PERFORMANCE OF ANNULAR FLOW STERILIZER IRRADIATED BY A GERMICIDAL LAMP

Abstract

Theoretical and experimental studies were conducted on the UV-inactivation characteristics of Bacillus subtilis spores in an annular-flow sterilizer irradiated by a germicidal lamp located at the center of the inner tube.
Experimental results for sterilizer performance in laminar spore-suspension flow were well simulated dynamically and statically by theoretical considerations which incorporated multi-targets with single-hit model for the UV-inactivation kinetic and the diffuse light model for the angle characteristic of lamp, along with due attention to the parabolic velocity distribution and the negligible diffusion of spores. Scale on the outside wall of the inner tube was checked by the use of a cylindrical chemical actinometer.
Calculated examples elucidate the reason why careful inspection is needed of UV-inactivation kinetics, angle characteristics of lamp, and fluid mixing to evaluate performance of actual flow UV sterilizers at high extent of inactivation up to the order of 99.999 %.