Oxi-Tech Solutions has secured Innovate UK funding for a two-year research partnership with the University of Warwick to improve electrochemical water disinfection technology for industrial cleaning and water treatment systems.
The Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP), scheduled to begin in 2027, will develop Oxi-Tech’s patented Pulse Oxidation technology, concentrating on ozone-generation efficiency, electrode-cell durability, manufacturing costs and the integration of electrical diagnostics.
The programme combines Oxi-Tech’s experience of deploying disinfection equipment with Warwick’s research expertise in electrochemistry, advanced materials and cell engineering. It will address compact systems for distributed water treatment and larger installations intended for industrial clean-in-place operations.
Pulse Oxidation uses water and electrical energy to generate disinfecting oxidants, including ozone. The system incorporates boron-doped diamond electrodes supplied through Oxi-Tech’s materials partnership with Element Six, the synthetic diamond technology company.
The proposed development aims to reduce dependence on externally supplied chemical disinfectants by generating an active treatment within the equipment itself.
Ozone is a reactive chemical disinfectant, so the process is more accurately described as on-site electrochemical disinfection than as the absence of chemicals. Its use still requires appropriate process controls, equipment design and verification that the intended treatment has achieved the necessary result.
Electrochemical ozone generation depends on the behaviour of the electrodes and the conditions within the treatment cell. Electrical energy drives reactions at the electrode surfaces, producing the active oxidants that are subsequently used in the water treatment process.
Boron-doped diamond provides an electrically conductive form of synthetic diamond suitable for specialised electrochemical applications. Its material characteristics can support the operating requirements of equipment intended to generate reactive substances in water.
The performance of a complete cell depends on more than the electrode material alone. Electrode geometry, electrical conditions, water characteristics and the design of the surrounding equipment can influence the efficiency and stability of the process.
Oxi-Tech and Warwick will investigate designs and materials intended to improve the amount of useful disinfectant generated from a given electrical input.
Higher ozone-generation efficiency could reduce electricity consumption for a defined treatment requirement, although the resulting savings would depend on the operating conditions and the performance of the finished system.
Electrode-cell durability is another focus. Industrial treatment systems may operate repeatedly or for extended periods, making component life an important consideration when determining maintenance requirements and the overall cost of ownership.
Material degradation, changes in electrical behaviour and the condition of the water being processed can influence cell performance. The partnership will examine these factors as it seeks to extend operating life.
Integrated electrical diagnostics are intended to support that work. By monitoring characteristics of the cell during operation, the equipment may be able to identify changes associated with performance deterioration or faults.
The research will investigate how those measurements can be incorporated into a practical monitoring system. The ability to detect an electrical change does not automatically establish its cause, making the interpretation and validation of diagnostic signals an important part of the development process.
Manufacturing costs will be assessed alongside performance. Electrochemical systems using specialist electrode materials require consistent production processes and suitable assembly methods if they are to be manufactured economically at greater volume.
Reducing cost must therefore be considered together with durability, treatment effectiveness and the ability to maintain defined operating characteristics across manufactured units.
One of the principal applications targeted by the programme is industrial clean-in-place (CIP) equipment.
CIP systems circulate cleaning and treatment fluids through tanks, pipework and production equipment without requiring routine dismantling of the installation. They are widely used where internal surfaces need to be cleaned and sanitised as part of a controlled production process.
Conventional CIP programmes can include water rinsing, heated cleaning solutions, detergents and disinfectants. The sequence and operating conditions depend on the equipment, residues, materials and hygiene requirements of the process.
Cleaning and disinfection serve different functions. Cleaning removes unwanted material and residues, while disinfection reduces microbial contamination to the level required for the application.
An oxidising disinfectant cannot necessarily replace every cleaning stage. Organic residues and other deposits may require mechanical or chemical removal before a subsequent disinfection process can perform effectively.
Oxi-Tech’s development programme will therefore need to establish where electrochemical treatment can substitute for conventional disinfection and where other stages of the cleaning process remain necessary.
The company has already installed Pulse Oxidation technology in food and beverage production settings, providing operating experience that can inform the next generation of equipment.
At Sandford Orchards in Devon, Oxi-Tech’s system has been integrated into the bottling operation’s CIP process. Trials examined whether Pulse Oxidation could replace a proportion of the existing hot caustic wash cycles while maintaining suitable hygiene performance.
Monitoring during the trials included adenosine triphosphate (ATP) measurements at points within the cleaning circuit. ATP readings can help assess the presence of biological residue, although they do not independently identify every type of microorganism or replace all validation activities required for industrial hygiene.
Oxi-Tech has reported favourable results from the installation, including reductions in conventional cleaning chemical use and associated energy consumption. Those findings relate to the specific equipment and trial conditions at Sandford Orchards.
The company has also reported applications in dairy production, including work with Yeo Valley, where its system has been used to reduce reliance on conventional cleaning chemicals and heated water.
Performance achieved in an individual agricultural or beverage installation should not be assumed to apply unchanged to other industrial processes. Different equipment geometries, operating temperatures, water quality and contamination risks can alter the treatment requirements.
The new research will also examine how the electrochemical technology can be incorporated into smaller distributed systems and larger water treatment installations.
Compact equipment may be suitable where treatment is needed close to the point of use. Larger industrial systems require sufficient processing capacity and integration with existing water handling, control and monitoring infrastructure.
Scaling a treatment system involves more than increasing electrical input. Electrode configuration, water flow, contact conditions and the delivery of the required treatment concentration must be assessed as equipment dimensions and throughput change.
Oxi-Tech expanded its collaboration with Element Six in May 2026 to support further development and commercial deployment. The companies intend to use boron-doped diamond technology as a foundation for the equipment platforms being developed.
Paul Morris, chief executive of Oxi-Tech Solutions, said: “We are delighted to have been awarded this grant funding”.
Morris said the partnership would bring together Warwick’s electrochemical research capabilities, Oxi-Tech’s industrial experience and Element Six’s advanced materials expertise.
The project is also intended to strengthen the company’s UK manufacturing and intellectual property activities. Successful development could support new product designs and additional production requirements, although the partnership does not currently establish a quantified increase in manufacturing capacity.
Oxi-Tech identifies the industrial CIP market as a substantial commercial opportunity. Its project documentation estimates the global market at approximately $10 billion, a figure that should be treated as the company’s market assessment rather than an independently verified measurement.
The funding amount for the KTP has not been disclosed. The confirmed commitment is a two-year research partnership beginning in 2027, rather than the commissioning of a new commercial-scale treatment plant.
Research will concentrate on the electrode and cell designs, manufacturing methods and electrical monitoring systems needed to develop the next equipment generation. Subsequent industrial adoption will depend on demonstrating that the technology meets the cleaning, disinfection and operational requirements of the installations for which it is intended.
