Surface Disinfection Systems with UV-C Lamps - Verification Measurements and Design Procedure Proposal

Ultraviolet radiation in the UV-C range is widely applied to disinfect surfaces, air, and water. UV-C (germicidal) lamps are commonly used, and their application is reliable, scientifically proven, and efficient to inactivate various types of bacteria, viruses, and fungal spores, including the SARS-CoV-2 virus. This research aims to develop a UV-C irradiance design procedure for germicidal devices disinfecting surfaces in rooms. This procedure considers the required values of UV-C radiation doses that disinfect rooms efficiently. For this purpose, it has been proposed to apply the DIALux evo software to design the appropriate UV-C irradiance on disinfected room surfaces using different germicidal devices. The measurements verified the accuracy of the simulation performed in the DIALux evo software, which also considered the reflection of the ultraviolet radiation from the principal planes of the room. Two rooms with different dimensions were selected to verify the computational accuracy of the developed design procedure for the disinfection system. Ultraviolet lamps were placed in the rooms, and irradiance measurements were taken at the selected measuring points. The results of the irradiance measurements were compared. The comparative analysis of the disinfection device proved that it was possible to adapt the DIALux evo software to make the calculations for designing room disinfection systems. The research made it possible to determine a suitable design procedure for surface disinfection systems, which prevents errors in proper surface disinfection after implementing UV-C lamps in the room.