This study investigated the disinfection efficiency of a photoreactor equipped with a helical water flow channel and ultraviolet-C (UV-C) light emitting diodes (LEDs). Theoretical simulations and biodosimetry tests were conducted to investigate the effects of coil diameter and flow rate on the reactor's performance in inactivating Escherichia coli. The interplay between hydrodynamics and UV radiation was analyzed to determine the UV fluence absorbed by the microbes. The simulations revealed that, primarily due to the specific radiation pattern of the UV LEDs, the coil diameter strongly influenced the distribution of irradiance in the water and the UV fluence received by microbes. The experimental results indicated that the photoreactor achieved the highest inactivation value of 2.8 log when the coil diameter was 48 mm for a flow rate of 40 mL/min; this log value was superior to those for coil diameters of 16, 32, 64, and 80 mm by approximately 1.9, 0.4, 0.5, and 0.7 log units, respectively. This optimal coil diameter leading to the maximal UV irradiance and the highest degree of irradiance uniformity along the flow channel. This study offers design guidelines for constructing a high-efficiency water disinfection reactor with a helical flow channel configuration.
Keywords: E. coli; UV-C LED; coil diameter; photoreactor; water disinfection.