ERLANGER, KY, Jan. 31, 2005 -- Ultraviolet (UV) disinfection specialist, Aquionics, has announced the issuance of U.S. Patent No. 6,791,092 B2, entitled "A transmission Meter, A Method of Measuring Transmittance and a Disinfection Apparatus." This patent relates to the company's transmittance monitor that's used by drinking water and wastewater plants across the United States and Europe. The monitor measures UV transmittance, enabling UV disinfection systems to deliver an accurate dose, which provides more consistent and cost-effective disinfection.
Changes in feed water UV transmittance can affect UV dose and reduce the effectiveness of the disinfection process. Transmittance may fluctuate due to a variety of environmental factors, including heavy rains and other seasonal changes that introduce sediment into the feed water. To minimize the impact of these water quality changes, the transmittance monitor device continuously measures water transmittance.
Historically, the variable of UV transmittance has either been ignored, or set as a constant. Aquionics' transmittance monitor now permits accurate on line measurements to be taken, and the output processed in the UV dose algorithms used by the disinfection system. The UV system's control unit can then respond to changes in water quality by automatically increasing or decreasing the intensity of UV emitted by lamps in the disinfection chambers. This results in feed water that is irradiated with the optimum UV dose, regardless of its UV transmittance.
The Aquionics monitor is unique in that it has no moving parts and does not rely on wipers to keep the optical path free from fouling. In addition to increased performance, the monitor reduces energy costs by allowing lamp power to be reduced when transmittance improves.
"Aquionics has a long history of innovation in developing successful technologies. We have used the transmittance monitors in a number of municipal installations recently, and can rely on the integrity of the readings," commented Aquionics' Jon McClean. "The issuance of this patent is public recognition of our innovation and the success of the product is a credit to our development teams in the U.S. and Europe."
About Aquionics
In conjunction with sister Halma Group Companies, Hanovia (UK) and Berson (Netherlands), Aquionics (www.aquionics.com) offers over 85 years of experience in the manufacture, application and development of UV technology for non-chemical disinfection and microbiological control. The company's systems are used in a wide variety of applications including wastewater treatment, pharmaceutical manufacture, food and beverage production, meat processing, microelectronics, pool disinfection, and specialized industrial settings.
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