UVC Air-Disinfection Lighting With Controlled Beam Reflection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing lighting devices with UVC light sources pose health risks due to uncontrolled UVC radiation exposure when people are present, requiring complex monitoring and control systems to ensure safety.
Innovation Solution
A lighting device with a UVC light source, beam-shaping element, and beam-reflecting element that captures and controls UVC radiation, allowing safe operation even in the presence of people by shaping and reflecting UVC light within a disinfection space accessible to air, with controlled emission and recycling, and integrated sensors for safety and air quality monitoring.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If UVC light sources are used for air disinfection in places where people are present, then the risk of infection for humans is reduced, but UVC radiation can cause eye and/or skin damage to people
Solution Approach 1:
The lighting device is divided into separate functional components: a UVC light source for disinfection, a visible light source for illumination, a beam-shaping element to direct UVC light, and a beam-reflecting element to control UVC radiation distribution. This segmentation allows the UVC function to be isolated and controlled separately from the illumination function, enabling safe operation in occupied spaces.
Solution Approach 2:
The beam-shaping element creates a localized UVC beam with specific spatial distribution, concentrating disinfection effect in targeted areas while the beam-reflecting element further controls the local radiation pattern. This local quality control ensures UVC radiation is directed only where needed for disinfection, minimizing exposure to occupants.
2Productivity
If open lighting devices emit UVC light into the environment for air disinfection, then disinfection effectiveness is improved, but additional monitoring and control systems are required to ensure human safety
Solution Approach 1:
The device merges the UVC disinfection function with the visible light illumination function into a single integrated lighting device. The UVC light source and visible light source are combined in one unit, with shared structural components housing, mounting, and control electronics. This merging eliminates the need for separate monitoring systems and simplifies installation while maintaining effective air disinfection.
Solution Approach 2:
The lighting device performs multiple functions simultaneously: air disinfection via UVC radiation, environmental illumination via visible light, and safety monitoring via integrated sensors. The beam-reflecting element serves dual purposes of controlling UVC distribution and providing visual feedback about system operation. This multi-functionality reduces overall system complexity compared to separate disinfection and lighting systems.
3Productivity
If closed lighting devices guide air through enclosed air ducts under UVC irradiation to increase throughput, then disinfection efficiency is improved, but high air pressures can lead to turbulence and spreading of dangerous germs in the surrounding air
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the air guiding function from the lighting device itself, allowing air to flow naturally through the environment rather than being forced through enclosed ducts. The lighting device emits UVC light into the open environment where ambient air currents provide sufficient air movement for disinfection without creating harmful turbulence. This extraction of the air handling function eliminates the germ spreading problem while maintaining disinfection effectiveness.
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 safe and efficient air disinfection without direct exposure to harmful UVC radiation, optimizing UVC intensity and energy use based on environmental conditions, and providing intuitive visual cues for correct installation and operation.
Implementation Method 1
Lighting devices with UVC (or UV-C) light sources are known for generating short-wave ultraviolet light, which is capable of destroying viruses and bacteria
Implementation Method 2
a beam-shaping element for shaping the UVC light into a UVC beam
Implementation Method 3
a beam-reflecting element for substantially completely capturing the UVC beam... adapted to emit the detected UVC beam in a controlled manner
Data Source
AI summary
A lighting device for disinfecting air in an environment is provided. The lighting device comprises at least one UVC light source for generating a UVC light. The lighting device further comprises a beam-shaping element for shaping the UVC light into a UVC beam, and a beam-reflecting element for substantially completely capturing the UVC beam. The beam-reflecting element is connected downstream of the beam-shaping element in such a way that between the beam-shaping element and the beam-reflecting element there is a disinfection space for air disinfection which is freely accessible to the air, and wherein the beam-reflecting element is further adapted to radiate the detected UVC beam in a controlled manner.