UV Lights

UV technology within sanitary processing environments is an excellent way to conserve energy, lower operating costs and optimize efficiency. Our UV partner, Aquionics has created a system that guarantees performance, reliability, simple UV management, accurate monitoring and control.

 

Aquionics is a leader in non-chemical, UV solutions to the food and beverage industry globally.  They have a reputation for supplying state-of-the-art technology for disinfection, ozone destruction, TOC reduction and UV dechlorination to some of the most recognized brand name products in the industry.

 

What is UV Used for?

 

• Pre-Treatment Disinfection
• Cooling Media (Brine, Chillers, etc.)
• Direct Contact Fluids and Ingredients
• CIP, Bottle Rinse or Wash Waters
• Liquid Sweeteners and inverted sucrose
• Tank Headspace and Venting

 

Used in process water, product water and syrups in a wide range of applications.

 

• Bottled water plants
• Soft drink processors & Bottlers
• Breweries
• Meat and poultry processors
• Dairy industries
• Processed & Pre-Packaged Foods
• Juices
• Wineries

 

Reduce Risk with UV Disinfection

 

Outbreaks of water-borne pathogens place producers at high risk of costly and damaging recalls and product liability. Aquionics has led the way in pre-treatment disinfection and treating direct contact fluids and ingredients, CIP and bottle rinse, liquid sweeteners, meat brine, tank headspace, venting, packaging and surfaces.

 

Pre-treatment Disinfection

 

UV installed ahead of the RO unit for dechlorination provides a non-chemical form of water treatment that eliminates the need for activated carbon beds and the associated costs of maintaining and disposing of the spent carbon.  A UV dechlorination system can also eliminate the need of a sodium metabisulfite system to remove the chlorine, thus protecting the RO membranes from microbial biofouling or sliming of the membranes due to poor metering of the chemical injection.

 

Pre-activated Carbon

 

UV can be installed prior to the activated carbon bed to reduce the bio-burden from entering the carbon beds and thus extend the carbon’s life.

 

Post Activated Carbon

 

Carbon beds provide an ideal environment for micro organisms to grow rapidly, thus producing biological contamination. UV disinfection equipment installed just after the carbon bed provides a non-chemical form of water treatment that does not affect a product’s color, odor, taste or pH.  UV disinfection of carbon filtered water has been an accepted application for decades now.

 

Ozone Destruction

 

Ozone has been used in the food and beverage industry for many years as a disinfectant and sanitizer.  While ozone has many benefits, it must be removed from the water stream so that it does not alter a product’s taste or composition.  UV ozone destruction equipment is usually the product of choice for this process.  Typical ozone destruction systems remove up to 1.0 ppm of dissolved ozone from the water stream in a single pass.

 

Tank Headspace & Venting

 

Material storage tanks require direct headspace protection as well as eliminating intrusion during drain and fill operations.  Aquionics provides two different models to disinfect the headspace at the top of the tank.  The equipment simply mounts to existing vent holes and provides up to one year of quality control before the UV lamp needs to be replaced.

 

CIP, Bottle Rinse or Wash Water

 

Even water used to clean surfaces or used in CIP operations can be a source of contamination. UV is an approved method of reducing bacteria without the use of chemicals.

 

Liquid Sweeteners

 

Traditional sucrose based sweeteners provided an ideal breeding ground for micro organisms. UV was, and still is, used to treat simple syrups and reduce the need for pasteurization.  With the food and beverage industry now moving away from HFCS products, there is a real challenge with heat resistant molds and yeasts that must be addressed, especially with more unrefined inverts coming to market.  Today’s medium pressure UV systems can provide a 3.5 log reduction of heat resistant molds to the most challenging sucrose products.

 

Waste Water

 

Process plant effluents can be treated without the use of environmentally hazardous chemicals.  Aquionics offer both pressurized and gravity flow systems to treat your industrial waste streams.

 

Cooling, Chiller & Brine Disinfection

 

Many foods are subject to contamination after heat treatment or cooking. UV provides an excellent method to protect foods from contact cooling fluid contamination such as brines and marinades.  Aquionic’s UV systems are specifically designed to provide a 5 log reduction of Listeria in the low transmission values of the brines and marinades at the very cold temperatures.

 

Direct Contact Water or Ingredient

 

Water as an ingredient in a food or coming in direct contact with food can be a source of contamination. UV can disinfect this water without chemicals or pasteurization.

 

There are three distinct types of UV lamps. These are characterized by the mercury vapor pressure inside the lamp, and the relative UV energy they produce:

 

• Low-Pressure, Low-Output (LPLO)
• Used in small systems; limited UV energy
• Low-Pressure, High-Output (LPHO)
• High output allows greater doses from compact systems; this category includes amalgam lamps
• Extremely high UV output; capable of treating significant flow volumes and lower quality water
• Medium-Pressure, High-Output (MPHO)