Ultraviolet Light for Disinfection

Ultraviolet light is an excellent choice for water disinfection. It is chemical free and
produces no harmful by-products. The application of UV to disinfect water has been
an accepted practice since the mid-20th century. It has been used primarily in medical
sanitation and sterile work facilities. Increasingly it is used to sterilize drinking and
beverage water, to purify water for microelectronics, and to disinfect wastewater.
Ultraviolet light is electromagnetic radiation with wavelengths shorter than visible
light shown in the chart. UV is separated into various ranges, with short range UV
(UVC) considered "germicidal UV." At the 254 nm wavelength UV is mutagenic to
bacteria, viruses and other microorganisms. UV will break the molecular bonds within
the microorganisms DNA, producing thymine dimmers, thereby destroying them,
rendering them harmless, or prohibiting growth and reproduction. The effectiveness
of germicidal UV depends on a number of factors: the length of time a micro-
organism is exposed to UV, power of the UV source at the 254 nm wavelength, the
presence of particles that can protect the microorganisms from UV, and the
microorganisms ability to withstand UV. Different species of microorganisms require
varying level of UV exposure to render them harmless, but nearly all species can be
reduced by 99.99% (4-log) with only a 30 mJ/cm2 dose of UV.

Using UV for TOC Reduction Total oxidizable carbons (TOC) are increasingly
finding their way into all our water supplies. Many TOC's are carcinogens, such as
dioxins, and others, like MTBE and endocrine disruptors, pose other serious health
risks. Removing or reducing TOC's in water is becoming increasingly necessary to
ensure public health and safety. UV radiation below 200 nm wavelengths can destroy
TOC's in water through three different mechanisms. The primary mechanism for TOC
destruction is direct photolysis of the water molecules. This creates hydroxyl radicals
(chemical formula: OH-). The chemical equation is: H2O + UV (185 nm) H+ +
OHHydroxyl radicals are one of the most chemically reactive agents known. These
radicals attack and oxidize the organic chemicals, breaking them down into ionized
organic species (which can be removed by deionization) and eventually to CO2 and
water, following the general formula: CxHyOz + OH- CO2 + H2O A secondary
mechanism by which UV radiation can destroy TOC's is by direct photolysis of the
TOC molecule. The UV photons break the chemical bonds within the TOC molecule,
transforming it to two or more smaller organic molecules. This process works only for
organic chemicals which absorb light at the wavelengths produced by the UV source.
The third mechanism is the conversion of dissolved oxygen into first hydrogen
peroxide, and then hydroxyl radicals, by the 185 nm UV. The TOC destruction
mechanism by hydroxyl ions is the same as above. The presence of dissolved oxygen
in the water is not guaranteed, and in some applications is actively prevented, but this
process will occur if dissolved oxygen is present.

Using UV for Chlorine Reduction Using UV for de-chlorination eliminates the

problems of traditional methods. There is no saturation point, no overdose
consideration, and no production of harmful or problematic by-products when using
UV. Also, UV does not affect odor, taste, or color or the pH of the water. In fact, the
UV de-chlorination method enhances the end product quality and its process stability.
An important point for consideration is that the UV dose for de-chlorination is
significantly higher than used for typical disinfection, anywhere from 10 to 20 times
more. This higher dosage produces an extremely high level of microbial disinfection
in the water. As an added benefit, this dose will also reduce organic carbons such as
Humic acid and pesticides and trace pharmaceuticals. None of these advantages exist
using the traditional chlorine reduction methods.
Why UVSI Reflector Technology Works

Typical UV water treatment systems suffer from inefficiency. Whether a low pressure
or medium pressure system, most of the UV light energy emitted is absorbed by the
treatment chamber walls and is transformed into heat. Over 80% of the UV photons
are wasted this way, meaning less than 20% are doing the work of disinfection. This
is a tremendous loss of disinfection power. So reflecting the photons back into the
water channel brings huge efficiency gains, resulting in direct performance, size and
cost benefits.

UVSI determined that three fundamental design conditions must be met to benefit
from any reflective technology:
1. The material must be reflective across the UV spectrum from 180 nm to 300 nm.
2. The reflectivity of the material must be greater than 99% over this spectrum.
3. The water chamber must be enclosed to the maximum extent possible with the
reflective material.

No UV design has satisfied all three conditions, until now. After two years of R & D,
UVSI engineered a new UV treatment chamber that meets all the conditions. The
UVSI treatment chamber has a reflectivity factor greater than 99%. This patented
design "traps" the UV photons in the treatment chamber. They have no place to go
other than into a microbe.

Ray trace modeling (figures below) shows the behavior of just 10 photons launched
into the chamber. There are hundreds of reflections per photon, creating a very
uniform dose throughout the chamber, and numerous opportunities to engage a
microbe. With billions of photons active in this chamber, the gain in performance
becomes geometric.

The amount of chamber coverage with the reflective material is fundamental in

gaining performance. The chart below illustrates that the chamber reflectivity must be
greater than 98% to achieve meaningful performance gains. UVSI products have a
20X gain in performance over competing systems, making UVSI products the most
efficient, the most compact, and the most economical UV systems available today.