Ultraviolet Light Disinfecting Process

Ultraviolet Light Disinfecting Process requires Crystal Clear Water to be channel around the UV Light Rays. The Ultraviolet light rays pass through clear water much easier then through cloudy, sediment laden, dirty water which not only blocks the UV rays from penetrating into the water, but the sediment also provides an excellent shield for microbes to hide behind, therefore making it much more difficult for the UV light rays to destroy the microorganism. When these microbes are exposed to the UV rays, their nucleic acid absorbs the light rays, which then scrambles the DNA structure and prohibits reproduction of the cell therefore rendering the cell sterile. The cell is now consider dead and is no longer a threat to water consumption. 

For the purified water to become Crystal Clear, a water cleaning, Polishing Filter is strongly recommended before the water is channeled past the Ultraviolet Light Disinfecting Process. We recommend a 0.5-micron, Carbon Block Filtration Process as its Polishing Filter on all water purification systems. This filter has the capabilities of removing Giardia and Cryptosporidium Cysts, Herbicides, Pesticides, Trihalomethanes (THMs), certain Volatile Organic Chemicals (VOCs), Chlorine and Chlorine By-Products, Sediment, Bad Taste, Odors, Color, Smell, and many other Harmful Chemicals and Contaminants down to a 0.5 micron.

The polished filtered water is then channeled past an ultraviolet light disinfecting process that has the ability to kill the Bacteria, Viruses, Typhoid Fever, Coliform, Dysentery, Cholera, Infectious Jaundice, Hepatitis and Influenza Virus, E-coli, Enteric Fever and many other unwanted microorganisms to a 99.999% purity.

Micro-Organism Destruction Levels

(ultraviolet energy at 253.7 nm wavelength required for 99.9% destruction of various microorganisms -- in µwsec/cm²)

UV is a section of the electromagnetic spectrum. This includes bands such as cosmic rays, gamma rays, X-rays, visible light, infrared light, microwaves and radio waves. The UV energy band, which is stretched out between the visible light band and the X-ray band, is divided into three sub-bands. The UV-C band, which spreads between 200 and 300 nanometers (nm) wavelengths, is used in water disinfection. Its germicidal effectiveness peaks at 253.7 nm.

UV energy is created by an electrical current between two electrodes through mercury vapour inside a lamp. UV lamps differ from regular fluorescent lamps in only minor ways. Germicidal lamps are normally made from UV transmitting quartz, while fluorescent lamps are made from soft glass with an inside coat of phosphor, which turns UV light into visible light. Lamps made from quartz emit about 90 percent of UV energy, while soft glass lamps emit a very small amount of UV energy.

Advantages Include:

• UV is effective and quick. No need for holding tanks and reaction times. No need for storing chemicals.
• UV does not alter the taste of water, which makes it ideal for use in bottling plants and food processing applications.
• UV is safe. NO need to add or handle hazardous chemicals or risk polluting the environment.
• UV is compatible with all other water treatment processes. No need for de-chlorination if using RO systems. In fact, UV enhances the use of other water treatment systems by keeping them free from germs.
• UV is economical. Almost always, the cost of UV disinfection units is much less than the cost of chemical treatment systems. The cost of service and maintenance of UV units is very low. The electrical running cost of a UV unit in a house is about that of a regular light bulb.
• More effective against viruses than chlorine.
• Easy installation. UV units are very easy to install and require very little space.

The Right Size

Follow these guidelines to accurately size and install an ultraviolet (UV) treatment system:

• Consider the following parameters: capacity (flow) required, feed water quality, the pretreatment used and the purpose of treatment.
• If in doubt, always oversize the UV unit instead of undersizing it to save on cost. Often the cost of a larger unit is only a few dollars more. Usually an 8-galIons-per-minute (gpm) UV unit is adequate for an average-size home.
• UV units should be placed as close to the point-of-use (POU) as possible.
• Pre-sterilize all pipes and tanks by chemical shock treatment and flush thoroughly prior to using a UV unit for the first time.
• Install the system on the cold water line before any branch lines.
• The UV unit should be installed after all other treatment processes except microfiltration.
• To insure the safe operation of a UV system, test the water periodically for bacteria and other contaminants.