Disinfecting With UVC LED Lighting
Ultraviolet germicidal irradiation (UVGI) is a disinfection method that has been around since the mid- 20th century. Primarily it has been used in the hospital setting and where it is critical to minimize any types of germ exposure such as food facilities, air and water purification. The UVC wavelength ranges from 200 - 280 nm, which is outside of normal human visibility. It is well known that UVC light kills microorganisms by destroying nucleic acids and disrupting their DNA, preventing them from performing vital cellular functions.
Now as the economy is slowly starting to emerge from the Covid19 quarantine, people are still concerned about hygiene and cleanliness. Our most recent lighting assessment was for a client that wanted to disinfect their elevators and air handling units. Within the elevators, two 15W four foot LED UVC T8s (270nm) are required to adequately disinfect the space. Also, for this unique situation, the UVC lights are required to turn off when people entered. Therefore, the occupancy sensor on the fixture is tied to a contactor enabling this type of operation to be achieved.
The air handling units are to receive the same treatment, except for the reverse occupancy sensor operation. For this application, the UVC lights will be set up with light switches and timers. This way, the building operators can choose when the UVC lights are on. An example of when they may not be needed is in the evening after working hours.
Many countries and businesses have already adopted UVC sanitizing technologies. We also believe that this is the way forward in terms of hygiene and public health. The images below are interesting pictures of what types of inventions are emerging due to Covid19.
What are your thoughts on this topic? Is it good or bad? We would like to know your thoughts. Until next time, take care.
Bill