The design and comparison of continuous and pulsed ultraviolet reactors for microbial inactivation in water

The following article discusses the design of a pulsed flashlamp reactor system for inactivation of microorganisms in drinking water. The results of a mathematical model for calculation of the flashlamp lifetime are reported, and the final design of the prototype UV reactor is shown. Experimental test results for static and flowing tests are also reported with a discussion of the DNA repair mechanisms that appear to be present when polychromatic light is used for inactivation of E. coli in water.