Salt water electrolysis

The salt electrolyser or chlorinator disinfects pool water without having to use conventional manual chemical treatments.

picto couleur

Salt electrolysis, naturally.

 

Salt or sodium chloride is a natural element that we are all familiar with, but it has water disinfection properties that are somewhat less known.
Combined with an electrolyser and added to water at very low doses, the salt is subject to electrolysis and continuously generates a disinfectant.
No more need to manually add disinfectant products on a regular basis.
Now it’s time for clean water and truly comfortable bathing.

Here is how this method of converting salt into chlorine works, as it convinces so many professional installers and pool owners!

 

What is salt electrolysis?

Not only efficient, but also comfortable.

The electrolyser is an excellent way of destroying bacteria, viruses and algae, while also preventing their development.
The structure of salt water is altered as a current is passed through two powered electrodes.
A new element appears: natural free (unstabilised) chlorine.
This disinfectant destroys micro-organisms and under the effect of solar radiation, combines with other elements to reform salt.
As the salt content of pool water is up to 10 times less than seawater, it is almost imperceptible.
The cycle repeats endlessly and the right quantity of chlorine is permanently regenerated.
The water remains soft, odourless, does not irritate eyes or skin.

 

Discover our salt electrolysers

 

Electrolysis for experts, or another way of seeing things.

Salt present in the pool water is sodium chloride (NaCl).
When dissolved, it separates into chloride and sodium ions (Na+ and Cl-).
The electrical voltage applied to the cathode and anode produces free chlorine by electrolysis, which contains two disinfectant agents: hypochlorite ions (OCI-) and hypochlorous acid (HOCI).
The more powerful is hyprochlorous acid, also referred to as free chlorine.

With a pH of 7.2, it contains 66% free chlorine, but this drops to 50% when the pH is at 7.5.
Hence the necessity to check and regulate the pH level of the water in addition to the electrolysis treatment to ensure its effectiveness.

 

The benefits of salt electrolysis

Since it was invented by Stérilor in 1985, disinfecting pools using salt chlorination has dramatically reduced the amount of chemical chlorine, bleach, bromine and disinfectants used in public and private swimming pools.

Also, the electrolysis treatment is compatible with any filtration system (cartridge, sand, diatom, glass).

By using salt chlorination, water is more hygienic, softer, more respectful of swimmers and the environment than conventional chlorinated pools.

 

Why is the pH level important for disinfecting pool water?

The pH value is essential to manage the quality of the pool water.
If the pH is too high, the active chlorine is less effective than if the pH is neutral, so it disinfects less.

Using a salt electrolyser to produce chlorine must therefore be combined with a pH regulation system to ensure optimal disinfection and perfectly clear water in all circumstances.

Learn more about our salt electrolysers with pH control

 

Why tell the electrolyser that the cover is closed?

If your pool is fitted with a cover, you can inform the electrolyser using a suitable system such as Slow Mode for example, which prevents excessive use of chlorine and its subsequent drawbacks.

When the cover is open, the electrolyser works normally.
As soon as you activate the closure of the cover, it informs the electrolysis unit to reduce the production of chlorine.

Most chlorine is consumed by UV rays. When the cover is open and the sunshine level is high, the lifetime of the chlorine produced by electrolysis is short. When the cover is placed over the pool, the UV rays are blocked by the slats and the chlorine has a significant residual effect, hence the importance of lowering production when the cover is on.

If your pool installation is equipped with a chlorine regulation system either using Redox measurement or amperometric measurement, it is no longer necessary to couple the operation of the cover and the electrolyser.