UV Water Treatment Systems are Eco Friendly and Safe

Originally posted at: https://www.light-sources.com/blog/uv-water-treatment-systems-are-eco-friendly-and-safe/

UV water treatment systems are used around the world to provide environmentally safe, eco-friendly water disinfection. For a water treatment system to be considered “green”, it must not add any byproducts to the water. UV water disinfection is a physical process that adds nothing to the water and does not affect the dissolved oxygen content or chemical composition of water.

UV water disinfection is therefore considered to be a sustainable, or green technology. Thousands of municipalities worldwide are adopting UV water treatment systems in the construction of new water treatment plants and by converting existing chemical treatment processes. UV water treatment is environmentally friendly, safe, and cost-effective, providing many benefits to water treatment systems.

Benefits of UV Water Treatment Systems

UV water treatment systems provide many benefits over other types of water disinfection methods, including chlorine-based processes. UV light is proven to eradicate Giardia and Cryptosporidium, microorganisms that are chlorine-resistant and proven to cause thousands of illnesses each year. UV water disinfection offers a host of advantages which include:

• Environmentally Friendly – UV water treatment is an environmentally friendly method of disinfecting water with no harmful by-products added during disinfection.

• Safe – UV light is safe for humans and poses no risks to employees handling chemicals. With UV water disinfection, there is no need to purchase, store, or dispose of harmful chemicals.

• Effective – UV radiation is proven to destroy 99.99% of harmful microorganisms including bacteria, viruses, fungi, E-coli, Giardia, Cryptosporidium, salmonella, typhoid fever, infectious hepatitis, meningitis, and many other pathogens.

• FDA Approved – UV water treatment is one of four methods approved by the FDA for safe and effective water disinfection.
  Reliable – UV light works around the clock with consistent and reliable performance.

• Efficient – UV radiation instantly kills germs for fast and effective water disinfection.

• Cost-Effective – UV water treatment systems are extremely cost-effective with little to no maintenance required and no man hours needed to handle chemicals. With long-lasting, high-performance UVC germicidal lamps, UV water disinfection is trouble-free, saving time and money.

Treating water with UV disinfection methods provides these benefits and many others. High-performance, quality UVC germicidal lamps are the key to realizing the maximum advantages offered by UV water disinfection.

Germicidal Lamps for UV Water Treatment Systems

The most common types of germicidal lamps used in UV water treatment systems are low-pressure mercury lamps and rare gas discharge UV lamps. UVC germicidal lamps are designed without the phosphor coating which is typical of most fluorescent lamps. This allows the right amount of UV radiation to flow through the body of the lamp for effective disinfection.

The body of germicidal lamps is filled with either a mix of gases such as Argon, Mercury, Neon, Zenon, Krypton or others or may be filled with pure Argon. The germicidal application will determine the right mix of gases for the most effective disinfection.

There are a few different styles of lamps that are effective for UV water disinfection such as:

• Low-Pressure Amalgam Germicidal Lamps

• Low-Pressure UVC Germicidal Lamps

• Medium Pressure Mercury Discharge Germicidal Lamps

• Quartz sleeves and electronic ballasts

UV radiation emitted at precisely 254 nm, the measurement which refers to the wavelength of light, is the most effective wavelength for germ-killing disinfection.  Ozone-emitting lamps operate at 185nm and are also very effective at eradicating harmful contaminants and odor. These UV lamps may be designed with Quartz, soft glass, or Quartz and Titanium.

LightSources Provides High-Performance UVC Germicidal Lamps

LightSources is a leading global supplier of high-performance UVC germicidal lamps used in water disinfection processes. LightSources in the United States and LightTech in Europe are recognized as an authority on UV technology and developing lamp and lighting solutions. We offer a wide selection of Low-Pressure UV lamps, Amalgam Lamps, Medium-pressure UV Lamps, Quartz sleeves, and electronic ballasts. Our skilled design and engineering team possesses in-depth knowledge of UV radiation and offers custom-designed lamps made to meet your specifications.

Our Amalgam lamps are developed with proprietary technology, providing up to three times the UVC output over comparable lamps of the same size. We will custom-design the right mix of gases to achieve the optimum output for your germicidal application.

UV Light Robots Effective in Fight Against Virus Infection

Originally posted at: https://www.light-sources.com/blog/uv-light-robots-effective-in-fight-against-virus-infection/

UV light robots utilizing UVC germicidal lamps are in high demand in the fight against the spread of harmful bacteria and viruses, including the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19. Ultraviolet (UV) radiation emitted in the UVC wavelength is proven to have highly effective germicidal properties, quickly eradicating harmful pathogens on surfaces, in water and in the air.

UV Light Robots: The Future is Now

UV sterilization systems have been utilized for decades such as in air treatment systems, water treatment plants, and many other applications where UV lamps are installed to disinfect surfaces. It is not unusual to see UV lamps in HVAC or wall mounted air treatment systems or positioned to sterilize surfaces such as medical and surgical equipment. Seeing a UVC robot roam the halls of public places, however, may seem like a scene out of a science fiction, futuristic movie.

Thanks to advances in technology and several studies verifying the effectiveness of UV lamps to kill the SARS-CoV-2 virus, the future is now with UV light robots gaining in popularity to disinfect surfaces in many different environments. Autonomous robots with UVC germicidal lamps installed to emit UVC radiation in all directions provide an effective tool to eliminate tough viruses and bacteria that manual cleaning procedures may have missed. UVC robots operate without humans present and can use sensors to detect motion to shut down if people are near. They can navigate rooms, hallways and find their way back to charging stations, all without being on the payroll or taking a lunch break.

UVC Robots a Common Sight in Many Environments

UVC light robots are becoming a common sight in many environments as people and businesses worldwide take proactive steps to reduce the spread of COVID-19. Hospitals and medical facilities are the main driver in the increased use of UVC robots although many other industries and environments are taking notice and using the same technology to protect their staff and the public.

Hospitals are known to be a source of infection with medical staff and administrators focused on preventing hospital acquired infections (HAIs) through meticulous sterilization procedures. Disinfecting hospital rooms where patients had a serious illness such as COVID-19 or any type of superbug like antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections is critical to protect all hospital patients and staff. UVC germicidal lamps have long been used in hospitals and medical facilities and are increasing in use in other environments.

UVC disinfection lamps and UV light robots are helping to protect people with effective sterilization in many industries and environments including:

• Hospitals and medical facilities

• Schools and college campuses

• Public stores and shopping malls

• Office buildings and manufacturers

• Restaurants and kitchens

• Libraries

• Public transportation systems

  • Buses and bus stations

  • Trains and train stations

  • Airplanes and airports

UV light robots can be programmed to enter hospital rooms after manual cleaning procedures and significantly improve effective disinfection rates. UV disinfection is effective in a wide range of water, air and surface sterilization applications.

Effectiveness of UV Light Sterilization

According to a recent study by the National Institutes of Health, UVC disinfection robot, the effectiveness of UV light sterilization depends on several environmental factors such as surface topography, relative humidity, temperature, pH, organic load and other chemical compounds present. UVC germicidal lamps and UV light robots are proven 99.99% effective in reducing counts of vegetative bacteria within 15 minutes, including stubborn superbugs like MRSA, and even tougher pathogens like C. difficile within 50 minutes.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic began in 2020 several studies have been conducted on the effectiveness of UVC light to kill the SARS-CoV-2 virus, with highly effective eradication of the virus comparable to other coronaviruses. Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, also known as SARS, and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) are both in the same coronavirus family. UVC light is proven effective at eliminating these coronaviruses as well as SARS-CoV-2, according to many recent research studies such as Upper-room ultraviolet air disinfection might help to reduce COVID-19 transmission in buildings: a feasibility study from October of 2020 by the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

UVC Germicidal Lamps for UV Light Robots

LightSources is a leading global supplier of UVC germicidal lamps for UVC light robots, offering a wide selection of high-quality germicidal lamps and custom engineering support. Our engineers possess deep technical knowledge of UV radiation and designing custom phosphor blends to meet your exact specifications. Our germicidal UVC lamps are proven in surface, water, and air sterilization applications, developed with proprietary technologies such as LongLife+™ and Shatter ProTech. LongLife+™ is a specialty coating that increases lamp life up to 16,000 hours, Shatter ProTech provides shatter resistance and protection from mercury contamination.

Our UV germicidal lamps include:

• Low Pressure Mercury Lamps

• Low Pressure Amalgam Lamps

• MPUVC germicidal lamps

• UV Quartz sleeves

• UVC Ozone lamps

• Custom bases and sockets

• Electronic Ballasts