One of the critical factors in achieving maximum pathogen destruction is the intensity of the UVC light. Air Sniper equipment uses intensity to achieve consistent and measurable results for all of your air sanitation needs. Below we look at why intensity is important for removing harmful pathogens as well as the right amount required to achieve destruction.
Why is intensity important?
Intensity is important because it showcases how often bacteria, viruses, and molds are exposed to UVC irradiation. If you look at the process like a lottery, the more instances of exposure to UVC rays, the greater the likelihood that the RNA/ DNA sequence of the microorganism will be disrupted.
So, you can think of increasing the intensity as akin to reducing the time required to positively affect harmful viruses and bacteria. Dwell time and bulb proximity are also critical to these effectiveness calculations.
What is the right intensity?
Sufficient intensity is required to kill contaminants such as mold. These contaminants require higher levels of UVC irradiation therefore affecting the design. As a result, there is no single answer that determines the proper amount of intensity, but there are best practices worth implementing.
For an example of this, we have mentioned in other articles how important it is to replace your UVC bulbs regularly, as they lose effectiveness over time. A part of that loss in effectiveness is the production of fewer UVC rays, which are the part of the light spectrum that creates germicidal irradiation. This loss can present problems and a loss in efficiency for the whole unit.
How to increase the intensity?
Although increasing intensity is not always the best way to improve the system overall, ensuring a certain level of efficacy is critical. Increasing the intensity can usually be done by adding more UVC-generating bulbs, ensuring proper proximity from the pathogens and UVC source is crucial. Furthermore, increasing the wattage of the bulbs will also help increase the intensity for longer periods of time.
At Air Sniper, we provide powerful air sanitization solutions that put intensity, proximity and dwell time at the forefront of our decisions. We use 36-Watt bulbs in our equipment and provide recommendations for solutions based on the design of your particular facility. When you combine this with the simple plug-and-play design of our units, bulbs without the use of ozone and a 3-year limited warranty, there are very few options that measure up. Contact us today for more information and to start experiencing 99.9% pathogen eradication in your facilities!
