UVL manufactures ultraviolet disinfection equipment, bactericidal lamps, and related components for treating water, air, and surfaces.
When ultraviolet technology is integrated into a recirculating aquaculture system, total flow rate is only one part of the engineering calculation. Channel dimensions, water depth, module orientation, hydraulic conditions, and compatibility with the existing treatment line must also be considered.
This project involved expanding an operating UV water disinfection system without replacing the open-channel design already used by the customer.
Project Background
A Saint Petersburg manufacturer of equipment for recirculating aquaculture systems contacted UVL with a repeat order.
The company had previously purchased UVL submersible modules and used them to build its own open-channel UV treatment unit. The equipment had already been integrated into the customer’s system and successfully operated at the facility.
The new production section required a similar solution, but with a substantially higher water flow of 400 m³/h. The engineering task was to determine the required number of UV modules and develop a practical arrangement for a channel measuring approximately 1 meter wide and 2 meters high.
Why Flow Rate Alone Was Not Enough
Selecting an ultraviolet water purifier or UV water sterilizer cannot be reduced to multiplying the number of lamps in proportion to the flow rate.
In a large open channel, the UV sources must be distributed so that the bactericidal radiation covers the entire working cross-section. Poorly positioned modules can create areas where the water receives a lower UV dose, even when the system has sufficient total lamp power.
The main design considerations were:
a continuous flow rate of 400 m³/h;
the channel width and water depth;
uniform distribution of UV radiation;
sufficient exposure across the moving water stream;
convenient access to the equipment;
compatibility with the customer’s existing channel design;
the possibility of installing the equipment without a separate pressure vessel.
Because the previously built system had performed successfully, there was no engineering reason to replace it with an enclosed ultraviolet sterilizer. The new section could be developed by scaling the proven modular concept.
Selected UV Configuration
UVL engineers selected eight UVL Mod 32600 submersible modules.
The recommended arrangement consisted of two rows with four modules in each row. This configuration distributes the UV sources across the channel and provides more uniform treatment than concentrating all eight modules in one part of the flow.
Extended quartz sleeves were specified to match the dimensions of the planned channel. A quartz sleeve separates the UV lamp from the treated water while allowing ultraviolet radiation to pass through the working surface.
The modular arrangement also made it possible to preserve the customer’s established equipment design. Instead of developing a new ultraviolet disinfection system from the beginning, the company could adapt a familiar structure to a higher flow rate.
Equipment Specification
The proposed configuration included:
model: UVL Mod 32600;
quantity: 8 modules;
module arrangement: 2 rows of 4;
cable length: 10 meters;
sealing assembly material: fluoropolymer;
sealing assembly protection rating: IP65;
lamp type: ozone-free amalgam germicidal lamp;
lamp service life: up to 16,000 hours;
permitted operating position: vertical or horizontal.
The ozone-free amalgam lamps provide bactericidal ultraviolet radiation without generating ozone during normal operation. Their long service life also reduces the frequency of scheduled lamp replacement.
Implementation Process
After receiving the channel dimensions and hydraulic data, UVL engineers calculated the required configuration and prepared a module placement scheme.
The customer received a commercial proposal and the equipment datasheet. Eight UVL Mod 32600 units were then reserved for the project.
The customer manufactures open-channel treatment systems independently, so a complete stainless-steel reactor was not required. The supply package consisted of submersible UV modules that could be installed directly in the customer’s own structure.
This approach gives system designers greater flexibility when choosing:
the channel length;
the installation depth;
the distance between UV sources;
the number of treatment stages;
the position of the modules within an existing RAS line.
Benefits for the Customer
The selected configuration provided several practical advantages:
the equipment was calculated for the actual flow of 400 m³/h;
the customer received a clear module placement scheme;
the existing open-channel concept remained unchanged;
no complete pressure-type UV water sterilizer had to be purchased;
system capacity could be increased by adding submersible modules;
both the original and the new treatment units could use the same type of equipment;
future maintenance and replacement planning remained familiar to the operating team.
A Modular Approach to RAS Expansion
Submersible UV modules can be used not only in newly designed water treatment systems but also when existing installations need to be expanded.
In this project, the customer returned to a solution that had already been tested in its own open-channel installation. UVL recalculated the equipment for a new channel, a different hydraulic load, and a flow rate of 400 m³/h.
The resulting configuration allowed the company to increase the capacity of its recirculating aquaculture system without rebuilding the entire treatment line. The existing engineering concept was preserved, while the required performance was achieved by adding and correctly positioning new UV modules.
For RAS operators and equipment manufacturers, this modular approach provides a practical way to expand ultraviolet water disinfection capacity step by step as production requirements increase.
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