WHAT IS GERMICIDAL ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT?
How does UV Water Filtration Work?
F.A.Q. about UV Water Filtration
Ultraviolet Drinking Water Filtration: UV Sterilization is the process of sterilizing microorganisms
in water with high intensity ultraviolet light. To destroy organisms is a little bit of a misnomer.
Here is How it Works: Germicidal Ultraviolet Lamps emit light on the UVC spectrum at 253.7nm that
penetrates and scrambles/breaks up the nucleus of a cell rendering it sterile and unable to infect the person who ingests it.
Why Have Pre-Filtration before the UV Chamber? Pre-filtration before UV is as important as the
UV chamber itself. It is required for two reasons. First, the pre-filter will remove larger organisms and also
organisms that are attached to particles that the UV light cannot penetrate to sterilize. Second, the pre-filter
will clarify the water so that the UV light can penetrate and sterilize effectively. Micro-filtration is used to
ensure that the water coming into the ultraviolet chamber is free of sediment, which may cast shadows and provide
shelter for microorganisms, and to screen out the larger, more hardy life-forms, such as cryptosporidium cysts.
Carbon block filtration is used by Water Safe Pro and WaterFixer UV filter systems in conjunction with a Germicidal
Ultraviolet Lamp for perfect water purification.
HOW DOES 3-STAGE UV FILTRATION WORK?
A Diagram of the WaterFixer Model 1000 Unit
Just below the smallest wavelength of visible light is a band called the
Ultraviolet Spectrum. The "Germicidal Band" (UVC) of the
Ultraviolet Spectrum is 100 - 280 nanometers. Light at this
wavelength destroys microorganisms including bacteria and viruses.
The WaterFixer operates at 253.7 nanometers, which is the most
effective wavelength for germicidal action. Microorganisms are
destroyed/sterilized by UV light on contact--this means that UV light must
strike the organism to be effective. Since UV light will not
penetrate anything but a clear liquid, to maintain clarity of your
water the WaterFixer Model 1000 and the Water Safe Pro
Model 500/512 each comes with two prefilters.
PRE-FILTRATION IS REQUIRED BEFORE UV STERILIZATION
The first prefilter screens out larger size
substances. It is usually a 5 micron pleated filter or 1m spun filter.
The second filter is a .5 Carbon Block filter that strains out remaining fine sediment
plus chlorine and other chemicals while eliminating any existing
odors or unpleasant tastes in your water. It also filters
parasites such as Giardia and Cryptosporidium cysts.
Those cysts are too large for the UV light to penetrate.Inside the
304 stainless steel disinfection chamber, the ultraviolet bulb is
housed in a special quartz sleeve (tube) that allows the bulb to
emit energy at the 253.7 nanometers wavelength. The sterilizing
power of the unit is defined by how many microwatts can be applied
to the water per second. At a flow rate of 4 gallons per minute,
the WaterFixer radiates 30,000 microwatt seconds per square centimeter
required for UV disinfection equipment. The same UVC dosage is true of the
Water Safe Pro Model 500-512 at 3GPM. To ensure effectiveness
of the ultraviolet component, prefiltration
is mandatory. Only approved filters should be used.
