Ultraviolet (UV) LED specialists Crystal IS has released research conducted independently by the University of Colorado Boulder that proves the effectiveness of LED-delivered UV-C-band energy in purifying water. University researchers tested a water-disinfection system called the Klaran AKR and found a virtual complete elimination of Legionella pneumophila, the pathogen that causes Legionnaires’ disease. Moreover, the same UV technology that’s based on Crystal IS Klaran WD LEDs has been brought to the residential market in a water faucet manufactured by Yuhuan Dafeng Environment Egis Equipment.
We have covered the evolving UV LED market for a number of years, especially after a Strategies in Light presentation back in 2014 documented the potential of UV-C-band energy in disinfection and purification. That energy in the 100–280-nm wavelength range can instantly destroy pathogens, yet such LEDs are much harder to produce than longer-wavelength UV-B and UV-A LEDs that are already widely used in applications such as curing.
The Klaran AKR water-disinfection system developed by Asahi Kasei with Crystal IS UV-C LED technology is ready for residential use. The university researchers tested a system developed by Asahi Kasei, the parent company of Crystal IS. Asahi Kasei calls the Klaran AKR an “on-demand water disinfection reactor.” The Klaran AKR was documented to deliver a 99.998% reduction or elimination of pathogen Legionella pneumophila with water flowing through the system at a rate of 2L per minute. The system uses LEDs emitting at 265 nm.
“UV-C LED technology enables water product manufacturers to differentiate their solution with point-of-dispense disinfection, supporting new and existing customers in mitigating the risk of legionella,” said James Peterson, product manager at Crystal IS. “The Klaran Reactor series uses our UV-C LEDs to provide maintenance-free disinfection that lasts longer and is more affordable than UV lamps or filtration cartridges. Along with its compact size, this makes the Klaran AKR an ideal method of worry-free legionella management.”
Yuhuan Dafeng introduced its UVC-Faucet models in Hangzhou, China and said it will begin supplying the products in China in just a few days. But the company plans to subsequently offer the faucet globally with the capability of disinfecting water at 1.5–2L per minute flow rates. Furthermore, the company said testing by laboratory SGS verified the 99.99% reduction in E. coli.
