UV-LED Fluid Sterilization with Adaptive Irradiation Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional water treatment systems in liquid storage and dispensing devices, such as water pitchers, are ineffective in removing bacteria and other pathogens from water, despite filtering out minerals and contaminants.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating ultraviolet light emitting diodes (UV-LEDs) that emit UV-C and UV-A radiation to sterilize and disinfect liquids within the device, combined with a control unit to manage irradiation intensity, duration, and wavelength, along with optical elements and sensors for feedback and treatment optimization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a gravity filter is used to remove minerals and contaminants from water, then the water is cleaned of particles and chemicals, but bacteria and pathogens remain untreated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines gravity filtration and ultraviolet irradiation into a single integrated water treatment device. The filter element removes particles and chemicals while UV LEDs simultaneously or sequentially inactivate bacteria and pathogens, achieving both filtration effectiveness and pathogen removal capability through merged treatment mechanisms.
2Device complexity
If conventional filtration methods are used, then the device structure remains simple, but the sterilization capability is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex mechanical sterilization systems with UV-LED irradiation. Instead of using complicated heating elements, pressure systems, or chemical injection mechanisms, the device uses solid-state UV LEDs that emit ultraviolet light to inactivate microorganisms, achieving reliable sterilization with minimal mechanical complexity.
3Reliability
If UV irradiation is added to the filtration system, then pathogen removal capability is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the sterilization function into a separate, modular UV-LED assembly that can be independently integrated with the filtration system. This allows the pathogen removal capability to be added without completely redesigning the filtration components, maintaining relative system simplicity through functional extraction and modular integration.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses parameter changes in the UV-LED operation (wavelength selection, irradiation intensity, exposure duration) to optimize pathogen removal effectiveness. By controlling these parameters, the system achieves reliable sterilization without requiring excessive UV intensity or prolonged exposure times that would increase system complexity.
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
The UV-LED system effectively reduces microbial contamination in liquids by up to 99.9%, providing comprehensive sterilization and disinfection capabilities beyond traditional filtration methods.
Implementation Method 1
ultraviolet light emitting sources can be deployed with any of the liquid storage and dispensing devices to irradiate the liquid
Implementation Method 2
The ultraviolet light emitting sources can include ultraviolet light emitting devices such as ultraviolet light emitting diodes
Data Source
AI summary
Ultraviolet irradiation of liquids for purposes of sterilization, disinfection, cleaning and/or treatment. A liquid collection reservoir can receive an inflow of a liquid. A filtering unit can filter the inflow of liquid received by the liquid collection reservoir. A liquid chamber stores the liquid. Ultraviolet light emitting sources located about the liquid chamber irradiate the liquid in the liquid chamber with ultraviolet light. A control unit, operatively coupled to the ultraviolet light emitting sources, controls the irradiation of the liquid in the liquid chamber with the ultraviolet light emitting sources. The control unit is configured to control an intensity and a duration of the irradiation as a function of time that the liquid is stored in the liquid chamber and the amount of the liquid that is in the liquid chamber.