An ultraviolet system is more than the sum of its parts. It's a highly effective method to address the threat of microbiological contaminants that can be found in any water source.
Each component of a UV system plays an important role, and by understanding them and how they work together, you can ensure optimal treatment of your water.
There are a variety of UV systems on the market, however, they all contain the same general components, from the very large systems that treat water for commercial or industrial operations, right down to an under-sink system treating drinking water at the point-of-use.
The four main components of a UV system are:
There are other optional parts such as sensors and solenoid valves that can also be a part of a system, however, these four components are the basis of all UV systems.
The chamber is the part of the system that physically houses the UV lamp and quartz sleeve and controls the flow of water through the system.
They are usually constructed of stainless steel, but some manufacturers use different materials. There are different configurations determined by the position of the inlet and outlet ports, such as axial or boot shape. Chambers come with ports in varying sizes designed to manage the flow rate of the system.
Different types of welds, end caps, and other design features can give a different look visually. Essentially, all chambers perform the same function, no matter how they look aesthetically.
To the layperson, all UV lamps look the same. Essentially, they all perform the same function. They produce UV-C, which is the wavelength of UV light that is able to inactivate microorganisms. However, different lamps perform this function in various ways, depending on the application and treatment requirements.
Most UV lamps, regardless of output, contain mercury. You may think, “Isn’t that stuff dangerous for the environment?” Mercury in high levels is definitely dangerous. But UV lamps generally contain a bead of mercury about the size of the head of a pin, and all lamps can be recycled, much like the fluorescent light bulbs that you can purchase at the local retail store.
During operation of the lamp, the mercury is completely contained within the lamp structure, and with proper recycling, these lamps are harmless and provide no risk to the environment. Mercury is a vital part of the lamp’s ability to produce the UV-C light wavelength. Minute liquid mercury droplets collect at the lamp’s “cold spot”, and once they reach peak temperature, UV-C light is emitted.
All UV lamps have filaments just like a regular light bulb to produce an electrical current that heats up the mercury and evaporates it into the air inside the lamp. This evaporated mercury helps create electrical arcs that produce UV-C at varying intensity levels to treat water.
There are three main types of UV lamps that will be found in most UV systems available to the residential and light commercial markets.
There are also medium-pressure UV lamps, however these are exclusively used for larger-scale operations and have essentially no application in the residential market. They are the types of lamps that are used in drinking water and wastewater treatment plants.
Different lamps from various manufacturers will use different types of glass in the lamp structure. You will either find soft glass, or harder quartz glass. Soft glass can be slightly less costly, however due to harder nature of quartz glass, it’s much less likely to break.
The quartz sleeve is a long, cylindrical tube of quartz glass intended to protect the UV lamp which is powered by electricity from the flow of water. The lamp is inserted into the tube and transmits the light through the tube into the water. Sleeves can foul with minerals and other contaminants over time and should be cleaned whenever the lamp is changed. It’s a relatively simple component, but it’s very necessary to maintaining optimal system performance.
The controller is the brains of the UV system. This is the part that controls the electrical output of the lamp and powers it to produce UV-C light. Some controllers are very basic and are a simple cap that fits over the end of the lamp and a plug. Other controllers, depending on the type of UV system, are more complicated, and have lamp-change timers, low-UV alarms, or trouble indicator lights to show when the system is not performing as it should. These units vary in complexity and size, but essentially, they all do the same thing.
Each UV system manufacturer has its own “bells and whistles” when it comes to their system performance. All UV systems are engineered for all the parts to work together as a complete functional system. If you have a UV system and it’s time to change your lamp, be sure to use a branded replacement lamp from the system’s manufacturer. Using cheaper, non-manufacturer replacement lamps can end up causing more issues than the amount of money they might save you, and for most manufacturers, will void your product warranty. These non-manufacturer lamps were not engineered specifically to be a part of the complete system and can compromise the performance of your UV unit.
If you aren’t sure if you are using the right lamp, don’t be afraid to call the manufacturer. They are always happy to help you to ensure your system is working at peak capacity by using the correct lamp for the system.
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