Vibration-resistant UV lamp device with a single end

Abstract

A water treatment system comprises a chemical radiation reactor and at least one ultraviolet (UV) lamp disposed within a quartz tube in the chemical radiation reactor. The at least one UV lamp comprises a lamp tube containing a gas that emits ultraviolet light in response to electrical excitation; a first pinch extending from a first end of the lamp tube and a second pinch extending from a second end of the lamp tube; and a first end cap coupled to the first pinch and a second end cap coupled to the second pinch. The first end cap and the second end cap have dimensions for aligning the center of the lamp tube coaxially within the quartz tube.

Description

Technology Field

[0001] The aspects and embodiments disclosed in this specification generally relate to ultraviolet lamps, and in some specific embodiments, to ultraviolet lamps suitable for use in advanced oxidation systems and methods for operating or configuring the same. Background Technology

[0002] Ultraviolet (UV) devices are widely used in water purification applications. UV can be used to disinfect water in the drinking water and aquatics fields by destroying harmful bacteria. When disinfecting using UV, the typical wavelength used is 254 nm. UV can also be used to generate free radicals that can be used to destroy organic compounds in aqueous solutions. When used to destroy organic compounds, a wavelength of 185 nm is generally used.

[0003] A UV device generally comprises a housing, a quartz tube, and a UV lamp fitted inside the quartz tube. The quartz tube separates the liquid to be treated from the UV lamp. The UV lamp has an electrical connection connected to a power source. As the liquid passes through the housing, UV light is irradiated onto the liquid to photochemically destroy bacteria and / or organic compounds.

[0004] According to one aspect of the present invention, a water treatment system is provided. The water treatment system comprises a chemical radiation reactor and at least one ultraviolet (UV) lamp disposed within a quartz tube in the chemical radiation reactor. The at least one UV lamp comprises a lamp tube containing a gas that emits ultraviolet light in response to electrical excitation; a first pinch extending from a first end of the lamp tube and a second pinch extending from a second end of the lamp tube; and a first end cap coupled to the first pinch and a second end cap coupled to the second pinch. The first end cap and the second end cap have dimensions for aligning the center of the lamp tube coaxially within the quartz tube.

[0005] In some embodiments, the UV lamp further comprises a thermally conductive biasing element disposed around the circumference of each of the first end cap and the second end cap. The thermally conductive biasing element may comprise a metal spring. The thermally conductive biasing element may surround the outer circumferential surface of the first end cap and the second end cap and be disposed within a groove formed inside the first end cap and the second end cap.

[0006] In some embodiments, a portion of the outer circumferential surface of the first end cap and the second end cap has a contour that corresponds to the inner surface of the quartz tube.

[0007] In some embodiments, the first end cap and the second end cap include a slot extending inward from the outer circumferential surface. The slot may be perpendicular to the groove.

[0008] In some embodiments, the system further includes an electrical conductor configured to provide power to the lamp tube disposed within the slot. The metal spring may hold the conductor within the slot.

[0009] In some embodiments, the thermally conductive biasing element contacts the inner surface of the quartz tube, supports the lamp tube within the quartz tube, and dampens vibrations transmitted from the quartz tube to the first and second end caps.

[0010] In some embodiments, during operation, the lamp tube exhibits a symmetric temperature profile from the first pinch to the second pinch.

[0011] In some embodiments, the chemical radiation reactor is an ultraviolet advanced oxidation process reactor.

[0012] According to another embodiment, a water treatment method is provided. The method comprises the step of introducing water into the inlet of a chemical radiation reactor comprising at least one ultraviolet (UV) lamp disposed within a quartz tube within the chemical radiation reactor. The at least one UV lamp comprises a lamp tube comprising a gas that emits ultraviolet light in response to electrical excitation; a first pinch extending from a first end of the lamp tube and a second pinch extending from a second end of the lamp tube; and a first end cap coupled to the first pinch and a second end cap coupled to the second pinch, wherein the first end cap and the second end cap have dimensions for aligning the center of the lamp tube coaxially within the quartz tube. The method further comprises the step of irradiating the water within the chemical radiation reactor with UV light from the at least one UV lamp to produce treated water, and the step of recovering the treated water from the chemical radiation reactor.

[0013] According to another embodiment, an ultraviolet (UV) lamp configured to be disposed within a quartz tube in a chemical radiation reactor is provided. The UV lamp comprises: a lamp tube containing a gas that emits ultraviolet light in response to electrical excitation; a first pinch extending from a first end of the lamp tube and a second pinch extending from a second end of the lamp tube; a first end cap coupled to the first pinch and a second end cap coupled to the second pinch, wherein the first end cap and the second end cap have dimensions for coaxially aligning the center of the lamp tube within the quartz tube; and vibration damping means disposed around each of the first end cap and the second end cap to isolate at least one of the first end cap and the second end cap from the quartz tube in a vibration plane.

[0014] In some embodiments, the vibration damping means includes a thermally conductive element.

[0015] In some embodiments, the thermal conductive element includes a metal spring.

[0016] In some embodiments, the metal spring surrounds the outer circumferential surface of the first end cap and the second end cap and is disposed within a groove formed in the first end cap and the second end cap.

[0017] In some embodiments, a portion of the outer circumferential surface of the first end cap and the second end cap has a contour that corresponds to the inner surface of the quartz tube.

[0018] In some embodiments, the first and second end caps include a slot extending inward from the outer circumference surface.

[0019] In some embodiments, the slot is perpendicular to the groove.

[0020] In some embodiments, the UV lamp further includes an electrical conductor configured to provide power to the lamp tube disposed within the slot.

[0021] In some embodiments, the metal spring holds the electrical conductor within the slot.

[0022] In some embodiments, the thermally conductive element contacts the inner surface of the quartz tube, supports the lamp tube within the quartz tube, and dampens vibrations transmitted from the quartz tube to the first and second end caps.

[0023] In some embodiments, during operation, the lamp tube exhibits a symmetric temperature profile from the first pinch to the second pinch.

[0024] According to another embodiment, a method for modifying a chemical radiation reactor is provided. The method comprises the step of replacing at least one ultraviolet (UV) lamp in the chemical radiation reactor with a replacement lamp. The replacement lamp comprises a lamp tube containing a gas that emits ultraviolet light in response to electrical excitation; a first pinch extending from a first end of the lamp tube and a second pinch extending from a second end of the lamp tube; and a first end cap coupled to the first pinch and a second end cap coupled to the second pinch, wherein the first end cap and the second end cap have dimensions for aligning the center of the lamp tube coaxially within the quartz tube of the chemical radiation reactor. Brief explanation of the drawing

[0025] The attached drawings are not drawn to scale. In the drawings, each identical or nearly identical component shown in various drawings is indicated by the same reference numeral. For clarity, not all components may be shown in all drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a chemical radiation reactor vessel according to one or more embodiments. FIG. 2a is a schematic diagram illustrating a portion of the interior of the container of FIG. 1 according to one or more embodiments. FIG. 2b is a schematic diagram illustrating other parts inside the container of FIG. 1 according to one or more embodiments. FIG. 3 illustrates an embodiment of a system comprising a chemical radiation reactor vessel and a free radical precursor source in communication with a water supply source to be treated upstream of the chemical radiation reactor vessel. FIG. 4 illustrates a control system that can be used in an embodiment of the water treatment system disclosed in this specification. Figure 5 illustrates a memory system for the control system of Figure 4. FIG. 6 illustrates one embodiment of an ultraviolet (UV) lamp assembly. Figure 7 shows the ultraviolet lamp assembly of Figure 6 placed inside a quartz tube. Figure 8 illustrates the experimental setup for a vibration test of a UV lamp. Figures 9a to 9c illustrate the vibration test results of a standard UV lamp. FIGS. 10 to 10c illustrate the vibration test results of the UV lamp shown in FIG. 6. Figure 11a illustrates the mounting configuration of a standard UV lamp inside a quartz tube. Figure 11b shows the operating temperature of the pinch portion of a standard UV lamp mounted as shown in Figure 11a. Figure 12a shows a different mounting configuration of a standard UV lamp inside a quartz tube. FIG. 12b shows the operating temperature of the pinch portion of a standard UV lamp mounted as shown in FIG. 12a. Figure 13 shows the operating temperature of the pinch portion of the UV lamp mounted as shown in Figure 7. Figure 14a shows the results of a finite element analysis of the temperature and stress distribution within a standard UV lamp. Figure 14b shows the results of a finite element analysis of the temperature and stress distribution within the UV lamp shown in Figure 6. Specific details for implementing the invention

[0026] The embodiments and examples disclosed herein are not limited to the details of the configuration and arrangement of components presented in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The embodiments and examples disclosed herein may be implemented or performed in various ways. Furthermore, the phrases and terms used herein are intended only to describe the invention and should not be construed as limiting the invention. In this specification, the use of "comprising," "comprising," "having," "containing," "accompanying," and variations thereof encompasses the items listed below, their equivalents, and additional items.

[0027] The aspects and embodiments disclosed in this specification generally relate to ultraviolet (UV) lamp systems and improvements designed to prevent premature failure of said UV lamp systems and extend their lifespan.

[0028] Conventional UV lamp systems are problematic due to exposure to unacceptably high levels of electric shock, burns, and inherent UV-C radiation in their design. If a UV lamp is removed while activated, workers may be exposed to UV light radiation, extreme heat, and potential electric shock.

[0029] Conventional solutions to this problem cannot completely eliminate the inherent risk. One such system uses a large electrical enclosure with an access port. This system does not completely mitigate the risk because the access port could be inadvertently left open. Another system uses a mechanical trip switch to disable the lamp upon removal. This system also does not completely mitigate the risk because the switch could be faulty.

[0030] The aspects and embodiments of the UV lamp or UV lamp system disclosed herein may include one or more features that increase the reliability and lifespan of the UV lamp or UV lamp system compared to previously known UV lamps or UV lamp systems. In some embodiments, the heat flow from the UV lamp to the external environment may be improved (increased) compared to previously known UV lamps. The operating temperature of the embodiments of the UV lamp disclosed herein may be lower than that of previously known UV lamps or may be more uniform and symmetrical across the lamp. The embodiments of the UV lamp disclosed herein may be more resistant to damage caused by vibration than previously known UV lamps.

[0031] The embodiments and examples disclosed herein may relate to systems for treating contaminated wastewater. The embodiments and examples disclosed herein may relate to systems utilizing ultraviolet radiation treatment to reduce the total organic carbon (TOC) content of water to be treated. The embodiments and examples disclosed herein may relate to systems for purifying water to a degree suitable for use as drinking water, irrigation water, or deionized water in laboratories or semiconductor manufacturing plants. In the embodiments and examples of systems disclosed herein, the water to be treated may be any one or more of industrial or municipal wastewater, groundwater, or return water from laboratory cleaning operations or semiconductor manufacturing processes.

[0032] One or more embodiments disclosed herein relate to a system for treating contaminated wastewater. In some embodiments, the system comprises a source of contaminated wastewater having an initial concentration of recalcitrant organic contaminants, a TOC concentration sensor in fluid communication with the contaminated wastewater, a source of one or more precursors of free radical species fluidly connected to the source of contaminated wastewater and configured to introduce a precursor into the contaminated wastewater, a UV reactor comprising a UV lamp disclosed herein fluidly connected to the source of contaminated wastewater and configured to irradiate the contaminated wastewater, and a controller configured to communicate with the TOC concentration sensor and to control at least one of the rate at which the precursor is introduced into the contaminated wastewater and the irradiation dose applied by the UV lamp based on an output signal from the TOC concentration sensor. The precursor may be, for example, hydrogen peroxide or persulfate species or may include such.

[0033] According to another embodiment, the controller is configured to control the irradiation dose by controlling the residence time of the contaminated wastewater in the reactor. According to yet another embodiment, the controller is configured to control the irradiation dose by controlling the flow rate of the contaminated wastewater.

[0034] According to an additional embodiment, the UV reactor is located downstream from the precursor source. According to at least one embodiment, the TOC concentration sensor is located upstream from the precursor source. According to another embodiment, the TOC concentration sensor is a first TOC concentration sensor, and the system further includes a second TOC concentration sensor located downstream of the UV reactor and communicating with a controller. According to a specific embodiment, the controller is configured to control at least one of the rate at which the precursor is introduced into the contaminated wastewater and the irradiation dose applied by the UV lamp based on the output signal from the second TOC concentration sensor.

[0035] One or more embodiments may relate to wastewater treatment systems and technologies. Systems and technologies may treat wastewater contaminated with recalcitrant organic pollutants using one or more free radical precursors in conjunction with an ultraviolet (UV) light source. According to some embodiments, wastewater is treated so that the concentration of recalcitrant organic pollutants is reduced to a level where the wastewater can be pumped back to the ground, that is, to a level where the level of recalcitrant organic pollutants falls below one or more standards set by government authorities. According to additional embodiments, the concentration of recalcitrant organic pollutants is reduced so that the treated wastewater can be characterized as potable water. For example, according to some embodiments, the methods and systems disclosed herein may treat contaminated wastewater to produce potable water. The potable water may comply with standards set by local governments. As used herein, the term "recalcitrant organic pollutants" refers to organic compounds that resist microbial degradation or are not easily biodegraded when used in relation to pollutants. In certain cases, non-biodegradable organic contaminants may not be biologically degradable, and remediation methods may not remove enough species to meet environmental regulations. Non-limiting examples of non-biodegradable organic contaminants include 1,4-dioxane, trichloroethylene (TCE), perchloroethylene (PCE), urea, isopropanol, chloroform, atrazine, tryptophan, and formic acid.

[0036] According to at least one embodiment, some embodiments include a method for treating contaminated wastewater. Additionally, the process may be used to purify contaminated groundwater. As used herein, the term “groundwater” may refer to water recoverable from groundwater sources as well as water recovered from surface water bodies such as streams, ponds, wetlands, and other similar bodies of water. Wastewater or groundwater may be contaminated with non-biodegradable organic contaminants as discussed above. Wastewater may be contaminated from any of various sources, such as industrial processes, agricultural processes such as the spraying of pesticides and herbicides, or other processes such as disinfection processes that produce undesirable byproducts such as trihalomethanes.

[0037] According to at least one embodiment, the method and system disclosed herein may include providing contaminated wastewater having an initial concentration of non-biodegradable organic contaminants. According to some embodiments, the method and system disclosed herein may include extracting or removing contaminated wastewater. For example, contaminated wastewater may be pumped from the ground or other sources using one or more pumps or other extraction devices as part of a cleanup effort. Once treated, the wastewater may be discharged or sent for further treatment. According to some embodiments, contaminated wastewater may be pumped or removed to a surface-grade level and treated according to the processes and methods discussed herein. For example, according to some embodiments, the method and system disclosed herein may include extracting contaminated wastewater from a cleanup site. In at least one embodiment, one or more extraction wells and extraction equipment, such as pumps, may be used to pump contaminated wastewater to a surface to be treated. Once treated, the treated wastewater or groundwater may be reinjected into the ground or the treated wastewater may be reintroduced into the environment using a pump or other distribution system. In certain cases, contaminated wastewater may be stored in a storage tank or container before treatment, and in some cases, treated water produced by the process disclosed herein may be added to or mixed with the contaminated wastewater.

[0038] According to one or more embodiments, contaminated wastewater may have total dissolved solids (TDS) levels ranging from about 100 mg / L to about 5000 mg / L, and in some cases, from about 200 mg / L to about 2000 mg / L, but these values ​​may vary depending on geographical location and other factors. As a source of comparison, water with TDS levels of 1000 mg / L to 1500 mg / L is considered safe for drinking, and some standards have a TDS limit of 500 mg / L for domestic supply water.

[0039] According to another embodiment, the method and system disclosed herein may be connected to or fluidly connected to a source of contaminated wastewater. For example, the contaminated wastewater may be pumped or delivered to the disclosed system for treatment.

[0040] According to various embodiments, the concentration of recalcitrant organic pollutants in wastewater is sufficiently high to exceed limits set by government agencies. According to some embodiments, the systems and methods disclosed herein treat wastewater to reduce the concentration level of recalcitrant organic pollutants. In some examples, the systems and methods disclosed herein reduce the concentration of recalcitrant organic pollutants to a level that complies with government standards or guidelines. According to one embodiment, the concentration of recalcitrant organic pollutants is reduced to a level where the treated wastewater can be reintroduced into the environment. For example, the EPA standard for 1,4-dioxane concentration in drinking water is 1 µg / ℓ (1 ppb). The methods and systems disclosed herein can be extended to treat almost any concentration of recalcitrant organic pollutants that may be present in wastewater. For example, according to some embodiments, the initial concentration of recalcitrant organic pollutants, such as dioxane, in wastewater may be in the range of about 5 ppb to about 800 ppb.

[0041] Advanced Oxidation Processes (AOPs) are a series of treatment procedures used to remove organic matter from wastewater. In many applications, these processes specifically involve the use of UV light and hydrogen peroxide, such as the following:

[0042] H2O2 + UV → 2·OH

[0043] (The homologous cleavage of the OO bond in H2O2 leads to the formation of 2·OH radicals.)

[0044] The system disclosed herein may include a chemical radiation reactor, e.g., a UV reactor, that contains one or more oxidizing agents (e.g., H2O2, ammonium persulfate, potassium persulfate, or other persulfate species) to promote the destruction, e.g., oxidation of one or more contaminants in water treated in the chemical radiation reactor. The chemical radiation reactor may include a vessel and a first array of tubes in the vessel. The first array of tubes may include a first set of parallel tubes and a second set of parallel tubes. Each tube may include at least one ultraviolet lamp, and each of the first set of parallel tubes is positioned to have a longitudinal axis orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of the second set of tubes.

[0045] In an example of a chemical radiation reactor used in the system disclosed herein, an organic compound in the water being treated may be oxidized to carbon dioxide by one or more free radical species, which may be removed in one or more downstream unit operations. The chemical radiation reactor oxidizes one or more precursor compounds to one or more free radical scavenging species, e.g., hydroxyl radical OH- or sulfate radical SO4 2- It may include one or more free radical activation devices that convert to. The chemical radiation reactor may include one or more lamps within one or more reaction chambers to irradiate or provide chemical radiation to water and split a precursor compound into one or more free radical species.

[0046] The reactor may be divided into two chambers by one or more baffles between the chambers. The baffles may be used to provide mixing or turbulence to the reactor, to prevent mixing, or to facilitate parallel flow paths of laminar flow through the interior of the reactor, such as the chambers. In a specific embodiment, the reactor inlet is fluidly connected to the first chamber, and the reactor outlet is fluidly connected to the second chamber.

[0047] In some embodiments, at least three reactor chambers, each having at least one ultraviolet (UV) lamp positioned to irradiate the water within each chamber with light in the range of about 185 nm, 220 nm and / or 254 nm, or about 185 nm to about 254 nm, are arranged in series in the reactor at various power levels. It is understood that shorter wavelength UV light of 185 nm or 220 nm may be desirable in the AOP process because it has sufficient photon energy to generate free radicals from free radical precursors used in the process of oxidizing dissolved organic contaminants. Alternatively, a disinfection process capable of killing or destroying microorganisms using UV light can operate efficiently with UV light of 254 nm produced by a low-pressure lamp. Disinfection systems generally do not use more expensive medium-pressure or high-pressure UV lamps capable of providing significant UV intensity at shorter wavelengths of 185 nm or 220 nm.

[0048] One or more lamps may be located within one or more chemical radiation reactors by being placed within one or more sleeves or tubes within the reactor. The tubes may hold the lamps in place and protect them from the water within the reactor. The tubes may be made of any material that allows radiation to pass through without being substantially degraded by the chemical radiation and by the water or components of the water within the reactor. The tubes may have a circular cross-section. In certain embodiments, the tubes may be cylindrical and their constituent material may be quartz. Each tube may have the same or different shape or size as one or more other tubes. The tubes may be arranged within the reactor in various configurations; for example, the sleeve may extend across part or the entire length or width of the reactor. The tubes may also extend across the internal volume of the reactor.

[0049] Commercially available quartz sleeves are available from Enterprise Q (Manchester, UK), Multi-Lab (Newcastle upon Tyne, UK), or Glass Automated Products (Huntington Beach, California). The selected quartz material may be based at least partially on specific wavelengths or wavelengths to be used in the process. The quartz material may be selected to minimize the energy requirements of the UV lamp at one or more wavelengths. The composition of the quartz may be selected to provide a desired or appropriate UV light transmittance to the water in the reactor and / or to maintain a desired or appropriate level of UV light transmittance to the water. In certain embodiments, the transmittance may be at least about 50% for a predetermined time period. For example, the transmittance may be about 80% or more for a predetermined time period. In certain embodiments, the transmittance may be in the range of about 80% to 90% for about 6 months to about 1 year. In certain embodiments, the transmittance may be in the range of about 80% to 90% for up to about 2 years.

[0050] Each end of the tube may be sealed to prevent the contents of the reactor from entering the sleeve or tube. The tube may be secured within the reactor to remain in place throughout the use of the reactor. In certain embodiments, the tube is secured to the wall of the reactor. The tube may be secured to the wall using appropriate mechanical techniques or other conventional techniques for securing objects together. The material used to secure the tube is preferably inert and does not interfere with the operation of the reactor, does not negatively affect the purity of the water, and does not release contaminants into the water.

[0051] The lamps may be arranged within the reactor so as to be parallel to each other. The lamps may also be arranged within the reactor at various angles to each other. For example, in certain embodiments, the lamps may be arranged to illuminate a path or area of ​​application that forms an angle of approximately 90 degrees so as to be approximately orthogonal or perpendicular to each other. The lamps may be arranged in this manner to form an angle of approximately 90 degrees on a vertical axis or a horizontal axis, or any axis in between.

[0052] In certain embodiments, the reactor may comprise a tube array within the reactor or vessel comprising a first set of parallel tubes and a second set of parallel tubes. Each tube may comprise at least one ultraviolet lamp, and each of the first set of parallel tubes may be arranged at a desired angle relative to the second set of parallel tubes. In certain embodiments, this angle may be approximately 90 degrees. Tubes of either or both of the first array and the second array may extend over the internal volume of the reactor. The first set and the second set of tubes may be arranged at approximately the same height within the reactor.

[0053] Additional configurations may include lamps and / or tubes positioned to provide a uniform level of intensity in each occupied or applied area of ​​the reactor. Additional configurations may include tubes arranged at equal intervals with one or more lamps inside.

[0054] The reactor may include one or more arrays of tubes arranged within the reactor or vessel. The second tube array may include a third set of parallel tubes and a fourth set of parallel tubes orthogonal to the third set of parallel tubes, each tube comprising at least one ultraviolet lamp. The fourth set of parallel tubes may also be orthogonal to at least one of the second set of parallel tubes and the first set of parallel tubes.

[0055] In certain embodiments, each array within the reactor or vessel may be located at a predetermined distance or elevation from another array within the reactor. The predetermined distance between two sets of arrays may be the same or different.

[0056] The reactor may be sized based on the number of ultraviolet lamps required to remove, decompose, or convert at least one impurity, generally an organic carbon-based impurity, into an inert, ionized, or removable compound, one or more compounds removable from water, or at least one compound removable more easily than the at least one impurity. The required number of lamps may be based at least partially on lamp performance characteristics, including the spectral wavelength of the ultraviolet light emitted from the lamps and the lamp intensity. The required number of lamps may be based at least partially on at least one of the expected TOC concentration or amount of the influent stream and the amount of oxidant added to the feed stream or the reactor.

[0057] A series of reactor sets may be arranged in parallel. For example, a first set of series reactors may be placed in parallel with a second set of series reactors, and each set has three reactors when there are a total of six reactors. In each set, one or more reactors may be in use at any time. In certain embodiments, all reactors may be in use, whereas in other embodiments, only one set of reactors may be in use.

[0058] One non-limiting example of a chemical radiation reactor vessel that may be used in the aspects and embodiments disclosed herein is generally denoted as (100) in FIG. 1. The reactor vessel (100) generally includes an inlet (110), an outlet (120), and a baffle (115) that divides the reactor vessel (100) into an upper chamber (125) and a lower chamber (130). The reactor vessel (100) may also include a manifold (105) that may be configured to distribute water introduced through the inlet (110) throughout the vessel. In certain embodiments, the manifold (105) may be configured to distribute water evenly throughout the vessel. For example, the manifold (105) may be configured to distribute water evenly throughout the vessel so that the reactor operates as a plug flow reactor.

[0059] In some embodiments, the reactor vessel may include more than one baffle (115) to divide the reactor vessel into more than two chambers. The baffles (115) may be used to provide mixing or turbulence to the reactor. In certain embodiments, as shown in FIG. 1, the reactor inlet (110) is fluidly connected to the lower chamber (130), and the reactor outlet (120) is fluidly connected to the upper chamber (125).

[0060] In some embodiments, at least three reactor chambers are arranged in series within the reactor (120), each having at least one ultraviolet (UV) lamp positioned to irradiate the water in each chamber with light ranging from about 185 nm to about 254 nm, 220 nm, and / or 254 nm at desired or various power levels.

[0061] The reactor vessel may further include a plurality of ultraviolet lamps located within tubes, for example, tubes (135a-c and 140a-c). In one embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, the reactor vessel (100) includes a first set of parallel tubes, namely tubes (135a-c) and a second set of parallel tubes (not shown). Each set of the first set of parallel tubes is approximately orthogonal to the second set to form a first array (145). The tubes (135a-c) and the second set of parallel tubes are at approximately the same height relative to each other in the reactor vessel (100).

[0062] Additionally, the reactor vessel may include a third set of parallel tubes and a fourth set of parallel tubes. Each set of the first set of parallel tubes is approximately orthogonal to the second set to form, for example, a second array (150). As illustrated by example, the tubes (140a-c) and the second set of parallel tubes are at approximately the same height from each other within the reactor vessel (100). As illustrated in FIG. 1, the first array (145) may be located at a predetermined distance from the second array (150). The vessel (100) may further include a third array (155) and a fourth array (160), each optionally having a configuration similar to the first array (140) and the second array (145).

[0063] In another embodiment, the first tube (135b) may be arranged perpendicularly to the second tube (140b) to form a first array. Additionally, a set of tubes, namely tube (165a) and tube (165b), may be arranged orthogonally to another set of tubes, namely tube (170a) and tube (170b), to form a second array. The positions of the lamps of the second array, including lamps (214, 220, 222, and 224), are shown in FIG. 2a. The positions of the lamps of the first array and the second array, including lamps (226 and 228) of the first array and lamps (214, 220, 222, and 224) of the second array, are shown in FIG. 2b.

[0064] A lamp can generate patterns based on various properties of the lamp, including dimensions, intensity, and power delivered to the lamp. The light pattern generated by the lamp is a general spatial volume over which the lamp emits light. In certain embodiments, the light pattern or illumination volume is defined as the area or volume of space over which the lamp can irradiate or provide chemical radiation to split or convert a precursor compound into one or more free radical species.

[0065] As illustrated in FIGS. 2a and 2b, which illustrate exemplary cross-sectional views of a reactor (100), a first set of tubes (210a-c) are arranged parallel to each other, and a second set of tubes (212a-c) are arranged parallel to each other. As illustrated, the first set of tubes (210a-c) are arranged orthogonally to the second set of tubes (212a-c). Lamps, such as lamps (214), are distributed within the tubes (210a-c and 212a-c) and can produce a light pattern (216) when illuminated.

[0066] One or more ultraviolet lamps or sets of lamps may be characterized by projecting chemical radiation parallel to an illumination vector. The illumination vector may be defined as the direction in which one or more lamps emit chemical radiation. In an exemplary embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2a, a first set of lamps comprising lamps (220 and 222) is positioned to project chemical radiation parallel to an illumination vector (218).

[0067] A first set of ultraviolet lamps, each positioned to project chemical radiation parallel to a first illumination vector, may be activated. A second set of ultraviolet lamps, each positioned to project chemical radiation parallel to a second illumination vector, may also be activated. At least one of the illumination direction and intensity of at least one set of ultraviolet lamps among the first set of ultraviolet lamps and the second set of ultraviolet lamps may be adjusted. Each set of ultraviolet lamps may include one or more ultraviolet lamps.

[0068] The number of lamps used or activated, and the configuration of the lamps in use, may be selected based on specific operating conditions or requirements of the system. For example, the number of lamps used in a specific process may be selected and controlled based on system characteristics or measured or calculated parameters. For example, the measured parameters of the influent or treated water may include any one or more of TOC concentration, temperature, or flow rate. The number of activated lamps may also be selected and controlled based on the concentration or amount of an oxidizing agent, such as hydrogen peroxide, added to the system. For example, 12 lamps of a specific configuration may be used when the flow rate of the water to be treated is below a specific threshold (e.g., a nominal or design flow rate such as 1300 gpm), whereas more lamps may be used when the flow rate of the water to be treated rises above the threshold. For example, additional lamps may be activated when the flow rate increases from 1300 gpm to a selected higher threshold. For example, 24 lamps may be used when the flow rate of the water to be treated reaches 1900 gpm. Therefore, the water flow rate can partially determine the number of ramps and / or activated ramps in each reactor.

[0069] In certain embodiments, the ultraviolet lamps may be operated at one or more illumination intensity levels. For example, one or more lamps may be used that can be adjusted to operate in multiple illumination modes, such as any of dim mode, rated mode, and boost mode, e.g., low, medium, or high mode. The illumination intensity of one or more lamps may be adjusted and controlled based on system characteristics or measured or calculated parameters, such as measured parameters of the influent or treated water, including TOC concentration, temperature, and / or flow rate. The illumination intensity of one or more lamps may also be adjusted and controlled based on the concentration or amount of hydrogen peroxide added to the system. For example, one or more lamps may be used in dim mode up to a predetermined threshold value of a measured parameter of the system, such as a first TOC concentration. If the measured or calculated TOC concentration reaches or exceeds a second TOC concentration, which may be higher than the threshold value, one or more lamps may be adjusted to rated mode. If the measured or calculated TOC concentration reaches or exceeds the second threshold value, one or more lamps may be further adjusted to boost mode.

[0070] A chemical radiation reactor that can be used in the system disclosed herein is described in more detail in the jointly owned PCT application number PCT / US2016 / 030708 (the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference).

[0071] One embodiment of a water treatment system is schematically illustrated in FIG. 3 and is generally denoted as 300. Water to be treated, e.g., wastewater, groundwater, high-purity water, etc., is provided from a source (305) through a conduit (310). One or more precursors for one or more free radicals (e.g., H2O2, which is a precursor of a hydroxyl radical, or persulfate, which is a precursor of a sulfate radical) are provided from a source of free radical precursors (320) through a conduit (325) and mixed with the water to be treated from the source of the feed (305). The water / precursor mixture is guided through a conduit (330) to the inlet of a UV AOP reactor (335). Contaminants in the water to be treated are oxidized and destroyed by exposure to UV radiation in the UV AOP reactor (335). The UV AOP reactor (335) outputs purified effluent or generated water (340) which is sent to a point of use (345). The effluent (340) may meet or exceed the desired purity. As used herein, the term purity of the effluent or product water exiting the chemical radiation reactor refers to the concentration of one or more contaminants in the effluent or product water. In some embodiments, the point of use (345) may be, for example, the source of the feed (305) when the system is used to treat water from a swimming pool, boiler, or other water source and return the treated water to the same source. The point of use (345) may include a shipboard system, a drilling platform system, an underwater system (e.g., a swimming pool or fountain), a drinking water system, or a downhole of an oil drilling system. The point of use (345) may include a ship's cooling water system or an offshore-based platform or a ship's ballast tank.

[0072] One or more sensors (315) may measure one or more parameters of any of the water to be treated, the water / precursor mixture and / or the purified wastewater (340), such as temperature, flow rate, contaminant concentration, pH, redox potential (ORP), total organic carbon (TOC), dissolved oxygen and / or hydrogen concentration, purity, etc. A controller of the system, further described below, may receive readings from one or more sensors (315) and adjust one or more operating parameters of the system to obtain the parameters read by one or more sensors (315) or the desired levels of the parameters. The operating parameters of the system may include, for example, the intensity of UV light generated in the UV AOP reactor, the dose of UV radiation applied to the water to be treated in the UV AOP reactor, the flow rate of the water to be treated, the rate or amount of addition of free radical precursors to the water to be treated, or any other operating parameters of the system.

[0073] Various additional pumps or valves may be included in the system (300) to control the flow of various related aqueous solutions, but are not shown for clarity.

[0074] In one or more embodiments in which any embodiment may be related to one or more aspects, the system and technology disclosed herein may utilize one or more subsystems that facilitate or adjust at least one operational parameter, state or condition of one or more unit operations or components of the system, or one or more characteristics or physical characteristics of the process stream. To facilitate such adjustment and adjustment functions, one or more embodiments may utilize display devices and controllers that provide the status, state or condition of one or more components or processes. For example, at least one sensor may be utilized to provide an expression of intensive or broad properties of water entering or leaving, for example, from a feed source (305) or an electrochemical cell or UV AOP reactor vessel or one or more other downstream processes. Accordingly, according to a particularly advantageous embodiment, the system and technology may include one or more sensors or other display devices, such as a composition analyzer or a conductivity cell, that provide an expression of the state, condition, characteristic or quality of water entering or leaving any unit operation of the system.

[0075] Various operating parameters of the system (300) disclosed herein may be controlled or adjusted by an associated control system or controller based on various parameters measured by various sensors located in different parts of the system. The controller may be programmed or configured to control the introduction of free radical precursors into the water to be treated upstream of the AOP reactor based on at least one of the flow rate of the water to be treated or the level of one or more contaminants in the water to be treated.

[0076] The controller may be programmed or configured to adjust one or more operating parameters of the AOP reactor based on any one or more of the flow rate or contaminant concentration of the water to be treated entering the AOP reactor, or the temperature or pH of the water to be treated entering the AOP reactor.

[0077] A controller used to monitor and control the operation of various elements of the system disclosed herein may include a computerized control system. Various embodiments of the controller may be implemented as special software running on a general-purpose computer system (400) such as that shown in FIG. 4. The computer system (400) may include a processor (402) connected to one or more memory devices (404), such as a disk drive, solid-state memory, or other device for storing data. The memory (404) is generally used to store programs and data during the operation of the computer system (400). Components of the computer system (400) may be connected by an interconnection mechanism (406) which may include one or more buses (e.g., between components integrated within the same machine) and / or a network (e.g., between components in separate discrete machines). The interconnection mechanism (406) enables the exchange of communication (e.g., data, instructions) between system components of the system (400). The computer system (400) also includes one or more input devices (408), e.g., a keyboard, a mouse, a trackball, a microphone, a touch screen, and one or more output devices (410), e.g., a printing device, a display screen, and / or a speaker.

[0078] The output device (410) may also include a valve, pump, or switch and may be used to introduce a precursor of a free radical species from a source of free radical precursor (320) into the water to be treated as disclosed herein, and / or control the speed of the pump of the system or the state of the valve (open or closed). One or more sensors (414) may also provide input to the computer system (400). These sensors may include a sensor (315) which may be, for example, a pressure sensor, a chemical concentration sensor, a temperature sensor, or a sensor for any other parameter of interest for the system disclosed herein. These sensors may be located, for example, at the point of use (345) or upstream of the AOP reactor (335), or at any available part of the system in fluid communication with the source of the feed (305). Additionally, the computer system (400) may include one or more interfaces (not shown) for connecting the computer system (400) to a communication network as an additional or alternative to the interconnection mechanism (406).

[0079] A storage system (412), illustrated in more detail in FIG. 5, generally includes a computer-readable and writable non-volatile recording medium (502) that stores a signal representing a program to be executed by a processor (402) or information to be processed by the program. The medium may include, for example, a disk or flash memory. Typically, during operation, the processor reads data from the non-volatile recording medium (502) to another memory (504), and the other memory allows the processor faster access to the information than the recording medium (502). This memory (504) is typically a volatile random access memory, such as dynamic random access memory (DRAM) or static memory (SRAM). This memory may be located in the storage system (412) or memory system (404) as illustrated. The processor (402) generally manipulates data within the integrated circuit memory (504) and, after processing is complete, copies the data to the medium (502). Various mechanisms for managing the movement of data between a medium (502) and an integrated circuit memory element (504) are known, and the embodiments and embodiments disclosed herein are not limited thereto. The embodiments and embodiments disclosed herein are not limited to a specific memory system (404) or storage system (412).

[0080] A computer system may include specific programmed special-purpose hardware, such as an Application-Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC). The aspects and embodiments disclosed herein may be implemented in software, hardware or firmware, or any combination thereof. Additionally, such methods, actions, systems, system elements, and components thereof may be implemented as part of or as independent components of the computer system described above.

[0081] A computer system (400) is illustrated as an example of a type of computer system capable of carrying out the various aspects and embodiments disclosed herein, but it should be understood that the aspects and embodiments disclosed herein are not limited to those implemented on the computer system illustrated in FIG. 4. The various aspects and embodiments disclosed herein may be carried out on one or more computers having architectures or components different from those illustrated in FIG. 4.

[0082] The computer system (400) may be a general-purpose computer system that is programmable using a high-level computer programming language. The computer system (400) may also be implemented using specific programmed special-purpose hardware. In the computer system (400), the processor (402) is a commercially available processor, such as a well-known Pentium™ or Core™ class processor, typically available from Intel Corporation. Many other processors, including programmable logic controllers, may be used. These processors typically run an operating system that may be, for example, Windows 7, Windows 8, or Windows 10, available from Microsoft Corporation; MAC OS System X, available from Apple Computer; Solaris, available from Sun Microsystems; or UNIX, available from various sources. Many other operating systems may be used.

[0083] A processor and an operating system together define a computer platform on which applications written in a high-level programming language are written. It should be understood that the present invention is not limited to a specific computer system platform, processor, operating system, or network. Furthermore, it should be apparent to those skilled in the art that the aspects and embodiments disclosed herein are not limited to a specific programming language or computer system. It is also understood that other suitable programming languages ​​and other suitable computer systems may be used.

[0084] One or more parts of a computer system may be distributed across one or more computer systems (not shown) coupled to a communication network. These computer systems may also be general-purpose computer systems. For example, various aspects of the invention may be distributed among one or more computer systems configured to provide services (e.g., servers) to one or more client computers or to perform the entire operation as part of a distributed system. For example, various aspects and embodiments disclosed herein may be performed in a client-server system comprising components distributed among one or more server systems that perform various functions according to the various aspects and embodiments disclosed herein. These components may be executable code, intermediate code (e.g., IL), or interpreted code (e.g., Java) that communicates over a communication network (e.g., the Internet) using a communication protocol (e.g., TCP / IP). In some embodiments, one or more components of the computer system (400) may communicate with one or more other components over a wireless network, for example, including a cellular telephone network.

[0085] It is understood that the aspects and embodiments disclosed herein are not limited to being implemented in any specific system or group of systems. Furthermore, it is understood that the aspects and embodiments disclosed herein are not limited to any specific distributed architecture, network, or communication protocol. The various aspects and embodiments disclosed herein may be programmed using object-oriented programming languages ​​such as SmallTalk, Java, C++, Ada, or C# (C-Sharp). Other object-oriented programming languages ​​may also be used. Alternatively, functional, scripting, and / or logical programming languages, such as ladder logic, may be used. The various aspects and embodiments disclosed herein may be implemented in an unprogrammed environment (e.g., a document written in HTML, XML, or other formats that renders aspects of a graphical user interface (GUI) or performs other functions when viewed in a window of a browser program). The various aspects and embodiments disclosed herein may be implemented as programmed or unprogrammed elements, or any combination thereof.

[0086] An example of a UV lamp that can be used in a UV AOP reactor as disclosed herein is generally indicated as (600) in FIG. 6. The UV lamp (600) is a gas discharge lamp having a sealed lamp tube (605). The lamp tube (605) is formed of a material that is transparent or at least partially transparent to UV radiation, for example, quartz. The lamp tube (605) contains a gas that emits ultraviolet radiation when excited by an electric current provided by electrodes (not shown) placed at both ends within the lamp tube (605). The gas may contain mercury vapor that can be mixed with one or more of neon, argon, and / or xenon. Commercially available UV lamps are available from Alphacure (Northamptonshire, UK), Signify (Philips Lighting, Netherlands), Heraeus Noblelight GmbH (Hanau, Germany), or Light Sources (LSI, Orange, Connecticut).

[0087] Generally, a section of quartz (610) having a rectangular or I-shaped cross section extends from both ends of the lamp tube (605). This section of quartz (610) is referred to as a pinch (610). The pinch (610) includes an electrical conductor for sending current from an external electrical connection to an electrode within the lamp tube (605).

[0088] The pinch (610) is mounted and secured by an adhesive or bonding agent, for example, ceramic adhesive paste (Fortafix, available from Hartlepool, UK), within the central portion of the end cap (615) positioned on both sides of the lamp tube (605), at the distal end of the pinch (610) facing the proximal end of the pinch (610) that contacts the lamp tube (605). The end cap (615) is formed from a ceramic material, for example, alumina (Al2O3) or a mixture of mainly alumina and one or more other ceramic materials, for example, 95% Al2O3, CaO (1%), SiO2 (2%), and MgO (2%). The end cap (615) may have a nearly triangular cross-section as shown in FIG. 6, with the vertices of the triangular cross-section cut off and replaced with an arched tip portion (615A). The arched tip portion (615A) may have an outer surface defining part of a circle. The end cap (615) may also be considered to include three lobes extending outward from the central region of the end cap (615) and terminating at the arched tip portion (6125A). The triangular shape of the end cap (615) may facilitate electrically connecting the UV lamp (600) to an electrical connector known in the art, as disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 8,876,359 (the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference). In other embodiments, the end cap (615) may be circular or any other shape that allows the end cap (615) to be fitted into a quartz tube having a desired shape. The outer surface of the arched tip portion (6125A) may be curved to match the curvature of the inner wall of the quartz tube in which the lamp tube (605) is to be placed. The end cap (615) may be considered to have an outer perimeter surface portion having a contour that corresponds to the inner surface of the quartz tube.

[0089] The end cap (615) may include a thermally conductive biasing element surrounding its circumference, for example, a spring (620) (commercially available from iConn Engineering, Huntington Beach, California). As used herein, the term “biasing” means supporting / positioning the end cap and the lamp tube (605) within the quartz tube. The thermally conductive biasing element may also provide conductive heat from the end cap (615) to the quartz tube and provide vibration damping for the lamp tube (605) within the quartz tube. In some embodiments, the spring (620) may be placed within a recess (625) defined on the surface of the circumference portion of the end cap (615). The spring (620) may be formed into a coil inclined, for example, at an angle of about 70° with respect to the surface of the circumference portion of the end cap (615) to be compressed under a radial load and to assist in installation and reduce vibration. The spring (620) may be formed of a metal, for example, stainless steel. The spring (620) may provide good contact between the lamp and the quartz tube in which the lamp may be installed, thereby providing a high thermal conductivity path for heat transfer from the lamp tube (605) to the quartz tube through the pinch (610) and the end cap (615). The material of the end cap may have a thermal conductivity of about 15 to 25 W / m·K, while the ceramic adhesive may have a thermal conductivity of about 1.5 W / m·K, and the spring may have a thermal conductivity of about 15 W / m·K. FIG. 7 illustrates a cross-sectional and end view of a manner in which a UV lamp may be positioned within a quartz tube (700), wherein the center of the lamp tube (605) is positioned coaxially within the quartz tube (700), and the lamp tube has a center axis parallel to or overlapping with the center axis of the quartz tube (700).The quartz tube (700) can be submerged in the water being treated in the UV reactor when in use and can act as a heat sink for the lamp assembly and transfer heat to the water being treated, thereby helping to cool the lamp assembly.

[0090] A slot (630) may be formed on the outer surface of the end cap (615), for example, in one of the arched tip portions (615A) of the end caps (615) shown in FIG. 6. An electrical conductor (635), for example, a metal rod used to provide current to one end of the lamp (600), may have a portion placed within the slot (630). The portion of the conductor (635) may be held in the slot (630) by a spring (620). The slot (630) allows the conductor (635) to expand and move slightly, for example due to a temperature change, thereby reducing the stress that may be applied to the end cap (615) when the conductor (635) is firmly fixed to the end cap (615). It is understood that electrical connections to the lamp tube (605) are omitted in the diagrams provided herein for simplification.

[0091] In some embodiments, existing UV AOP systems may be modified or upgraded to include UV lamps disclosed herein, for example, as illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7. A method for modifying a UV AOP system cell to increase the reliability of the system may include installing one or more UV lamps disclosed herein in the UV AOP.

[0092] Example:

[0093] Vibration test

[0094] Tests were performed to evaluate the degree to which a lamp configured as disclosed herein (e.g., as illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7) responds to applied vibrations compared to a standard lamp having a circular end cap and not including a spring surrounding the end cap. The test setup is illustrated in FIG. 8. Each lamp was mounted in a UV reactor housing bolted to a vibration table and tested six times; repeated in three directions (x, y, and z axes) and after two hours of low-level vibration. FIGS. 9a through 9c illustrate the vibration test results of the standard lamp in the X, Y, and Z axes, respectively. In the charts of FIGS. 9a through 9c, the Y-axis represents the recorded g-force, and the X-axis represents the applied vibration frequency. There was almost no change between the initial sweep and the two-hour sweep, indicating that the lamp stabilizes without moving after installation. There is a significant peak in the lamp resonance outside the control at high magnitudes, where most lamp damage is expected.

[0095] FIGS. 10a through 10c illustrate the vibration test results of an improved lamp configured as disclosed herein along the X, Y, and Z axes, respectively. There was almost no change between the initial sweep and the 2-hour sweep, indicating that the lamp stabilizes without moving after installation. Although a resonance peak still exists, the peak is at a lower magnitude, and the lamp vibration generally matches the control much more closely. It was found that the lamp configured as disclosed herein exhibits lower vibration levels in response to the application of vibration from an external source compared to a standard lamp, as evidenced by reduced resonance magnitude and frequency sweep response that match the control more closely.

[0096] The graphs in Figures 9a through 10c show the response of various points in the test setup to applied vibration. The line representing the control originates from a fixed point on the vibration bed and essentially shows the applied frequency sweep. The line representing the chamber vibration shows a response similar to the bed in the Z (vertical) direction but has a distinct response in the X or Y directions. The line representing vibration measured directly from the lamp housed within the chamber shows the peak of the lamp resonance. The lamp tolerates low-frequency vibration better, and the resonance peak observed in the new lamp was generally at a lower g-force level.

[0097] Pinch temperature test

[0098] One failure mode observed in standard lamps was pinch failure. It was theorized that this failure mode is due to thermal cycling in the pinch and associated induced stress. Since UV lamps can heat up to 1000°C, significant thermal induced stress can occur in the pinch when they are turned on or off. Tests are performed to determine whether a UV lamp configured as disclosed herein (e.g., as illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7) can help reduce the temperature variation observed in the pinch compared to a standard UV lamp.

[0099] Figure 11a illustrates an example of a previously used mounting configuration of a standard UV lamp inside a quartz tube. In this mounting configuration, the end cap closest to the electrical input is suspended inside the quartz tube and does not come into contact with the quartz tube. The end cap opposite the electrical input is in contact with the quartz tube on one side. Figure 11b illustrates the temperature change of the "proximal pinch" mounted on the end cap closest to the electrical input and the "distal pinch" mounted on the end cap opposite the electrical input during a 30-minute period after the lamp was switched on with the quartz tube immersed in water at a temperature of approximately 12°C. The results showed that after the temperature stabilized following switching on the lamp, the proximal pinch was at 340°C and the distal pinch was at 290°C, indicating a temperature difference of approximately 50°C between the proximal and distal pinches. Without being bound by any specific theory, this is believed to be because, as shown in Fig. 11a, the distal end is in direct contact with the cooler quartz sleeve, while the proximal end is suspended in the air.

[0100] An alternative mounting configuration for a standard UV lamp is illustrated in Fig. 12a. In this configuration, both the end cap closest to the electrical input and the end cap opposite the electrical input (including the "proximal pinch" and "distal pinch," respectively) are in contact with a quartz tube on one side. The electrical connection to the lamp tube has been omitted from this figure for clarity. Fig. 12b illustrates the temperature changes of the "proximal pinch" and "distal pinch" over a period of 30 minutes after the lamp is switched on, with the quartz tube immersed in water at a temperature of approximately 12°C in the mounting configuration of Fig. 12a. This data shows that the total temperature observed when both ends are in contact with the sleeve has decreased compared to the previous test (270°C at the proximal end and 240°C at the distal end), with the proximal end decreasing by approximately 75°C and the distal end by approximately 25°C. Additionally, the difference between the proximal and distal ends is smaller (20°C instead of 50°C).

[0101] In additional tests, a lamp configured as disclosed herein was mounted in a quartz tube illustrated in FIG. 7, as described above. FIG. 13 illustrates the temperature changes of the "proximal pinch" and "distal pinch" over a period of 30 minutes after the lamp is turned on, with the quartz tube in the mounting configuration of FIG. 7 immersed in water at a temperature of about 12°C. The initial bump on the graph in FIG. 13 is due to the lamp being accidentally stopped and then restarted. FIG. 13 shows that the pinches at both ends of the lamp tube in the lamp configured as disclosed herein exhibit very similar results with respect to the operating temperature, both operating at about 255°C, and that one of the tested mounting configurations is much colder and more uniform than the standard lamp.

[0102] Finite element analysis of temperature and stress profiles

[0103] To verify design changes made to a lamp configured as disclosed herein (e.g., as illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7), which has improved temperature and stress profiles compared to a standard UV lamp, thermal and stress models of the lamp configured as disclosed herein and a standard lamp were generated using Finite Element Analysis (FEA). The FEA was obtained through in-house pinch temperature tests to verify that the models represent actual results.

[0104] Figure 14a illustrates the results of the FEA thermal and stress analysis for a standard lamp. Figure 14b illustrates the results of the FEA thermal and stress analysis for a lamp configured as disclosed herein. The thermal analysis shows very close agreement with actual data, demonstrating the accuracy of the model. The results of the thermal analysis indicate a good reduction in temperature at the pinch of the lamp configured as disclosed herein, which again matches actual data. The stress analysis shows high levels of stress at the pinch of the standard lamp (particularly at the proximal side where most failures occur). Without being bound by specific theory, this is believed to be caused by the expansion of the ceramic pulling the pinch. The stress exhibited significantly exceeds the tensile yield stress of the quartz at the pinch. In the lamp configured as disclosed herein, the stress is significantly reduced and does not exceed the tensile yield stress at the pinch. The heat and stress distribution of a lamp configured as disclosed in this specification is substantially symmetric from one end of the lamp to the other, whereas a standard UV lamp exhibits substantially higher temperature and stress at one end compared to the other.

[0105] strike cycle test

[0106] To perform a worst-case / accelerated life test, two lamps as shown in Figures 6 and 7 were run for 100 hours with 20 minutes on and 10 minutes off. This corresponds to approximately one year of operation (one strike per day).

[0107] Before starting the test, the strike current, operating current, and operating voltage for each lamp were determined. This was repeated at the end of the test to understand the changes that occurred. The strike current was monitored during the test. When the test was finished, the lamp parameters were still within characteristic tolerances, and both lamps were still functioning well.

[0108] After testing, the lamps were visually inspected for signs of wear / damage. Both lamps had black ends due to electrode sputtering (loss of the tungsten coating on the electrode and condensation on the quartz sleeve). This test was performed because this is very common for lamps that have reached the end of their life and is exacerbated by frequent impacts. Otherwise, the lamps appeared to be in good condition, and previous failure modes (e.g., pinch breakage) could not be identified.

[0109] This test shows that the disclosed lamp design exhibits a high level of reliability.

[0110] The phrases and terms used in this specification are intended solely to describe the invention and should not be construed as limiting the invention. The term "plural" as used in this specification refers to two or more items or components. The terms "comprising," "having," "possessing," "having," "containing," and "accompanying" are open-ended terms, regardless of the detailed description or claims, meaning "comprising but not limited to." Accordingly, the use of these terms implies the inclusion of items listed below, their equivalents, and additional items. Only the transitional phrases "composed of" and "essentially composed of" are, respectively, closed or semi-closed transitional phrases in relation to the claims. The use of ordinal terms such as "first," "second," "third," etc., in a claim scope to modify claim elements does not, in itself, imply that one claim element has priority, priority, or order over another claim element, or signify a chronological order in which method operations are performed; rather, they are used solely as markers to distinguish claim elements by differentiating one claim element with a specific name from other elements with the same name (through the use of ordinal terms).

[0111] Although various aspects of at least one embodiment have been described as such, it is understood that various changes, modifications, and improvements can be readily made by those skilled in the art. Any features described in any embodiment may be included in or substituted for any features of any other embodiment. Such changes, modifications, and improvements are intended to be part of the invention and within the scope of the invention. Accordingly, the foregoing description and drawings are merely illustrative.

Claims

Claim 1 A water treatment system comprising: a chemical radiation reactor; and at least one ultraviolet (UV) lamp disposed within a quartz tube in the chemical radiation reactor, wherein the at least one UV lamp comprises: a lamp tube containing a gas that emits ultraviolet light in response to electrical excitation; a first pinch extending from a first end of the lamp tube; and a second pinch extending from a second end of the lamp tube. A water treatment system comprising a first end cap coupled to the first pinch and a second end cap coupled to the second pinch, wherein the first end cap and the second end cap have dimensions for coaxially aligning the center of the lamp tube within the quartz tube, and the UV lamp further comprises a thermally conductive biasing element disposed around the circumference of each of the first end cap and the second end cap, wherein the thermally conductive biasing element surrounds the outer circumferential surface of the first end cap and the second end cap and is disposed within a defined groove within the first end cap and the second end cap, and the first and second end caps include a slot extending inward from the outer circumferential surface, and further comprises an electrical conductor configured to provide power to the lamp tube disposed within the slot. Claim 2 delete Claim 3 A water treatment system according to claim 1, wherein the thermally conductive biasing element comprises a metal spring. Claim 4 delete Claim 5 A water treatment system according to claim 1, wherein a portion of the outer circumferential surface of the first end cap and the second end cap has a contour that corresponds to the inner surface of the quartz tube. Claim 6 delete Claim 7 A water treatment system according to claim 1, wherein the slot is perpendicular to the groove. Claim 8 delete Claim 9 In paragraph 3, the metal spring maintains the conductor within the slot, in a water treatment system. Claim 10 A water treatment system according to claim 1, wherein the thermally conductive biasing element contacts the inner surface of the quartz tube, supports the lamp tube within the quartz tube, and dampens vibrations transmitted from the quartz tube to the first and second end caps. Claim 11 A water treatment system according to claim 1, wherein, during operation, the lamp tube exhibits a symmetric temperature profile from the first pinch to the second pinch. Claim 12 In claim 1, the chemical radiation reactor is a water treatment system that is an ultraviolet advanced oxidation process reactor. Claim 13 A water treatment method comprising the step of introducing water into the inlet of a chemical radiation reactor comprising at least one ultraviolet (UV) lamp disposed within a quartz tube within the chemical radiation reactor, wherein the at least one UV lamp comprises: a lamp tube comprising a gas that emits ultraviolet light in response to electrical excitation; a first pinch extending from a first end of the lamp tube and a second pinch extending from a second end of the lamp tube; and a first end cap coupled to the first pinch and a second end cap coupled to the second pinch, wherein the first end cap and the second end cap have dimensions for coaxially aligning the center of the lamp tube within the quartz tube, and the first and second end caps each comprise a slot extending inward from their respective outer circumferential surfaces, and further comprising an electrical conductor configured to provide power to the lamp tube disposed within the slot; and the step of irradiating the water within the chemical radiation reactor with UV light from the at least one UV lamp to produce treated water. A water treatment method comprising the step of recovering water treated from the chemical radiation reactor. Claim 14 A UV lamp configured to be disposed within a quartz tube in a chemical radiation reactor, comprising: a lamp tube containing a gas that emits ultraviolet light in response to an electrical excitation; a first pinch extending from a first end of the lamp tube and a second pinch extending from a second end of the lamp tube; a first end cap coupled to the first pinch and a second end cap coupled to the second pinch, the first end cap and the second end cap having dimensions for coaxially aligning the center of the lamp tube within the quartz tube; and vibration damping means disposed around each of the first end cap and the second end cap to isolate at least one of the first end cap and the second end cap from the quartz tube in a vibration plane, wherein the first and second end caps each include a slot extending inward from their respective outer circumferential surfaces, and further comprising an electrical conductor configured to provide power to the lamp tube disposed within the slot. Claim 15 In paragraph 14, the vibration damping means comprises a UV lamp including a thermally conductive element. Claim 16 In item 15, the above-mentioned thermal conductive element comprises a metal spring, a UV lamp. Claim 17 In claim 16, the metal spring surrounds the outer perimeter surface of the first end cap and the second end cap and is disposed within a groove formed within the first end cap and the second end cap, a UV lamp. Claim 18 A UV lamp according to claim 17, wherein a portion of the outer circumferential surface of the first end cap and the second end cap has a contour that corresponds to the inner surface of the quartz tube. Claim 19 delete Claim 20 In Clause 17, the above slot is a UV lamp perpendicular to the above groove. Claim 21 delete Claim 22 In paragraph 16, the metal spring holds an electrical conductor within the slot, a UV lamp. Claim 23 A UV lamp according to claim 15, wherein the thermal conductive element contacts the inner surface of the quartz tube, supports the lamp tube within the quartz tube, and dampens vibrations transmitted from the quartz tube to the first and second end caps. Claim 24 In paragraph 14, the UV lamp, wherein the lamp tube exhibits a symmetric temperature profile from the first pinch to the second pinch during operation. Claim 25 A method for modifying a chemical radiation reactor, comprising the step of replacing at least one ultraviolet (UV) lamp in the chemical radiation reactor with a replacement lamp, wherein the replacement lamp comprises: a lamp tube containing a gas that emits ultraviolet light in response to electrical excitation; a first pinch extending from a first end of the lamp tube and a second pinch extending from a second end of the lamp tube; and a first end cap coupled to the first pinch and a second end cap coupled to the second pinch, wherein the first end cap and the second end cap have dimensions for coaxially aligning the center of the lamp tube within the quartz tube of the chemical radiation reactor, and the first and second end caps each include a slot extending inward from their respective outer circumferential surfaces and further comprises an electrical conductor configured to provide power to the lamp tube disposed within the slot.

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