SBIR Phase II: Ultraviolet Germicidal Optical Flow Cell

这个小型创新研究(SBIR)项目将向市场推出一种低功率、使用点(POU)水消毒系统，旨在改造现有的被动(非杀菌)过滤系统。该项目将使用紫外线发光二极管(UV LED)以及新颖和专有的流动池设计，从而实现POU水的消毒。目前的紫外线POU水消毒是使用放电灯完成的，这需要高电压、镇流器和相对较大的外形系数。使用UV LED代替放电灯，将允许光源位于较小的外形系数内，并在没有线路电压和镇流器的情况下以较低的总电功率运行。此外，流动池的专利光学设计将通过最大化水中微生物接收的紫外线剂量并增加它们在流动池中的停留时间来改进传统的流动池。目前，还没有POU系统使用紫外线LED作为杀菌源。如果成功，根据第二阶段计划开发的产品将是此类产品中的第一款，并为紫外线LED进入大型POU水灭菌市场提供了一个切入点。流量电池的低功率方面和小外形因数将使该系统潜在地适合由电池供电的现场应用，其中没有可用的线路电压。这类应用可能包括军事或医疗野战行动。总体社会影响应该是巨大的，特别是在美国以外的市场，那里的水无菌问题越来越令人担忧。

This Small Innovation Research (SBIR) project will bring to market a low power, point of use (PoU) water disinfection system designed to retrofit into existing passive (non-germicidal) filtration systems. This project will use ultraviolet light emitting diodes (UV LEDs) along with a novel and proprietary flow cell design, resulting in PoU water disinfection. Current ultraviolet PoU water disinfection is accomplished using discharge lamps, which requires high voltage, ballasts, and a relatively large form factor. The use of UV LEDs instead of discharge lamps will allow the light sources to reside inside a smaller form factor, and to function at lower overall electrical power, without line voltage and ballasts. Furthermore, the proprietary optical design of the flow cell will improve upon conventional flow cells by maximizing the ultraviolet dose received by microorganisms in the water, and increasing their residence time in the flow cell. Currently, there are no PoU systems employing UV LEDs as the germicidal source. If successful, the product developed under the phase II program will be the first of its kind and provide a point of entry for UV LEDs into the large PoU water sterilization market. The low power aspect and small form factor of the flow cell will make the system potentially suitable for battery operated field applications where line voltage is not available. Such applications may include military or medical field operations. Overall societal impact should be significant, particularly in markets outside the United States where there is increasing concern about water sterility.