# US 10,500,295 B2 · Apparatus and method for irradiation > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,500,295 B2 - Document ID: US10500295B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/101,890 - Filed: 2018-08-13 - Published: 2019-02-14 - Granted: 2019-12-10 - Earliest claimed: 2017-08-11 - Assignees: AquiSense Technologies LLC - Applicants: Jennifer Godwin Pagan; Steven Franklin Pugh; John Krause; Oliver Lawal; Richard Mark Simons - Inventors: Jennifer Godwin Pagan; Steven Franklin Pugh; John Krause; Oliver Lawal; Richard Mark Simons - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10500295B2 ## CPC - A61L 2/10: Ultraviolet [UV] radiation - A61L 9/20: Ultraviolet radiation - C02F 1/325: {Irradiation devices or lamp constructions} - A61L 2202/11: Apparatus for generating biocidal substances, e.g. vaporisers, UV lamps - A61L 2202/122: Chambers for sterilisation - A61L 2209/111: Sensor means, e.g. motion, brightness, scent, contaminant sensors - C02F 2201/3222: Units using UV-light emitting diodes [LED] - C02F 2201/3228: Units having reflectors, e.g. coatings, baffles, plates, mirrors - C02F 2201/326: Lamp control systems - G21K 2201/065: provided with cooling means - A61L: METHODS OR APPARATUS FOR STERILISING MATERIALS OR OBJECTS IN GENERAL; DISINFECTION, STERILISATION OR DEODORISATION OF AIR; CHEMICAL ASPECTS OF BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS OR SURGICAL ARTICLES; MATERIALS FOR BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS OR SURGICAL ARTICLES (preservation of bodies or disinfecting characterised by the agents employed A01N; preserving, e.g. sterilising, food or foodstuffs A23; preparations for medical, dental or toiletry purposes A61K) - C02F: TREATMENT OF WATER, WASTE WATER, SEWAGE, OR SLUDGE (separation in general B01D; special arrangements on waterborne vessels of installations for treating water, waste water or sewage, e.g. for producing fresh water, B63J; adding materials to water to prevent corrosion C23F; treating radioactively-contaminated liquids G21F9/04; regeneration of reactants for recirculation into processes, see the relevant places for the processes) - G21K: HANDLING OF PARTICLES OR IONISING RADIATION NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; IRRADIATION DEVICES; GAMMA RAY OR X-RAY MICROSCOPES ## Abstract An apparatus and method for irradiating a fluid containing a material to be irradiated, comprising at least one irradiation chamber having at least one inlet port and outlet port, at least one fluid cooling chamber having at least one inlet port and outlet port, one or more UV radiation sources coupled to the irradiation chamber(s); and at least one heat exchange mechanism thermally coupled to the radiation source(s) and the cooling chamber(s). At least a portion of the interior surface of the cooling chamber(s) may comprise at least a portion of the exterior surface of the irradiation chamber(s) so the cooling chamber(s) is in fluid communication with the irradiation chamber(s). ## Claims ### Claim 1 An irradiation apparatus comprising: at least one irradiation chamber for a fluid containing a material to be irradiated, said chamber having at least one inlet port for fluid flow into the chamber and at least one outlet port for fluid flow out of the chamber; at least one cooling chamber having at least one inlet port for fluid flow into the chamber and at least one outlet port for fluid flow out of the chamber; one or more UV radiation sources coupled to the at least one irradiation chamber; a moisture seal and desiccant disposed adjacent to the one or more radiation sources; and at least one heat exchange mechanism thermally coupled to the one or more radiation sources and to the at least one cooling chamber; wherein at least a portion of the interior surface of the at least one cooling chamber comprises at least a portion of the exterior surface of the at least one irradiation chamber, and the at least one cooling chamber is in fluid communication with the at least one irradiation chamber. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The irradiation apparatus of claim 1, wherein the heat exchange mechanism comprises one or more of a thermoelectric cooling device, a vapor chamber, a heatsink, a heat dissipation structure, a fan, a thermal transfer material, a material thermally coupled to a fluid, and a cooling coating. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The irradiation apparatus of claim 2, wherein the heat exchange mechanism is a heatsink or a thermal transfer material, or combinations thereof. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The irradiation apparatus of claim 1, wherein the one or more UV radiation sources comprise one or more UV-C radiation sources, or a combination thereof. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The irradiation apparatus of claim 1, wherein the one or more UV radiation sources comprise a plurality of radiation sources arranged in an array. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The irradiation apparatus of claim 1, wherein one or more wavelengths of the one or more UV radiation sources are dynamically adjustable. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The irradiation apparatus of claim 1, wherein one or more wavelengths of the one or more UV radiation sources are selected based on an identification of a contaminant in the material to be irradiated. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The irradiation apparatus of claim 7, wherein the one or more UV radiation sources deliver one or more wavelengths to the material to be irradiated that induce fluorescence in the material to be irradiated thereby allowing for the identification of the contaminant in the material to be irradiated. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The irradiation apparatus of claim 1, wherein the one or more UV radiation sources deliver a combination of wavelengths to the material to be irradiated. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The irradiation apparatus of claim 1, wherein the one or more UV radiation sources comprise a micro plasma lamp. ### Claim 11 An irradiation apparatus comprising: at least one irradiation chamber for a fluid containing a material to be irradiated, said chamber having at least one inlet port for fluid flow into the chamber and at least one outlet port for fluid flow out of the chamber; at least one cooling chamber having at least one inlet port for fluid flow into the chamber and at least one outlet port for fluid flow out of the chamber; one or more UV radiation sources coupled to the at least one irradiation chamber; and at least one heat exchange mechanism thermally coupled to the one or more radiation sources and to the at least one cooling chamber; wherein at least a portion of the interior surface of the at least one cooling chamber comprises at least a portion of the exterior surface of the at least one irradiation chamber, and the at least one cooling chamber is in fluid communication with the at least one irradiation chamber; said irradiation apparatus comprising a plurality of UV radiation sources and a plurality of irradiation chambers, each with at least one inlet and one outlet port, and all of the UV radiation sources are thermally coupled to a single cooling chamber. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The irradiation apparatus of claim 11, wherein the heat exchange mechanism comprises one or more of a thermoelectric cooling device, a vapor chamber, a heatsink, a heat dissipation structure, a fan, a thermal transfer material, a material thermally coupled to a fluid, and a cooling coating. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The irradiation apparatus of claim 12, wherein the heat exchange mechanism is a heatsink or a thermal transfer material, or combinations thereof. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The irradiation apparatus of claim 11, further comprising a moisture seal and desiccant disposed adjacent to the one or more radiation sources. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The irradiation apparatus of claim 11, wherein the one or more UV radiation sources comprise one or more UV-C radiation sources, or a combination thereof. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The irradiation apparatus of claim 11, wherein the one or more UV radiation sources comprise a plurality of radiation sources arranged in an array. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) The irradiation apparatus of claim 11, wherein one or more wavelengths of the one or more UV radiation sources are dynamically adjustable. ### Claim 18 (depends on 11) The irradiation apparatus of claim 11, wherein one or more wavelengths of the one or more UV radiation sources are selected based on an identification of a contaminant in the material to be irradiated. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The irradiation apparatus of claim 18, wherein the one or more UV radiation sources deliver one or more wavelengths to the material to be irradiated that induce fluorescence in the material to be irradiated thereby allowing for the identification of the contaminant in the material to be irradiated. ### Claim 20 (depends on 11) The irradiation apparatus of claim 11, wherein the one or more UV radiation sources deliver a combination of wavelengths to the material to be irradiated. ### Claim 21 (depends on 11) The irradiation apparatus of claim 11, wherein the one or more UV radiation sources comprise a micro plasma lamp. ### Claim 22 (depends on 11) The irradiation apparatus of claim 11, wherein a portion of the radiation from the one or more radiation sources is transmitted to surfaces of one or more secondary chambers to inhibit biofilm formation on the surfaces. ### Claim 23 An irradiation apparatus comprising: at least one irradiation chamber for a fluid containing a material to be irradiated, said chamber having at least one inlet port for fluid flow into the chamber and at least one outlet port for fluid flow out of the chamber; at least one cooling chamber having at least one inlet port for fluid flow into the chamber and at least one outlet port for fluid flow out of the chamber; one or more UV radiation sources coupled to the at least one irradiation chamber; and at least one heat exchange mechanism thermally coupled to the one or more radiation sources and to the at least one cooling chamber; wherein at least a portion of the interior surface of the at least one cooling chamber comprises at least a portion of the exterior surface of the at least one irradiation chamber, and the at least one cooling chamber is in fluid communication with the at least one irradiation chamber; and wherein a portion of the radiation from the one or more radiation sources is transmitted to surfaces of one or more secondary chambers to inhibit biofilm formation on the surfaces. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The irradiation apparatus of claim 23, wherein the heat exchange mechanism comprises one or more of a thermoelectric cooling device, a vapor chamber, a heatsink, a heat dissipation structure, a fan, a thermal transfer material, a material thermally coupled to a fluid, and a cooling coating. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) The irradiation apparatus of claim 24, wherein the heat exchange mechanism is a heatsink or a thermal transfer material, or combinations thereof. ### Claim 26 (depends on 23) The irradiation apparatus of claim 23, further comprising a moisture seal and desiccant disposed adjacent to the one or more radiation sources. ### Claim 27 (depends on 23) The irradiation apparatus of claim 23, wherein the one or more UV radiation sources comprise one or more UV-C radiation sources, or a combination thereof. ### Claim 28 (depends on 23) The irradiation apparatus of claim 23, wherein the one or more UV radiation sources comprise a plurality of radiation sources arranged in an array. ### Claim 29 (depends on 23) The irradiation apparatus of claim 23, wherein one or more wavelengths of the one or more UV radiation sources are dynamically adjustable. ### Claim 30 (depends on 23) The irradiation apparatus of claim 23, wherein one or more wavelengths of the one or more UV radiation sources are selected based on an identification of a contaminant in the material to be irradiated. ### Claim 31 (depends on 30) The irradiation apparatus of claim 30, wherein the one or more UV radiation sources deliver one or more wavelengths to the material to be irradiated that induce fluorescence in the material to be irradiated thereby allowing for the identification of the contaminant in the material to be irradiated. ### Claim 32 (depends on 23) The irradiation apparatus of claim 23, wherein the one or more UV radiation sources deliver a combination of wavelengths to the material to be irradiated. ### Claim 33 (depends on 23) The irradiation apparatus of claim 23, wherein the one or more UV radiation sources comprise a micro plasma lamp. ### Claim 34 (depends on 23) The irradiation apparatus of claim 23, comprising a plurality of UV radiation sources and a plurality of irradiation chambers, each with at least one inlet and one outlet port, and all of the UV radiation sources are thermally coupled to a single cooling chamber.