Ultraviolet treatment for aqueous liquids

An apparatus for treating an aqueous liquid such as water with ultraviolet radiation, the apparatus comprising:

• a treatment chamber comprising a series of walls, which walls are spaced and oriented to define an upwardly open trough therein, the trough defining a flow path and having an inlet end and an outlet end, for the liquid to flow under the force of gravity under ambient pressure such that the liquid flowing therethrough travels in alternatingly first and second directions, generally opposite to each other, between the inlet end and the outlet end of the trough;
• and
• an ultraviolet lamp spaced from the flow path to preclude contact of the lamp with the liquid and located to permit exposure of a top surface of liquid in the trough to radiation emitted from the lamp;
• and wherein
• the trough has a floor which is shaped to promote uneven flow of the liquid as it passes through the trough to direct lower portions of the liquid in contact therewith toward the surface of the liquid.

An apparatus for treating an aqueous liquid such as water with UV light, the apparatus comprising:

• a treatment chamber for the liquid;
• a UV lamp;
• an upwardly open trough for receipt of the liquid in the treatment chamber, wherein:
• the trough has one or more surfaces oriented to define a flow path for the liquid to flow therethrough;
• the UV lamp is spaced from the flow path and located to permit exposure of a top surface of a said liquid in the trough to UV light emitted from the lamp, to permit entry of the UV light into the liquid;
• the trough includes reflective surface located to be submerged by liquid flowing through the trough and oriented to reflect light upwardly into the liquid;
• a first sensor located and trained to receive UV light emitted from the lamp;
• a second sensor located and trained to receive UV light reflected from a said submerged surface and emergent from the liquid;
• and
• means for determining the intensity of UV light received by the first sensor relative to the intensity of UV light received by the second sensor so as to determine the effectiveness of the treatment.

A process for treating an aqueous liquid, the process comprising the steps of:

• passing the liquid through a treatment area to bring the liquid into contact with reflective walls submerged below an upper surface of the liquid;
• exposing the upper surface of the liquid to light emitted from a first UV light source such that UV light penetrates the liquid to strike the submerged reflective surfaces and to be reflected therefrom to emerge through the upper surface of the liquid;
• determining the intensity of the UV light emitted from the light source;
• determining the intensity of UV light received by a UV light sensor trained to receive emergent said light;
• determining whether the treatment has a predetermined effectiveness based on the intensity of the UV light emitted from the light source and the intensity of the UV light received by the sensor.