Patent ID: 6200466
Filing Date: 2001-03-13
Classification: A61L,C02F,Y10S

Abstract:
A reactor for photolytic decontamination of groundwater utilizing near blackbody radiation, the reactor comprising:a reaction chamber with an internal space, an inlet, an outlet, at least one flashlamp type broadband radiator generating pulsed radiant energy with wavelengths between about 150 nm and 3 .mu.m, at a rate of between about 1 and 500 pulses per second at between about 1 KW and about 15 MW peak power, and providing a dosage rate of broadband radiation between about 1 joule/cm.sup.2 and about 5000 joules/cm.sup.2, the radiator being disposed in the reaction chamber to irradiate contaminated water within the internal space of the reaction chamber;a near optical sensor for determining the energy level of radiation in contaminated water at a point near the radiator means, a far optical sensor for determining the energy level of radiation in contaminated water at a point farther away from the radiator means;means for determining the attenuation of radiant energy through the contaminated water at a given wavelength by comparing the energy level of radiation determined by the near optical sensor with the energy level of radiation determined by the far optical sensor; andmeans for adjusting the dosage rate of broadband radiation based upon the determined attenuation of energy at the given wavelength through the contaminated water.