British UV disinfection specialist Hanovia Limited (www.hanovia.com) has expanded its operations by moving to newer, larger premises in Slough, England. The new building provides 1,865 sq m (20,000 sq ft) of space, allowing Hanovia to significantly increase production of its UV disinfection systems which are sold world-wide for process water, aquaculture and swimming pool water treatment.

As the only UV system supplier to develop and manufacture both UV lamps and monitors, Hanovia is recognised as the technology leader in UV disinfection. Its UV systems are an integral part of many water treatment processes in the food, beverage, brewing and winemaking industries as well as high purity applications like pharmaceutical and semiconductor manufacturing.

Comments Off

Introduction

In an increasingly regulated and safety-conscious market, the meat processing industry has to meet ever more stringent standards of hygiene and quality. Microbial growth due to contamination of wash water, brine chillers, meat marinades and pickle injectors can often result in contamination and shortened shelf life. The threat of contamination is further increased as manufacturers respond to demands for less chemical additives and preservatives.

A non-chemical disinfection method which is gaining increasing acceptance is ultraviolet (UV) disinfection. UV kills all known spoilage microorganisms, including bacteria, viruses, yeasts and moulds (and their spores). It is a low maintenance, environmentally friendly technology which eliminates the need for chemical treatment while ensuring high levels of disinfection.

How UV disinfection works

UV is the part of the electromagnetic spectrum between visible light and X-rays. The specific portion of the UV spectrum between 185-400nm (known as UV-C) has a strong germicidal effect, with peak effectiveness at 265nm. At these wavelengths UV kills microorganisms by penetrating their cell membranes and damaging the DNA, making them unable to reproduce and effectively killing them.

A typical UV disinfection system consists of a UV lamp housed in a protective quartz sleeve and mounted within a cylindrical stainless steel chamber. The liquid to be treated enters at one end and passes along the entire length of the chamber before exiting at the other end. Virtually any liquid can be effectively treated with UV, including raw municipal water, filtered wash water, process water, brines, marinades, pickles and process effluent.

There are two main types of UV technology, based on the type of UV lamps used: low pressure (LP) and medium pressure (MP). LP lamps have a monochromatic UV output (limited to a single wavelength at 254nm), whereas MP lamps have a polychromatic UV output (with an output between 185-400nm).

Benefits of UV Disinfection

UV disinfection has many advantages over alternative methods. Unlike chemical treatment, UV does not introduce toxins or residues into the process and does not alter the chemical composition, taste, odour or pH of the water or liquid being disinfected.

UV treatment can be used for primary disinfection or as a back-up for other purification methods such as carbon filtration, reverse osmosis or pasteurisation. As UV has no residual effect, the best position for a treatment system is immediately prior to the point of use. This ensures incoming microbiological contaminants are destroyed and there is a minimal chance of post-treatment contamination.

UV applications in the meat processing industry

Wash/rinse water
Using UV to disinfect the water used to rinse carcasses and to wash process equipment and work surfaces can dramatically decrease contamination, increasing shelf life. UV also reduces the amount of chlorine needed to disinfect rinse and wash water.

Brine chillers, meat pickle and marinade injectors
Brines, pickles and marinades can be a prime breeding ground for harmful microorganisms like Listeria and E. coli. Fitting UV systems on recirculating brine chillers and meat pickle and marinade injectors are very effective at destroying these microorganisms. Depending on the model, some UV systems can operate very effectively through a wide range of temperatures and applications – from super-cooled brines to very hot sanitation cycles. Additionally, in marinade applications, operating costs are reduced through less frequent fluid change-over.

CIP (Clean-in-Place) rinse  water
It is essential that the CIP final rinse water used to flush out foreign matter and disinfecting solutions is microbiologically safe. Fully automated UV disinfection systems can be integrated with CIP rinse cycles to ensure final rinse water does not reintroduce microbiological contaminants. Because of their mechanical strength, MP lamps are not affected by any sudden changes in the temperature of the CIP water.

Filter disinfection
Stored reverse osmosis (RO) and granular activated carbon (GAC) filters can be a breeding ground for bacteria. UV is an effective way of disinfecting both stored RO and GAC filtered water and has been used in the process industries for many years.

Dechlorination
GAC filters are also often used to dechlorinate process water, removing the ‘off’ flavours often associated with chlorine disinfection, meaning the flavour of the final product remains untainted and free from unwanted flavours or odours. Placing UV systems ahead of GAC filters used for dechlorination improves the performance of the filters and results in longer carbon runs, so decreasing operating costs.

Effluent
Increasingly, meat processors are caught between conflicting sets of regulations – while food hygiene regulations in many countries require increased use of water to rinse carcasses, environmental regulations are limiting the amount of fresh water that a plant can consume. With only so much fresh water coming in, plants are forced to reduce capacity in order to meet these conflicting requirements. By reusing disinfected wastewater in non-contact applications like chillers and cooling towers, more fresh water can be devoted to washing and processing. UV systems can be used in conjunction with other waste treatment processes to disinfect wastewater without chemicals, making it fit to use again. By using this low-maintenance technology, plant production capacity can be increased and hazardous chemicals are eliminated.

Environmental benefits
While reusing wastewater means a dramatic reduction in discharges to watercourses, any effluent that does have to be discharged can also be disinfected with UV to meet with local environmental regulations.

Designed to meet the stringent sanitary requirements of the food industry, today’s UV disinfection systems can usually be easily integrated in-line into process systems with little disruption to plant operations. Maintenance requirements are minimal – most UV lamps these days only need replacing once a year, an easy operation which can be carried out by on-site personnel. Automatic internal wipers also keep the UV lamps clean, ensuring optimum UV output at all times – especially important in solutions with a high concentration of suspended solids.

Conclusion

Meeting the increasingly rigorous hygiene standards required in meat processing is a real challenge. If improvements need to be made to plant and equipment, they need to bring quick returns on the investment and measurable improvements in product quality.

For processors seeking to improve the quality of their product, UV is an economic, realistic option for many applications. It is already a well established method of disinfecting drinking water throughout the world, and is also widely used for high purity uses such as pharmaceutical processing and semiconductor manufacturing, where water of the highest quality is essential. UV is also an environmentally friendly technology that allows processors to reuse wastewater, minimising discharges.

UV disinfection systems are easy to install, with minimum disruption to the plant. They need very little maintenance, the only requirement being replacement of the UV lamps every 12 months, depending on use. This is a simple operation that takes only a few minutes and can be carried out by general maintenance staff.

Comments (0) »

British UV disinfection company Hanovia has appointed George Wang as its new China Country Manager. A subsidiary company of Halma p.l.c., Hanovia is one of the world’s leading UV disinfection system manufacturers for process water applications, with major installations in China, southeast Asia, Australasia, north and south America, Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

George has a Masters Degree from East China University of Science and Technology and has many years’ experience in research into various aspects of water treatment. His extensive knowledge of water treatment technology and UV disinfection will be very important in his new role.

“My role will be to help Hanovia develop partnerships with competitive sales and engineering companies in China which will allow us to offer the best, local service for our customers in this country,” commented George on his appointment. A highly qualified, dedicated individual, he brings to Hanovia valuable experience which will ensure the company maintains its position as a leader in UV technology applications.

Hanovia’s main markets in China are industrial users of process water such as semiconductor and pharmaceutical manufacturers, food, beverage and brewing, aquaculture and also operators of indoor swimming pools and spas.

Comments Off

Loch Fyne Oysters Ltd in Scotland has chosen two Hanovia medium pressure UV disinfection systems for its oyster farm in Loch Fyne, Cairndow, Scotland. The UV systems, which were installed by Barr and Wray, destroy harmful E.Coli bacteria from its oyster and  mussel depuration tanks. Each UV chamber treats up to 150 m3 water per hour.

According to a spokesperson from Loch Fyne Oysters, “The Hanovia units were recommended to us by Barr and Wray because of their 99.99% log reduction of E.Coli, their robust, stainless steel construction, their ease of installation and easy maintenance – including easy UV lamp replacement and daily cleaning with a manual wiper – and low running costs. We also find the digital run-time read-out very useful, and the price was very competitive.”

Hanovia UV systems can be used in farms and hatcheries to treat both incoming and recirculation water, allowing flexibility in the choice of site and a rapid payback for farmers. UV is ideally suited for this application as it uses no chemicals and does not create by-products which would harm the stock, or other aquatic life, on discharge. Unlike other treatment methods, UV also avoids the expense of complex monitoring systems involved in adding and removing chemicals before the water reaches the stock. In addition, it does not alter the pH of the water. Indeed, UV is the most economical disinfection technique that can be used in aquaculture.

Maintenance of the systems is restricted to the replacement of the UV lamps every 12 months, a simple operation that can be carried out by on-site staff. An automatic or manual wiper can be fitted over the quartz sleeve which surrounds the UV lamp to prevent the build-up of any deposits, ensuring maximum levels of irradiation at all times.

A significant feature of Hanovia’s systems is the Photon control panel which displays a range of useful functions such as flow rate, UV dose and intensity. It is capable of logging up to one year’s performance data, which can be downloaded to a PC through an RS232 port. Linked into a central computer, the control panel can also be operated remotely, and allows the system to operate around the clock.

Comments Off

Hanovia UV technology has been selected by NZ Hothouse, a leading New Zealand provider of fresh produce, to disinfect the water used for soil-less plant cultivation in its glasshouses.

Located near Auckland, NZ Hothouse has almost 20 hectares of glasshouses on two sites growing tomatoes, capsicums and cucumbers for distribution both nationally and internationally.

The source of the water is a combination of rain water and borehole water, which is stored in large outside holding ponds. The main microbial challenge organisms in the water include fungi such as Pythium, Phytophthora and Fusarium; bacteria such as Clavibacter and viruses such as tomato bronze (wilt) virus and tomato mosaic virus.

No conventional microbiological checks are carried out, but NZ Hothouse uses what it calls ‘bait tests’ with very young plants to see if they fall victim to any of these water-borne pathogens.

Two Hanovia PMD200 medium pressure systems are installed – one for each site – treating up to 68 m3 water per hour. UV treatment is ideal for this application as it is a completely clean technology that introduces no chemicals or unwanted disinfection by-products into the water and does not alter its pH.

The UV systems feature an automatic wiper which prevents the build-up of deposits on the quartz tube, ensuring optimum UV dose at all times. Photon control panels provide the operators with data on flow rate, UV dose and intensity and can log up to one year’s performance data, which is downloadable to a PC via an RS323 port. The control panel can also be operated remotely, allowing the system to run 24 hours a day. Maintenance of the unit is restricted to the replacement of a lamp every six months, a simple operation that can be carried out by on-site staff.

All Hanovia UV disinfection systems are easy to install, with minimum disruption to the plant. They need very little maintenance, the only requirement being replacement of the UV lamps and servicing of the wiper systems every 12 months, depending on use. For more information please visit the company’s website at www.hanovia.com.

Comments (0) »

To protect fish farms and hatcheries from outbreaks of water-borne diseases, water treatment specialist Hanovia Limited has developed a high intensity UV disinfection system. Capable of treating up to 700m3/hr of both fresh or sea water with at least a 99.99% kill rate, the UV system can be used to treat both incoming and recirculation water, allowing flexibility in the choice of site and a rapid payback for farmers.

Increased water extraction and lowered water quality can result in increased outbreaks of viral and bacterial fish diseases. Due to the intensive nature of fish farming, fish stock is also highly susceptible to infection from natural fish populations in the water feeding the farm. To break the infection cycle between fish farms and natural fish populations, a disinfection system is needed to treat water entering and circulating within fish farms.

UV is ideally suited for these applications as it uses no chemicals and does not create by-products which would harm the fish stock, or other aquatic life, on discharge. Unlike other treatment methods, UV avoids the expense of complex monitoring systems involved in adding and removing chemicals before the water reaches the fish. In addition, it does not alter the pH of the water. Indeed, UV is the most economical disinfection technique that can be used in fish aquaculture. Applications include treatment of water in hatcheries, shell-fish purging tanks and fry rearing tanks, and recirculation water in marine parks and aquaria.

Maintenance of the system is restricted to the replacement of the UV lamp every 12 months, a simple operation that can be carried out by on-site staff. An automatic or manual wiper can be fitted over the quartz sleeve which surrounds the UV lamp to prevent the build-up of any deposits, ensuring maximum levels of irradiation at all times.

A significant feature of the Hanovia system is the new Photon control panel which displays a range of useful functions such as flow rate, UV dose and intensity. It is capable of logging up to one year’s performance data, which can be downloaded to a PC through an RS232 port. Linked into a central computer, the control panel can also be operated remotely, and allows the system to operate around the clock.

To date Hanovia has installed over 300 aquaculture systems in 14 countries around the world. Applications include water treatment in hatcheries, fish farms (salmon, sea bream and sea bass) shellfish depuration tanks and fry rearing tanks as well as treating re-circulation water in marine parks and aquaria. For more information please visit the company’s website at www.hanovia.com .

Comments (0) »

Hanovia Limited has won the contract to supply Cultivos Huacamalal Ltda. of Chile with a medium pressure UV disinfection system for its new salmon hatchery in Rio Ignao in the south of the country. The UV system is part of a US$1.1 million water recirculation and effluent treatment system provided by Atlantech Chile Ltda. of Puerto Montt, Chile.

The Hanovia unit will treat well water used for make-up supply in the water recirculation system to control against Infectious Pancreatic Necrosis (IPN) RNA-virus. IPN is found in wild salmon populations on the Pacific coasts of both North and South America and can cause severe mortality (up to 80%) in fish up to two years old. It is a common disease in hatcheries and is also capable of transmitting epizootic conditions back to wild populations.

UV treatment is ideally suited for this application as it uses no chemicals, avoiding the expense of complex monitoring systems needed when adding and removing chemicals in feedwater. In addition UV treatment does not alter the pH of the water or produce any harmful by-products in the discharged water.

The UV system to be installed at Rio Ignao features a manual wiper which prevents the build-up of deposits on the quartz tube, ensuring optimum UV dose at all times. A Photon control panel will provide the operators with data on flow rate, UV dose and intensity and can log up to one year’s performance data, which is downloadable to a PC via an RS323 port. The control panel can also be operated remotely, allowing the system to run 24 hours a day. Maintenance of the unit will be restricted to replacing the UV lamp once a year, a simple operation that can be carried out by on-site staff.

Chile is one of the three major salmon farming countries in the world, along with Norway and Scotland. In 2005, Chilean salmon exports were US$1.3 billion and it was expected to increase to US$2.2 billion by the end of 2006.

Cultivos Huacamalal is a new player in the Chilean salmon aquaculture industry. The company was formed by a number of experienced partners in the fish production and shipbuilding industry in Chile and has signed an agreement to supply product to one of the largest salmon exporters in the country.

To date Hanovia has installed over 300 aquaculture systems in 14 countries around the world. Applications include water treatment in hatcheries, fish farms (salmon, sea bream and sea bass) shellfish depuration tanks and fry rearing tanks as well as treating re-circulation water in marine parks and aquaria.

Comments (0) »

Recent independent tests carried out at a UK leisure centre showed a dramatic reduction in TOC (total organic carbon), THMs (trihalomethanes) and combined chlorine in pool water following the installation of a Hanovia medium pressure UV system.

The tests were carried out by WRK Design and Services Limited, an independent chemical engineering consultancy specialising in contract research and development and pilot plant studies. They were conducted at the Lightwaves Leisure Centre in Wakefield.

The main objectives of the trial were to analyse swimming pool water samples for TOC, THMs, active/free chlorine and TDS (total dissolved solids) before and after the installation of a UV water treatment system.

In all cases, there was a significant reduction of TOCs, THMs, combined chlorine and TDS post-UV. Transmission* values were higher post-UV, indicating a reduction in suspended organic material (with correspondingly lower absorbance) as a result of UV. The lower combined chlorine levels also indicated lower levels of organic material, matching the higher transmission values. Chlorine reacts with organic material to form combined chlorine, so lower organics would result in less combined chlorine, lower absorbance, and therefore higher transmission.

Following the trial WRK concluded that, “The results of the analysis indicate that the medium pressure UV system at Lightwaves Leisure Centre was beneficial in reducing the TOCs and THMs to very low levels (~ 25 µg/litre) up to 14 days after installing the UV system.” The report also confirmed the reduction in combined chlorine was also significant.

* The condition of the water being treated will determine how well the UV light passes through it (UV transmittance).

Comments (0) »

UV disinfection specialist Hanovia has won a major contract to supply UV disinfection systems to a leading pharmaceutical manufacturer in China. The UV systems will be used for ultra-pure process water disinfection.

“This is our largest ever pharmaceutical order for the Chinese market and cements our position as one of the leading suppliers of UV disinfection systems to the global pharmaceutical industry. The support of our local Chinese representative was instrumental in Hanovia winning this contact.”

UV technology has many applications in the pharmaceutical industry, including process water disinfection, TOC (total organic carbon) reduction, ozone and chloramine destruction, and dechlorination.

UV systems are easy to install on existing pipework and require minimum disruption and site preparation. Depending on the level of use, the only routine maintenance required is changing the UV lamps every 12-24 months, a simple procedure that can be carried out by on-site personnel. Once installed, a plant can be kept operational 24 hours a day, without the necessity of shutting down the system for routine sanitation and sterilisation.

Comments (0) »

The quality standards required for purified water in the production of pharmaceuticals have never been stricter, with manufacturers having to conform to an ever increasing number of international standards. Craig Howarth, Managing Director of Hanovia Limited, introduces a number of interesting new developments in UV technology for disinfection and dechlorination.

Introduction

Ultraviolet (UV) technology was originally used to ensure the adequate disinfection of municipal towns mains water. Since its introduction over 40 years’ ago, it is now applied globally for disinfection, TOC (total organic carbon) reduction, destruction of Ozone and Chloramines plus de-chlorination of process water in many different industries, including pharmaceutical manufacturing. Water is the largest volume material used within pharmaceutical processes and, driven by more stringent standards, increasingly sophisticated process barriers and disinfection techniques have been adopted. The United States Pharmacopoeia 24th edition (USP 24) defines the quality standard to which water used in this pharmaceutical manufacturing needs to be treated.

Several of the process stages in pharmaceutical production can themselves also cause microbial contamination and UV can therefore be used as an effective barrier to ensure that discrete process stages do not compromise quality standards.

Typical installations include UV for disinfection after carbon filters or before RO and UV for disinfection and TOC reduction in the polishing loop.  A correctly sized UV disinfection system installed downstream of the carbon beds or directly upstream of the RO unit will eliminate at least 99.9% of bacteria present in the inlet water.

Disinfection with UV technology

UV disinfection systems are generally split into two distinct types: low pressure (LP) and medium pressure (MP). LP systems have a monochromatic UV output (limited to a single wavelength at 254nm), whereas MP systems have a polychromatic UV output (with an output between 240-310nm).

In essence, UV works by fusing Adenine and Thiamine molecules within a micro-organism’s DNA, rendering it unable to replicate.  The micro-organisms are thus destroyed without the use of chemicals.  Whilst 254nm is an effective wavelength for disinfection, it is generally accepted that DNA absorbs UV most effectively at 265nm, a wavelength that MP lamps produce in abundance. Understanding these differences is fundamental to the design of efficient and effective UV disinfection equipment.  Generally speaking, LP systems are best used on small, intermittent flow applications with MP technology lending itself to higher flowrates. Small, single lamp units can be effectively monitored and economically used to treat flows up to around 50m3/h.

Installing UV systems

UV units can be installed at various points along an ultrapure water system. Installation or retrofitting to existing pipework and vessels is relatively straightforward, requiring minimum disruption and site preparation. Depending on the level of use, the only routine maintenance required is changing the arc-tubes every 12 months, a simple procedure that can be carried out by on-site personnel. Once installed, the processing plant can be kept operational 24 hours a day, without the necessity of shutting down the system for routine sanitation and sterilisation.

Effective validation

UV dose is computed by using three independent variables:

UV dose (fluence) = Lamp Intensity X Residence Time Distribution X Water Transmittance

To ensure that the UV dose (lamp output) is effectively measured, each of the process variables needs to be measured. Many UV monitors have adjustable potentiometers to allow simple re-calibration. This does not make the measurement relative, nor absolute. The monitor camera should be sealed, and calibrated against a traceable norm. An audit trail should be provided with each lamp and monitor to ensure that the lamp output, measured in watts/cm-2, of germicidal UV is measured, not guessed. The same is true of the monitor response, measured in mW/cm-2. No in-field adjustment to the monitor camera should be possible, and normally these cameras should be returned to the manufacturer for re-calibration in accordance with the audit trail.

Each lamp should have a unique serial number, together with a certificate of spectral conformity. It is standard practice to be able to measure, not infer, UV dose expressed in mJ/cm-2 with a dedicated monitor camera for each lamp. Those who seek to apply Good Manufacturing Practice are able to data-log the UV dose received by the water, and the validation of the process is completed with an event stamp of any UV fault, showing date and time, and providing a permanent record of the recorded fault.

TOC reduction

Recent research by Hanovia has shown that short wavelengths (below 200nm) are highly effective at breaking down organic molecules present in water, especially low molecular weight contaminants. Experiments carried out by the company using a PFW (purified water) loop showed that below 200nm UV works in two ways: the first method is by direct photolysis, when energy from the UV actually breaks down chemical bonds within the organics; the second method is by the photolysis of water molecules, splitting them to create charged OH- radicals, which also attack the organics.

It was also discovered that increasing the power input to the UV system was actually found to be detrimental to effective treatment, as higher wattage per unit surface area increases the temperature of the quartz sleeve of the arc tube, shortening its life and inhibiting the shorter wavelength output. Higher power input causes the internal pressure of the arc tube to rise as well, which also cuts off short wavelength UV.

Traditionally, MP lamps have been used for TOC reduction, but their output below 200nm is relatively low, limiting their effectiveness. Hanovia has therefore developed a new type UV lamp designed specifically for TOC reduction. Called SuperTOC, this lamp has a sub-200nm output between two and three times that of any previous MP lamp. It is designed to operate at lower temperatures than conventional MP lamps, increasing lamp life and optimising UV output below 200nm, where it has the greatest potential for reducing TOC.

Dechlorination

The make-up water to many pharmaceutical plants is derived from municipal water supplies and, for over 50 years, free chlorine has been widely used for residual disinfection. When chlorine is injected into waters with naturally occurring humic acids, fulvic acids and other naturally occurring materials, trihalomethane (THM) compounds are formed. Since some THM’s have been demonstrated to be cancer-causing to laboratory animals in relatively low concentrations, the U.S. environmental protection Agency has set their maximum contaminant level in primary drinking water to be 100 parts per billion (ppb) since 1979.

In addition, because of its properties, chlorine can damage delicate process equipment like reverse osmosis (RO) membranes and deionization (DI) resin units and must be removed once it has performed its disinfection function.

To date, the two most commonly used methods of chlorine removal have been granular activated carbon (GAC) filters or the addition of neutralising chemicals such as sodium bisulphite and sodium metabisulphite. Both of these methods have their advantages, but they also have a number of significant drawbacks. GAC filters, because of their porous structure and nutrient-rich environment, can become a breeding ground for bacteria. Dechlorination chemicals such as sodium bisulphite, which are usually injected just in front of RO membranes, can also act as incubators for bacteria, causing biofouling of the membranes. In addition, these chemicals are hazardous to handle and there is a danger of over- or under-dosing due to human error.

UV is now becoming increasingly popular as an effective alternative method of dechlorination. It has none of the drawbacks of GAC or neutralising chemicals, while effectively reducing both free chlorine and combined chlorine compounds (chloramines) into easily removed by-products.

Between the wavelengths 180nm to 400nm UV light produces photochemical reactions which dissociate free chlorine to form hydrochloric acid. The peak wavelengths for dissociation of free chlorine range from 180 nm to 200 nm, while the peak wavelengths for dissociation of combined chlorine (mono-, di-, and tri-chloramine) range from 245nm to 365nm. Up to 5ppm of chloramines can be successfully destroyed in a single pass through a UV reactor and up to 15ppm of free chlorine can be removed.

The UV dosage required for dechlorination depends on total chlorine level, ratio of free vs. combined chlorine, background level of organics and target reduction concentrations. The usual dose for removal of free chlorine is 15 to 30 times higher than the normal disinfection dose of 30,000 microWatt-seconds per centimetre squared (mW-s/cm2). Additional important benefits of using UV dechlorination are high levels of UV disinfection, total organic carbon (TOC) destruction and improved overall water quality at point-of-use.

A Hanovia UV dechlorination unit was recently installed at Procter & Gamble’s manufacturing plant in North Carolina, USA. Prior to this dechlorination was achieved using sodium bisulfite. The UV unit was installed before two banks of RO membranes, and trials run soon after the system’s installation showed a dramatic reduction in the RO membrane wash frequency – down from an average of eight cleanings per month to only two per month – amounting to annual savings of US$70, 000. The number of shutdowns for RO membrane maintenance has also been significantly reduced.

“We are very pleased with the UV system,” said a Utilities Process Engineer. “Not only have we saved money since the UV system was installed, but the disruption caused by plant shutdowns as a result of RO membrane fouling has also been significantly reduced. UV provides a high standard of dechlorination without any of the drawbacks of using chemicals or GAC filters.”

Conclusion

UV is a key process tool that can ensure purified water loops operate at the highest levels of microbiological integrity. Its benefits are many: installation is easy, requiring little disruption to the plant; maintenance is simple and can be carried out by on-site personnel; as a non-chemical method of treatment, there is no possibility of a detrimental effect on product stability and products are also free from unwanted residues, colours and odours.

Independent audit trails now allow UV dose measurements to be accurately measured, not inferred, with the intensity calibrated against an absolute standard. In addition, data-logging ensures that compliance can be measured and demonstrated, not simply guessed. It is also being successfully utilised for TOC reduction, dechlorination and dechloramination by some of the world’s leading pharmaceutical manufacturers.

Comments (0) »