EP2016028A1

EP2016028A1 - Device for treating fluids, especially water sterilization, comprising an electrode-less gas discharge lamp

Info

Publication number: EP2016028A1
Application number: EP07724838A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Alexei Voronov; Silke Reber
Original assignee: Heraeus Noblelight GmbH
Current assignee: Heraeus Noblelight GmbH
Priority date: 2006-05-10
Filing date: 2007-05-03
Publication date: 2009-01-21
Also published as: CN101443280A; WO2007128494A1; US20090120882A1; JP2009536091A; CA2651719A1; DE102006022004A1; CA2651719C

Abstract

The invention relates to a system for treating fluids, particularly a water sterilization plant, which has a more efficient energy utilization, a higher service life when operated in the discontinuous mode, which can be produced in series, is simply to manipulate and particularly suitable for use in households. Said system prevents using UV projectors such as DBD lamps with coaxial tubes, which are complicated and not safe in operation, expensive ballast devices and dangerous electrical constructions. According to the invention, fluid raw materials are converted into higher-quality or novel products, wherein a fluid to be treated is brought into contact with the projector in such a way that the fluid is irradiated by the projector with UV radiation and that the fluid directly influences the temperature of the projector, especially adjusts the operating temperature of the projector to between 0° and 30° C. To this end, simpe UV projectors are used in which an excimer filler is excited in an UV transparent discharge vessel, especially a quartz glas without electrodes.

Description

Patent application

APPARATUS FOR FLUID TREATMENT, ESPECIALLY WATER DISPOSAL, WITH ELECTRODE-FREE GAS DISCHARGE LAMP

The invention relates to systems for the treatment of fluids, in particular water, in which the fluid is treated with UV radiation, in particular sterilized, processes for the treatment of fluids, suitable arrangements of electrodeless gas discharge lamps and the use of UV light sources in air treatment plants.

In this regard, there are already water sterilization systems in which the water is irradiated with a mercury discharge lamp. Mercury discharge lamps have a high efficiency and are therefore particularly suitable for large-scale installations, where they can be used in continuous operation. Mercury discharge lamps can be easily produced from a UV-transparent tube, in particular quartz glass, electrodes and a discharge filling in mass production. For the treatment of the water of individual households a continuous operation is unprofitable. Since mercury lamps go through a five-minute start-up period until they reach their full capacity, discontinuous operation for a single household is less attractive. Added to this is the constant danger posed by the mercury.

EP 1 345 631 B1 discloses a suitable for continuous operation arrangement of a mercury UV lamp, which is excited with microwaves from a magnetron whose lamp body is in contact with a liquid on one side. On the other side of the lamp body is a funnel, which supplies the microwaves from the magnetron from the lamp body.

However, low-pressure mercury lamps, which achieve an efficiency of up to 35%, require an operating temperature between 30 ^° C. and 50 ^° C. For cool fluid streams, in particular in the water supply or in air treatment plants, the mercury discharge lamps are separated from the streams too much chilled, so they are not their full Can develop UV power. Therefore, for cooling fluid flows mercury lamps are used with an additional cladding tube.

It is an object of the present invention to make the use of energy more efficient and increase the life of the system for the discontinuous operation. It is a further object of the present invention to provide a mass product which is easy to produce, which is easy to handle, in particular suitable for household use. Complicated or not safe to operate UV lamps such as Hg-filled lamps or Dielectric Barrier Discharge (DBD) lamps with coaxial tubes, lamps with elaborate ballasts and dangerous electrical structures should be avoided.

The object is achieved by the features of the independent claims. The dependent claims describe preferred embodiments.

Which are operable as opposed to low-pressure mercury discharge lamp efficiently at temperatures between 0 ⁰ C and 30 ⁰ C, and thus considerably extend the life of the lamp body mercury-free with fillings excimer gas discharge lamps according to the invention are provided. Optimum cooling is achieved in that the lamp body projects far into the irradiated fluid from which it is cooled.

In this way, fluid raw materials with UV radiation are converted to higher quality or new products by a fluid to be treated is brought into contact with the lamp body, that the fluid from the lamp body is irradiated with UV radiation and that the fluid directly influence takes the temperature of the lamp body, in particular the operating temperature of the lamp body cladding tube between 0 ° C and 30 ⁰ C sets. For this purpose, simple UV lamps are used, in which an excimer filling in a UV-transparent discharge vessel, in particular a quartz glass without electrodes, is excited.

A solution of the problem for an arrangement of an electrodeless gas discharge lamp in a fluid irradiated by the lamp, which directly influences the temperature of the lamp body, in particular its cladding tube, is that the lamp body protrudes far into the fluid, in particular with at least 80%. its surface, preferably 90% of its surface. For this purpose, the lamp body is preferably designed as a tube whose longitudinal axis is arranged in the propagation direction of the microwaves. A solution to the problem is an arrangement of an electrodeless gas discharge lamp with an excimer filling, which projects far into a fluid irradiated by the lamp, the direct influence on the temperature of the lamp body, in particular its cladding tube takes. This allows the cooling of the lamp body and thus extends its life. In order to cool the surface thereof as much as possible with the fluid, a lamp tube projects with more than 80%, in particular more than 90%, of its surface into the fluid when the lamp body is mounted on the front side on a microwave supply. The longitudinal axis of the lamp body is then arranged parallel to the propagation of the microwaves.

Excimer fillings are mercury-free mixtures of noble gases with halides and therefore less dangerous than mercury-containing fillings. Second, the excimer fillers can and should be operated at lower temperatures than the mercury-containing lamps, in particular between 0 ⁰ C and 30 ⁰ C. Third, at low temperature control of the excimer lamps their life can be extended. For this purpose, preferably at least 80% of the surface of the lamp body is cooled by the fluid. For this purpose, it is proven to let the lamp tube protrude far into the fluid medium.

A further solution of the problem is a discontinuous process for the treatment, in particular degermination of fluids in a fluid treatment plant, in particular water sterilization plant, in which UV radiation is used, wherein in the system a fluid is brought into contact with an electrodeless gas discharge radiator, so that the fluid from the radiator is irradiated with UV radiation and that the fluid has a direct influence on the temperature of the radiator, in particular its cladding tube takes. In this case, the lamp body is efficiently cooled to prolong its lifetime by the irradiated fluid when it projects far into the fluid. Discontinuous methods typically have operating times in the second or minute range.

A solution to the problem is a fluid treatment plant, in particular water disinfection plant for the treatment of fluids, in particular for their sterilization, is used in the UV radiation, the plant has an electrodeless gas discharge lamp in a radiated from the lamp fluid, the direct influence on the temperature of the Strahlers, in particular its cladding tube, takes. In this case, the lamp body protrudes far into the fluid for its cooling and thus extended lifetime.

In a preferred embodiment, the filling is in a simple quartz glass tube. The present invention allows mercury-free emitter embodiments, in particular based on a xenon-bromine filling or a krypton-chlorine filling or a xenon-iodine filling or a krypton-iodine filling.

According to the UV lamp is operated without electrodes. For this purpose, excitation of an excimer gas discharge lamp by means of microwaves has proven itself. Microwaves can be generated in a magnetron and fed via a waveguide of the excitation lamp. Surprisingly, it is possible to dispense with the additional cladding tube and the metal rod in the lamp as compared to a conventional magnetron UV lamp according to www.muegge.de and also to the additionally shielding cage around the UV lamp according to the Simon-Hartley reactor.

In an inventive development, the lamp is no longer operated with a separate coolant, but cooled directly from the fluid to be treated. Thus, the lamp is surrounded by only one instead of two fluids. The conductivity of the fluid does not matter in contrast to US 2002/089275. The UV lamp used in the invention also works with absolutely non-conductive fluids.

For water disinfection UV lamps are used, which are operated with magnetrons. The magnetrons are used as a generator for generating microwaves. The microwaves generated in the magnetron excites a discharge gas in a discharge vessel, in particular a quartz glass tube. Electrode-free discharge vessels with an excimer filling, in particular with a xenon-bromine filling or a krypton-chlorine filling or a xenon-iodine filling or a krypton-fluorine filling, are used for such UV radiators. Although these emitters have lower efficiency compared to mercury lamps, they are characterized by a virtually non-existent starting time and are therefore suitable for discontinuous operation in small water treatment plants for individual households.

A further solution of the problem is the use of UV light sources such as discharge lamps for the irradiation of air, which take direct influence on the temperature of the UV light source.

The treatment of fluids in the sense of the present invention does not mean mere cooling, but the treatment of a raw material to a finished product, For example, the treatment of water or air, especially in sewage or fresh water treatment plants and in exhaust or fresh air treatment plants. The ease of handling and the simple production of the systems according to the invention are of great advantage for domestic applications, in particular the domestic water supply. The treatment of fluids according to the invention can also be advantageously used for example for air conditioners or the air supply in buildings or trains and the production of vitamin D as well as industrial applications.

In the following, the invention will be explained by way of examples with reference to the figures.

Fig. 1 shows a radiator arranged in a fluid flow;

Fig. 2 shows the spectrum of a low-pressure radiator and the DNA absorption curve of Escherichia coli;

In a cold-operated excimer radiator according to FIG. 1, which is surrounded by water to be sterilized, the water to be treated directly cools the sterilization lamp. As germicidal lamps are lamps with an excimer gas filling for cold operation, for example, mercury-free lamps based on noble gas-halogen mixtures such as xenon-bromine filling or krypton-chlorine filling or xenon-iodine filling or krypton-fluorine filling , The latter lamps have the optimum operating temperature in the range between ^{0 0} C and 50 ⁰ C, in particular between 5 ° C and 30 ⁰ C.

In Fig. 1, an electrodeless UV lamp is immersed in a fluid 6 in a channel provided for the fluid. The electrodeless lamp contains a xenon-bromine gas filling, which can be excited to excimer discharge. The excitation takes place by means of microwaves which are transmitted by a magnetron 1 via a waveguide 2. In the waveguide 2 standing waves are generated. For this purpose, the waveguide is adjusted with a slider 4. The coupling of the energy from the magnetron into the waveguide and from the waveguide into the radiator takes place via the coupling pins 3.

As a magnetron 1 basically all generators for generating microwaves can be used. The waveguide 2 is a usual waveguide for microwave technology, in which standing waves can form. To adjust the standing waves is a Justierschieber 4. Coupling pins 3 allow the coupling of energy from the magnetron in the waveguide and from the waveguide in the radiator. The thus excited with microwaves emitter can be operated directly in the water. The spectrum of a low-pressure radiator with xenon-bromine filling is shown in Figure 2 next to a DNA absorption curve of E. coli. The similar spectral course indicates the good suitability of the low-pressure radiator with xenon-bromine filling for sterilization or disinfection.

In this arrangement, microwaves of 2.45 GHz or a wavelength of 12.2 cm in a channel through which water flows, an excimer radiator with a xenon-bromine filling operated for 1000 hours discontinuously, for a life of over 3 years in one Five-person household corresponds. In contrast, the service life of continuously operated mercury low-pressure lamps with an operating life of 5000 hours with a service life of 6 months, since in continuous operation, the service life corresponds to the operating time. Quite correspondingly, in the continuous operation, the energy ultimately consumed, despite the better efficiency of the mercury halogen radiator due to the many times higher operating time in continuous operation higher.

Energy balance in comparison with a low-pressure mercury lamp:

A 50 W mercury lamp consumes 1,200 Wh per day in continuous operation. At 30% efficiency, a 50 W lamp has a radiant power of 15 W. This radiation line is created with a 200 W electrodeless excimer lamp with a bromine-xenon fill , With a daily operating time of one hour in discontinuous operation, this lamp consumes only 200 Wh per day.

The lifetime of a mercury lamp in continuous operation is the same as the service life and is about 6 months. In discontinuous operation, the service life is increased many times over the operating time. With an operating time of only 1, 5 to 2 months, the service life for a discontinuous operation with an average of one hour per day is 3 to 4 years.

Claims

claims

1. Arrangement of an electrodeless mercury-free gas discharge lamp (5) in a lamp irradiated by the fluid (6), which directly influences the temperature of the lamp body influence.

2. Arrangement of an electrodeless gas discharge lamp (5) in a fluid irradiated by the lamp (6), which directly influences the temperature of the lamp body, in particular according to claim 1, characterized in that the lamp body is arranged with its longitudinal axis in the propagation direction of the microwave is.

3. Arrangement of an electrodeless gas discharge lamp (5) in a lamp irradiated by the fluid (6), which directly influences the temperature of the lamp body, in particular according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that more than 80%, in particular more than 90 % of the surface of the lamp body protrude into the fluid to be irradiated.

4. Discontinuous process for the treatment, in particular degermination of fluids (6) in a fluid treatment plant, in particular water disinfection plant, is applied to the UV radiation, wherein in the system a fluid (6) with an electrodeless gas discharge lamp body (5) brought into contact will, so that

Fluid (6) from the lamp body (5) is irradiated with UV radiation, wherein the fluid (6) directly on the temperature of the lamp body (5) influence, characterized in that the operating temperature of the lamp body between 0 ^c C and 30 ⁰ C. is set.

5. Discontinuous process for the treatment, in particular degermination of fluids (6) in a fluid treatment plant, in particular water disinfection plant, in which UV radiation is applied, wherein brought in the system a fluid (6) with an electrodeless gas discharge lamp body (5) in contact is so that the fluid (6) from the lamp body (5) is irradiated with UV radiation, wherein the fluid

(6) directly on the temperature of the lamp body (5) influence, in particular according to claim 4, characterized in that the lamp body with his Longitudinal axis is arranged in the propagation direction of the microwave or more than 80% of the surface of the lamp body protrude into the fluid to be irradiated.

6. fluid treatment plant, in particular water disinfection plant for the treatment of fluids (6), in particular for their sterilization, is used in the UV radiation, wherein the system comprises an electrodeless gas discharge lamp (5) in one of the lamp (5) irradiated fluid (6) , characterized in that the lamp body is filled with a mercury-free excimer gas mixture, which directly on the temperature of the radiator cladding tube (5) influence, thereby gekennzeich- net that more than 80% of the surface of the lamp body to be irradiated in the

Fluid protrude, wherein the fluid (6) directly on the temperature of the lamp body (5) influence.

7. Plant according to claim 6, characterized in that the UV lamp body (5) has a xenon-bromine filling or a krypton-chlorine filling or a xenon-iodine filling or a krypton-fluorine filling.

8. Plant according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that the filling is in a simple quartz tube.

9. Plant according to one of claims 6 to 8, characterized in that the UV lamp is excited with microwaves.

10. Use of a UV lamp in an air treatment plant, characterized in that irradiated by the UV lamp fluid (6) directly influences the temperature of the UV lamp.

11. Use of a UV lamp in an air treatment plant according to claim 10, characterized in that the UV lamp is cooled by the irradiated fluid.

12. Use of a UV lamp in an air treatment plant according to claim 10 or 11, characterized in that more than 80% of the surface of the UV lamp protrude into the fluid to be irradiated.

13. Use of a UV lamp in an air treatment plant according to one of claims 10 to 12, characterized in that the UV lamp is mercury-free.

14. Use of a UV lamp in an air treatment plant according to one of claims 10 to 13, characterized in that the UV lamp is an electrodeless gas discharge lamp (5).