Invention:
This invention is an ultraviolet germicidal irradiation (UVGI) system that disinfects air through ultraviolet C radiation. The system has low power consumption and high sterilization and flow rate to both neutralize airborne pathogens and filter all the air inside a room quickly without disturbing the environment inside the room.
Background:
Removal or neutralization of airborne pathogens from air inside a hospital, classroom, restaurant, nursing home and store can reduce odor, allergens and pathogens causing infectious diseases. Disinfection can be carried out in a variety of ways, including air filters, alternating electrostatic fields, ozone, or ultraviolet radiation. Among the many techniques, ultraviolet germicidal irradiation (UVGI) that utilizes ultraviolet C (UVC) light of optimal wavelength in combination with air filters is the most common.
This UVGI system can operate as standalone or addition to existing ventilation system. The configuration can be optimized for high air change per hour (> 10 ach) without sacrificing room comfort and noise level. The optical cavity in non-imaging configuration is optimized for low stray light, large overlap between air flow and light distribution in addition to high UVC dosage for disinfection.
The UVGI market offers a number of commercially available products, ranging from small stand alone units for sterilization of individual rooms to large scale screening of industrial HVAC units. However, many products rely on existing air flow systems rather than optimize air flow and sterilization in an integrated system.
Applications:
- Healthcare air disinfection
- HVAC ultraviolet germicidal irradiation
Advantages:
- Efficient
- High air change rate
- Adaptable to different room size and shape
- Effective
- Improved performance over existing systems
