Systems and methods for performing the bacterial disinfection of a fluid using point radiation sources

A method for disinfecting a fluid, comprising:

• providing a flow cell comprising one or more inlet ports and one or more outlet ports, wherein the flow cell is configured to communicate a fluid from the one or more inlet ports to the one or more outlet ports through an interior portion thereof;
• and
• providing one or more point radiation sources disposed about the flow cell, wherein the one or more point radiation sources are operable for delivering radiation to the fluid;
• wherein an interior surface of the flow cell is operable for reflecting the radiation delivered to the fluid by the one or more point radiation sources;
• wherein the flow cell is an integrating cavity comprising curved and concaved opposed interior surfaces without internal corners and with all interior points visible from all other interior points;
• wherein the one or more point radiation sources are disposed about a periphery of the integrating cavity;
• wherein the interior surface is a Lambertian reflectance material operable for reflecting the radiation delivered to the fluid by the one or more point radiation sources and creating a diffuse source from the radiation such that a radiation intensity is uniform and independent of direction throughout the entire interior portion of the flow cell when the flow cell is filled with a substantially or partially transparent medium and the optical source or sources are small in area as compared to the inferior surface area of the flow cell, and a radiation energy level is equal to or less than that of the one or more point radiation sources;
• and
• wherein the interior surface and interior portion define a single flow cell corresponding to the entire integrating cavity.

A system for disinfecting a fluid, comprising:

• a flow cell comprising one or more inlet ports and one or more outlet ports, wherein the flow cell is configured to communicate a fluid comprising a biological contaminant from the one or more inlet ports to the one or more outlet ports through an interior portion thereof;
• and
• one or more point radiation sources disposed about the flow cell, wherein the one or more point radiation sources are operable for delivering radiation to the biological contaminant;
• wherein an interior surface of the flow cell is operable for reflecting the radiation delivered to the biological contaminant by the one or more point radiation sources;
• wherein the interior surface of the flow cell is operable for reflecting the radiation delivered to the biological contaminant by the one or more point radiation sources such that a radiation intensity is uniform and independent of direction throughout the interior portion of the flow cell when the flow cell is filled with a substantially or partially transparent medium and the optical source or sources are small in area as compared to the interior surface area of the flow cell;
• wherein the flow cell is an integrating cavity comprising curved and concaved opposed interior surfaces without internal comers and with all interior points visible from all other interior points;
• wherein the one or more point radiation sources are disposed about a periphery of the integrating cavity;
• wherein the interior surface is a Lambertian reflectance material operable for reflecting the radiation delivered to the fluid by the one or more point radiation sources and creating a diffuse source from the radiation such that a radiation energy level is equal to or less than that of the one or more point radiation sources;
• and
• wherein the interior surface and interior portion define a single flow cell corresponding to the entire integrating cavity.