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US 2009/0289015 A1Published application
Back-surface mirrors for ultraviolet liquid disinfection systems
OwnerUri LEVYinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
According to embodiments of the invention, ultraviolet-based liquid disinfection systems with back-surface mirrors for enhancing the performance are provided. The disinfection system may include, for example, metallic mirrors deposited externally over areas of a UV-transparent liquid conduit to redirect light rays back into the conduit
Claims8
An apparatus for liquid disinfection by ultraviolet (UV) light, the apparatus comprising:
- a conduit to carry a flowing liquid to be disinfected, said conduit having UV-transparent walls, an inlet to receive said liquid and an outlet to discharge said liquid, wherein an external surface of said UV-transparent walls is coated with a UV reflective coating;
- and
- at least one UV source to illuminate said liquid with UV light, wherein the UV source is positioned within the conduit substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of symmetry of the conduit and to the liquid flow direction such that a light ray emitted from the UV source is reflected by the reflective coating into the liquid more than once while advancing away from the UV source.
5-8. (canceled)
A method for liquid disinfection by ultraviolet (UV) light comprising:
- flowing liquid to be disinfected through a conduit, said conduit having UV-transparent walls, wherein an external surface of said UV-transparent walls is coated with a UV reflective coating;
- illuminating said flowing liquid with UV light emitted from a UV source positioned within the conduit substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of symmetry of the conduit and to the liquid flow direction;
- and
- reflecting said UV light from the reflective coating such that a light ray emitted from the UV source is reflected by the reflective coating into the liquid more than once while advancing away from the UV source.
1 more element
11-14. (canceled)
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.