Patent · US Expired

Method and apparatus for decontaminating fluids using ultraviolet radiation

US6264836A · kind A · utility

54Cited by
56References
26Claims
0Family size

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateJan 21, 2000
Grant dateJul 24, 2001
Priority date
Expiry dateJan 21, 2020

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY02W10/37
  • WIPO fieldEnvironmental technology
  • WIPO sectorChemistry

Abstract

A method and apparatus for decontaminating a fluid, particularly water and wastewater, uses pulsed ultraviolet (UV) light in an automatic pump driven configuration that separately and in real time adjusts each UV reactor module for both water flow and UV power (average and peak intensity) to accommodate a wide range of influent conditions, thereby producing the quality of water discharge desired by the operator. Process control is configured on the basis of a UV transmission-based feedback control loop and on a truly active and independent adjustment of each reactor module, as opposed to the relatively passive and dependent adjustment techniques of the prior art. By matching the condition of the source water to the amount of UV dosage required to produce from it the desired water discharge quality, and then achieving this dosage in real time by the most practical optimum combination of average/peak power and variable pump rate, the method and apparatus represent a new way of achieving automated, high efficiency wastewater decontamination.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.