UV Disinfection
UV Disinfection
UV Disinfection
UV Disinfection is essential for eliminating any harmful parasites and bacteria present in water, especially if chemical treatment is not possible or desired. By exposing harmful organisms such as E.Coli, Cryptosporidium and Giardia Lamblia, to UV-C light, they can be rendered inert and effectively removed as a threat from your water supply.
Our range of Luminor UV Disinfection Systems include Blackcomb for domestic and small businesses, Rainier for heavier flow rates, and K2 Systems for Industrial requirements. Contact us today to discuss your requirements and we'll be happy to recommend the correct UV solution for you.
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How Does UV Disinfection Work?
Harmful organisms can be particularly tricky to remove from a water supply without the use of chemical treatment. This can be undesirable, especially when the water's taste is a factor. UV Disinfection is a method of exposing harmful organisms to ultraviolet light which renders them inert and therefore, harmless.
Does UV Light Kill Bacteria?
Technically speaking, no it doesn't. It renders bacteria, parasites and oocysts inert instead. The UV light damages the DNA of harmful organisms and causes them to lose the ability to multiply and reproduce. They are effectively "dead" as they aren't able to do anything at all. This is particularly effective for eliminating oocysts which are highly resistant to other forms of chemical disinfectants
How it works
Water passes into the stainless steel chamber of the UV Disinfection system. The UV lamp that is inside the chamber is protected by a quartz sleeve. This ensures that the UV bulb and the water don't come into contact because electricity and water don't tend to mix well. The water is forced around the outside of the quartz sleeve as the lamp exposes the water to UV-C rays. It's important that you get a UV system that has an adequate size for the flow rate of your water. This is because you want the water to be exposed to the UV light for the longest time possible, which is called the contact time. The longer the contact time, the higher the dose of UV light. This is important to eliminate Shadowing.
What is Shadowing?
Shadowing is where bacteria, parasites and oocysts are able to essentially hide from the UV light by being surrounded or blocked by other contaminants present in the water supply. If you have water with high turbidity (it's dirty) or it contains such elements as Iron and Manganese, it is possible for the harmful organisms to be shadowed from the UV light. UV Transmittance can also be affected by water with lots of contaminants in it. You want clear water, so the UV-C rays can penetrate throughout the depth of the water. Think of it like shining a torch into a body of water. The beam of light can reach deeper depths in a pool of clear water compared to shining the light into a swamp. In order to combat this, it is always advised to use at least a 5 Micron filter to remove such particles from the water before entering the UV system.
How much UV-C Light do you need?
It can vary from organism to organism, but 16 mj/cm2 of UV-C light is enough to render bacteria such as E.Coli inert. At J&F Water Treatment, we like to ensure a dose of 30mj/cm2 to any water supply to really make sure that all the bacteria, parasites and oocysts have been effectively dosed. This is also why flow rate is important. If you do not have a large enough UV system for the amount of water you have flowing through it, then the water will not receive an adequate dose of UV. For higher flow rates, you need a larger UV system so the water takes longer to travel through it and all the harmful organisms are effectively eliminated.
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