ACO – active catalytic oxidation into the ZPM after the filters
ACO stands for Active Catalytic Oxidation and is unique to Dryden Aqua. ACO contains several components, one of which is a catalyst supporting the natural photo oxidation from UV light. The energy of the sun or UV light is catalysed by ACO to form free radicals to disinfect pool water. The radicals work just like chlorine to remove pollutants but they do not form combined chlorine.
ACO has three primary functions:
1. Oxidation enhancer, makes chlorine and other oxidising agents work better
2. Protect chlorine from photolysis 3. Cationic flocculant works synergistically with APF
ACO is a catalyst and it is there for not consumed by the process. It gradually builds up in the water over a period of 8 weeks until it reaches equilibrium.
How does ACO work?
ACO consists of a mixture of poly silicates and metal oxides. The short-wavelength, energyintensive ultraviolet rays from the sun are converted by ACO into longer wavelengths. When this energy is released, it splits water molecules producing free radicals( hydroxyl radicals and oxygen radicals). They are even more powerful than ozone and can oxidize pollutants such as urea and chloramines completely back to carbon dioxide( CO2), water( H2O) and nitrogen( N2), so no combined chlorine or toxic disinfection by-products, just clean, safe water. So whenever there is strong sunlight, ACO will help to disinfect the water but it will not be consumed and it will not form reaction by-products.
By the conversion of the short-wavelength UV light to longer wavelength light, chlorine is protected from photolysis( decomposition by the sun). The half-life of chlorine increases by over 300 %. In contrast to traditional chlorine stabilisers such as cyanuric acid, ACO amplifies the performance of chlorine to kill bacteria and provides you with cleaner, safer water for both private as well as public pools.
UV is used for dechloramination( reduction of combined chlorine), however medium pressure UV will double the chlorine demand. Also, some of the combined chlorine is converted to chemicals such as chloroform and cyanogen chloride that are hundreds of times more harmful than combined chlorine. When ACO is dosed into the water before UV, it helps to reduce chlorine demand and reduces the formation of harmful by-products.
ACO is a cationic flocculant that removes positive charged particles. In combination with APF which removes negative charged particles, we will get a double stage flocculation of both positively and negatively charged particles in the water.
How to use ACO?
ACO is best dosed continually into a ZPM after the AFM ® filter, using a peristaltic dosing pump. The application rate is the same as APF and should be used at a continuous flow rate of 1 ml per m 3 of water filtered. ACO can also be dosed manually; the dosage is 1 l per 100 m 3 pool volume per week. We recommend the first dosage be double this amount. ACO takes around six to eight weeks before the full effects are visible.
DRYDEN AQUA 11