The Benefits of Using a UV Light

UV lights are a common alternative to using chemicals to disinfect your water of green algae. Saving you time and money in the long run.

Low Pressure UV Lamps VS Medium Pressure Lamps

What is the difference between low pressure UV lamps and Medium pressure UV lamps?

Low pressure UVS are most suitable for aquatic applications because most of their UV output is in the range of 254 nanometers, closest to what ponds use, and have a longer life use than medium/high pressure lamps.

Medium pressure lamps are commonly used in municipal and industrial plants, wastewater disinfections, compact drinking water treatment plants, photochemistry and activated wet oxidation. They're most suitable for the larger industries because their spectral radiation has a larger range that effects a larger variety of chemicals. They're also more efficient for larger flow volumes. Microorganisms - Most optimum wavelengths for killing microorganisms are 200 nanometers (nm) and 265 nm.

 

Low Pressure

(W Lim, Emperor Aquatics)

- UV output of 254 nm
- Ambient application temp. Max 40° C/ 104° F

Medium Pressure

(Aqua Ultraviolet, W Lim Amalgam Series)

- UV Output of 200 - 300nm
- Surface Temp 600-900°C / 1112-1652°F

UV Lights effectively kill microorganisms from within. The DNA of the cell absorbs the light forcing molecules within the cell to fuse together. Once this has taken place the cell can no longer duplicate itself causing it to die.

Microorganisms are most effectively killed by UV Lights when they are at one of two light spectrums. Either 200 nanometers (nm) or 265 nm. When microorganisms are struck at 200 nm, the DNA absorbs the light causing a photochemical reaction in their backbone, killing the cell of the DNA. But when struck by 265nm the cell of the DNA is killed by absorbing the light within its main molecules.

Replacement of the UV lamp

If you live in an area with soft water, your quart sleeve is a lot less likely to have problems than areas with Hard water. This is because over a long period of time, hard water can begin to build up calcium deposits on your quartz sleeve. When this happens it prevents your UV lamp from being as efficient due to the buildup blocking the light from the lamp.

If you do have hard water look for manufacturers that provide models with a built in cleaner. For example, some models have a rod that you can pull on which is mounted to a wiping device on the inside of the quartz sleeve, surrounding the UV. The biggest advantage to this type of mechanism is that you don't have to disassemble the UV and it doesn't affect the operating of the UV.

Parameters influencing the effect of UV

The UV dose is a combination of both the power of the lamp and the amount of time the water is exposed to the UV light. The lamp power is measured the intensity of the UV (mW/cm2 ) and depends on what the initial intensity of the UV is, as well as the intensity measured at a certain distance from the UV.

The most important measurement of UV intensity though, is based on the water quality of your pond. The water quality is affected by the level of compound in your water that can absorb the UV. Determining what your exposure time should be for your pond, is dependent on how much water you have in your pond and the speed in which it passes through your UV. To calculate your UV dose take the sum of your UV intensity and multiply it by results of your exposure time.