Specialty and Architectural Lighting — Ultraviolet Light

The veterinary service industry in the USA is a large market, with pet owners spending $38.3 billion in 2023 alone for animal care and related products. There are over 100,000 veterinarians in the USA, and more support staff. While veterinarians use a variety of tools and methodologies in diagnosing and treating animal conditions, ultraviolet light plays an important role. UV lighting has several applications in the veterinary field, primarily for disinfection of air and surfaces,...

Ultraviolet UVB bulbs are used in a variety of medical, industrial, and other applications. There are a couple variations of UVB bulbs, based on the output spectrum of the lamp. These are referred to as Narrowband and Broadband UVB lamps. The names are somewhat self-explanatory in terms of the relative size of the output spectrum of each type. The key differences between Narrowband (NB-UVB) and Broadband (BB-UVB) ultraviolet bulbs lie in their wavelength ranges, efficiency,...

One common question we get is whether a UVC HVAC system can help with allergies. And with spring returning to much of the Northern Hemisphere, seasonal allergies are a large concern for people, with nearly a quarter of US adults being affected. In general, a UVC air purifier installed in a home HVAC system can help with seasonal allergies, but it may not be as effective on its own compared to other air purification methods...

Mercury short arc light bulbs, often referred to as mercury vapor lamps, are a type of electric discharge light source that utilizes mercury vapor to produce light. These lamps are known for their ability to produce a bright, intense light with a characteristic blue-white hue. Mercury short arc lamps are used in a variety of applications including fiberoptic illumination, microscopes, laboratory analysis equipment, microlithography (semiconductor industry), UV curing, solar simulation and other specialized applications. Construction...

Screen printing is a printing technique used to transfer designs onto a variety of surfaces, including fabric, paper, wood, and metal. The process involves creating a stencil, referred to as a "screen," and using it to apply layers of ink onto the printing surface. Screen printing is widely used for making T-shirts, posters, and signs because it allows for vibrant colors and durability. It is also efficient for producing large quantities of prints at once....

A light guide for ultraviolet curing is a component of the curing system that helps direct and distribute UV light efficiently to a specific area for curing or hardening of materials. In UV curing, ultraviolet light is used to initiate photochemical reactions in inks, coatings, adhesives, or resins, causing them to solidify or cure quickly. The light guide consists of materials designed to transmit UV light effectively. Its functions are to transmit light from the...

Ultraviolet curing is a process that uses UV light to cure or harden coatings, adhesives, and inks in a wide range of industrial and commercial applications. This technology is particularly beneficial for sectors such as medical device manufacturing, fiber optics, electronics, and lens production, where precise, fast, and solvent-free curing solutions are crucial. How Does UV Curing Work? UV curing is a process that employs ultraviolet light to quickly cure or harden a material, typically...

Ultraviolet water purifiers are effective in disinfecting water by neutralizing harmful microorganisms. There are two primary types — whole-house and point-of-use (POU). Each type has various pros and cons depending on the installation and usage needs. Whole-House UV Water Purifiers A whole-house water purifier treats all water entering the home, providing purified water for all faucets, appliances, and water-based systems (e.g., showers, dishwashers). Even before water gets to the hot water heater, it is disinfected...

Ultraviolet (UV) water purifiers and sediment filters can be utilized in an integrated system to provide a comprehensive approach to water purification by addressing different types of contaminants. Sediment Filters Remove Large Particles Sediment filters are designed to remove larger particles from the water. These particles can include dirt, sand, rust, silt, and other debris that may be suspended in the water. The filters typically consist of a porous material, such as spun polyester, carbon,...

Owners and facility managers looking for a way to disinfect the indoor air in offices, medical centers, retail stores, schools and residential care facilities will find that their HVAC system may provide the safest and most cost-effective approach. Buildings equipped with a ducted heating, ventilating and air-conditioning (HVAC) system are prime candidates for in-duct ultraviolet (UV-C) units that can provide whole-building air sanitizing. UV-C germicidal lamps emit 253.7 nanometer wavelength irradiation that, in sufficient doses,...

In addition to the deadly and debilitating impacts of COVID-19, its spread within communities has also illuminated the inadequacies of basic prevention and control strategies in place at public facilities and institutions. One of the most glaring examples is residential care facilities. There are currently (2021) over 16,000 nursing homes and long term care facilities in the U.S. Of the total confirmed COVID-19 cases in the U.S. as of April 2021, residential care facilities accounted...

Upper air ultraviolet germicidal equipment is designed to provide air disinfection within an occupied space. The louvered upper air units are wall or ceiling mounted above the "human zone" in the space, generally at 7 feet or higher. The usual UV-C 253.7 nanometer (nm) wavelength emitted by the germicidal light bulbs is directed out of the unit by the louvers and into the layer of air at or above the mounting height of the unit....

Dating back to the late 1960's and early 1970's, ultraviolet light was used to cure wood fillers and coatings on furniture. Since then, with the development of a wide range of UV curable materials and specialized equipment, UV curing has grown exponentially - widely adopted in manufacturing, graphic arts, and printing. Technically, UV curing is the polymerization of a coating, adhesive, or ink when it interacts with ultraviolet radiation. This process makes possible rapid drying...

You may have noticed that the specifications for fluorescent tubes, compact fluorescent bulbs, and ultraviolet lamps provide watts, but almost never volts. Why not? Ballasts, invisible inside the fixture, are required for all fluorescent bulbs to operate. Ballasts modify the line voltage they are connected to (120V, 277V, etc.) so the proper current is supplied to the bulb. Because ballasts are hidden, it is easy to assume the bulbs are simply operated directly off line voltage from the...

Blacklights are not merely for special effects and lighting up cool posters. They also have an important clinical use by veterinarians. These bulbs are very common for diagnosing ringworm in cats, dogs, and other animals. The most common tool veterinarians use to diagnose ringworm on pets is a Wood's Lamp, which is another name for the common blacklight bulb with a blue filter. According to Wikipedia, Wood's lamps have been used since 1925 to detect...