UVC and UVA led-based water dechlorination system for compact home applications
A mercury-free LED-based dechlorination technology using UVC (240-290nm) and UVA (360-370nm) wavelengths to replace traditional UV mercury lamps. Targets compact, home-scale water treatment with long maintenance-free operation and no toxic waste disposal.
Overview
This project proposes a novel LED-based water dechlorination system designed as a compact, mercury-free alternative to conventional UV mercury-lamp dechlorination setups. By combining UVC (240-290nm) and UVA (360-370nm) LED devices, the technology targets the photolysis of free chlorine and chloramines in water, enabling effective dechlorination for home and small-scale applications. The approach eliminates the toxic mercury and maintenance-related waste disposal issues associated with traditional low-pressure mercury UV lamps, while leveraging the long operational lifetime and compact form factor of modern UV LEDs.
Technical specifications
Key features:
- Dual-wavelength LED approach combining UVC (240-290nm) and UVA (360-370nm) bands to cover the full range known to degrade chlorine and chloramine compounds
- UVC LEDs offering best-in-class output of approximately 100mW; UVA LEDs offering output exceeding 1W
- Mercury-free design eliminating toxic waste disposal concerns
- Long, maintenance-free operational lifetime compared to conventional UV lamps
- Reactor chamber material selection (such as PTFE with 95-99% UV reflectivity) to maximize photolytic efficiency
- Numerical simulation of LED source density, UV interactions with reactor materials, and chamber geometry to optimize performance
- Cost-versus-photolytic-efficiency analysis across wavelengths to inform prototype design
- Compact system architecture suitable for home-scale deployment
Technology readiness level
The technology is currently at an early-to-mid stage of development. The underlying principle that UV light induces photolysis of free chlorine and chloramines across the 180-365nm range is well established, and commercial mercury-lamp dechlorination systems are already deployed in pharmaceutical, food, and beverage industries. This project advances the state of the art by replacing mercury lamps with LED sources and scaling the concept down to a compact home-applicable form factor. The planned work covers numerical design, materials selection and testing, test rig development with wavelength-efficiency validation, and prototype construction. The technology readiness level is expected to advance through these validation phases toward a deployable prototype for home water dechlorination.
About Cork Institute of Technology
Formerly an institute of technology, Cork Institute of Technology served the southwest of Ireland from multiple Cork campuses and, since January 1, 2021, operates as part of Munster Technological University. Industry engagement was built around an on‑campus incubator, applied research centres with shared laboratories and industry testbeds, and a specialised maritime training campus. Partners accessed prototyping, simulation, and pilot‑scale facilities co‑located with academic programs, enabling short‑run projects and workforce upskilling. Research is supported by competitive national and European funding as part of MTU. A dedicated technology transfer office supported IP, licensing, and spin‑out formation.
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