News and Information

Return to list

What are the advantages and disadvantages of ultraviolet disinfectors?

2021-03-12

What are the advantages and disadvantages of ultraviolet disinfectors?

Ultraviolet Disinfectant It is a relatively new and pollution-free ultraviolet sterilization device, as the UV sterilizer utilizes ultraviolet wavelengths in the range of... 260nm The wavelength band with the best disinfecting efficacy in the vicinity. Ultraviolet (UV) disinfection equipment uses UV light to kill bacteria and viruses without adding any chemicals, thus avoiding secondary contamination of the water. The principle behind UV disinfection is that as water passes through the UV sterilizer, ultraviolet light shines directly onto bacteria and viruses, damaging their cells and structures and ultimately causing their death, thereby achieving the desired disinfection effect. So, what are the advantages and disadvantages of UV sterilizers?

 

Do you know the advantages and disadvantages of UV sterilizers? ?

 

For disinfection following industrial wastewater treatment, as well as for the disinfection of various water sources, it is recommended to use: Ultraviolet disinfection equipment the technology. The advantages of ultraviolet disinfection are mainly reflected in:

 

  1. Highly effective broad-spectrum bactericidal property : Ultraviolet disinfection has an extremely broad spectrum and can effectively kill nearly all bacteria, viruses, and protozoa.

2 High-efficiency sterilization : Ultraviolet disinfection technology boasts high bactericidal efficiency and operates safely and reliably. Typically, ultraviolet light can achieve bactericidal effects on bacteria and viruses within one to two seconds. 99%–99.9% Its sterilization rate. Ultraviolet disinfection exhibits high inactivation efficiency against bacteria and viruses, and since it does not involve the addition of any chemical agents, it does not cause secondary pollution to water bodies or the surrounding environment.

3 No secondary pollution : UV sterilization does not involve any chemical agents, so it does not cause secondary pollution to water bodies or the surrounding environment and does not alter any of the water’s components. It eliminates the need to transport, handle, or store toxic or hazardous chemicals, and it is simple and convenient to maintain with safe operation.

4 Ultraviolet disinfection also meets environmental protection requirements and does not produce toxic byproducts such as trihalomethanes, high-molecular-weight mutagens, or carcinogenic substances.

5 It has a highly effective disinfection effect against Cryptosporidium and Giardia. Conventional chlorine disinfection processes exhibit very low inactivation efficiency against these pathogens, and at higher chlorine dosages, they produce significant amounts of disinfection byproducts. In contrast, ultraviolet (UV) disinfection can achieve high inactivation rates for Cryptosporidium and Giardia even at relatively low UV doses.

6 — Does not produce toxic or harmful byproducts and does not increase the levels of substances in drinking water. Table of Contents Content. UV disinfection does not alter the properties of organic substances, and since no chemical agents are added, it does not produce harmful byproducts that could be detrimental to human health, nor does it increase... Table of Contents and BOD Byproducts that compromise the biological stability of pipeline network water.

7 Safe and reliable operation : Traditional disinfection technologies, such as those using chlorides or ozone, rely on disinfectants that are themselves highly toxic and flammable. In contrast, ultraviolet disinfection systems do not pose such safety risks. Moreover, the contact time required for UV disinfection is extremely short, eliminating the need for large contact tanks and chemical storage facilities, thereby reducing construction costs.

8 It can reduce odors and degrade trace organic compounds. Ultraviolet light has a certain degradation capacity for various trace organic compounds in water and can also reduce the odor and taste of water.

9 Low operation and maintenance costs: UV disinfection equipment occupies a small footprint, requires simple structures, and is easy to operate and maintain at low cost. As a result, the total investment is relatively low, and operating costs are also reduced. At a water treatment capacity of 1,000 tons per day, its cost is only a fraction of that for chlorine disinfection. 1/2 . To every day 5 For the chlorination disinfection of 10,000 tons of wastewater, a facility needs to be built. 130 Meter long, 3 A contact channel that is several meters wide. UV disinfection requires only... 20 Meter long 3 An area measuring in meters wide; UV disinfection is simple to operate and maintain, has low operating costs, and can achieve a cost as low as per ton of water. 4 As low as RMB 1 or even lower, it boasts a significant advantage in terms of performance-to-price ratio.

10 The disinfection effect is affected by water temperature, pH It has minimal impact, lower operating costs compared to chlorine disinfection, and ultraviolet (UV) disinfection leaves no residual disinfectant. However, the effectiveness of UV disinfection is significantly influenced by the quality of the effluent water.

 

Ultraviolet disinfection technology also has certain drawbacks in engineering applications, primarily in the following aspects:

 

1 It lacks sustained bactericidal ability; if the disinfected water encounters a new source of contamination, it will become contaminated again and must be used in combination with chlorine. Spores, spore capsules, and viruses are more resistant than autotrophic bacteria.

2 Water must undergo pretreatment because ultraviolet light is absorbed by many substances in water, such as phenols, aromatic compounds and other organic materials, certain biological agents, inorganic substances, and turbidity. Turbidity and suspended solids in water significantly affect UV disinfection, reducing its efficacy.

3 The UV lamp sleeve is prone to scaling, which can impair the transmission of UV light and reduce the sterilization effect. Therefore, it is necessary to regularly clean the sleeve and implement surface-cooling measures to prevent scale formation.

4 It lacks continuous disinfection capability and may be subject to microbial photoreactivation. Therefore, it is best suited for applications where treated water can be used immediately, the pipeline system is free from secondary contamination, and the raw water exhibits good biological stability. ( Generally, the organic matter content should be less than 10 mu g/L)

The phenomenon of bacterial revival: Some bacteria that have been inactivated by UV irradiation can repair their damaged tissues with the assistance of light, thereby achieving revival. Additionally, certain bacteria may exhibit a dark-revival phenomenon. ( No light required )；

5 It is not easy to achieve uniform radiation throughout the entire processing space, and there are shadowed areas that remain unexposed.

6 There are no easily detectable residual properties, making it difficult to quickly determine the treatment effectiveness and hard to monitor the treatment intensity.

 

The above is the editor’s summary of the advantages and disadvantages of ultraviolet disinfectors. Hopefully, it will be helpful to everyone.

 

Previous:

What are the technical features of ultraviolet disinfection module technology?

Next:

How can we capture invisible chemical molecules in the air?