Apparatus, System, And Method For Evaluating And Adjusting The Effectiveness Of Ultraviolet Light Disinfection Of Areas

摘要

Provided is an apparatus, system, and method for evaluating and adjusting the effectiveness of ultraviolet light disinfection of areas such as hospital rooms or other areas. Provided in certain example embodiments are UV dosimeters adapted to visually indicate when they have been exposed to light in the UV C band range at a predetermined fluence level, the UV dosimeters being removably adhesable to surfaces in the room or area. Provided is an inexpensive, easy-to-use UV dosimeter and accompanying iterative process for optimizing UV disinfection parameters for a given area, including light source location(s), duration, and power level, and then recording that information for future use in connection with that area.

主权项

1. A method of sterilizing an area, comprising the steps of:
removably adhering two or more UV dosimeters to surfaces in a plurality of locations in an area to be sterilized, the two or more UV dosimeters adapted to visually indicate when the respective two or more UV dosimeters have been exposed to light in the UV C band range at a predetermined a fluence level, the two or more UV dosimeters being removably adhesable to each other and to surfaces in the area to be sterilized; positioning one or more UV sterilizers in one or more first respective locations in the area to be sterilized, the one or more UV sterilizers comprising at least one source of ultraviolet light substantially in the UV C band range; evacuating personnel from the area to be sterilized; sterilizing at least a portion of the area by causing the one or more UV sterilizers to emit ultraviolet light substantially in the UV C band range in the area to be sterilized for a predetermined first time at a predetermined first power level; visually inspecting the two or more UV dosimeters and evaluating whether any of the two or more UV dosimeters do not indicate exposure to light in the UV C band range at the predetermined fluence level; when any of the two or more UV dosimeters do not indicate exposure to light in the UV C band range at the predetermined fluence level, repeating each of the above steps using fresh UV dosimeters that have not been exposed to light in the UV C band range, while modifying the sterilizing step by positioning the one or more UV sterilizers in one or more respective locations different than the one or more respective locations used in the preceding sterilizing steps; and repeating each of the above steps until all of the two or more UV dosimeters used in a given sterilizing step indicate exposure to light in the UV C band range at the predetermined fluence level.