Possibly Space-Bound, UV-C LEDs A Promising Disinfection Tool
By Sara Jerome,
@sarmje
UV-C LEDs may soon be heading to space as a water disinfection method.
The Biocontamination Integrated Control for Wet Systems for Space Exploration (BIOWYSE) project, funded by the European Union, is exploring the merit of taking UV-C LED technology out of this world.
The project “intends to build and test innovative prevention, monitoring and mitigation modules that will be integrated into a compact system on the international space station,” according to LIGHTimes Online, an LED industry publication. “The decontamination module will employ UV-C LED technology.”
Back on Earth, it is an important moment for low-energy water purification methods in the water industry. Backers of UV-C LEDs say it is among the top choices.
“All LEDs are known for their low energy consumption, and the same is true for UV-C LEDs when used in a quality disinfection system. Conventional mercury lamps require between 110 to 240 volts to operate, while LEDs require low voltage DC, meaning disinfection powered with a small solar panel or battery is feasible,” Environmental Protection Online recently reported.
Supporters say LED technology has created new opportunities that will make ultraviolet disinfection critical to the future of water treatment.
“LED technology allows UV water treatment to be used in applications previously unavailable to conventional mercury lamps. For example, remote communities can easily purify water with solar power options, and mobile uses are now available due to the ruggedness and small size of the UV-C LED devices,” the report said. “Applied at the point of use, additional safety can be provided to water in hospitals and research facilities without the need for storage tanks.”
The relationship between energy costs and water treatment, one of the concerns defined by the umbrella term “water-energy nexus,” is of pivotal importance for the water industry.
"While the relationship can be mutually constraining, it also presents an opportunity to address both energy and water issues together, because conserving one leads to conservation of the other," EARTH Magazine reported.
To read more about UV technology visit Water Online’s Drinking Water Disinfection Solutions Center.