In-line treatment of liquids and gases by light irradiation

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention are directed to a liquid disinfection device. The device may include a pipeline to hold flowing liquid to be treated with light radiation where the pipeline having walls made of light-transparent material and surrounded by air, a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet and one or more windows adapted for the transmission of light into the pipeline. The device may further include one or more light sources positioned externally to the pipeline to generate light to be transmitted through the window into the flowing liquid within the pipeline and a reflector to reflect light generated by the one or more light sources through respective windows into the flowing liquid within the pipeline, wherein the reflected light strikes the walls of the pipeline at angles of incidence greater than a critical angle for total internal reflection to enable the total internal reflection.

1 . A liquid disinfection device comprising:
 a pipeline to hold flowing liquid to be treated with ultraviolet (UV) radiation, the pipeline comprising walls made of UV-transparent material and surrounded by air, a liquid inlet and a liquid outlet and one or more UV-transparent windows;   one or more UV light sources positioned externally to the pipeline to generate light to be transmitted through the one or more windows into the flowing liquid within the pipeline; and   one or more reflectors to reflect light generated by the UV light source into the flowing liquid within the pipeline, wherein the reflected light strikes the walls of the pipeline at angles of incidence greater than a critical angle for total internal reflection to enable the total internal reflection.   
     
     
         2 . The liquid disinfection device of  claim 1 , wherein the walls of the pipeline are made of quartz. 
     
     
         3 . The liquid disinfection device of  claim 1 , wherein the pipeline is positioned inside a protective sleeve with an air gap in between. 
     
     
         4 . The liquid disinfection device of  claim 1 , wherein the window is provided with an optical filter to block light of a predetermined wavelength spectrum from entering the pipeline. 
     
     
         5 . The liquid disinfection device of  claim 1 , further comprising one or more light detectors to detect light energy at one or more predetermined regions of the pipeline, and a controller to control one or more disinfection-related parameters of said disinfection device based on the detected light energy. 
     
     
         6 . The liquid disinfection device of  claim 1 , wherein a first one of said UV-light sources is positioned in proximity to the liquid inlet and a second one of said UV-light sources is positioned in proximity to the liquid outlet. 
     
     
         7 . The liquid disinfection device of  claim 1 , wherein one of said UV-transparent windows is located in proximity to the liquid inlet such that the liquid flows in a space between the window and the pipeline. 
     
     
         8 . A method for disinfecting liquids by ultraviolet (UV) light, the method comprising:
 accommodating flowing liquid to be disinfected in a pipeline comprising walls made of a UV-transparent material;   positioning a UV-transparent window externally to the pipeline leaving a space between said window and said pipeline for liquid to flow;   generating UV light externally to the pipeline to be transmitted trough the UV-transparent window into the flowing liquid within the pipeline; and   reflecting, with a reflector, the UV light into the liquid flowing through the pipeline such that light is transmitted through the window into the liquid, and such that a major portion of said light strikes the walls of the pipeline at angles of incidence greater than a critical angle for total internal reflection to enable the total internal reflection.   
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 8 , wherein the transparent material is quartz.