# US 11,440,818 B2 · Fluid treatment reactor > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,440,818 B2 - Document ID: US11440818B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/115,737 - Filed: 2020-12-08 - Published: 2021-03-25 - Granted: 2022-09-13 - Earliest claimed: 2019-04-22 - Assignees: Crystal IS, Inc. - Applicants: Crystal Is, Inc. - Inventors: Leo Schowalter; Rajul Randive; Steven Berger - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11440818B2 ## CPC - C02F 1/325: {Irradiation devices or lamp constructions} - A61L 2/10: Ultraviolet [UV] radiation - A61L 2/26: Accessories - A61L 2202/11: Apparatus for generating biocidal substances, e.g. vaporisers, UV lamps - A61L 2202/122: Chambers for sterilisation - A61L 2202/123: Connecting means - C02F 2201/3222: Units using UV-light emitting diodes [LED] - C02F 2201/3227: Units with two or more lamps - C02F 2201/3228: Units having reflectors, e.g. coatings, baffles, plates, mirrors - C02F 2209/40: Liquid flow rate - C02F 2303/04: Disinfection - C02F 2307/06: Mounted on or being part of a faucet, shower handle or showerhead - 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) - 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) ## Abstract A system for disinfecting fluid includes a plurality of fluid reactors. Each of the fluid reactors includes at least one UVC LED. The UVC LED includes an LED chip configured to emit UVC radiation and a package coupled with the LED chip. The LED chip has a top surface that defines a chip top surface area. The top surface is formed from a semiconductor material having an index of refraction. The fluid reactor has at least one wall that defines a chamber configured to contain the fluid. The at least one wall has an aperture configured to receive UVC radiation into the chamber. The aperture extends through the at least one wall. The aperture has an aperture area that is (1) smaller than a top surface area of the package and (2) equal to or larger than the chip top surface area. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system for disinfecting fluid, the system comprising: a plurality of fluid reactors, each of the fluid reactors having: a UVC LED including an LED chip configured to emit UVC radiation and a package coupled with the LED chip, the LED chip having a top surface defining a chip top surface area, the top surface being formed from a semiconductor material having an index of refraction; at least one wall defining a chamber configured to contain the fluid; an aperture configured to receive UVC radiation into the chamber, the aperture having an aperture area, the aperture area being smaller than a top surface area of the package. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system as defined by claim 1, wherein the plurality of reactors are arranged in-series. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The system as defined by claim 1, wherein the plurality of reactors are arranged in parallel. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system as defined by claim 1, wherein the plurality of reactors includes a plurality of in-series reactors in parallel. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The system as defined by claim 1, wherein the UVC LED is of the type having an exposed top surface. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The system as defined by claim 1, wherein the aperture is formed by the at least one wall. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The system as defined by claim 1, wherein the aperture is formed by a cover. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The system as defined by claim 7, wherein the cover is UVC reflective. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The system as defined by claim 7, wherein the cover includes a UVC transparent portion. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The system as defined by claim 1, further comprising an optical coupler configured to contact at least a portion of the LED and to form a fluid seal with the aperture, the optical coupler being UV transparent, and having an index of refraction that is greater than an index of refraction of water. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The system as defined by claim 10, wherein the optical coupler intimately contacts the LED chip. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The system as defined by claim 1, wherein the aperture area is equal to or larger than the chip top surface area. ### Claim 13 A system for disinfecting fluid using UVC LEDs, the system comprising: a plurality of UVC LEDs, each of the UVC LEDs including an LED chip configured to emit UVC radiation and a package coupled with the LED chip, each of the LED chips having a respective radiation emission surface; a plurality of fluid reactors, each of the fluid reactors having at least one wall defining a chamber configured to house the fluid therein, the at least one wall defining a wall area, the chamber having a fluid volume of between about 0.004 cm3 and about 20.0 cm3, each of the reactors having an aperture through which the emitted UVC radiation enters the chamber, the aperture having an aperture area, the wall area and the aperture area adding to produce a total area, the aperture area being between 0.0001% and 17% of total area. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The system as defined by claim 13, further comprising: an optical coupler configured to optically couple the UVC LED and the fluid reactor, the optical coupler being (1) UV transparent, and (2) having an index of refraction that is greater than the index of refraction of the fluid, the optical coupler being positioned between the chamber and the LED chip. ### Claim 15 The system as defined by 13, wherein the plurality of reactors are arranged in-series and/or in-parallel. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The system as defined by claim 15, wherein the aperture is formed by a cover. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The system as defined by claim 13, wherein the aperture area is greater than about 0.025% of the total area. ### Claim 18 (depends on 13) The system as defined by claim 13, wherein the aperture area is less than about 0.77% of the total area. ### Claim 19 A method of fluid treatment, the method comprising: providing: a plurality of fluid reactors positioned in-series and/or in-parallel, each of the reactors having at least one wall defining a chamber configured to house fluid therein, the at least one wall defining a wall area, the chamber having a fluid volume of between about 1 cm3 and about 10 cm3, each of the reactors having an aperture through which the emitted UVC radiation enters the chamber, the aperture having an aperture area, the wall area and aperture area adding to produce a total area, the aperture area being between about 0.0001 percent and about 17 percent of the total area; a respective UVC LED configured to emit UVC radiation into a respective fluid reactor, the UVC LED including an LED chip configured to emit UVC radiation and a package coupled with the LED chip, the LED chip having a radiation emission surface; positioning an optical coupler in the aperture between the UVC LED and the chamber in each reactor, disinfecting the fluid in each reactor by activating the respective UVC LED. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method as defined by claim 19, wherein all of the LEDs are dosed simultaneously.