UV-Light Water Disinfection Chamber

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The fundamental concept here revolves around crafting an affordable water disinfection device utilizing UV-C light. Water flows into one side of the tube and exits the other, undergoing intense UV irradiation within the UV-light disinfection chamber. With a slow enough flow rate or repeated passages, this will effectively annihilate any pathogens present in the water. The ball chamber measures 6 inches in diameter. Ideally, the sterilization chamber should be constructed from a reflective material like stainless steel or polished aluminum, but plastic is also acceptable. The pipe ends are standard Schedule-40 1-inch pipes, ready to be threaded for standard pipe connectors. There are 88 evenly spaced holes designed to accommodate 10mm UV LEDs; these can be epoxied in place and electrically wired. Clean water without particles of dirt or mud should pass through the device, as these contaminants can shield microorganisms from the light. UV radiation kills most pathogens when the wavelength is approximately 265 nanometers because this is the wavelength at which DNA maximally absorbs UV light, thereby destroying their DNA and rendering them unable to reproduce or carry out normal cellular functions. Afterward, they die. Once electrically wired, cover the back of the device so you are not exposed to the LED; the light disinfects because it is harmful to living organisms, including humans. Consult the LED Center for information on wiring the LEDs: http://led.linear1.org It may be challenging to find through-hole LEDs in the 10mm size (which is actually quite large) within the correct nanometer range. Leave this task to others. If you locate smaller LEDs of the 5mm size, I have included two alternative versions. One features 88 x 5mm holes, and another has 108 x 5mm holes. Here's one possible source on Alibaba: https://www.alibaba.com/product-detail/Hot-sell-5MM-Round-LED-Dip_62095385200.html?spm=a2700.7724857.normalList.85.193d8651cFa31Q If someone can discover a cheap and quality source of UV-C 265nm LEDs in another shape or size, I could rebuild this device to take advantage of that form factor instead. For example, we could utilize a square or diamond-shaped chamber with possibly larger UV-C LEDs in a square form factor. Since these do not require power and are relatively inexpensive, this method could be an effective way to disinfect water in various parts of the world as a last line of defense rather than using boiling, which is extremely energy-intensive. However, this device will not remove heavy metals or chemicals; it only kills microorganisms like parasites, viruses, and bacteria. I am uncertain about how long it would take to actually disinfect water with this device. This depends on light intensity and exposure time. Nevertheless, since this does not require much energy to operate, you can circulate water through the device using a small pump continuously over an extended period of time and be reasonably confident that your water is disinfected, especially if you are utilizing the correct 265nm UV-C LED lights. Your other option is to gravity feed from a questionable source at a very slow rate into this device, then slowly drip-feed out of it, so that the water in it all spends a considerable amount of time in the UV-chamber before it is able to drip out the bottom of the chamber. This would be an efficient way to use this device, but makes water available more slowly and requires a second catch basin. And as always, this design includes a public-domain dedication, free for use by all. Enjoy. If you print this and plan to utilize it, please let us know and show it off!