreign objects.  This control method allows extremely low dosage application when compared to rotameter control, which often plug under low chlorine dosage settings.

16. Does i-chlor use a flow meter, needle valve, or venturi metering system to control chlorine flow rate?  No… the i-chlor system uses the most accurate method of chlorine dosing through electro-chemical adjustment… the elementary basis of chlorine production.  The electronic dosage method allows a continuous, non-varying flow of chlorine to the process.  This control method allows extremely accurate dosage application when compared to flow meter control, which vary under changing pressure (or vacuum), venturi flow rate, and solution temperature.

17. Where do I purchase salt for the chlorine generator?  You can purchase any pellet salt product from any grocery store, hardware store, or from your water treatment specialist. 

18. Does it matter if I use solar salt, or pellet salt?  Yes… there is a difference; however, both will work.  The solar salt tends to have more bromine which is the first reaction before chlorine is produced and you will notice a brownish foam in the brine reservoir with a delayed chlorine output.  It is also important to use a salt having a high sodium chloride purity for membrane maintenance and extended life cycle. 

19. What are the wear parts of the i-chlor system?  The membrane and anode are the major wear parts of the system.  In normal use, the membrane will last about one year and the anode will last from 3-5 years.  Tubing, gaskets, and fittings also need to be periodically replaced.

20. Is softened water needed in the process?  Yes and No.  Most water supplies are adequate for use in the i-chlor system; however, softened water will prolong membrane maintenance requirements and extend the life of the membrane.  An impaired water supply having many minerals in the process is not recommended.  It should be noted that a salt product of poor quality having many impurities has a greater impact on the membrane maintenance and life cycle. 

21. Is a chlorine leak detector needed for the installation?  No… since chlorine is generated when needed, there is no possibility of a reportable chlorine release.  A chlorine leak detector can still be used to monitor the effectiveness of the injection system (vacuum ejector plugging or failure).

22. What are the byproducts of the i-chlor process?  In addition to chlorine, the i-chlor chlorine generator produces sodium hydroxide (caustic soda) and hydrogen gas.

23. Can the sodium hydroxide byproduct be used?  Yes… sodium hydroxide is highly beneficial chemical widely used for corrosion control, membrane cleaning, drain cleaning, and used to make soaps and cleaners.  The value of the sodium hydroxide produce from the i-chlor system is actually more than the value of chlorine. 

24. What are the safeguards of sodium hydroxide byproduct?  A caustic spill can occur either by improper handling and disposal of the caustic, tubing rupture, or by cell rupture.  The caustic concentration in the cell ranges from 6-12 percent, depending on the hydrometer setting.  At this concentration, a caustic splash on the skin will cause an irritation that needs to be immediately flushed with water until the slimy feeling no longer exists.  Safeguards must be followed to prevent the splashing of caustic in the eyes, which can cause serious damage.  Use safety protection equipment to protect your eyes and skin. You can also provide neutralization and provide containment of the spill with vinegar, or a weak solution of swimming pool acid.

25. What are the safeguards of hydrogen gas byproduct? Air containing as little as 4.1 percent by volume up to as much as 74.2 percent by volume of hydrogen is potentially explosive.  The density of hydrogen gas is 1/14 the density of air and is not easily contained.  Installation of a unit in the outside environment poses no hazards.  Interior installation should be ventilated, or the gas should be vented to the outside or attic (vented) of the building.

26. Can system be installed outside?  Yes… however, the power supply needs to be sheltered from the rain.  In most cases, a NEMA 3R enclosure is adequate. 

27. When adding salt to the reservoir the chlorine odor is strong.  Can the chlorine gas odor be reduced or eliminated?  YES… residual chlorine will be in the brine reservoir at all times.  When salt is added to the reservoir, the displaced air will exit the reservoir causing a strong chlorine odor in the vicinity.  The amount of residual chlorine in the reservoir is small (less than 0.01 lb in Model 0.2, and less than 0.3 lb in Model 1.7), and can easily be tied up in solution by several methods.  Adding the process byproduct of sodium hydroxide to the brine reservoir and agitating the solution will tie up the chlorine in the liquid making chlorine bleach.  Use this solution to clean your toilet or other drainage fixture.  Sodium or calcium thiosulfate can also be added to neutralize the chlorine.  Doesn’t take much, just add a few crystals to the reservoir and agitate.  Again, dispose solution down your drain with no hazards.    

28. How can the i-chlor system be used to inject chlorine down the well casing without the potential overdosing by siphonage of the day tank?  The i-chlor system makes gas, not a liquid in a day tank.  With generation on demand, there is no possibility of siphoning liquids or gas down the well casing since no gas is available when not operating.  For more information, please review our Private Well Brochure.

29. Will temperature affect the operation of the i-chlor system?  Yes… the i-chlor system will not operate in freezing or near freezing temperatures.  Although the power supply compensates for cold brine temperatures, more voltage is needed to operate at the desired amperage setting.  Considerations must be given to the start-up brine temperature and the stage of membrane cleaning cycle (residual voltage during operation).  In many cases, a drop-off of chlorine production will not be noticed, but it should be considered when installed in outside environments.   

30. I’m concerned about support for product repair or replacement?  First… no moving parts mean less wear, longer-lasting parts, and higher system reliability.  We’ve been in business for nearly two decades, and continue to provide service when requested on older installations.  We licensed our original SAFE-T-clor system to Chemical Injection Technologies Incorporated from 1998 to 2003.  Although CIT no longer holds the license or distributes the SAFE-T-clor system, we will more than happy to service these installations as needed.   In a nut shell, only the anodes and cathodes are fabricated products for any of our systems.  The remaining components are purchased from other approved vendors, and can often be replaced with a variety of options.   The process is simple and we do not intend to make it complicated.

31. Is the i-chlor system safer than onsite sodium hypochlorite generation system?  YES… percentage of available chlorine in the solution is the basic difference between a typical bleach system and an on-site sodium hypochlorite generator system.  The onsite sodium hypochlorite generation systems also add sodium to the water supply.  Planned injection of sodium chloride in a potable water supply provides no benefit, but rather a detriment unapproved chemical addition (i.e. no NSF or UL approval).  As a chemist, you will also find it very difficult to predict the product outcome of the process under various mixed oxidants produced (side reactions with free radicals), solution temperatures, salt impurities, process water chemistry and so on.  In fact, many companies promote the fact that mixed oxidants are a powerful benefit to the process; however, they stop short of also claiming the resulting undesirable byproducts of the process such as chlorate.  Commercial bleach manufacturers control the exothermic reaction of the mixing process using titanium cooling coils.  This is done to reduce the production of chlorate and perchlorate in the resulting bleach solution.

32. What are the savings compared to chlorine gas?  Like the i-chlor system, chlorine gas is the preferred method of chlorine application.  Chlorine gas is becoming more difficult to obtain do to reduced demands. A summary of the costs comparisons with chlorine gas applications includes:

·        Not even considering demurrage charges, the cost of purchasing chlorine gas in 150 lb cylinders is about $1.00 per pound depending on your location.  A $5 bag of salt from the hardware store produces up to 30 lbs of chlorine gas costing $0.17 per pound… a 600 percent savings. 

·        Factoring in a minor power cost component of 1-2 KWH per pound of production (varies on production quantity), the total equivalent chlorine costs of about $0.30/pound is still more than 300 percent savings over conventional chlorine gas chemicals in the small capacity range. 

·        Chlorine gas maintenance costs include frequent overhauls of regulators and the requirement to wear protective breathing gear when handling containers or providing maintenance on the systems even with the smallest installations.  Comparative operation and maintenance cost further increases the value of the i-chlor system. 

·        A more serious disadvantage of gaseous chlorine is the total cost of handling and operating safety. Federal regulations limit the amount of gas that can be stored at a single location without extensive provisions to contain potential leaks. On-site storage of large quantities of gas must be enclosed in and protected by systems called "scrubbers," which have the ability to contain and neutralize gas in the event of a leak. Scrubbers are costly to purchase and install and require regular maintenance. In addition, operators must have an emergency response plan in place. Such plans usually are authored by an engineering firm following a careful study of the operator's overall operation. These operating costs can mount quickly while the i-chlor system does not require these stringent requirements. 

·        A little-known cost associated with using chlorine gas is the record-keeping and reporting required. Such regulations have been imposed by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and add to the labor costs of using chlorine gas.  The i-chlor system does not require these stringent requirements.

·        The capital cost of the i-chlor system is several times lower than typical chlorine gas feed systems which includes a cylinders, chlorinators (or regulators), weigh scales, switchover modules, injectors, booster pump and appurtenances.  Safety requirement further increase capital costs with mechanical ventilation, warning devices and alarms, panic hardware for doors, showers and eyewash facilities, air tight rooms and scrubbers.  Capital costs for new construction can range from $30,000 to $100,000 for small installations.    

·        Lastly, the i-chlor system produces sodium hydroxide a beneficial chemical worth about $2/pound of chlorine production.  If using caustic soda, the i-chlor system will actually recover the entire cost of disinfection and support cost reduction in other chemical treatment processes.  A benefit producing system.

33. What are the savings compared to sodium hypochlorite bleach?  With low capital costs, chlorine bleach is becoming most common method of chlorination.  A summary of the costs comparisons with sodium hypochlorite bleach applications includes:

·        The cost of purchasing 12.5% sodium hypochlorite (commercial strength) in small quantities ranges from $1 to $2 per gallon depending on your location.  Each gallon has an equivalent of roughly 1 lb of chlorine, costing about $1-$2 per pound of equivalent chlorine.  A $5 bag of salt from the hardware store produces up to 30 lbs of chlorine gas costing $0.17 per pound… a 600-1200 percent savings. 

·        Factoring in a minor power cost component of 1-2 KWH per pound of production (varies on production quantity), the total equivalent chlorine costs of about $0.30/pound is still more than 300-600 percent savings over conventional chlorine bleach chemicals in any quantity range. 

·        Metering pumps and other injection components are vulnerable to corrosion needing frequent maintenance and replacement.  Comparative operation and maintenance cost further increases the value of the i-chlor system. 

·        Since bleach is considered a hazardous chemical, containment at the treatment site is a consideration adding further costs.  Salt is inert and not hazardous where containment is not required. 

·        Metering pumps typically are placed on top of containers, which requires lifting chemical to the pump. As bleach off-gasses, pumps often lose their prime causing the system to either fail entirely or pump inconsistently.  Expensive monitoring systems are required to maintain a consistent and reliable chlorine residual.

·        Like chlorine gas, personnel working with this form of chlorine should receive safety training and wear proper protective clothing during handling. Employees working with the solution also take on the risk of physical injury in just handling the heavy drum containers weighing over 400 lbs.  Two bags of salt is more chlorine than what is contained in a drum of commercial bleach, or about 3 drums of 5.25 percent bleach.

·        Companies using bleach also must pay careful attention to ambient temperatures and proximity to equipment susceptible to corrosion when storing the chemical. In addition, bleach never should be stored near acid products, since the reaction between acid and sodium hypochlorite will produce a potentially fatal chlorine gas.  Conditioned spaces further add to the cost of bleach installations. 

34. What are the savings compared to powered bleach?  Another method of chlorination gaining popularity is powered chlorine bleach, or calcium hypochlorite.  A summary of the costs comparisons with calcium hypochlorite bleach applications includes:

·        The cost of purchasing 65% calcium hypochlorite (commercial strength) in small quantities ranges from $2 to $10 per pound depending on your location.  Each pound has an equivalent of roughly 0.65 lb of chlorine, costing about $3-$15 per pound of chlorine.  A $5 bag of salt from the hardware store produces up to 30 lbs of chlorine gas costing $0.17 per pound… a 1,700-8,800 percent savings.

·        Factoring in a minor power cost component of 1-2 KWH per pound of production (varies on production quantity), the total equivalent chlorine costs of about $0.30/pound is still more than 800-4,500 percent savings over conventional calcium hypochlorite bleach chemicals in any quantity range.

·        Capital costs vary from low with a simple erosion feeder to several thousands of dollars for an automated system.  Systems are quite variable and sometimes very complex. Reliability requires mixing, pumping, monitoring, and cleaning.  Systems often require use of proprietary products containing surfactants to prevent calcium plugging. 

·        Companies using bleach also must pay careful attention to ambient temperatures and proximity to equipment susceptible to corrosion when storing the chemical. Corrosion from chlorine off-gassing turns all exposed metal part to rust and ruins control systems.  In addition, bleach never should be stored near acid products, since the reaction between acid and sodium hypochlorite will produce a potentially fatal chlorine gas.  Conditioned spaces further add to the cost of bleach installations.

35. How much space is required the i-chlor system?  About 4 square feet per unit is required for the i-chlor Model 1.7, and about 2 square feet per unit for the i-chlor Model 0.2.  Chemical storage space is replaced with salt bag storage space with can be stacked on vertically requiring small space requirements. 

36. What is the value of sodium hydroxide produced from the i-chlor system?  A 50 pound bag of salt purchased for $5 will produce 60 gallons of 10 percent sodium hydroxide (34 pounds of caustic soda).  This equates to a $65 value of sodium hydroxide. 

37. How complicated is the i-chlor system to operate?  It is as simple as operating a battery… no moving parts.  The operation requires the periodic addition of salt to the brine reservoir and adjustment of the power supply setting to the appropriate level to achieve the desired residual outcome.  A manual system will require the occasional dilution of sodium hydroxide.

38. What are the maintenance needs of the i-chlor system?  Periodic membrane cleaning, and changing of the tubing and fittings. 

39. Is i-chlor a saltwater chlorinator?  NO… the i-chlor system is a chlorine gas generator that uses very little salt.  One 50 pound bag of salt can produce enough chlorine equivalent to more than 65 gallons of household bleach.  In saltwater pools, 50 pounds of salt per 2,000 gallons of water will establish recommended 4000 ppm salt level in a saltwater pool.  Therefore a 20,000 gallon pool will require 10 bags of food grade salt… enough salt to make an equivalent amount of over 650 gallons of liquid bleach if using the i-chlor system. 

A.        Odabasi, M., “Halogenated Volatile Organic Compounds from the Use of Chlorine-Bleach- Containing Household Products”, Environmental Science & Technology 42, 1445-1451, (2008).