OPTICAL SENSING AND CONTROL OF ULTRAVIOLET FLUID TREATMENT DYNAMICS

摘要

An ultra violet light sterilizing apparatus (10) utilizing a silicon carbi de (SiC) photodiode sensor (12) is described. The ultraviolet light fluid sterilization apparatus (10) includes a fluid chamber (18), at least one ultraviolet light source (16) configured to emit ultraviolet light into the fluid chamber (18), and at lea st one ultraviolet light sensor (12) that includes a silicon carbide photodiode (36 ). Each UV light sensor (12) includes a sealed outer housing (32) having an optically transparent window (34). A silicon carbide photodiode (36) is located inside the housing (32) adjacent the transparent window (34). Each UV light sensor (12) also include s a signal amplification unit (40) that includes an amplifier (44) mounted on a printed circuit board (46) located inside the housing (32). The UV sterilization apparatus (10) also includes a controller (14) configured to receive, as input, a signal fr om each ultraviolet light sensor (12). The controller (14) compares the input signal to a desired UV light intensity and outputs a control signal to each ultraviolet light source (16) to adjust the intensity of the ultraviolet light emitted from each ultraviolet light source (16).