SBIR-STTR Award

This Small Business Innovation Research Phase 1 research project will develop a low power germicidal flow cell with a reduced form factor for point of use (PoU) water disinfection. It will use ultraviolet light emitting diodes (UV LEDs) along with a novel and proprietary flow cell design. Current ultraviolet PoU water disinfection is accomplished using discharge lamps, which requires high voltage, ballasts, and a relatively large form factor. The use of UV LEDs instead of discharge lamps will allow the light sources to reside inside a smaller form factor, and to function at lower overall electrical power, without line voltage and ballasts. The proposed unit also will facilitate two distinct and complementary disinfection mechanisms. One involves the structure and material of the flow cell itself, which is designed to improve upon the conventional flow cell by maximizing the ultraviolet dose received by microorganisms in the water. The other involves a specific photochemical mechanism between a material constituent of flow cell and water, resulting in an independent chemical pathway to disinfection. The broader impacts of this project are low power PoU disinfection with a smaller form factor will allow more UV water disinfection units to be employed in more locations. As the cost of UV LEDs continues to decrease, the system will become increasingly commercially attractive to consumers. The low power aspect will make the system potentially useful for battery operated field applications where line voltage is not available

This Small Innovation Research (SBIR) project will bring to market a low power, point of use (PoU) water disinfection system designed to retrofit into existing passive (non-germicidal) filtration systems. This project will use ultraviolet light emitting diodes (UV LEDs) along with a novel and proprietary flow cell design, resulting in PoU water disinfection. Current ultraviolet PoU water disinfection is accomplished using discharge lamps, which requires high voltage, ballasts, and a relatively large form factor. The use of UV LEDs instead of discharge lamps will allow the light sources to reside inside a smaller form factor, and to function at lower overall electrical power, without line voltage and ballasts. Furthermore, the proprietary optical design of the flow cell will improve upon conventional flow cells by maximizing the ultraviolet dose received by microorganisms in the water, and increasing their residence time in the flow cell. Currently, there are no PoU systems employing UV LEDs as the germicidal source. If successful, the product developed under the phase II program will be the first of its kind and provide a point of entry for UV LEDs into the large PoU water sterilization market. The low power aspect and small form factor of the flow cell will make the system potentially suitable for battery operated field applications where line voltage is not available. Such applications may include military or medical field operations. Overall societal impact should be significant, particularly in markets outside the United States where there is increasing concern about water sterility