UV Reactor Cooling Chamber Heat Dissipation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional point-of-use water treatment systems face inefficiencies in heat dissipation for UV disinfection, particularly in confined spaces, leading to reduced operational life and effectiveness.
Innovation Solution
A UV reactor design that incorporates a cooling chamber to transfer heat from the UV light source to the water flowing through it, along with driver circuitry for monitoring the UV source's health and a gas discharge path to prevent gas accumulation, optimizing heat management and disinfection efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If conventional convection cooling with metal heat sink is used to dissipate UV lamp heat, then heat dissipation is achieved in open spaces, but cooling effectiveness deteriorates in confined spaces with minimal air flow
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the harmful heat generated by the UV lamp into a beneficial cooling mechanism by using the treated water itself as the cooling medium. The water absorbs heat from the UV lamp through thermal conduction in the reaction chamber, thereby cooling the lamp while simultaneously being prepared for discharge. This eliminates the need for separate convection cooling systems that fail in confined spaces.
Solution Approach 2:
The water serving dual functions: it is both the target of UV disinfection treatment and the cooling medium for the UV lamp. This multi-functionality allows the system to operate effectively in confined spaces without requiring separate air flow paths or additional cooling components, resolving the contradiction between heat dissipation and space confinement.
2Reliability
If UV lamps operate continuously to maintain disinfection effectiveness, then microbial neutralization is sustained, but heat accumulation reduces operating life
Solution Approach 1:
The heat that would otherwise be harmful and reduce lamp life is converted into a useful function by using it to pre-warm the water to be treated. This thermal energy recovery allows continuous UV operation for sustained disinfection while the water acts as a heat sink, preventing dangerous heat accumulation in the lamp and extending its operational life.
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 reactor achieves efficient heat dissipation, extends the operational life of the UV light source, and maintains effective disinfection performance even in confined spaces, while being compact and energy-efficient.
Implementation Method 1
Exposure to ultraviolet light is believed to detrimentally alter the genetic (DNA) material in cells, thereby reducing the population of potentially pathogenic microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses, molds, algae and the like
Implementation Method 2
Typical water disinfection systems and devices emit UV light at approximately 254 nm, which is believed to penetrate the outer cell membrane of microorganisms, pass through the cell body, reach the DNA and alter the genetic material of the microorganism
Implementation Method 3
a cooling chamber in fluid communication with the plurality of chamber outlets of the water treatment chamber. The cooling chamber may be in thermal communication with the UV source to facilitate transfer of thermal energy from the UV source to water in fluid communication with the water outlet
Data Source
AI summary
A UV reactor for disinfecting water. The UV reactor may include a cooling chamber in which heat from a UV source may be transferred to the water flowing through the UV reactor. The UV reactor may include driver circuitry operable to determine status information, such as health, of the UV source. The UV reactor may include a gas discharge path operable to substantially prevent accumulation of gas within a water treatment chamber.