Design of a UV-A LED Photocatalytic Oxidation Reactor for Testing Spacecraft Potable Water Disinfection Technologies

This report describes the design, assembly, and testing of a modified, re-circulating drip flow reactor to quantify the electrical, optical, and thermal performance of solid-state ultraviolet (UV) lighting and semi-conducting photocatalyst for potable water disinfection by advanced oxidation processes. The reactor test assembly incorporates high-output UV-A Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) with active thermal control to reject heat and generate reactive oxygen species from immobilized titanium dioxide attached to borosilicate glass in the laminar flow stream. Compared with UV-excimer and UV-mercury arc lamps, the UV-A LED system demonstrated excellent thermal stability and good electrical and optical performance.