Photodecomposition Efficacy Validation of a Medium Pressure (MP) UV Reactor for removal of Residual Free Chlorine and Monochloramine in Water

摘要

In beverage and pharmaceutical manufacturing plants, water treatment trains for purified water include reverse osmosis (RO) units containing chlorine sensitive membranes. The addition of free chlorine or monochloramine to city water may control bacteria levels, however they have undesirable effects on the degradation of RO membranes and therefore, they need to be removed from the water stream feeding the RO membranes. In conventional water systems, residual free chlorine or monochloramine is typically removed by either activated carbon beds or by the addition of chemicals such as sodium metabisulfite. However, both these methods have severe, inherent drawbacks. The powerful energy of UV light can be successfully harnessed to photodecompose trace amounts of residual free chlorine or monochloramine present in the feed water. This non-chemical, novel, innovative and environmentally friendly method offers significant inherent advantages and benefits compared to conventional dechlorination technologies utilized thus far by the industry. Recent advancements in UV technology have rendered this application practical and economically feasible.