Developing an experimental setup for Thunder Bay waste pollution control plant (WPCP) to evaluate UV lamp performance

Abstract

An automated experimental setup was developed to measure the spectral irradiance of new low pressure (LP) ultraviolet lamp (UV). The experimental analysis was performed by the measurement of the UV intensity along the length of the lamp to evaluate the variation in UV output during preliminary 5% lifespan of the UV lamp. The automation of the experimental setup has executed with the Arduino-LabVIEW interfaced computer program to maintain sequential collaboration among the setup components. The new LP UV lamp had a non-uniform output with the unexpected rise and drop in the UV intensity at certain locations along the length. The lamp showed predominant ageing signs at the electrode, which was confirmed by the visual observation after the appearance of the darken quartz sleeve near the electrode and further reduction in UV output was verified by the experimental analysis as a result of the obstructed transmittance of the UV radiation through the quartz sleeve. Initially, UV output of the new lamp was uniform; however, as the lamp was aged analysis noticed non-uniform output along the length of the lamp though the lamp was operated for same working conditions throughout the entire experimental phase. The non-uniform temperature profile of the UV lamp was studied with the implementation of the thermal imaging IR camera to confirm variable temperature gradient inside the quartz sleeve and at the surface of the quartz sleeve. The thermal analysis recognized the overheating of the lamp electrode. Further, as amp aged the temperature profile at the lamp electrode raised significantly. The experimental analysis proved that the lamp ageing was more noticeable at lamp ends than the middle part of the lamp, which was confirmed after evaluation of the UV intensity along the length of the lamp as well as after performing the output stability test at electrode for corresponding lamp operating cycle.