SPAN TS 3001:2021

TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATION

DISINFECTION OF WATER -
ELECTROCHLORINATION
SYSTEMS

National Water Services Commission

No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, stored in a retrieval
system, or reduced to any electronic medium without the written authority of National Water
Services Commission.

National Water Services Commission and Registered Certifying Agencies employees are
permitted to copy and use the information in this publication, for internal purposes only.

Changes may be made periodically to the information herein.

First Edition

February 2021

Published by:

Suruhanjaya Perkhidmatan Air Negara

(National Water Services Commission)
Bahagian Pembangunan Industri
Prima Avenue 8, Block 3510
Jalan Teknokrat 6
63000 Cyberjaya, Selangor
Malaysia
 SPAN TS 3001:2021

Contents

Page

Foreword................................................................................................................................................................................ ii

0 Introduction .......................................................................................................................................................... 1

1 Scope ........................................................................................................................................................................ 2

2 Normative references ....................................................................................................................................... 2

3 Terms, definitions and abbreviated terms .............................................................................................. 4

4 Materials ................................................................................................................................................................. 5

5 Design criteria ................................................................................................................................................... 10

6 Installation.......................................................................................................................................................... 18

7 Maintenance....................................................................................................................................................... 18

8 Service life........................................................................................................................................................... 18

9 Safety..................................................................................................................................................................... 19

10 Performance and inspection requirement ........................................................................................... 20

11 Marking ................................................................................................................................................................ 20

Annex A Salt inspection requirement........................................................................................................ 21

Annex B Test method and inspection for electrochlorination systems ..................................... 22

Bibliography....................................................................................................................................................................... 25

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Foreword

This SPAN-TS was developed by the Working group on Disinfection of water -

Electrochlorination systems.

This standard was developed with the following objectives:

a) to provide a comprehensive standard that prescribes requirements for electrochlorination

systems;

b) to provide industry with guidance for the design, installation and operation of
electrochlorination systems and a standard against which conformity can be assessed; and

c) to provide the regulatory bodies a standard for monitoring and verifying of the products.

This standard will be subjected to review to reflect current needs and conditions. Users and other
interested parties may submit comments on the contents of this standard for consideration into
future versions.

Compliance with this standard does not by itself grant immunity from legal obligations.

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Disinfection of water - Electrochlorination systems

0. Introduction

Electrochlorination (EC) is the process of electrolysis of brine solution (saturated salt solution/
sodium chloride) and softened water to produce an active chlorine solution, namely sodium
hypochlorite (NaOCl). NaOCl is an effective disinfectant and can be used as a substitute for
chlorine gas or Calcium Hypochlorite (solid chlorine granules). The production of NaOCl is on-
site generation basis. Generation of NaOCl requires salt, water and electricity (direct current
type). In these systems, salt is dissolved and used for electrolysis. Hydrogen gas, a by-product, is
generated when electrolysis occurs on the brine solution. Summary of system resources for EC is
as shown in Figure 1.

Figure 1. System resources for EC

The decision to choose on-site generation systems should be the result of a holistic evaluation,
which considers all environmental, social, and economic factors to aid in the decision-making
process. These factors may include:

- regulatory requirements (e.g. water quality);

- public health impacts (e.g. emissions from power demands/carbon footprint);
- worker and community impacts (e.g., potential releases of hazardous chemicals);
- vulnerability/security (e.g., potential thefts of chemicals or attacks on drinking water
treatment systems);
- supply availability/reliability (e.g., ability to obtain the necessary components and
consumables);

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- operational complexity;
- quality and quantity of the product being produced;
- overall energy consumption of the system;
- initial investment, maintenance and operating costs;
- skill and infrastructure available;
- safety of operations; and
- specific local constraints or opportunities.

This technical specification was developed as a guide to qualify equipment for water treatment
systems. The technical specification provides the requirements on the material used for the
construction of the equipment, the design criteria for electrochlorination equipment, the
performance, acceptance criteria and test requirements for type of equipment, the installation,
maintenance, service life, the safety consideration during installation and operation of
equipment, and the requirements on marking of equipment that need to be followed by
equipment manufacturers/suppliers.

1. Scope

This technical specification provides requirements as well as recommended best practices for
electrochlorination (EC) systems which generate liquid sodium hypochlorite NaOCl, intended for
disinfection of water in water supply systems.

It covers the requirements and recommendations for materials, design criteria, installation,
maintenance, service life, safety, performance and related testing, and marking of EC systems.

2. Normative references

The following normative references are indispensable for the application of this standard. For
dated references, only the edition cited applies. For undated references, the latest edition of the
normative reference (including any amendments) applies.

Food Act 1983

Food Regulation 1985

Occupational Safety and Health Act 1994

Factories and Machinery Act 1967

MS 628-2, Plastics piping systems for water supply and for buried and above-ground drainage and
sewerage under pressure - Unplasticized poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC-U) - Part 2: Pipes

MS 628-3, Plastics piping systems for water supply and for buried and above-ground drainage and
sewerage under pressure - Unplasticized poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC-U) - Part 3: Fittings

MS 740, Specification for hot-dip galvanized coatings on iron and steel articles

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 SPAN TS 3001:2021

MS 1058-2, Specification for Polyethylene (PE) piping systems for water supply. Part 2: Pipes

MS 1058-3, Specification for Polyethylene (PE) piping systems for water supply. Part 3: Fittings

MS 1115, Specification for table salt

MS 1225-Part 1, Polyethylene (PE) tanks for cold water storage; Part 1: Capacity up to 600G

MS 1225-Part 2, Polyethylene (PE) tanks for cold water storage; Part 2: Capacity more than 600G

MS 1241, One piece Glass-fibre Reinforced Polyester (GRP) water tanks nominal capacity of 100 000
litres and below. -Specification

MS 1390, Glass-fibre Reinforced Polyester panels and panel water tanks. Specification

MS 1757-1, Chlorinated Poly(Vinyl Chloride) (PVC-C) plastic piping system. Part 1: Specification for
schedules 40 & 80 pipes

MS 1757-3, Chlorinated Poly(Vinyl Chloride) (PVC-C) plastic piping system. Part 3: Specification for
schedule 80 pipe fittings

MS 1736-2, Plastics piping systems for hot and cold water installations. Cross-linked Polyethylene
(PE-X). Part 2: Pipes

MS 1736-3, Plastics piping systems for hot and cold water installations. Cross-linked Polyethylene
(PE-X). Part 3: Fittings

ISO 4097, Ethylene-propylene-diene (EPDM) - Evaluation procedure

ISO 4633, Rubber seals - Joint rings for water supply, drainage and sewerage pipelines - Specification
for materials

ISO 10639, Plastics piping systems for pressure and non-pressure water supply - Glass reinforced
thermosetting plastics (GRP) systems based on unsaturated polyester (UP) resin

ISO 28765, Vitreous and porcelain enamels - Design of bolted steel tanks for the storage or
treatment of water or municipal or industrial effluents and sludges

BS EN 1796, Plastics piping systems for water supply with or without pressure. Glass-reinforced
thermosetting plastics (GRP) based on unsaturated polyester resin (UP)

BS EN 13280, Specification for glass fibre reinforced cisterns of one-piece and sectional
construction, for the storage, above ground, of cold water

BS EN 16370, Chemicals used for treatment of water intended for human consumption - Sodium
chloride for on site electochlorination using membrane cells

ATEX Equipment Directive

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3. Terms, definitions and abbreviated terms

3.1 Terms and definitions

For the purposes of this standard, the following terms and definitions apply.

3.1.1 disinfection

Process which removes or renders inactive pathogenic microorganisms or parasites. Disinfection

of water treated in potable water treatment plants generally take place after the filtration process.
The dosage of NaOCl as a disinfectant varies according to the chlorine demand/ disinfectant
demand in the water.

3.1.2 electrochlorination

Method of disinfectant generation, on an on-site basis. Sodium Hypochlorite (NaOCl) is produced

using the electrolysis process. In this method, brine solution (or in some cases, sea water) is
converted into hypochlorite solution. When direct current is passed through electrodes
immersed in a solution containing brine, electrolysis of sodium chloride takes place. The reaction
can be put forth as:

NaCl + H2O + Energy (Direct current)  NaOCl (aqueous) + H2 (gas)

3.1.3 electrolysis

Process that decomposes a chemical compound into its elements or produces a new compound
by the action of an electrical current. The electrical current is passed through an electrolytic cell
and oxidation/reduction reactions occur at the electrodes. For example, water can be
decomposed into hydrogen and oxygen, or a metal can be electroplated by electrolysis.

3.1.4 hydrolysis

Disinfection by sodium hypochlorite. The reaction is as follows:

NaOCl + H2O  HOCl+ NaOH

3.2 Abbreviated terms

CaCo3 calcium carbonate

Cl2 chlorinated (chlorine)
EPDM ethylene propylene diene monomer
FRP fibre-reinforced plastic
H2 hydrogen gas
H2O water
HOCl hypochlorous acid
LLDPE linear low-density polyethylene

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NaCl sodium chloride (salt)

NaOCl sodium hypochlorite
UV ultraviolet
PE polyethylene
PE-X crosslinked polyethylene
PTFE polytetrafluoroethylene
PVC poly(vinyl chloride)
PVC-C chlorinated poly(vinyl chloride)
PVC-U unplasticised poly(vinyl chloride)
PVDF poly(vinylidene fluoride)

4. Materials

4.1 General

For materials other than those specified in this technical specification that are used in the field of
application of this technical specification, all requirements of this technical specification and any
other relevant requirements specified by the authority shall be met.

Local conditions may require the use of particularly durable materials; this being subject to
special agreement between EC system supplier and the client. Durability can be achieved by the
use of materials inherently resistant to corrosion. Where possible, anti-corrosion protection shall
form part of the manufacturing process.

4.2 Raw materials

See Table 1.

4.3 Materials for specific components

See Table 2.

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Table 1. Raw materials

No. Type of materials Minimum requirement/grade Standard/

Specification*
1 Salt/Sodium chloride Food grade quality Food Act 1983 and Food
Regulation 1985/MS
1115/BS EN 16370

Halal Requirements for

registration of chemical
shall include Halal
Certificate issued by:
(i) Department of Islamic
Development Malaysia
(JAKIM); or
(ii) local Islamic bodies
recognised by JAKIM; or
(iii) foreign bodies
recognised by JAKIM.

2 Water Non-chlorinated filtered water/

Softened water

*Other specifications can be used provided the requirements of this standard shall be met. EC
systems users shall always confirm with the EC system supplier if common food grade salt of
certain quality can be used in their EC system so as to avoid any misunderstanding on the
suitability of salt used. The quality of salt used can have a bearing on the electrodes/cells
warranty of lifespan.

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Table 2. Materials for components of the system

No. Component Material Minimum Standard/

grade specificationa
1 Brine tank PE/FRP or any other relevant standard LLDPE MS 1225-Part 1
materials that are compatible with the and MS 1225-
salt. Part 2/
manufacturer’s
specification
2 Brine/dosin Diaphragm pumps: Recommended as Manufacturer’s
g pump per table below or equivalent. specification

Sodium Brine
hypochlorite solution
Pump PVDF PVC
head
Ball PTFE Ceramic
check (Teflon)
Diaphr PTFE PTFE
agm (Teflon) (Teflon)

O-ring PTFE PTFE

(Teflon) (Teflon) or
Viton

Peristaltic Pumps: EPDM Hose, EPDM-

based polymer or equivalent.

Other equivalent pumps such as

centrifugal or magnetic drive pumps to
be as per recommended specifications
by manufacturer suitable for sodium
hypochlorite.
3 Cell body FRP/PVC or any other relevant Manufacturer’s
standard materials. specification

4 Cell plates Anodes and cathode with titanium as a Manufacturer’s

base metal coated with a precious specification
metal oxide or Hastelloy.

5 Blower PE/FRP/Aluminium or any other ATEX

relevant standard materials. Equipment
Directive

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Table 2. Materials for specific component (continued)

No. Component Material Minimum Standard/

grade specificationa
6 Product tank Materials which are resistant to sodium Minimum
hypochlorite corrosion: thickness 5
mm
FRP with chemical resistant vinyl ester BS EN 13280
resin. Should be /MS 1390
rated to 1.35 (FRP)/MS 1241
specific
gravity MS 1225-1/MS
PE/HDPE 1225-2
(PE/HDPE)

Manufacturer’s
PE-X/ PVC/PVC-U specification

ISO 28765
FRP lining (Glass-coated/ Glass-lined/
Glass-fused/ Epoxy-coated/ Epoxy-
lined)

For outdoor storage, tanks are

recommended to be made with a UV
resistant paint, UV stabilised resin such
as resin # 880059, and/or
polyurethane foam insulation and
mastic coatings equipped.

Rubber-lined tanks are not

recommended as the hypochlorite’s
oxidation characteristics may cause the
rubber to be brittle.
7 Product tank
component
materials:
Piping PVC MS 628
PE MS 1058-2
PE-X MS 1736-2
FRP/GRP ISO 10639/BS
EN 1796
PVC-C MS 1757-1
Fitting PVC MS 628-3
PE MS 1058-3
PE-X MS 1736-3
FRP/GRP ISO 10639/BS
EN 1796
PVC-C MS 1757-3

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Table 2. Materials for specific component (concluded)

No. Component Material Minimum Standard/

grade specificationa
Gasket Viton® or PTFE (Teflon®) Manufacturer’s
specification
FKMb

EPDM or equivalent ISO 4097

ISO 4633
Bolt All internal bolts, nuts, washers and All stainless Manufacturer
anchor bolts which are in contact with steel shall be specification
water shall be of stainless steel or non- of grade 304
metallic.
MS 740
Hot dipped galvanised steel in
accordance with MS 740 or equivalent
standard; or of better grade material
consistent with adjoining material.

aOther standards/specifications can be used provided the requirements of this standard shall
be met.

bFKM is the ASTM designation for a class of fluorinated, carbon-based synthetic rubber,
commonly known as fluoroelastomer.

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5. Design criteria

Design of electrochlorination equipment vary from one manufacturer to another. To

accommodate these varied requirements, systems are generally configured with the following
standard components and operate in the manner described below:

5.1 Salt/brine solution tank

The salt/brine solution tank is used for batching and storage of brine solution. The salt/brine tank
provides the required salt for electrolysis. Automated refill of the brine tank with softened water
is recommended. The brine tank should be equipped with an ultrasonic level or other level sensor
(for capacity more than 1000 L), side manhole, overflow and drain for operation and
maintenance. The drain valve shall be positioned to allow for complete emptying of the tank.
Caged ladders, stairways and platforms with hand railing should be provided for access to the salt
loading opening on the tank. Visual inspection of the tank content should give the operator an
indication for the need to fill the tank with salt.

Example of the design calculation:

To produce 1 kg of Cl2 requirement:

Salt = 3 kg of salt
Electricity = 4.4kwh
Softened water = 125.24 L

Salt Requirement:
Total dry salt consumption (kg/day) = Total required chlorination capacity (kg/hr) x
3 kg of salt x 24

Assuming brine density = 1 200 kg/m 3

Brine solution required (m 3/day) = Dry salt consumption/brine density
If required for 3 days: = Brine solution required (m 3/day) x 3 day

5.2 Brine pump

The pump that shall be used for metering the feed of the brine can be any one of the following
types: centrifugal pump, magnetic drive pump, hydraulic and mechanical diaphragm pump or
peristaltic type. The pump may come with the accessories such as calibration column, Y-strainer,
pulsation dampener, back pressure valve and pressure gauge.

For large capacity motor driven pumps, brine feed pumps shall have proper size of dampener and
back pressure valves for accurate and precise dosing. However, small capacity solenoid or
peristaltic dosing pumps may not require a dampener and back pressure valves.

The use of a leak detector switch in the lubricant compartment of the pump is recommended to
detect hose failures/ruptures for peristaltic pumps.

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5.3 Water flow

5.3.1 Incoming water

5.3.1.1 The supplier shall ensure that sufficient water pressure is available to suit the systems
requirements. For systems that utilise the incoming water pressure (softened water) to deliver
the product to the product storage tanks directly from the electrolyser cells, it shall be ensured
that the pressure is sufficient to carry the product to the inlet of the product tank.

5.3.1.2 The quantity or flow of water supplied shall be consistently available for the EC system.
It is recommended that the water used for the EC system should be independent from any other
usage at the treatment plant. Shared usage of water supply may cause the EC system to be halted
due to temperature and conductivity limitations. The EC system supplier should emphasise in
writing to client on these water supply requirements to avoid any dispute during project
execution. The supplier shall ensure that there is clean water for NaOCl production in the event
of the water treatment plant (WTP) “restarting” after the it shuts down for maintenance, power
supply interruptions or any other reason.

5.3.1.3 It is highly recommended that the EC system shall has its own independent stored clean
water supply for at least 3 h of EC production needs. The quantity of water needed for 3 h of EC
production is subject to the EC system’s capacity. It is recommended that for every 1 kg/h of
chlorine production equivalent, 170 L of water should be stored.

5.3.2 Softened water

5.3.2.1 Soft water shall be used for the electrochlorination process (see Figure 2 for example of
water softener). Every EC system installed with a capacity of more than 300 g/h shall have a set
of “duty-standby” units unless it is a small EC system with in-built softener. However, the
extraction of sodium hypochlorite should not be interrupted as the EC system should have enough
buffer in its storage tank when the softener is regenerating. To avoid interruption to the EC
production process, the softeners shall be automatically switched over when one unit of softener
is under regeneration process. Frequency of softener’s regeneration shall be based on:

− softened water hardness measurement; or

− timer setting; or
− flow setting.

This can be accomplished by using dual resin tanks with automatic changeover during
regeneration cycles as shown in Figure 3.

5.3.2.2 Softened water requirement varies for each EC system. The user shall request from the
EC system supplier information on the softened water input requirement for the system supplied.

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Figure 2. Water softener

Figure 3. Typical duplex softening system (courtesy of Black & Veatch)

5.3.2.3 The high pH within the cell during electrolysis will rapidly precipitate dissolved calcium
and magnesium salts naturally present in some waters, forming scale on the electrode surfaces
and reducing electrolysis efficiency. Calcium and magnesium ions in the water can develop into
a hard scale in piping systems and other equipment. In on - site generation systems, the scale will
coat the electrodes in the cells and, over time, reduce their efficiency, thus increasing their
electricity demand. It can also inhibit flow through the cell and cause blockage. When the sodium
hypochlorite and hydrogen cannot exit the cell, pressure will rise and, if ignored, the cell may
burst.

5.3.2.4 The use of softened water is for prevention of calcium and magnesium hardness from
depositing onto the electrode’s surface. It extends the service life of the electrode cell and reduce
the frequency of the need for chemical cleaning. Use of hard water may increase the potential of
electrode damage.

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5.3.3 Water cooling system

5.3.3.1 When required, EC systems manufacturer/supplier should provide the system’s

operating parameter’s requirements which includes the incoming water supply’s temperature.
Water supply temperature is important as it has direct effect on the product (NaOCl) temperature,
the electrode package (anode and cathode metal plates), the electrode packages housing (cell
tube and components) and plastics pipe works after the cell package.

5.3.3.2 EC system users should always take note of the incoming water temperature
requirement in order to prevent any damage to the cell package and to avoid generation of
chlorates in the product. Water cooling systems could be of chiller (water or air cooled) or heat
exchanger type, subject to the suitability, costs and operational concerns of the user.

5.4 Cell

5.4.1 Electrolytic cell designs vary from one manufacturer to another. The materials shall be
resistant to the type of chemical they comes into contact with, whether water, brine solution or
sodium hypochlorite. Materials used to construct the electrolyser cell housing should be able to
withstand the temperature of the fluid when electrolysis is in process. EC cell casing may also
consider safety approval against explosion accordance to the relevance requirements.

5.4.2 The electrolyser system is designed to produce hypochlorite with a chlorine

concentration minimum 0.6 % w/v. There should be a low liquid level sensor in the cell, a high
rectifier voltage sensor, and a high cell temperature sensor to safeguard the shutdown sequence
of the electrolytical cell.

5.5 Transformer/rectifier

5.5.1 Power supply to the EC system shall be independent and shall not be shared with other
system in use. Alternating current (AC)/direct current (DC) rectifiers converts AC to DC. DC
current is supplied to the electrodes. DC is required for electrolysis process to attract anions at
the anode and cations at the cathode as the electrodes are maintained at a constant polarity. Use
of AC would lead to uneven deposits of ions at the electrodes and complete electrolysis process
would not take effect.

5.5.2 Installed EC systems shall have surge protection systems. In places where the power
supply is inconsistent or where regular power outages occur, it is recommended that the EC
system be installed with a voltage regulator.

5.5.3 It is recommended to have a separate/individual power meter installed at the main power
supply control panel to monitor the actual power consumption of the EC system and its related
peripherals such as water cooling system, water booster pumps, brine pumps, air dilution
blowers and other components. Any abnormalities in terms of power usage for the EC system can
be detected and early rectification can be useful to avoid any major damages to the system.

5.5.4 In the event of failure of any of the EC system’s main components, the rectifier(s) shall
shut down and cut off the power supply immediately. The communication between the
electrolyser’s key components and the rectifier shall be designed with seamless safety shutdown
features.

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5.5.5 The EC system shall have indication for each of the rectifier(s) for:

− real time operating voltage;

− real time amperage;
− voltage operating range and set points; and
− amperes operating range and set point.

5.5.6 The rectifier shall have the following safety features:

− output voltage monitored by Programmable Logic Controller (PLC); and

− output current monitored by PLC.

5.5.7 The design shall take into account nominal power consumption of all electrical drives
and power consumption per kg of chlorine produced.

5.6 Hydrogen venting and blowers

5.6.1 A degassing chamber at the cell or hydrogen vent piping/degassing pipes connected to
the cell shall be provided which are connected to blowers for forced air dilution to the system.
The blowers can be centrifugal type, direct motor driven type or belt driven type. Proper
mounting of the blowers shall be considered. The air blowers should be sized to dilute the
generated hydrogen gas to less than 1 % by volume of hydrogen or 25 % of the lower explosion
limit (LEL). Each fan should be rated at not less than 100 times the maximum hydrogen
production rate of an electrolyser.

5.6.2 To prevent corrosion of the blower and to prevent hypochlorite fumes from entering the
room, it is recommended that a check valve with drip leg be installed. Figure 4 below shows
example of clear PVC drip leg tubes and check valve bodies. This assembly is designed to protect
the blower from corrosion.

Figure 4. PVC drip leg tubes and check valve bodies

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5.6.3 The vent pipes termination should include insect screen to prevent intrusion of insects,
birds or small animals. It should face down to prevent rain water from pouring in.

The method for monitoring the proper amount of air flow through the vent stack dilution line
and/or the tank outlet dilution line is with an orifice plate. This flow detection method uses the
following components.

− orifice plate spool assembly which is an orifice plate bolted between two flanges;
− differential pressure switch; and
− tubing to connect the orifice plate ports to the differential pressure switch ports.

As an alternative to the orifice plate method above, an air flow switch can be provided. If no air
flow is detected, the system will be stopped from producing as a safety precaution.

5.6.4 All tanks should be vented. The vent should exceed the diameter size of the tank’s largest
inlet or outlet nozzle by two inches.

5.6.5 The most common cause of damage to FRP and plastic tanks is lack of venting during
filling or emptying operations. Every atmospheric pressure rated tank shall be protected at all
times by properly sized vent pipes in order to prevent build-up of pressure or vacuum conditions.
This includes not only the ingress of air and egress of gasses when emptying and filling the
product tank, but is also required under normal conditions when changes can occur in the
temperature of the contents of the product tank consequent to the elevation of temperature of
the newly generated product when discharged to the tank. Hydrogen discharge piping should all
be continuously rising from the point of discharge to prevent any build up and there should be no
isolating valves installed along the piping route.

5.6.6 The system should be equipped with a hydrogen separation equipment for safety
purposes. Hydrogen gas generated shall be diverted to atmosphere immediately upon generation.
For safety purposes, hydrogen accumulation along with the product generated in the product
delivery pipe into the product storage tanks is not allowed.

5.6.7 The electrolyser system shall shut down with alarm when the hydrogen gas (H2) is not
discharged properly or if there is a blockage. Interlock that allows hydrogen detection in the room
to shut down the generator is typically recommended. The air blower used for the hydrogen
removal shall conform with ATEX Directive as hydrogen gas is an explosive substance. Hydrogen
gas shall be diluted as mentioned in 5.6.1 before being released into the atmosphere.

5.7 Pipe work

The purpose of the internal distribution and brine removal piping is to maximise the salt
dissolving rate. Due to the piping arrangement, dissolver internal piping is normally field erected
to assure damage free equipment for start up operation of the dissolver. The supplier/users shall
confirm that:

− all piping is installed and properly connected;

− all threaded and flanged connections are tight; and
− all piping is hydrostatically tested to site specified pressures.

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Another best practice is to ensure piping for liquid streams is separated from electrical feed lines
and that the pipe runs are not located above rectifiers or other electrical components.

Pipes, valves and fittings should be designed for severe sun exposure (UV rays) and ozone
conditions in rare occasions.

5.8 Systems control

The control panel should control and/or monitor all functions and operational parameters
including, but not limited to the following:

a) cell safety devices such as cell temperature;

b) transformer/rectifier;

c) DC amperage and voltage;

d) hypochlorite tank levels;

e) hydrogen dilution system and safety;

f) hydrogen detection or dilution air flow monitoring;

g) alarm history;

h) softener water and brine flow;

i) conductivity of brine solution entering the electrolyser cell;

j) level of brine and storage tank;

k) password control for adjustment of parameters working range of brine tank levels, product
tank levels, cell voltage and amperes range and cell temperature;

l) real time brine tank level readings or indicators either on localised panel display or via
Human-Machine Interface(HMI); and

m) water pressure into the cell.

5.9 Dosing system

5.9.1 Sodium hypochlorite (the product) dosing system shall be of duty - standby basis.
Materials used in the construction of the dosing system and its delivery line shall be hypochlorite
resistant (corrosive resistant). Any metallic component is not recommended.

5.9.2 Positive displacement dosing pumps or motive water-ejector systems are recommended.
Dosing system for hypochlorite shall be sized based on the % concentration of the product
generated in line with the dosage required by the user. Under normal conditions, a chlorine
equivalent dosage of 3 ppm to 5 ppm is used in Malaysian potable water treatment plants.

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5.9.3 The required dosing rate for pumps for pre and post design capacity shall be equal to pre
or post chlorine dosage per % hypo dosing requirement or L/h of % sodium hypochlorite
converted from required chlorine dosage in kg/h. Pumps shall be sized with allowance to the
required % sodium hypochlorite dosing capacity.

5.9.4 The hypo dosing system operations shall be independent of the EC operations. However,
the hypo dosing system could be linked to the treatment plant’s SCADA systems.

5.10 Product storage

5.10.1 Product storage system shall be of minimum 2 units, for maintenance and stock security
purposes. Product storage tanks shall be equipped with level sensors to provide real time level
readings to the EC systems controls. For systems that have air blowers installed to dilute the
hydrogen at the product storage tanks, it is compulsory that all tanks shall be sufficiently
ventilated by the air blower. For systems with integrated degassing tanks, the external product
tank does not require individual blowers.

5.10.2 In any event, where the blower is non-functional, the EC system shall stop operating, for
safety reasons.

5.10.3 The storage system designed shall be of First In, First Out (FIFO) basis. It is
recommended that the storage tanks to be sheltered from direct sunlight. Ambient temperature
of the storage area should be below 40º C. These systems are designed to provide usually 1 to
3 days of stored sodium hypochlorite but the design is dependent on the specific plant location,
layout, operations, and applicable regulations/legislations.

5.11 System layout

The space requirements of an electrochlorination system should include, in addition to the

system components, the recommended maintenance clearances for each item of equipment. A
sample layout is presented in Figure 5.

Figure 5. Typical layout of on site-generation system (courtesy of Black & Veatch)

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SPAN TS 3001:2021

The system illustrated above is housed in a closed process building. The sodium hypochlorite
storage tanks and the brine tanks are provided with containment. The remaining equipment may
be installed inside a curbed area to contain incidental spills.

6. Installation

The on-site installation of the EC system and its peripherals shall comply with the manufacturer’s
recommendations and local authorities’ procedures and safety regulations.

During commissioning of the EC system, no open flame or sparks (static or live) generating
equipment shall be present.

The system shall not be commissioned if the air blower/hydrogen thinning system is not
operational.

7. Maintenance

It is recommended that EC system users carry out periodic maintenance of the EC system and its
components according to the manufacturer’s recommendation.

Prior to purchase or installation of the EC system, users are recommended to obtain from the
manufacturers/suppliers, the spare parts lists, period of service requirement, replacements parts
and its costs.

Maintenance and service works shall be from manufacturer authorised and competent personnel
to avoid any accident or damage to the systems. EC system users are recommended to request for
certificate of competency of the servicing personnel.

8. Service life

When an EC system is well maintained, the expected lifetime of the electrolytic cell is typically
between 5 and 7 years. Feedstock quality, i.e. the salt and water used to form the brine and feed
the cell, is the primary factor that will determine both the required maintenance cycle for the EC
system as well as the electrolytic cell performance and lifetime. Several components of either the
salt or the water used to feed an EC system can produce deleterious effects on the electrolytic cell,
with the three primary mechanisms of cell failure being anode passivation, electrode wear, and
formation of deposits within the cell.

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 SPAN TS 3001:2021

9. Safety

9.1 The plant shall comply with the Occupational Safety and Health Act, 1994 (OSHA 1994) and
Factories and Machinery Act, 1967 (FMA 1967), and all the related regulations as well as relevant
code of practice and guidelines made under the two Acts and its regulation. The Acts provide
general duties of employers to the employees and to persons other than the employees. The Acts
also impose general duties of designers, manufacturers, importers, and suppliers to ensure the
plant is designed and constructed to be safe and without risk to safety and health. All the
equipment and components of the plant shall be designed and constructed in accordance with the
codes or standards recognised or recommended by relevant authorities’ bodies.

9.2 The employer shall carry out a risk assessment. The employer shall identify the potential
hazards arising from the plant, evaluate the risk associated with hazards identified, and
implement risk control in order to ensure the safety of the operations, reduce the risk of injury or
illness to operators and damage to the equipment, property, and environment. Potential hazards
in the plant arise primarily from the use of machinery and equipment, work processes, or work
activities performed by the operators.

9.3 A risk assessment should consider the following but not limited to:

− internal temperature;
− internal pressure;
− flow rate;
− alarm systems;
− safety shutdown;
− over-pressure protection;
− gas production;
− commissioning/ maintenance/ calibration activities;
− power supply to electrodes;
− proximity/ orientation to surrounding persons and equipment; and
− raw material and chemicals handling.

9.4 The risk control can be implemented by referring to the hierarchy of controls in which
priority is given from the highest level of protection to the least, which is elimination, substitution,
engineering controls, administrative controls, and personal protective equipment (PPE).

9.5 The employer shall also consider the risk of accumulation of explosive gases from the
operation of the plant and provide mitigation plans. Appropriate measures shall be taken into
consideration and/or explosion-proof equipment shall be selected.

9.6 Safe work procedures which describe the process and safe work measures should be
prepared to allow operators to perform their tasks safely.

9.7 Information, instruction, and training to the operators shall be provided by the employer to
ensure safety standards are observed. The employer needs to make available information on the
chemicals used especially of any risk to which their inherent properties may relate to the safety
and health during the use, handling, processing, storage, transportation, or disposal. Safe work
procedures and safety data sheets (SDS) shall be made visible and posted in a protective envelope
on the wall of the storage area.
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SPAN TS 3001:2021

9.8 It is important to follow best practices for chemical handling including the use of suitable
personal protective equipment (PPE), such as respiratory protection, gloves, glasses, safety shoes,
and protective clothes. Showers shall be provided near the working area for emergency purposes.

9.9 A first aid box and eyewash fountain shall be provided outside the chlorinator room.

9.10 Housekeeping, repair and equipment maintenance programmes shall be well established.

9.11 Maintenance and services work shall be conducted by competent and/or trained persons.

10. Performance and inspection requirement

The expected performance of electrochlorination systems according to design shall be as given in

Table 3.

Table 3. Acceptance criteria for electrochlorination systems

Parameter Acceptance criteria Test method/

Inspection
Salt Food grade quality Annex A
Water hardness Less than 10 ppm CaCO3 Annex B
Product quality pH range: 9 - 10.5
Minimum concentration: 0.6 %w/v Annex B
Specific gravity: 1.04
System capacity As rated Annex B
Energy consumption As rated Annex B

11. Marking

Each equipment shall, at a minimum, be marked with the following information:

a) manufacture’s name or trademark;

b) manufacturing serial number;

c) installation date (MM/YY);

d) date of systems commissioning;

e) systems capacity in kg Cl2/hr equivalent; and

f) citation of this standard.

The markings shall be printed, made visible and adhered to the equipment.

20 © SPAN 2021 - All rights reserved

 SPAN TS 3001:2021

Annex A
(normative)

Salt inspection requirement

A.1 Packaging, marking and labelling

A.1.1 The salt shall be supplied in clean dry packing. Each salt bag shall have markings as the
following:

a) pure dried vacuum salt, trade name and grade type;

b) net weight;

c) country of origin;

d) production lot/batch number;

e) date of manufacturing or packing; and

f) other markings as required by law (i.e. halal).

A.2 Storage

The salt bags shall be protected from sun and rain during delivery and storage. Storage containers
during delivery shall be compatible and will not affect the purity of the salt. The means of storage
in transit and delivery shall not have been used previously for any toxic and hazardous materials.

A.3 Analysis

A Certificate of Analysis (COA) on the quality of the salt shall be submitted for every consignment
delivered. A comprehensive COA issued by an accredited laboratory shall be submitted once
every 6 months from one of the lots supplied.

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SPAN TS 3001:2021

Annex B
(normative)

Test method and inspection for electrochlorination systems

B.1 Water hardness

B.1.1 Water hardness shall be maintained below 10 ppm CaCO3 in order to prevent system
scaling and to satisfy the maintenance terms of the system warranty.

B.1.2 Water hardness shall be tested according to an established laboratory test method.

B.1.3 This test allows the analyst to use different sample volumes to vary equivalencies. Select
the appropriate sample volume.

B.1.4 Record the hardness in terms of ppm CaCO3.

B.2 pH

B.2.1 pH shall be tested according to an established laboratory method.

B.2.2 pH range shall be from 9 to 10.5.

B.3 Specific gravity (SG)

B.3.1 The purpose of the specific gravity test is to measure the ratio of water to salt within
aqueous brine solution in order to economically and efficiently produce sodium hypochlorite. By
obtaining an accurate specific gravity reading, the operator can determine the amount of salt and
make adjustments accordingly.

B.3.2 Conduct a test according to an appropriate method as provided by the system’s

manufacturer or by using commercially available test kits for sodium hypochlorite.

B.3.3 Record the measurements as shown on by measuring equipment i.e. thermometer and
hydrometer.

B.3.4 Reading the salinity chart

Using the temperature and SG readings obtained in B3.3, refer to the salinity chart to determine
the amount of salt in the aqueous solution in units of grams per litre (10 g/L = 1% NaCl).

Note: This is used to decide whether more salt needs to be added to the solution.

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 SPAN TS 3001:2021

B.4 Chlorine testing

B.4.1 The purpose of this testing is to determine the percentage of total available chlorine in
sodium hypochlorite generation output solution by using an established method such as drop
count method of chlorine bleach testing.

B.4.2 The result can be calculated as follows:

Available Chlorine, % = 0.05 x Number of Drops

Available Chlorine, ppt (parts per thousand) = 0.5 x Number of Drops

B.5 System capacity

B.5.1 Calculate the EC system output in terms of kg/h of chlorine equivalent as follows:

- Determine the concentration of the NaOCl (sodium hypochlorite) generated from the system
via test method provided by the system’s manufacturer or commercially available test kits for
hypochlorite concentration.
- Assume the concentration is X g/L.
- Measure the output flow (liquid NaOCl) of the EC system in terms of L/h. Assume if output is
Y L/h.

B.5.2 Calculate the actual capacity of the EC system using the following formula:

X (g/L ) × Y(L/h) = XY g/h of Cl2 equivalent output of EC system

EXAMPLE. Concentration of NaOCl generated was measured to be 7.5 g/L. Output flow of EC system was
measured to be 250 l/h. Therefore, capacity output of EC system is calculated to be:

7.5 g/L × 250 L/h = 1 875 g/h of Cl 2 equivalent. i.e.,1 875 kg/h system.

B.6 Energy consumption

B.6.1 Energy conversion efficiency (ECE)

The energy used by a cell is calculated by measuring the voltage (V) and current (I) across the cell
over a fixed time (t) and calculating the energy used (after suitable conversions of units to yield
kW.h) as:

Energy = V × I × t

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SPAN TS 3001:2021

The total (mass) of available chlorine produced over that same timeframe (t) is determined
from the volume and available chlorine concentration of the solution produced in time t as
described above. ECE is then calculated as:

ECE = Energy (kW•h)/mass of total available chlorine produced

ECE is used to estimate the electrical energy requirements and energy costs of the
electrochlorination operation.

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 SPAN TS 3001:2021

Bibliography

[1] EN 14805:2009, Chemicals used for treatment of water intended for human consumption -
Sodium chloride for on site electrochlorination using non- membrane technology

[2] BS EN 901:2013, Chemicals used for treatment of water intended for human consumption -
Sodium hypochlorite

[3] BS EN 16370:2013, Chemicals used for treatment of water intended for human consumption
- Sodium chloride for on site electrochlorination using membrane cells

[4] Conversion to on-site sodium hypochlorite generation, Water and wastewater application,
Lewis publishers

[5] Development of a small-scale electrochlorination system for rural water supplies, University
of the Western Cape

[6] M20, Water chlorination/chloramination practices and principles, AWWA

[7] M65, On-site generation of hypochlorite, AWWA

[8] White’s handbook of chlorination and alternatives disinfectants,5th edition, Wiley

[9] Water treatment manual: Disinfection, Environmental Protection Agency, Ireland

[10] Directive 1999/92/EC of the European parliament and of the council

[11] Directive 2014/34/EU of the European parliament and of the council

© SPAN 2021 - All rights reserved 25

Acknowledgements

SPAN would like to thank the organisations who have contributed their ideas, time and expertise
in the development of this technical specification.

Mr Izaidi Ahmad (Chairman) Suruhanjaya Perkhidmatan Air Negara

(SPAN)
Ms Noraslina Mat Zain (Technical Secretary) SIRIM STS Sdn Bhd
Ir Edwin Choo Greendex Sdn Bhd
Ms Noor Asriah Ramli/ Jabatan Keselamatan dan Kesihatan
Ms Norhazimah Mohamad Pekerjaan
Ms Shirley Heng Shin Air PBA PP Sdn Bhd
Mr Roslan Azizan/ SIRIM QAS International Sdn Bhd
Ms Wan Norisah Wan Awang (Product Certification and Inspection
Department)
Ms Rohaidah Ibrahim SIRIM QAS International Sdn Bhd
(Testing Services Department)
Datuk Chan Kam Wai/ Solidium Sdn Bhd
Datin Choo Mei Foon
Ms Muzalifah Mohamad Suruhanjaya Perkhidmatan Air Negara
(SPAN)
Mr Ahmad Farhan Ahmad Misbah/ Syarikat Air Melaka Sdn Bhd
Mr Mohd Jamil Esmahadi
Prof Madya Ir Dr Faridah Othman/ Universiti Malaya
Dr Wan Zarina Wan Jaafar

© SPAN 2021 - All rights reserved

 © Copyright 2021

All rights reserved. Unless otherwise specified, no part of this module may be reproduced or
utilised in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording
or otherwise, without prior written permission from SPAN.