CN211797808U

CN211797808U - Device for disinfecting a flowing fluid

Info

Publication number: CN211797808U
Application number: CN201922294136.9U
Authority: CN
Inventors: 索斯藤·克莱巴; 马蒂亚斯·布吕默; 托拜厄斯·格莱茨曼; 克里斯蒂安·斯瓦利克; 乌尔里希·哈特维格; 赖纳·塞德尔
Original assignee: Osram GmbH
Current assignee: Osram GmbH
Priority date: 2018-12-19
Filing date: 2019-12-18
Publication date: 2020-10-30
Anticipated expiration: 2029-12-18
Also published as: DE102018222307A1

Abstract

The utility model relates to a device for being sterile for fluid of percolation, the device includes: a tubular container having an inlet for receiving fluid and an outlet at which fluid can be discharged from the container; a plurality of light-emitting diodes, each of which is configured to emit light having a wavelength in the ultraviolet radiation range, preferably the short-wave ultraviolet radiation range, through the at least partially transparent outer wall of the container into the interior space of the container in order to irradiate the flowing fluid. The light emitting diodes are distributed over the circumference of the container and are configured to emit light into the interior space of the container from different angular positions in the cross-sectional plane. The device is capable of providing a sufficient dose of ultraviolet radiation for disinfection.

Description

Device for disinfecting a flowing fluid

Technical Field

The utility model relates to a device for disinfecting a fluid flowing through. In particular, the device comprises: a tubular container having an inlet for receiving fluid and an outlet at which fluid can be discharged from the container; and a plurality of Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) each configured to emit light having a wavelength in the Ultraviolet (UV) radiation range, preferably the short wavelength ultraviolet (UV-C) radiation range, through or from the outer wall of the container into the interior space of the container so as to irradiate the flowing fluid. Such an apparatus is also referred to as a UV reactor.

Background

UV reactors can be used in a wide variety of applications, for example for preparing drinking water or for sterilizing or disinfecting wash water in dishwashers and the like. Fluids other than water, such as blood or milk, can also be disinfected by such UV reactors. It is also conceivable to use it for non-liquid fluids, such as air or aerosols, etc. The microorganisms, in particular viruses, bacteria or fungi, contained in the fluid can be inactivated by ultraviolet radiation acting on the fluid. In this case, the corresponding germs are directly killed or at least damaged with respect to their DNA by the uv radiation and are thus prevented from replicating. Particularly effective here are radiation with a wavelength in the wavelength range from 200nm to 280nm, which is also referred to as extreme ultraviolet radiation according to standard DIN5031-7, and also the associated radiation in the range from 100nm to 200nm, which radiation is correspondingly referred to as vacuum ultraviolet radiation. In addition, ultraviolet radiation in the range of 249nm to 338nm acts on bacteria on biofilms, with a particularly high efficiency in the wavelength range between 292nm to 306nm, which has a maximum effect at 296 nm. The biofilm here comprises a fluid which is not in a liquid state. Radiation having this wavelength is absorbed in the atmosphere and is therefore not resistant to most microorganisms. DNA absorbs radiation particularly up to about 260nm to 270 nm. The radiation in the wavelength range already stated is summarized as UV-C radiation and is used primarily in UV reactors. For the purposes of the present invention, the term "UV-C radiation" also includes the range from 10nm to 121nm (extreme ultraviolet).

In general, low-pressure mercury lamps with special radiation having a wavelength of about 253.7nm are used in particular for this purpose. However, this has disadvantages such as increased degradation in the first 500 hours of operation, an average operating life of only 8000 hours, the use of mercury, the need for an ac power source for operation, or increased cleaning costs. In addition, the low-pressure mercury lamp has a disadvantage in that a relatively large space is required, and cleaning of the light source is problematic due to the use of mercury. In addition, low pressure mercury lamps have significant limitations in applications requiring fast switching processes.

In contrast, light-emitting diodes emitting radiation in the UV-C wavelength range for disinfecting or disinfecting fluids are increasingly used in recent times. The materials used here are materials whose band gap (transmission in wavelength) falls within the range of UV-C radiation, such as aluminum gallium nitride (AlGaN; comprising AlN: 6.1eV and GaN: 3.45eV, i.e. from about 210 nm), or hexagonal boron nitride (hBN; 5.8eV, i.e. about 215nm), etc. However, during operating durations which can exceed 10000 hours, the efficiency of the light-emitting diodes in the UV-C range (the radiation emitted per use of energy) is still lower in this period than in conventional low-pressure mercury lamps, wherein the efficiency is also dramatically reduced with respect to shorter and shorter wavelengths, but a further improvement is achieved here.

An example of the use of light-emitting diodes emitting ultraviolet radiation in a device for treating fluids, in particular in a reactor for treating drinking water, is described in DE 102014015049 a 1. In order to achieve a high radiation efficiency, a conductor element is provided, into which the radiation emitted by the light-emitting diode, for example, is introduced and which extends into a tubular container containing the fluid, where the light-emitting diode emits the radiation to the fluid. The light guide can be made of a flexible fiber, for example of quartz glass. Disadvantageously, however, the cross-section of the tubular container is narrowed, it is difficult to ensure a uniform radiation coverage of the flow-through fluid (an incalculable trajectory in non-laminar flows), and the already low power efficiency of the light-emitting diode itself is reduced again by losses in the conductor element in the light path.

Thus, DE 102013017377 a1 proposes a UV reactor as a flow through reactor for disinfecting water, in which, for example, UV light-emitting diodes are used which have emission maxima at 270nm and 280nm, extend along a UV-transparent outer wall of the reactor in the flow direction of the water, and irradiate UV light through the outer wall from above via a corresponding length. However, here too a light guide is provided which extends through the reactor, but which is used here for detecting radiation in the respective container. This enables a single sensor to monitor the radiation and, for example, to detect the fluorescence of microorganisms in the flowing water. However, radiation from one side results in this structure in that the sterilization in the fluid is not uniform when the flow in the reactor is, for example, laminar. If it is not laminar or, for example, spiral, the difficulty is to verify which parts of the fluid are exposed to which radiation doses. In any case, it seems that this leads to an inefficient use of the light-emitting diodes.

The UV reactor using light emitting diodes that has been described is also limited to treating drinking water. In the case of more turbid water (for example in the treatment of wash water in dishwashers and the like), the light-emitting diodes which emit ultraviolet radiation are more limited due to the lower penetration depth and the lower efficiency, in particular because the reactor must have a minimum diameter which prevents clogging of the reactor. In a dishwasher, the transmission can only be 0.5% to 4% in a 10mm column of washing water. Furthermore, the cherry stones must be able to pass through the reactor unhindered, so a minimum diameter of 7mm is required in the specific application example. Furthermore, all trajectories of the fluid (or its co-current elements) through the reactor must ensure a uniform dose of ultraviolet radiation.

SUMMERY OF THE UTILITY MODEL

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a device for disinfecting a fluid flowing through, which generally overcomes the above-mentioned disadvantages, in particular also takes into account the currently still lower efficiency of light-emitting diodes emitting ultraviolet radiation, and provides an adequate dose of ultraviolet radiation for disinfection.

Firstly, a device for disinfecting a fluid flowing through is proposed, which device comprises: a tubular container having an inlet for receiving fluid and an outlet at which fluid can be discharged from the container; a plurality of light-emitting diodes, each of which is configured to emit light having a wavelength in the ultraviolet radiation range, preferably the short-wave ultraviolet radiation range, through the at least partially transparent outer wall of the container into the interior space of the container in order to irradiate the flowing fluid; wherein the light emitting diodes are distributed over the circumference of the container and the light emitting diodes are configured to emit light into the interior space of the container from different angular positions in the cross-sectional plane. After the fluid has flowed through, the fluid can be discharged from the container at this outlet. Thus, in essence, this is a flow through reactor. However, the present invention relates to the fluid in the container, which was previously introduced and subsequently discharged. The container is preferably a tube in order to achieve a sufficiently small diameter and thus a broad irradiation, but the container can in principle have any desired shape. Such protrusions or recesses, which adversely affect the laminar flow or deliberately induce turbulent flow, should be avoided in view of the desired radiation dose distributed sufficiently uniformly over the fluid. Deviations from the circular cross-section of the container can also be used, as will also be described below. The vessel can comprise a section which is actually used for irradiation (i.e. is functionally actually used for the reactor), and if necessary a flange or a connecting pipe or a connecting chamber, which is coupled thereto, for example by a seal.

For this arrangement of the reactor, a plurality of light-emitting diodes are now provided, which are each configured to emit light having a wavelength in the UV-C radiation range through the at least partially transparent outer wall of the container into the interior space of the container in order to irradiate the fluid flowing therethrough. The plurality can represent at least two or more. The light in the short-wave ultraviolet radiation range is light in the wavelength range of 10nm to 280 nm. According to a particular embodiment of the invention, the ultraviolet radiation range can also include the UV-B radiation range (280nm to 315nm, "medium UV" according to standard DIN 5031-7). For this purpose, the outer wall of the tubular container or of the actual reactor is substantially transparent, in particular to UV-C or UV-B radiation. The wavelength-dependent transmission is for example greater than 50%, for example 80% or more, preferably 90% or more, depending on the material and thickness of the wall and the reflection of light at oblique incidence on the outer wall. At wavelengths below 300nm of the light emitted by the UV light-emitting diode, for example quartz or high-boron borosilicate glass, fluorite, sapphire or sodium potassium silicate, etc., are transparent.

Furthermore, the light emitting diodes are distributed over the circumference of the tubular container and are configured for emitting light into the interior space of the container from different angular positions in a cross-sectional plane perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the tubular container extending in the direction of fluid flow. The circumference of the tubular container corresponds here to a line or a plane extending around the longitudinal axis of the container on the outside of the container. Such a distribution of the light-emitting diodes does not necessarily correspond to the outer circumference of the container in a cross-sectional plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. Thus also included are distributions of light emitting diodes helically arranged on the circumference (or peripheral surface) of the tubular container, such as a closed ring arrangement on this peripheral surface in a cross-sectional plane. Thus, different (azimuthal) angular positions relative to the longitudinal axis of the tubular container relative to each other for the respective cross-sectional planes are given for the light emitting diodes of this arrangement.

This has the particularly advantageous effect that the fluid is irradiated uniformly from all sides with UV-C light, thus being effectively disinfected. Thus improving overall efficiency, improving the uniformity of UV-C illumination, and the circumferential direction is also advantageously used for placing the light source.

In a non-limiting specific embodiment, the light-emitting diode emits light into the interior space, in particular also perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of the container. In addition to reducing the optical path through the fluid, this also avoids reflections that may occur at the glass wall when coupling ultraviolet radiation into the reactor. Overall, according to the invention a relatively wide opening angle of the radiation emitted by the individual UV-C light emitting diodes around an optical axis extending through the light emitting diodes perpendicular to the longitudinal axis is obtained, so that the throughflowing fluid is continuously and uniformly irradiated by the UV-C light.

According to a development of the invention, the light-emitting diodes are distributed both over the circumference of the container and at a plurality of positions along the longitudinal axis of the container. This enables a more efficient distribution of the light emitting diodes. The individual azimuthal angular positions relative to the longitudinal axis can be repeated very well for different light emitting diodes, however the most evenly distributed coverage of all possible azimuthal ranges yields the best results in terms of uniformity of irradiation or sterilization. This advantage is particularly evident when close to ideal laminar flow is obtained at a constant flow rate. In any case, the fluid elements flowing together will flow past the leds next to it exactly at the point in time for the relevant led position and be illuminated to the maximum extent.

According to a further development of the invention, the plurality of light-emitting diodes is divided into at least two groups, which are each assigned to a first uv radiation module and at least one second uv radiation module, and the light-emitting diodes of the first uv radiation module and the light-emitting diodes of the at least one second uv radiation module are each arranged jointly in a cross-sectional plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the tubular container. In particular, the plurality of light emitting diodes is divided into at least two groups, which are respectively assigned to one UV-C radiation module and at least one second UV-C radiation module. This is achieved in that the light-emitting diodes of the first UV-C radiation module and the light-emitting diodes of the at least one second UV-C radiation module are each arranged together in a cross-sectional plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the tubular container. The light-emitting diodes of the two groups form a so-called ring-shaped arrangement on the circumferential surface, wherein the light-emitting diodes of the arrangement then successively irradiate the fluid elements flowing through together. The division into groups or modules has the advantage that in each case suitable individual attachment structures can be developed and a modular construction can be achieved. For example, light emitting diodes with different parameters (e.g., wavelength, illumination intensity, etc.) can be used, or the modules can be mounted differently, or the number of modules can be increased to a particular UV disinfection application contamination level or adapted to a particular UV disinfection application to achieve a desired turbidity of the fluid to be disinfected. This brings the advantage of simple scalability of the basic system in various applications (liquid type, turbidity, degree of contamination, etc.). In any case, replacement of defective modules or light-emitting diodes is facilitated.

According to a further development of the invention, the first number of light-emitting diodes of the first uv radiation module and/or the second number of light-emitting diodes of the at least one second uv radiation module are each an odd number, the first uv radiation module and/or the at least one second uv radiation module preferably each have 3, 5 or 7 light-emitting diodes, and the light-emitting diodes in the relevant cross-sectional plane are distributed around the longitudinal axis at equal angular intervals from one another over the circumference of the tubular container. In particular, the first number of light-emitting diodes of the first UV-C radiation module and/or the second number of light-emitting diodes of the at least one second UV-C radiation module are each an odd number. For example, 3, 5 or 7 light-emitting diodes can preferably be provided in each module. The light-emitting diodes can be distributed in the relevant cross-sectional plane at equal angular intervals from one another around the longitudinal axis over the circumference of the tubular container. A particular advantage can be derived from this geometry or symmetry, that the light-emitting diode has no further light-emitting diodes on the other side of the container, at least directly opposite it. Since the semiconductor material absorbs UV-C radiation, the spatial corner surface occupied by the opposing light emitting diode itself cannot be used to reflect light emitted by its light emitting diode into the interior space of the container.

According to a further development of the invention, the angular position of the light-emitting diode of the at least one second uv radiation module in the respective cross-plane relative to the longitudinal axis differs from the angular position of the light-emitting diode of the first uv radiation module in the respective cross-plane relative to the longitudinal axis, wherein preferably the deflection angle θ at which the first uv radiation module and the second uv radiation module are deflected relative to one another in the respective cross-plane is:

θ＝360°/(Z·M)，

or 360 °/(Z · M), where Z is a number of light emitting diodes in the first and second ultraviolet radiation modules corresponding to each other, and M is a total number of the first and second ultraviolet radiation modules. In particular, the angular position of the light-emitting diodes of the at least one second UV-C radiation module relative to the longitudinal axis in the respective cross-sectional plane differs from such angular position of the light-emitting diodes of the first UV-C radiation module. In other words, the radiation modules are deflected relative to each other in an azimuthal direction relative to the longitudinal axis of the container. This ensures that in the case of laminar flow, two light-emitting diodes arranged in succession in the flow direction do not in any case illuminate the same fluid elements flowing together and passing directly at the same maximum intensity.

In this case, two different UV-C radiation modules are deflected relative to one another in the respective cross-sectional plane by a deflection angle, which is preferably 360 °/(Z · M), or a multiple thereof. For example, if there are 2 radiation modules each with 3 leds, they will be offset 60 ° in the azimuth direction with respect to each other. This ensures an optimal coverage of the light emitting diodes in circumferential direction.

According to a further development of the invention, the light-emitting diode of the first ultraviolet radiation module and the light-emitting diode of the second ultraviolet radiation module emit ultraviolet radiation of different wavelengths. In particular, the light-emitting diodes between different UV-C radiation modules emit UV-C radiation of different wavelengths, respectively, i.e. the individual modules are different. This function enables modules with disinfection properties to be combined with each other to be used exclusively for different microorganisms.

According to a further development of the invention, the light-emitting diodes are respectively arranged on a flat substrate with electrically conductive wiring, which substrate extends in each of the first and second uv radiation modules in the assembled state in the circumferential direction externally around the container, wherein the light-emitting diodes face the interior of the container. In particular, the light-emitting diodes are each arranged on a flat substrate with current guides which in combination extend in each UV-C radiation module in the circumferential direction externally around the container, the light-emitting diodes facing the interior space of the container. The substrate can be a printed circuit board. Especially in the case of UV light emitting diodes, a strong heat dissipation can be preferred for the material of the substrate. For example, it is contemplated that certain materials may be used in combination with copper louvers, etc., or certain ceramic materials. In a preferred embodiment, the substrate comprises a metal core and aluminum nitride. The current guides provide the power supply for the leds, wherein appropriate circuitry and controls can be provided, as is well known for the operation of UV leds. The light emitting diodes can be mounted on the substrate in surface mount or chip on board technology, etc. Multiple light emitting diodes can also be provided on the same substrate.

According to a further development of the invention, the device further comprises a plurality of uv radiation-sensitive sensors in each of the first and second uv radiation modules, which sensors are each arranged separately opposite a respective light-emitting diode on the respective other side of the container. In particular, a plurality of sensors sensitive to UV-C radiation are provided in each UV-C radiation module, each sensor being arranged opposite a respective light-emitting diode on the other side of the container. Sensors may be used to monitor operation. Various information about the optical properties of the light emitting diode and the optical properties of the fluid can thus be obtained. By means of individual distribution, individual UV light emitting diodes can be operated.

According to a further development of the invention, the sensor adjoins a position between two adjacent substrates, respectively. This achieves a particularly effective division of the available space over the circumference of the tubular container.

According to a further development of the invention, the device further comprises a reflector which covers the respective base and faces the interior of the container, and which has recesses for the respective light-emitting diodes and, if appropriate, for the respective sensors. Such a recess is provided here. By this construction, a maximum fraction of the emitted light is emitted back into the container to further contribute to the homogenization of the illumination and thus to the sterilization.

According to a further development of the invention, the reflector is designed as a ring with interconnected, preferably flat or curved reflector elements separate from the container, which ring extends in the circumferential direction around the container, or as an outer or inner coating of the wall of the container. As described above, such rings may be respectively assigned to the respective radiation modules. The ring can be formed from a bent metal or sheet metal part, and therefore can be produced at low cost. In case of corrosion or damage, the ring can be replaced detachable from the tubular container. The reflector can likewise continue to be used if only the tube has to be replaced. The reflector can be an aluminum-coated or vapor-deposited substrate and is therefore individually adapted to the radiation of the light-emitting diode of the associated radiation module. Furthermore, the surface can be provided with a dielectric layer to increase the UV reflectivity.

According to an alternative embodiment of the invention, the reflector is designed as an outer or inner coating of the wall of the container, in particular as an aluminum coating.

According to a further development or embodiment, the surface of the reflector facing the interior space can be such that it does not reflect specularly but rather scatters incident light or uv radiation, thus contributing to an illumination which is as uniform as possible. For example, polytetrafluoroethylene can be used as a material for this.

According to a further development of the invention, the device further comprises a cooling body arrangement, wherein the corresponding base is connected to the cooling body directly or via a heat-conducting material, on which base light-emitting diodes are respectively arranged correspondingly. Since the efficiency of UV light emitting diodes is relatively low compared to light emitting diodes emitting in the visible or infrared wavelength range, more power is converted into heat in the present case. Therefore, in research, a cooling body arrangement made of, for example, continuously cast cooling fins has proved to be advantageous. An exemplary thermally conductive material between the substrate and the heat sink device can be a thin layer of thermally conductive agent having a thickness of less than 20 microns. Alternatively, other so-called thermal interface materials are conceivable.

According to a further development of the invention, the arrangement of the base has a symmetry corresponding to the number of light-emitting diodes of the base, which base extends in the assembled state in the circumferential direction around the container in each of the first and second uv radiation modules, wherein the heat sink device forms a cavity corresponding to this symmetry, in which cavity the arrangement of the base, preferably in the form of a triangle or a pentagon prism, is accommodated, wherein the heat sink device is divided into a plurality of heat sink elements, the number of which corresponds to this symmetry. In particular, the device, in which the base extends in the assembled state in the circumferential direction around the container in each of the radiation modules, has a symmetry corresponding to the number of its light-emitting diodes. For example, an arrangement of 3 substrates with corresponding 3 UV light emitting diodes has the form of a triangular prism (similar to 3 assembled rectangular faces). According to this embodiment, the heat sink device now forms a cavity corresponding to the symmetry, in which the arrangement of substrates is accommodated. Ideally, the substrate contacts the corresponding surface formed by the cavity on the backside to conduct heat as much as possible. In other words, the arrangement of the substrate is received in the cavity with a form fit and/or complementary.

Since the arrangement of the substrates does not have to be coherent (the sensors can preferably be placed between the substrates, see above), it is preferred to attach the substrates directly or indirectly to the cooling body arrangement. In order to facilitate the disassembly or assembly of the device, in particular for the disassembly or assembly of individual radiation modules, in one embodiment, for example in the case of a light-emitting diode arrangement in 3 substrates or 3 heat sink elements, the heat sink device is divided into a plurality of heat sink elements corresponding to the symmetry.

According to a further development of the invention, the device further comprises radiation protection strips, the number of which corresponds to the number of cooling body elements, which radiation protection strips prevent uv radiation from being emitted through the gaps between the decomposed cooling body elements, wherein at least one radiation protection strip has a receptacle for one of the sensors and/or at least one radiation protection strip comprises an integral or at least fixedly connected locking element, with which the cooling body elements can be locked to one another and separated again. In particular, a plurality of radiation protection strips corresponding to the plurality of cooling body elements are provided, which prevent UV-C radiation from being emitted through the gaps between the decomposed cooling body elements. In any case, at least one radiation protection strip has a receptacle for one of the sensors. Alternatively or additionally, the radiation protection strip comprises an integral or at least fixedly connected locking means with which the cooling body elements can be locked together and separated again. This cost and space saving design provides both a latch, radiation protection and a mount for the sensor.

According to a further development of the invention, the device further comprises a fan which is designed to generate an air flow which is supplied to the heat sink arrangement, wherein the heat sink arrangement has an integrally connected heat sink through which the air flow can flow, wherein the device preferably has a housing with which the flow of the air flow through the heat sink is limited. In order to limit or guide the air flow over the cooling fins, a housing is preferably provided, which can serve as a mechanical protection to protect the entire device.

According to a further development of the invention, the device further comprises at least one heat conducting member, which is thermally connected to the light emitting diode and which extends into the inner space of the container such that the heat conducting member is passed through by the fluid, so that the heat generated by the light emitting diode is output to the fluid. Preferably, the heat conducting member is a metal member formed by the inlet and/or the outlet or by a corresponding flange. The metal part is for example connected to an at least partially transparent section of the tubular container (for example by means of a seal as described above). These flanges can also be used for connection to external supply lines. Additional heat removal paths are provided by this configuration.

According to a further development of the invention, the device further comprises a sealing element which seals the connection between the at least partially uv-radiation-transparent section of the tubular container and the flange for the inlet or outlet in order to prevent the outflow of the throughflowing fluid, wherein the end of the transparent section facing the sealing element is deformed, mechanically or chemically or physically structured, coated or doped in order to counteract the light-conducting effect of the uv radiation in the transparent section being guided to the sealing element.

According to the utility model discloses a further improvement, tubular container has at least part of the section transparent to ultraviolet radiation, and the ultraviolet radiation of emitting by emitting diode passes in this section gets into the inner space, wherein, has circular cross section or the multilateral flattening or the depressed part different with this circular cross section to the section transparent to ultraviolet radiation, and flattening or depressed part correspond with the quantity of emitting diode in the cross section plane. In particular, the tubular container has a section which is at least partially transparent to ultraviolet radiation and through which the UV-C radiation emitted by the light-emitting diodes passes into the interior space, wherein the section transparent to UV-C radiation has a circular cross section or a polygonal flattening or depression deviating therefrom, which corresponds to the number of light-emitting diodes in the cross-sectional plane. This structure has proven to be particularly effective for uniform illumination of the interior space. The circular shape ensures laminar flow and thus a largely controllable sterilization. The biased flattenings or depressions allow the associated leds to illuminate the inner space more closely and more widely, and in particular to take advantage of these features to reduce the angular range of strong reflection on the outer wall of the container, thereby improving the overall efficiency.

Drawings

Further advantages, features and details of the invention emerge from the following description of preferred embodiments and from the drawings. In the drawings, like reference numerals refer to like features and functions.

The figures show:

fig. 1 shows a side view of a device for disinfecting a fluid flowing through according to a first embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 shows a cross-sectional view of the device of FIG. 1 according to a first embodiment;

FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of the device of FIG. 1 with the housing removed, according to a first embodiment;

FIG. 4 shows a side view of the device of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 shows a cross-sectional view of the apparatus of FIG. 2 to clearly show the core module without the cooling body arrangement and the fan;

FIG. 6 shows a cross-sectional view of the cooling body arrangement shown in FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 shows a sectional view through the heat sink device shown in FIG. 4 with an incorporated radiation protection strip;

FIGS. 8A and 8B show perspective views of a first radiation protection strip without a mount for a sensor, and FIG. 8C shows a perspective view of a second radiation protection strip with a mount for a sensor;

fig. 9 shows an enlarged perspective view of the core module of fig. 5 according to the first embodiment with two radiation modules;

fig. 10 shows a perspective view of one of the two radiation modules in fig. 9;

fig. 11 shows a perspective view of only the reflector of the radiation module in fig. 10;

fig. 12 shows a UV-C light emitting diode on a substrate for use in the radiation module according to fig. 10;

fig. 13A shows a schematic diagram of a core module according to a second embodiment of the invention with 5 instead of 3 UV-C leds;

FIG. 13B shows a graph of the intensity distribution in a cross-section of the interior space of the tubular vessel of the core module in FIG. 13A;

fig. 14A shows a modified cross-sectional view of a tubular container of a core module according to a third embodiment of the invention, in the outer wall of which container a recess is provided and on which 5 UV-C light emitting diodes are fixed;

fig. 14B shows a modified cross-sectional view of a tubular container of a core module according to a fourth embodiment of the invention, in the outer wall of which container a flattening is provided and on which outer wall 3 UV-C light emitting diodes are fixed;

figure 15 shows a perspective view of only one flange of an improved device for disinfecting a fluid flowing therethrough according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention;

fig. 16 shows a perspective cross-sectional view of the improved device for disinfecting a fluid flowing through according to fig. 15 with connected tubes.

Detailed Description

Fig. 1 to 12 show a first embodiment of a device for disinfecting a throughflowing fluid according to the invention. This particular embodiment relates to a UV-C reactor, for example for use in a dishwasher. However, UV-C reactors identical or similar to those shown here can also be used in washing machines, commercial dishwashers, washing cycles of the food industry, other washing water treatment systems in cycles, such as mobile systems (buses, trains, motor homes) or stationary systems (horticulture, urban agriculture, fish farming, aquaculture, etc.), or in the disinfection of fresh water, such as the intake water for drinking water dispensers or for coffee machines, etc. In individual cases, only the dimensions, connections, electrical and radiation properties have to be matched to the respective requirements.

Fig. 1 and 2 show a device 1 comprising an outer housing 10. The device 1 comprises a tubular container 24 having an inlet 13 and an outlet 15. The inlet 13 is formed in the first flange 12 and the outlet 15 is formed in the second flange 14. Extending between the first flange 12 and the second flange 14 is a tube 26 of quartz or borosilicate glass of high boron, which is substantially transparent to UV-C radiation. The tube 26 is inserted into the corresponding mating pieces of the first and

second flanges

12, 14 and sealed by the seal 36 (see fig. 5). Thus, in this particular example, the tubular container 24 comprises a bore (with substantially the same diameter here) of the first flange 12 connected on one end of the tube 26, which extends to the opening 12a for connecting a flexible or rigid external line (not shown) for supplying the fluid, and a bore (with substantially the same diameter here) of the second flange 14 connected on the other end of the tube 26, which extends to the opening 14a for connecting a further flexible or rigid external line (not shown) for draining the fluid and also for the purpose of back-flow in the respective cycle. In particular, the tubular container 24 in the second flange 14 here comprises an inflection point with two boreholes running perpendicular to one another. The first flange 12, the second flange 14 and the pipe 26 are secured together by bolts or pins 46, 48 that are fitted or screwed into the respective bores 40, 42 (see fig. 5).

As can be seen in fig. 2, the tube 26 made of quartz or high-boron borosilicate glass is surrounded by two

radiation modules

44A, 44B which are designed to emit UV-C radiation into an interior space 50 of the tube 26. The

radiation modules

44A, 44B will be described in detail below.

The device 1 also has an electrical connection 16, which is only shown in the figures as a tubular screw-in connection for guiding the wires of the power supply through the electrical connection. For simplicity of explanation, it is omitted in fig. 2. The power supply serves in particular to supply the light source with electrical emission of UV-C radiation, the associated sensor system, the motor (not shown) of the fan 52 which cools the device, and a controller (not shown) which controls the further electronic unit.

A fan 52 is arranged in the device 1 at one end of the housing 10, which fan is directed towards the inlet 13 for fluid at the other end of the housing 10 (see also fig. 3). The fan 52 comprises a propeller having blades 54 rotatably mounted on a rotation axis substantially coinciding with the longitudinal axis 51 of the tube 26 in the extension direction. For this purpose, the fan 52 with its drive motor is mounted internally to a plate 56 in the rear part of the housing 10, which plate is in turn secured to the second flange 14 by means of struts 58. During operation, the fan 52 generates an airflow 18 which circulates around the arrangement of the core module with the tubes 26 parallel to its longitudinal axis 51. For this, an annular inlet 20 is provided at the rear end of the casing 10, and an outlet 22 is provided at the front end of the casing 10, and the fan 52 can suck the sent air (reference numeral 18a) through the outlet 22 to cool the reactor and blow out the sent air (reference numeral 18b) again.

The same device is shown without the housing 10 in fig. 3 and 4. The two

radiation modules

44A, 44B, which are no longer visible in these figures, are surrounded on all sides by a heat sink arrangement 60, which here consists of two individual

heat sink elements

64A, 64B, which are assigned to the

respective radiation modules

44A, 44B. The cooling

body elements

64A, 64B are produced, for example, by continuous casting and have a plurality of fins 62 which extend radially outward from sections of an inner solid body 66 (see fig. 6 and 7) away from the central longitudinal axis of the tubes 26 in the cooling body arrangement 60. The slight curvature of the fins 62 improves the aerodynamic properties. The fins 62 also extend along the longitudinal axis 51 so that the airflow 18 generated by the fan 52 can pass through the fins 62 with little resistance. The outer housing 10 restricts the airflow and forces it through the space between the fins 62. With this structure, heat generated in the core module 80 inside is effectively guided to the outside and transferred to the airflow 18 due to UV-C radiation and power of the UV-C light emitting diode not converted into radiation.

Fig. 5 shows a core module 80 comprising two

radiation modules

44A, 44B and a tube 26 made of quartz or high boron borosilicate glass and a first flange 12 and a second flange 14. In other words, the cooling body arrangement 60 and the fan 52 have been removed. The tubular container 24 extends from the opening 12a of the inlet 13 through the bore 120 in the first flange 12 and is sealed by the seal 38, transitions to the tube 26, which is bounded by the cylindrical outer wall 260, is sealed by the seal 36, transitions to the bore 141 in the second flange 14, and is also located in the vertically angled bore 140 in the second flange 14, to the opening 14 a. The inner diameter is substantially constant throughout the length. Bore 120 and bore 141 and tube 26 therebetween extend linearly and straightly along longitudinal axis 51. The cross-sections of the bore 120, bore 141, bore 140 and tube 26 are circular and no protrusions or depressions are provided therein, for example, which intentionally cause turbulence or eddy currents. With this structure, laminar flow can be achieved. By way of example only, the diameter of the tube 26 is about 8mm, wherein for example a volume flow of 50 litres per hour may be achieved.

The material of the sealing

elements

36, 38 should be made of a high-strength synthetic material, but this can only be achieved to a limited extent in the case of UV-C radiation. In order to extend the service life, measures can be taken to prevent radiation from reaching the seal. Here in particular the effects that may occur in the transparent glass material of the tube 26 are taken into account.

On the one hand, the inside and/or the outside of the tube 26 can be locally roughened at the front end of the end (1-10mm), so that the radiation guided by the glass material in the outer wall 260 is scattered on the surface of the outer wall 260 immediately before reaching the

seals

36, 38. For this purpose, the surface is, for example, sandblasted. Alternatively, the optical microstructures can be embossed on the inside and/or outside of the tube, for example, as prisms.

On the other hand, the end faces of the tubes 26 can be coated at the end of the tubes, for example with metal deposited or sputtered in the gas phase thereon or with an absorbing or scattering paint. Furthermore, dopants may be introduced locally into the tube material at the end of the tube 26, which absorb UV-C radiation. For example, TiO is considered in the case of quartz glass₂. Finally, it is also conceivable to reduce the wall thickness of the tube at the end of the tube 26, optionally by additional deformation of the tube, for example by an increase or decrease in its cross section.

According to a particular embodiment, an additional sensor 30 connected by an electrical connection 32 (wire) can be provided at the end of the bore 141 of the second flange 14, which sensor can detect UV-C radiation scattered in the fluid in the direction of the longitudinal axis 51 through the quartz glass window 34, in order to obtain an indication about the turbidity of the fluid or the total optical power of the

radiation modules

44A, 44B.

Fig. 6 and 7 show a cross section through a heat sink arrangement 60 with a core module 80 arranged therein. As also explained with reference to fig. 9 and 10, for each

radiation module

44A, 44B, three UV-C light emitting diodes 90 are distributed over the circumference of the tubular container 24. This results in a 3-fold symmetry of the arrangement of the core module 80, which is also reflected in a 3-fold symmetry of the internal cavity 72 provided in each of the cooling

body elements

64A, 64B for receiving the

respective radiation module

44A, 44B of the core module 80. This creates a prismatic internal cavity 72 in the embodiment.

As can be seen in fig. 12, in this embodiment, respective UV-C light emitting diodes 90 are formed on the sheet-form base 84 with a thermally conductive metal core and an electrically insulating coating of chip-on-board technology. The rear surface of the substrate 84 having the largest contact surface can be mounted on the complementary inner surface of the internal cavity 72 of the respective

heat sink element

64A, 64B when the UV-C light emitting diode 90 is directed towards the interior space 50 of the tube 26. In order to improve the heat transfer, a thin heat conductive agent layer (not shown) having a thickness of 20 μm or less can be preferably provided between the two contact surfaces, thereby reducing the thermal resistance.

By means of the 3-fold symmetry of the radiation module and the matching 3-fold symmetry of the inner masses of the

heat sink elements

64A, 64B, they are expediently divided into a corresponding number (here 3) of sub-elements, as is indicated by the dashed and dotted line in fig. 6. This facilitates the assembly of the UV reactor and the disassembly of its radiation module when maintenance or troubleshooting is performed.

Also shown in fig. 6 and 7 are bores 68 for receiving the bolts or pins 46, 48 partially shown in fig. 2. By means of the compressive pressure generated by the bolts or pins 46, 48, the first flange 12, the second flange 14 and the intermediate

cooling body elements

64A, 44B are compressed, so that a heat transfer from the cooling body arrangement 60 to the first flange 12 and the second flange 14 is achieved. The first flange 12 and the second flange 14 can preferably be made of a thermally conductive metal, for example copper or steel, which, in addition to cooling the heat sink device, can also transfer heat directly to the flowing fluid via the air flow 18. This significantly improves the thermal balance and allows more UV-C leds to be distributed within the limited space of the cavity 72 and around a small circumference of the tube 26.

Furthermore, 3 locking chambers 70 are provided in fig. 6 and 7, which extend along the longitudinal axis 51 of the internally extending tube 26 like prismatic internal chambers 72. In these locking cavities 70, radiation protection strips 76, 76' shown in fig. 8A to 8C can be inserted. In the example shown, they have a substantially semi-cylindrical radiation protection section 78 which is complementary to the locking chamber 70 (radiation protection chamber) and, in the inserted state, prevents radiation from escaping from any gaps or interstices between the decomposed sub-elements of the

heat sink elements

64A, 64B, even in the assembled and locked state.

In this embodiment, the radiation protection bars 76, 76' are also equipped with locking members 79 which are integrally or at least firmly connected to the radiation protection section 78. This advantageously greatly reduces the number of components used and simplifies the construction. The locking member 79 has

bores

79A, 79B, 79C into which bolts or pins can be inserted (see fig. 7). Thus, each locking member 79 is attached to each of the two adjacent sub-elements of the

heat sink elements

64A, 64B. Thus, the locking member 79 as a whole also allows for the attachment of sub-elements together. Instead, as described above, the

heat sink elements

64A, 64B are connected to one another by the bores 68 with the aid of bolts or the like.

The structure of the core module 80 or an actual UV-C reactor is shown in fig. 9. The transparent tube 26 of the tubular container 24 is surrounded by two

radiation modules

44A, 44B, which are each formed by an arrangement of three substrates 84 (printed circuit boards) on which UV-C light emitting diodes 90 are arranged, and which form a 3 coordinated symmetry or prism as described above. The UV-C light-emitting diodes 90 are arranged adjacent to the UV-transparent outer wall 260 and are formed here as flat semiconductor elements, the main emission direction of which lies on the surface normal of the light-emitting diodes, which is preferably, but not necessarily, perpendicular to the longitudinal axis 51. The generally rectangular or square substrates 84 have edges that face each other, but are not directly connected to each other. Instead, the base 84 is attached to the back of the inner surface of the internal cavity 72 of the

heat sink element

64A, 64B by attaching the base 84 via bolts or pins 86 into the bores 85 of the respective base 84 so as to create a spatial arrangement.

As can be seen in fig. 12, the substrates 84 have recesses 88 at the edges facing each other, which allow UV-sensitive sensors 74 with power supply lines 75 to be arranged at positions between adjacent substrates 84 in the

radiation modules

44A, 44B. Light emitted from the opposing UV-C light emitting diodes 90 is passed through the UV transparent tube 26 to the respective sensors 74. For simplicity, only two sensors 74 are shown in FIG. 9. In the ideal case, all sensor positions are occupied.

The sensor 74 can be used to monitor the operation of the radiation module. When the UV-C light emitting diodes 90 are operated individually or their operating current is changed, for example periodically, various information about the power of the light emitting diodes and the optical properties of the fluid can be determined. Thus, the optical properties of the reactor are known in the case of an empty reactor. The sensor signal from the sensor opposite the corresponding UV-C led 90 can directly derive its power or aging status from the calibration values.

Furthermore, when the power of the UV-C light emitting diode 90 (measured in the idle state or calculated by a lifetime of known lifetime performance) is known, the penetration depth in the fluid in the tube 26 is determined from the calibration value by the UV-C light emitting diode 90 opposite the sensor 74.

Finally, the scattering behavior of the fluid is determined by the sensor 30 on the end side at an angle to the main propagation direction of the UV-C light-emitting diode 90 or by a further sensor 74, with a known power and penetration depth.

By means of the light-emitting diodes 90 and the determined properties of the fluid, the current or power supplied to the light-emitting diodes can be adjusted such that a defined minimum intensity is achieved in the UV-C reactor. Thereby, the overall efficiency and/or lifetime of the reactor system can be optimized. In addition, it can be recognized that the sterilization effect to the reactor is below a critical value, for example due to degradation of an excessively turbid medium or optics or due to a defective UV-C light emitting diode 90.

With regard to the positioning of the sensors relative to the

heat sink elements

64A, 64B, the sensors 74 can advantageously be arranged in specially designed sensor seats 82 in the radiation protection bar 76', see fig. 8C. When the rod is inserted into the radiation-shielding cavity, the sensor 74 is then disposed within the radiation-shielding cavity at a location just between two adjacent substrates 84. This further simplifies installation and/or replacement of the sensor 74.

In fig. 9, the two

radiation modules

44A, 44B are arranged in a relative rotation of 60 ° with respect to the longitudinal axis 51 of the tube 26. In the case of laminar flow, this further improves the distribution density of the UV-C leds 90 over the circumference of the tube 26. If more than two radiation modules are used, the helical arrangement of the UV-C light emitting diodes 90 can advantageously be realized by a relative twist in the circumferential direction.

As further shown in fig. 9, the tube 26 has a groove 261 on the outer side of its two ends for receiving one of the seals 36, 38 (sealing rings).

Fig. 10 shows in enlarged view one of the radiation modules 44A with an arrangement of the substrate 84, the UV-C light emitting diodes 90 and the sensors 74 (typically only one) without the tubes 26 passing internally. It can be seen that internally mounted is a reflector 92, which has a ring shape as shown in fig. 11. In this embodiment, the reflector 92 is made of a bent sheet of metal and includes reflector surfaces 98 and 100, which can preferably be coated with aluminum to improve reflection of UV light and prevent corrosion. The reflector surface 98 covers the substrate 84, wherein a recess 102 is provided for the UV-C light emitting diode 90. Reflector surfaces 100 connect adjacent reflector surfaces 98 and face the 3 coordinated symmetric or prismatic corners of core module 80 and sensor 74, respectively. In order to enable the sensor 74 to detect light of the opposing UV-C leds 90, a recess 96 is also provided here.

As can be directly seen in fig. 10, the 3-fold symmetry allows the light emitted by the opposing UV-C leds 90 and passing through the tube 26 to be optimally detected by the respective sensors 74. The mutual illumination of the UV-C leds 90 is instead reduced for positioning reasons. Since the UV-C light emitting diode absorbs the incident UV-C radiation, a component of this radiation is not available for further reflection and therefore cannot be further provided in the tube 26 during sterilization. Thus, the present design significantly improves the efficiency of the

radiation modules

44A, 44B. The same applies for example to a 5-fold structure.

As can be seen in fig. 11, the bent metal sheets can be connected at the seam 104 into a closed ring, for example by welding or riveting. The substrate 84 can be attached to the ring as shown in fig. 10 by means of bent tabs 94, which can even have a slight mechanical prestress in the direction of one another, whereas the ring of reflectors 92 is fitted into or fixed to the core module 80 or the

radiation modules

44A, 44B.

A second embodiment is shown in fig. 13A and 13B. In this case, the tubular container 24 or transparent tube 26 is arranged to surround the circumference of the tube 26 with five (instead of three as in the first embodiment) UV-C leds 90 distributed. In this schematic illustration, the other elements of the shown arrangement (cooling body arrangement 60, first flange 12, second flange 14, base 84, sensor 74,

individual radiation modules

44A, 44B, etc.) associated with the device 1 of the first embodiment are omitted. The graph of fig. 13B shows the intensity distribution over the cross-section (X, Y) of the tube 26. It can be seen that an increased number of UV-C light emitting diodes 90 results in a more uniform illumination of the interior space 50 of the tube 26.

A third embodiment is shown in fig. 14A. Here, as shown in cross-section, five UV-C light emitting diodes 90 are arranged on the circumference of the tube 26'. However, as indicated by the arrows, unlike the circular cross-sectional shape, a depression is formed in the outer wall of the tube 26', so that in the case of the tube 26', spatial regions which are still insufficiently illuminated at the edge of the tube 26 between adjacent UV-C light-emitting diodes 90 in fig. 13B are eliminated. This achieves a further improved uniformity. Such adaptation of the reactor cross section can be achieved, for example, by using suitable rolling mills which produce polygonal depressions during the drawing of the quartz tube or after a process step. These depressions can be introduced continuously and periodically in length.

A similar fourth embodiment is shown in fig. 14B. Only as an example, only 3 UV-C light emitting diodes 90 used are shown again here. Although in the first two embodiments a circular shape of the cross-section of the tubular container 24 and the tube 26 is provided, here it is provided that the recess is replaced by a flat in the tube 26 "between the positions of the UV-C light emitting diodes 90. Similar to the example of fig. 14A, only areas of high strength in the cross-section of the tube 26 "remain. Here, the uniformity of sterilization is also improved. In these embodiments, the shape of the reactor is chosen approximately precisely such that the radiation angle of the ultraviolet radiation after refraction (i.e. the angle between the led-adjacent surface of the tube and the side wall of the tube to which it is laterally attached) approximately corresponds to the design angle of the reactor tube 26', 26 ″ in the transition to the optically denser medium.

Fig. 15 and 16 show an alternative or complementary embodiment of the spiral inlet (13'). Fig. 16 shows the inlet (13') with the attached tube 26 "' in cross section. The overall structure of the module having the light emitting diode, the heat radiating member, the connector thereof, and the like can be the same as those in the drawings of the first embodiment, and it is omitted here for clarity. The inlet 13' can be constructed as a unitary block (e.g., steel) and has a first flange 12 with an opening 12a as described above. The respective bore 120 leads into a channel 13a which opens into the tube 26'″, the base surface 130 of which rises gradually with a small constant inclination in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the tube 26' ″ until it reaches its end face 150. The end face is formed by a quartz glass window 34'. Disposed behind the quartz glass window 34' are one or more light emitting diodes (see fig. 16) which, like the light emitting diodes shown in fig. 5, emit UV light in the longitudinal direction.

Through the channel 13a or its spirally upward wound base surface 130, a fluid is generated which flows through in a swirl-like manner, so that the fluid flows correspondingly in a spiral through the tube 26 "' or the container 24 which is subsequently irradiated with UV-C light. The tube 26 "' itself can be constructed as in the previous embodiments (e.g. made of quartz glass). A seal 38 may be provided between the end of the tube 26 "' and the abutment face 12b of the flange 12. In this embodiment, the resulting spiral flow of the fluid causes a uniform radiation effect on the individual fluid portions.

Overall, by star-shaped irradiation from multiple sides towards the fluid in the tubes 26, a minimum radiation intensity in the absorbing and scattering medium can be obtained, and at the same time a minimum diameter of the reactor can be maintained. The modular basic design allows adaptation according to user requirements, such as minimum flow rate, desired maximum disinfection, turbidity of the medium, etc., for example by expansion through another radiation module. This modular design allows for a wide range of client applications.

It should be noted that the above-mentioned embodiments represent specific embodiments and do not limit the scope of protection of the present invention. In particular, various features of the various embodiments can be combined into other embodiments. Thus, the spiral inlet of fig. 15 or 16 can also be flanged in the left-hand configuration shown in fig. 2. Furthermore, the materials described in the exemplary embodiments for the outer wall of the tube are not limited to special glasses, in particular quartz glass or quartz or borosilicate glass, fluorite, sapphire or soda-potassium silicate glass. Also, for example in an opaque tube, only small windows can be assigned to the light emitting diodes 90.

Furthermore, unlike the illustrated embodiment, the tube 26 can also be bent or completely bent.

In the embodiment described herein, the UV-C light emitting diode 90 is described as a flat semiconductor element, with the main emission direction lying on the surface normal of the light emitting diode. However, according to an alternative or improved approach, the UV-C light emitting diode 90 can also have primary optics, such as a lens, a total internal reflection lens or a reflector, in order to improve (focus or expand) the shaped light beam.

In the embodiments described herein, critical cooling is described by means of a heat sink device that transfers heat to incoming air. This is supplemented by heat transfer with a thermally conductive metal which is in contact with the fluid flowing through, preferably at a fluid temperature below 50 ℃. It is however also possible to use only one or the other cooling means or alternatively a cooling mechanism completely different from this, for example using a heat pump or an element according to the peltier principle.

List of reference numerals

1 apparatus

10 casing

12 first flange

12a opening

12b abutment surface for a seal

13 Inlet (for laminar flow)

13' inlet (for spiral flow)

14 second flange

14a opening

15 outlet port

16 electric connector

18 cooled gas stream

18a, 18b, and discharged air

20 inlet for air

22 outlet for air

24. 24', 24' tubular container

26. 26', 26' tubes (quartz or borosilicate glass tubes)

28 inflection point

30. 30' end side sensor

32 electric connector (sensor)

34. 34' quartz glass window

36 sealing element

38 seal

40 drill hole

42 drilling

44A, 44B radiation module

46 bolt or pin

48 bolts or pins

50 inner space (Quartz or borosilicate glass tube)

52 Fan

54 blade

56 plate for fastening

58 post for fastening

60 cooling body device

62 Heat sink

64A, 64B heat sink element

66 main body

68 drilling

70 locking cavity (radiation protection cavity)

72 internal cavity

74 (UV) sensor

75 feeding line

76 radiation protection strip

78 radiation protection section

79 locking member

80 core module (actual UV reactor)

82 sensor base

84 substrate (printed circuit board with metal core)

85 hole drilling

86 bolts or pins

88 recess

90 UV-C light emitting diode

92 Reflector (reflection ring)

94 connecting piece

96 recess

98. 100 Reflector surface (aluminium coated)

102 recess

104 joint (welded joint)

120 drilling

130 base (spiral rising)

140. 141 drilling a hole

150 end face

260 outer wall (Quartz or borosilicate glass tube)

261 groove.

Claims

1. A device for disinfecting a fluid flowing therethrough, the device comprising:

a tubular container (24) having an outlet (15) at which the fluid can be discharged from the container (24) and an inlet (13) for receiving the fluid;

a plurality of light emitting diodes, each configured for emitting light having a wavelength in the ultraviolet radiation range through an at least partially transparent outer wall (260) of the container into an interior space (50) of the container (24) in order to irradiate the fluid flowing through;

characterized in that the light emitting diodes are distributed over the circumference of the container (24) and that the light emitting diodes are configured for emitting light into the inner space (50) of the container from different angular positions in a cross-sectional plane.

2. Device for disinfecting a throughflowing fluid according to claim 1, characterized in that the light-emitting diodes are each configured for emitting light having a wavelength in the short-wave ultraviolet radiation range through an at least partially transparent outer wall (260) of the container into the interior space (50) of the container (24).

3. A device for disinfecting a flow-through fluid as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the light-emitting diodes are distributed both over the circumference of the container and at a plurality of locations along the longitudinal axis of the container.

4. An apparatus for disinfecting a flow-through fluid according to claim 3, characterized in that the plurality of light-emitting diodes is divided into at least two groups, which are each assigned to a first and at least one second ultraviolet radiation module, and the light-emitting diodes of the first and at least one second ultraviolet radiation modules are each arranged jointly in a cross-sectional plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the tubular container.

5. Device for disinfecting a throughflowing fluid according to claim 4, characterized in that the first number of light-emitting diodes of the first UV-radiation module and/or the second number of light-emitting diodes of at least one of the second UV-radiation modules are each odd and the light-emitting diodes in the relevant cross-sectional plane are distributed at equal angular intervals from one another around the longitudinal axis over the circumference of the tubular container.

6. Device for disinfecting a fluid flowing through according to claim 5, characterized in that the first UV-radiation module and/or at least one of the second UV-radiation modules each have 3, 5 or 7 light-emitting diodes.

7. An apparatus for disinfecting a fluid flowing therethrough according to claim 5, wherein the angular position of the light-emitting diode of at least one of said second ultraviolet radiation modules in the respective cross-plane relative to said longitudinal axis differs from the angular position of the light-emitting diode of said first ultraviolet radiation module in the respective cross-plane relative to said longitudinal axis, wherein the deflection angles θ by which said first and second ultraviolet radiation modules are deflected relative to each other in the respective cross-planes are:

θ＝360°/(Z·M)，

or 360 °/(Z · M), where Z is a number of light emitting diodes in the first and second ultraviolet radiation modules that correspond to each other, and M is a total number of the first and second ultraviolet radiation modules.

8. An apparatus for disinfecting a flow-through fluid according to claim 4, characterized in that the light-emitting diode of the first ultraviolet radiation module and the light-emitting diode of the second ultraviolet radiation module emit ultraviolet radiation of different wavelengths.

9. Device for disinfecting a flowing-through fluid according to claim 7, characterized in that the light-emitting diodes are respectively arranged on a flat substrate with electrically conductive wiring, which substrate in each of the first and second ultraviolet radiation modules extends in the assembled state in the circumferential direction externally around the container, wherein the light-emitting diodes face the interior space of the container.

10. An apparatus for disinfecting a flow-through fluid according to claim 9, characterized in that it further comprises a plurality of ultraviolet radiation-sensitive sensors in each of the first and second ultraviolet radiation modules, which sensors are each arranged individually opposite a respective light-emitting diode on the respective other side of the container.

11. An apparatus for disinfecting a streaming fluid as claimed in claim 10, characterized in that the sensors each abut a location between two adjacent substrates.

12. A device for disinfecting a flow-through fluid as claimed in claim 10, characterized in that the device further comprises a reflector which covers the respective substrate and faces the interior space of the container and which has recesses for the respective light-emitting diodes and for the respective sensors.

13. A device for disinfecting a throughflowing fluid according to claim 12, characterized in that the reflector is designed as a ring with flat or curved reflector elements which are separate from the container and which are connected to one another and which extend circumferentially around the container, or as an outer or inner coating of the wall of the container.

14. An apparatus for disinfecting a throughflowing fluid according to claim 10, characterized in that the apparatus further comprises a cooling body arrangement, wherein the respective substrate on which the light-emitting diodes are respectively arranged is connected to the cooling body directly or via a thermally conductive material.

15. Device for disinfecting a flowing fluid according to claim 14, characterized in that the arrangement of the substrates has a symmetry which corresponds to the number of light-emitting diodes of the substrates which in the assembled state extend in the circumferential direction around the container in each of the first and second ultraviolet radiation modules, wherein the heat sink arrangement forms a cavity corresponding to this symmetry in which the arrangement of the substrates in the form of a prism of a triangle or pentagon is accommodated, wherein the heat sink arrangement is broken down into a plurality of heat sink elements, the number of which corresponds to the symmetry.

16. A device for disinfecting a fluid flowing through according to claim 15, characterized in that it further comprises radiation protection strips, the number of which corresponds to the number of cooling body elements, which radiation protection strips prevent uv radiation from escaping through the gaps between the decomposed cooling body elements, wherein at least one of the radiation protection strips has in each case a receptacle for one of the sensors and/or at least one of the radiation protection strips comprises in each case an integral or at least fixedly connected locking element, with which locking element the cooling body elements can be locked in relation to one another and separated again.

17. A device for disinfecting a fluid flowing therethrough as claimed in claim 14, characterized in that the device further comprises a fan which is designed to generate an air flow which is supplied to the cooling body arrangement, wherein the cooling body arrangement has integrally connected cooling fins through which the air flow can flow, wherein the device has a housing with which the flow of the air flow through the cooling fins is restricted.

18. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, further comprising at least one thermally conductive member thermally connected to the light emitting diodes and extending into the interior space of the container such that the thermally conductive member is traversed by the fluid to output heat generated by the light emitting diodes to the fluid.

19. An apparatus for disinfecting a flow-through fluid as claimed in claim 18, characterized in that the heat-conducting member is a metal member formed by the inlet and/or the outlet or by a corresponding flange.

20. A device for disinfecting a fluid flowing therethrough according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a seal sealing the connection between the at least partially uv-radiation-transparent section of the tubular container and the flange for the inlet or the outlet to prevent the fluid flowing therethrough from flowing out, wherein the end of the transparent section facing the seal is deformed, mechanically or chemically or physically structured, coated or doped so as to counteract the light-guiding effect of guiding the uv-radiation in the transparent section to the seal.

21. A device for disinfecting a flow-through fluid according to claim 7, characterized in that the tubular container has a section which is at least partially transparent to ultraviolet radiation and through which the ultraviolet radiation emitted by the light-emitting diodes passes into the interior space, wherein the section transparent to ultraviolet radiation has a circular cross section or a polygonal planform or depression differing therefrom, corresponding to the number of light-emitting diodes in the cross-sectional plane.