Evaluating the impact of LED bulb development on the economic viability of ultraviolet technology for disinfection

Abstract

Ultraviolet (UV) technologies have been very successful in disinfection applications due to their ability to inactivate microorganisms without producing harmful disinfection by-products. However, there have been a number of concerns associated with the use of conventional UV systems such as hazardous mercury content, high capital investment and reduced electrical efficiency. These concerns have set limitations for the use of UV processes. The study evaluates the development of light emitting diode (LED) technology as an alternative UV source over the last 5 years, analyses the projections provided by the researchers and UV LED manufacturers and presents the information in a cost model with the aim to predict the timeline at which UV LED will compete with traditional UV low pressure high output technology in the commercial market at full-scale residential and industrial disinfection applications.

Keywords:

• disinfection
• wall plug efficiency
• UV light emitting diodes
• water treatment
• whole life cost

Notes

1. Also termed ‘radiant efficiency’ that is the ratio of the radiant flux (i.e. the total radiometric optical output power of the device, measured in watts) and the electrical input power i.e. the efficiency of converting electrical to optical power.[11]