Learn about the Importance of water flow rate

The Importance of Water Flow Rate

A key factor in determining how effective UVC light will be in deactivating a given pathogen, is the length of exposure time that pathogen has to the UVC light. The longer the exposure time, the more UVC radiation will penetrate the pathogen’s cells and therefore the more effective the inactivation process will be. It stands to reason then that the slower the flow rate of the water through the UV system, the longer the UV exposure time and vice versa. It is often helpful to consider both the maximum and minimum flow rate of the water. This is because many UV systems have the ability to adjust the power output of the lamps in relation to changes in water flow rate. By doing so, energy may be conserved when water flow rates are lower than peak flows. When determining maximum and minimum flow rates, it is important to establish the instantaneous flow rates as it is this that that will determine the instantaneous minimum and maximum UV exposure times. Daily and hourly flow rates are usually misleading in this respect, as they can mask important “peaks and troughs” in the instantaneous flow rate, thereby resulting in spurious calculations of the true UV exposure time during these peaks and troughs

Author:

Graham Smith. Fluidquip Australia Pty Ltd.