Application of Ultraviolet Technology in Water Treatment—Liquid Sugar Disinfection

The advantages of using ultraviolet (UV) light to kill aquatic pathogens causing infectious diseases have been widely recognized. In fact, industry was one of the earliest pioneers in using this technology. Today, almost all industries apply UV technology to water treatment systems, including the food and beverage, pharmaceutical, cosmetic, health product, manufacturing, and high-tech industries. Sterilization and disinfection are the primary applications of UV technology in water and wastewater treatment. At the same time, industry also applies this technology to many other areas, including ozone removal, reduction of total organic carbon (TOC), liquid sugar disinfection, chlorine degradation, surface and air disinfection, and cooling tower disinfection. This article will provide a brief overview of some of the industrial applications of UV light.

Liquid Sugar Disinfection

Most food and beverage manufacturers use large quantities of liquid sugar. Because sugar is easily utilized by bacteria, it easily promotes bacterial growth. Furthermore, liquid sugar is opaque, making thorough disinfection difficult. UV light with a wavelength of 254 nanometers can be used to disinfect liquid sugar products. To compensate for energy loss due to the viscosity and color of the liquid, many UV emitters need to be tightly arranged to form a so-called "thin-film" reactor. This tightly packed array of emitters can provide the required very high doses of ultraviolet radiation, thus enabling effective sterilization of liquid sugar. Its ultraviolet energy output is approximately 7 to 10 times that of conventional sterilization systems.