UV Water Disinfection Reactor With UV-Blocking Housing
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing UV water disinfection reactors pose risks of UV exposure and promote biofilm formation due to non-permeable materials and emit visible UV radiation, leading to potential health hazards and inefficiencies in flow management.
Innovation Solution
A UV water disinfection reactor with a reactor housing impermeable to UV radiation, using protective extra-low voltage operation, and incorporating features like flow guides, reflective materials, and sensors to ensure safe and efficient disinfection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a quartz glass housing permeable to UVC radiation is used to allow UV disinfection, then water disinfection effectiveness is improved, but UV exposure risk to people and accelerated aging of plastic containers increases
Solution Approach 1:
The reactor housing is segmented into distinct functional zones: a pump housing for water circulation and a lamp housing for UV radiation containment. The lamp housing is further segmented with a reflective interior surface and a light trap at the outlet to contain UV radiation, while the pump housing remains transparent for flow visualization. This segmentation allows each zone to be optimized for its specific function without compromising overall system performance.
Solution Approach 2:
A reflective interior surface acts as an intermediary between the UV lamp and the water, directing UV radiation along the water flow path while preventing direct line-of-sight exposure. The light trap serves as an intermediary structure at the outlet to capture and contain any escaped UV radiation, converting the harmful direct exposure into controlled, contained radiation that continues the disinfection process without posing exposure risks.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If light traps made of V-shaped sheets are added to protect against UV exposure, then UV safety is improved, but flow uniformity deteriorates and pressure loss increases
Solution Approach 1:
The light trap functionality is merged with the outlet structure of the lamp housing, forming an integrated component rather than a separate additive element. The reflective interior surface of the lamp housing is extended into the light trap structure, creating a continuous reflective pathway that guides water flow while containing UV radiation. This merging eliminates the need for separate V-shaped sheets that would disrupt flow, as the housing itself performs both flow guidance and UV containment functions.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the reactor housing is made impermeable to UV radiation for safety, then UV exposure risk is reduced, but UV radiation cannot exit to disinfect the water tank interior
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of allowing UV radiation to exit the reactor housing to disinfect the tank interior, the design inverts the approach by using the reactor housing itself as the disinfection chamber. Water is circulated through the housing, and UV radiation disinfects the water within the housing and the immediate surrounding areas. The impermeable housing contains UV radiation, preventing exposure risk while maintaining disinfection effectiveness through internal water circulation and treatment.
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 reactor provides safe UV disinfection with reduced health risks and improved flow management, enhancing disinfection efficiency and preventing biofilm formation.
Implementation Method 1
a UV lamp emitting UV radiation in a UVC wavelength range
Implementation Method 2
inactivates viruses, bacteria, yeasts, and fungi by absorbing the UV radiation from the microorganisms' DNA
Implementation Method 3
A pump and a UV lamp emitting UV radiation in a UVC wavelength range are arranged in the reactor housing
Implementation Method 4
reactor housing impermeable to UV radiation
Implementation Method 5
incorporating features like flow guides, reflective materials
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5
AI summary
The present invention provides a UV water disinfection reactor (1) for arrangement in a water tank (101) and a device (100) formed therefrom. The UV water disinfection reactor (1) has a reactor housing impermeable to UV radiation, which is formed by a pump housing (2) with a reactor inlet (1a) and a radiator housing (13) with a reactor outlet (1b). A pump (3) is arranged in the pump housing (2), and a UV radiator (10) is arranged in the radiator housing (13). A pump holder (5) is arranged in a sealing manner in the pump housing (2) and has a holding section (50) to which the pump (3) is fastened by its pump outlet (31). The holding section (50) connects the pump outlet (31) to a passage opening (51) which extends through the pump holder (5) from the holding section (50) with a tapered cross-section.A lamp holder (6) is connected to the pump holder (5) and the lamp housing (13) and has a connection base (63) for the UV lamp (10) and at least one through-opening (61) connected to the through-opening (51) of the pump holder (5). The pump (3) and the UV lamp (10) are designed for operation with protective extra-low voltage.