UV REACTOR ASSEMBLY

摘要

A reactor assembly is provided for destroying contaminants in fluids by the application of UV radiation to promote the destruction of the contaminants. The reactor assembly (10) has a vertically orientated reactor chamber (12) with a centrally located lamp (16) emitting UV radiation and operating at temperatures in excess of 700 DEG C. A protective sheath (18) transparent to the UV radiation encloses the lamp (16) and isolates the lamp (16) from reactor interior to define thereby an annular reactor space (20) through which fluids to be treated flow. The fluids flowing through the annular reactor space (20) and along the sheath (18) effect a cooling of the sheath (18) due to lamp heating. The lamp (16) has a terminal portion at each end thereof. Each terminal portion has a temperature sensitive component. The lamp (16) is of a sufficient length to extend the terminals beyond the end portions of the reactor (12) which has a length equal to or greater than the arc length of the lamp (16). Cooling air is directed on to each of the upper and lower terminals of the lamp (16) to cool the temperature sensitive portions thereby preventing deterioration of each lamp end due to excessive heating. In directing cooling air onto the lower terminal a pressure is developed which is greater than the pressure at the upper end of the sheath (18) so that a controlled constant flow of cooling air is assured upwardly of the sheath (18) and over the lamp (16). This constant flow of cooling air is controlled to permit the lamp (16) to operate at optimum operating temperatures to provide the necessary output of UV radiation to promote the destruction of the contaminants in the fluids.