The deepening of knowledge has led to the development of second-generation UV radiation sources: LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes). When comparing UV lamps and UV LEDs, the latter have several advantages.
Unlike mercury vapor lamps, which take a few minutes to reach 100% disinfectant power, LEDs are able to instantly express their maximum power. This opens the doors to new possibilities for UV disinfection with discontinuous or pulsed flow.
UV-C LEDs are suitable for discontinuous operation, as they surpass the technological limit of mercury vapor lamps that allow only a limited number of daily starts (5 or 6). This capability of LEDs can be leveraged in highly discontinuous applications, such as domestic purification systems.
The extremely compact size allows for the placement of LEDs in specific points of the system, optimizing the design. For specific applications, it's possible to select LEDs with particular wavelengths. This enables obtaining the most effective wavelength for each bacterial strain.
UV lamps exchange heat directly with the water to be treated, while LEDs exchange heat directly with the environment. Additionally, UV lamps are strongly affected by the water temperature. Finally, unlike UV lamps, LEDs do not contain mercury.