UV Fluid Purification System with Perforated Plates and Feedback Control
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing UV fluid purification systems are ineffective for fluids with high turbidity due to low transmittance, which reduces the exposure of microorganisms to UV light, thereby decreasing their inactivation efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A system utilizing UV light emitters mounted on perforated plates within a chamber, where microorganisms pass through close proximity to the emitters, combined with a feedback-based power control unit to adjust power based on fluid properties and UV light intensity, and UV-reflecting screens to enhance UV light density.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If UV light is used for fluid purification, then microorganisms are inactivated, but the system becomes ineffective for fluids with high turbidity due to low transmittance
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the fluid treatment process into multiple stages by using multiple perforated plates with UV emitters arranged in series. Each plate creates a separate treatment zone, ensuring that even in turbid fluids, microorganisms pass through multiple UV exposure points, thereby maintaining inactivation effectiveness despite reduced transmittance in any single zone.
Solution Approach 2:
The UV emitters are positioned in close proximity to the perforations where fluid passes through, creating localized high-intensity UV zones. This ensures that microorganisms receive sufficient UV exposure at critical points along their path through the fluid, compensating for the reduced transmittance caused by turbidity in other areas of the fluid.
2Illumination intensity
If UV light transmittance is reduced due to high fluid turbidity, then microorganism exposure to UV light decreases, but the system structure remains the same
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of increasing UV light intensity in a single linear path, the system arranges multiple UV emitters and perforated plates in a three-dimensional configuration. This multi-dimensional arrangement ensures that microorganisms encounter UV light from multiple directions and positions along their flow path, maintaining adequate exposure even when transmittance in any single direction is reduced by turbidity.
3Reliability
If multiple UV light emitters are used to compensate for low transmittance, then microorganism inactivation improves, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system incorporates feedback mechanisms that monitor fluid flow characteristics and UV light transmission. Based on this feedback, the power control unit dynamically adjusts the power supplied to individual UV emitters, ensuring optimal energy utilization while maintaining effective microorganism inactivation even in turbid fluids with reduced transmittance.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Ensures sufficient UV light exposure for microorganism inactivation even in turbid fluids, optimizes power usage, and maintains UV light emitter efficiency through effective heat management and fluid cooling.
Implementation Method 1
UV light, in the range of 260-to-280 nm, is absorbed by the DNA, RNA and protein in micro-organisms, for example bacteria and virus, causing genetic damage and inactivation
Implementation Method 2
the invention employs UV light-reflecting screens on walls of the chamber, to increase density of the UV light inside it
Implementation Method 3
the invention also employs a feedback-based power control unit and feedback units to control power supplied to the UV light emitters. The feedback units provide data about the physical properties of the fluid to the feedback-based power control unit
Data Source
AI summary
A system for purifying a fluid uses ultra violet (UV) light to inactivate micro-organisms present in the fluid. The system has an arrangement of UV light emitters on perforated plates. The fluid, while passing through perforations in the perforated plates, is exposed to the UV light emitted by the UV light emitters. Micro-organisms present in the fluid pass very close to the UV light emitters. The UV light absorbed by the micro-organisms causes genetic damage and inactivation. The system has feedback units providing feedback about the physical properties of the fluid to a power unit supplying power to the UV light emitters. The power unit varies the amount of power supplied to the UV light emitters, based on the feedback.