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Comparative advantages of medium-pressure UV disinfectors over other disinfection technologies

2023-05-11

Comparative advantages of medium-pressure UV disinfectors over other disinfection technologies

Comparative advantages of medium-pressure UV disinfectors over other disinfection technologies

Medium-pressure UV sterilizer

Ultraviolet (UV) disinfection technology is a physical disinfection method with broad-spectrum bactericidal capabilities, and it is also a disinfection technique that does not produce disinfection byproducts. Currently, UV disinfection technology has evolved into a safe, reliable, and environmentally friendly disinfection method, widely adopted across various fields abroad. In China, UV disinfection technology has been increasingly recognized and promoted due to its energy-saving and environmentally friendly characteristics, gradually replacing traditional chemical disinfection methods and becoming the mainstream technology for water treatment and purification. As UV disinfection technology continues to gain acceptance and its application scope expands, higher demands are being placed on UV disinfection systems—no longer limited to low-pressure lamps, low-power devices, or small-flow-rate water purification applications. Against this market backdrop of evolving usage requirements, high-power medium-pressure UV disinfection systems have emerged. The operating principle of medium-pressure UV disinfection equipment is essentially the same as that of low-pressure UV disinfection equipment. The main difference lies in the type of UV lamp used: medium-pressure standard lamps. These UV lamps contain a small amount of mercury—in either liquid or solid form—which turns into vapor under light irradiation. As the mercury vaporizes, it is bombarded by photoelectrons, generating ultraviolet rays of various wavelengths. The emitted The UV wavelength depends on the vacuum pressure within the lamp. Low-pressure UV lamps are evacuated to a lower pressure (1–10 Pa), enabling them to emit monochromatic ultraviolet light at 254 nm, which is highly effective for germicidal purposes. Medium-pressure UV lamps, on the other hand, are evacuated to a medium pressure (10–50 Pa), allowing them to emit broad-spectrum ultraviolet light in the 254–265 nm range. When UV light shines on microorganisms, energy is transferred and accumulated within the cells. This accumulation ultimately causes the microbial cell walls to collapse, leading to the death of the microorganisms. Once a microorganism absorbs a dose exceeding 3,600 to 60,000 μW/cm², it suffers severe damage, resulting in the loss of its viability and reproductive capacity, thereby achieving disinfection and sterilization. In summary, the principle behind UV-based sterilization and disinfection lies in the intensity of the UV lamp’s irradiation: the irradiation intensity emitted by a UV sterilization lamp is inversely proportional to the distance between the lamp and the object being irradiated and disinfected. The greater the irradiation intensity, the more effective the disinfection process will be.

Compared to traditional chlorine disinfection and ozone disinfection, medium-pressure UV disinfectors offer numerous unparalleled advantages:

1. The system has a simple structure, is easy to operate, and requires no daily maintenance.

2. It has a rapid sterilization speed—common bacteria and viruses can be eliminated in just a few seconds.

3. Broad-spectrum sterilization. It can inactivate chlorine-resistant microorganisms, such as Legionella pneumophila, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas, Cryptosporidium, amoebae, and bacteria. Ultraviolet light achieves inactivation by disrupting the DNA and DNA repair enzymes of these microorganisms.

4. The disinfection process does not generate any toxic or harmful byproducts, and the composition and properties of the disinfectant remain unchanged, thus preventing secondary pollution of water bodies and the surrounding environment.

5. Medium-pressure ultraviolet light has the ability to degrade combined chlorine compounds, including monochloramine, dichloramine, and trichloramine, thereby addressing the formation of carcinogenic trihalomethanes (THMs) and the health effects of combined chlorine on the human body.

6. The medium-pressure UV disinfection system features a small footprint, safe and reliable operation, and low operating costs.

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