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Ultraviolet Light-Emitting Diodes for Water Disinfection

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III-Nitride Ultraviolet Emitters

Part of the book series: Springer Series in Materials Science ((SSMATERIALS,volume 227))

Abstract

This chapter presents basic principles of water disinfection using UV light. It provides a comparison of conventional UV light sources and UV LEDs. Additionally, based on a detailed case study, the potential of UV LEDs for water disinfection systems is discussed. This study presents results of static and flow-through tests conducted with UV LEDs of different emission wavelengths.

The original version of this chapter was revised: The spelling of the first author’s name was corrected. The erratum to this chapter is available at DOI 10.1007/978-3-319-24100-5_16

An erratum to this chapter can be found at http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-24100-5_16

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Notes

  1. 1.

    The same fluence is needed at both wavelengths to obtain a comparable inactivation result.

  2. 2.

    External quantum efficiencies: number of photons emitted into free space per second divided by the number of electrons injected into LED per second.

  3. 3.

    Typical external quantum efficiencies of LEDs used for lightning applications are in the range of 60–70 % [34].

  4. 4.

    Defect density: number of local faults originating from the production of semiconductors per surface unit.

  5. 5.

    For comparison: the 282 nm LEDs applied during this study had an output power of 0.65 mW at 20 mA.

  6. 6.

    UVTcm (%): percent transmittance in the medium when the path length is 1 cm and the wavelength is 254 nm; a (1/m): spectral absorption coefficient at a specific wavelength; relates to a 1 m path length.

  7. 7.

    The REF may also be determined using dyed microsphere actinometry cp. e.g., [3].

  8. 8.

    The waste water treatment plant Ruhleben treats combined municipal waste water with parts of rainwater by mechanical separation, activated sludge process with nitrification, post-denitrification, and biological phosphorus removal.

  9. 9.

    These CBD tests conducted with a mercury lamp was performed by an external laboratory (Institute of Hygiene and Public Health, University of Bonn).

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank Boris Lesjean and Eric Hoa from the Berlin Centre of Competence for Water and Florencio Martin from Veolia Water, Anjou Recherche, for their helpful expertise, Katharina Kutz for her laboratory work and the Berliner Wasserbetriebe for providing the samples of secondary effluents. This work was partially supported by the Berlin Centre of Competence for Water in the frame of the FP6 project TECHNEAU, and financed by the European Commission and Veolia Water.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Technische Universität Berlin, Fachgebiet Wasserreinhaltung, Sekr. KF4, Straße des 17 Juni 135, 10623, Berlin, Germany

    Marlene A. Lange & Martin Jekel

  2. Ferdinand-Braun-Institut, Leibniz-Institut für Höchstfrequenztechnik, Gustav-Kirchhoff-Straße 4, 12489, Berlin, Germany

    Tim Kolbe

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  1. Marlene A. Lange
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Correspondence to Tim Kolbe .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Solid state Physics, Technische Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany

    Michael Kneissl

  2. Institute of Solid state Physics, Technische Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany

    Jens Rass

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Lange, M.A., Kolbe, T., Jekel, M. (2016). Ultraviolet Light-Emitting Diodes for Water Disinfection. In: Kneissl, M., Rass, J. (eds) III-Nitride Ultraviolet Emitters. Springer Series in Materials Science, vol 227. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-24100-5_10

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