UV Lamps Shine A Light On AHR

Germicidal UV Safety

The 2017 AHR EXPO was one for the books, and UV Resources is pleased to have cast its germicidal light on Sin City during the three day show.

It had a cleansing effect on the roughly 60,000 HVAC/R manufacturers, distributors and contractors who attended to see the latest products, trends and concepts.

This year, everything from high efficiency boilers, to pre-insulated ductwork systems, to smart thermostats were on display. It’s a tough crowd to stand out from, but that captivating blue glow emanating from the UV Resources booth drew visitors like a moth to a flame.

>> Discover the science behind UV-C <<

At the UV Resources booth, visitors were greeted by a new-to-the-industry prewired safety controller that automatically de-energizes the UV lamps when an air handler door or access panel is opened.

Because it’s low voltage and prewired, the Contact Controller cuts contractor’s installation time by up to 50 percent. Forget the time-consuming job of running a dedicated, 120-277V power between the interlock (whisker) switch and junction box. The new prewired controller offers HVAC contractors a plug-and-play system, which regulates up to six safety interlock switches/access doors, greatly reducing this labor-intensive procedure.

It all goes back to UV Resources’ mission of keeping users safe while making it easier for them to install UV-C in their applications. And the new UL 1995-compliant safety controller puts facilities almost three years ahead of the November 2019 deadline that requires all HVAC access points to automatically de-energize the UV-C system when opened.

>> Learn more about UV Safety <<

Company representatives stood by, ready to demonstrate the firm’s full breadth of Ultraviolet Germicidal Irradiation (UVGI) solutions. Among the questions raised were those related to UV lamp pricing and the overall effectiveness of UV-C.

UV-C lamps from UV Resources are the most cost-effective on the market, with an average installed cost of $0.15 per CFM, and many users report that they paid even less. It actually costs more not to have UV lamps installed downstream of cooling coils because reduced HVAC heat transfer levels can lead to far higher costs over time.

Even the traditional coil cleanings (pressure washing or chemical treatment) are not nearly as effective as UV-C treatment. Surface cleanings do not eliminate the mold or biofilm growing deep within the coil, which can accumulate and cause up to a 25 percent drop in capacity within five years or less of startup. That means a system designed to condition 25,000 CFM is only capable of treating 18,750 CFM. Think everyone will be comfortable with that decline? The not-so-pretty alternative is to compensate with more energy-intensive inputs such as additional chilled water and/or increased fan speeds.

In contrast, UV-C light works continuously 24/7/365, irradiating the HVAC components, preventing biofilm from forming and, in the case of retrofit applications, restoring original design performance standards. Even the thickest coil buildup is no match for the killing power of UV-C. The improved heat transfer efficiency and reduced coil pressure drop can slash energy use by 10-25 percent on average and improve indoor environmental quality. Wall-mounted upper air UV units, such as the GLO, irradiate the upper air of any space and can reduce the total number of colony-forming units of any pathogen in a room by 91 percent.

Check out the video below for an overview of UV-C given at this year’s AHR Expo.