At present, water treatment methods can be basically divided into two categories. One is chemical sterilization and the other is physical sterilization. Chemical sterilization method is basically chlorination, and physical sterilization method is basically ultraviolet. There will always be a certain amount of sterilization by-products produced in chemical sterilization method, resulting in incomplete sterilization. As a typical representative of physical sterilization methods, ultraviolet sterilization is the main development direction of water treatment technology. There are several influencing factors in UV water treatment that will affect the final treatment effect. Only by fully understanding these influencing factors can we give full play to its sterilization advantages and achieve the best sterilization effect. In the following, let’s take a look at what those factors are.
1. UV Dose
The UV dose is equal to the UV intensity times the exposure time, which will directly affect the UV sterilization effect. When the UV intensity is set, the duration of exposure determines the UV dose. Theoretically, the higher the UV dose is, the better the sterilization effect will be. However, in practice, UV sterilization has a certain limitation. Beyond this limitation, UV sterilization will no longer be able to economically and effectively kill microorganisms in the water.
The UV intensity and exposure time on sterilization effect are different for different species of microorganisms. For instance, even with a relatively lower UV intensity, there was no change in the effect on Escherichia coli because the repair enzymes within the bacteria’s cells are very sensitive to UV. For eukaryotic yeast cells, the increase of exposure time will present a better bactericidal effect. But for microorganisms such as bacteriophages and spores, the emphasis on UV intensity or exposure time is meaningless since studies have found that the product value of the two is the factor affecting the sterilization of ultraviolet light.
2. Microbial Content in Sewage
Due to the existence of a variety of bacteria and viruses in sewage with different resistance to UV light, UV light will show different sterilization effects for different types of sewage. In addition to the sensitivity of different microorganisms to UV as mentioned in the previous point, the microbial content in sewage will also affect the UV sterilization efficiency. A higher microbial content requires a higher UV dose to achieve the desired sterilization effect.
3. Water Quality Parameters
Some sewage quality parameters also affect UV water treatment. The clarity of sewage directly affects the operation and sterilization effect of the equipment. The higher the clarity of the sewage is, the better the UV penetration and sterilization will be. The size of particulate matter in sewage can also affect the efficiency of UV sterilization since larger particulate matter can create shadows and corners that will protect bacteria and viruses from being harmed by UV radiation. Moreover, certain particulate matter can even absorb and reflect UV light, preventing it from hitting the DNA of bacteria and viruses by UV light. Particulate matters can also accelerate the scaling and pollution of quartz sleeves, also affecting the sterilization effect.
4. Flow Rate of Water
With certain UV intensity, another factor that decides the water treatment quality is the flow rate. The flow rate of water can usually be controlled from two aspects. One is to directly limit the flow rate of water for a longer sterilization time, and the other is in the design of UV sterilization equipment. For instance, longer UV bulbs can be used. Or, water can be directed to flow through a swirling structure. By doing so, the time that the sewage is exposed to UV light can be extended, resulting in a better sterilization effect.
Conclusion
UV light can replace chemical treatment method for water treatment. It is a safe, effective and environment-friendly water treatment method to deal with polluted water and make better use of water resources. We have listed several factors that affect the effect of UV water treatment in the above content. The effect of UV water treatment involves not only the equipment itself, but also the properties of sewage to be treated. Therefore, to achieve the best UV water treatment results, attention to these factors is indispensable.
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