Patent Publication Number: US-2003232540-A1

Title: Rapid lamp assembly for high energy lamps

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001] 1. Field of the Invention  
       [0002] This invention is related to an electrical connector and radiation shield assembly for a high energy lamp. Particularly, the invention is related to a rapid lamp assembly having removably engagable electrical connectors and an integrated radiation shield.  
       [0003] 2. Description of the Prior Art  
       [0004] High energy lamp arrays are used in a number of applications, such as the use of ultraviolet lamps for ozone generation, wastewater treatment, and disinfection. In these systems, an array of high energy ultraviolet lamps are grouped together in a reactor vessel through which a fluid (e.g., drinking or wastewater in the case of disinfection) is passed. Unlike other lamp systems, these high energy lamp arrays produce a significant amount of heat and electromagnetic radiation across the ultraviolet portion of the spectrum. For example, temperatures in these lamp assemblies can exceed 1000° C.  
       [0005] Typically, each lamp is individually mounted in the array using a lamp assembly, and power is supplied to each lamp assembly by wiring (such as by soldering or otherwise fastening) the electrical conductors to the electrical connectors within the lamp assembly. In order to inspect or replace a lamp, these connectors must be detached and removed, and reconnected once the lamp is replaced.  
       [0006] These conventional high energy ultraviolet lamp systems have the significant disadvantage, however, that the tremendous radiation emitted by the ultraviolet lamps quickly degrades the electrical lamp connectors. For example, the various wavelengths emitted by the ultraviolet lamps heat the electrical connections to the lamps, thereby reducing the conductivity of the lamp connector, and, in addition, the electrical connector is corroded by the presence of ozone produced by the ultraviolet lamp in specific portions of the electromagnetic spectrum. Moreover, the maintenance of the lamp assembly is time consuming and expensive, due to the need to re-connect each electrical connection every time a lamp must be removed and replaced.  
       [0007] Accordingly, a system is needed that allows for the rapid assembly of the ultraviolet lamps, while also adequately protecting the electrical connectors against the heat emitted by the lamps and from corrosion created from the presence of ozone.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0008] The invention is directed to a lamp assembly for a high energy lamp to be placed within a reactor vessel that includes an electrical connector removably engaged to the power coupler for receiving the electrical power from a power coupler in electrical contact with a power supply for transferring electrical power to the lamp assembly; a radiation shield contacting the electrical connector, the radiation shield substantially shielding the electrical connector from the high energy lamp; and a lamp support contacting the electrical connector to receive the electrical power therefrom for providing the electrical power to the high energy lamp. The lamp assembly may include a plurality of lamps and lamp assemblies, and may include a plurality of reactor glands for mounting the lamp assemblies to the reactor vessel. The electrical connector may take a variety of forms, such as prongs, snaps, threaded contacts, and spring contacts. 
     
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
     [0009] FIGS.  1 ( a )-( c ) are diagrams illustrating a preferred embodiment of a high energy lamp assembly in a reactor vessel in accordance with aspects of the invention.  
     [0010] FIGS.  2 ( a )-( c ) are diagrams illustrating another preferred embodiment of a high energy lamp assembly in a reactor vessel in accordance with aspects of the invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
     [0011] The present invention will be understood more fully from the detailed description given below and from the accompanying drawings of preferred embodiments of the invention; which, however, should not be taken to limit the invention to a specific embodiment but are for explanation and understanding only.  
     [0012]FIG. 1( a ) illustrates one preferred embodiment of a high energy lamp array in a reactor vessel in accordance with aspects of the invention. As shown in FIG. 1( a ), the high energy ultraviolet reactor system  100  generally includes a reactor vessel  101 , having inlet port  102  and outlet port  103 , into which a plurality of ultraviolet lamps  104  are inserted. Those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that while the preferred embodiment of the invention is used in connection with the lamp assembly of a multiple lamp array, it may also be used in connection with a single ultraviolet lamp.  
     [0013] Ultraviolet lamps  104  are secured with reactor vessel  101  by reactor glands  105 , and power is supplied to lamps  104  through reactor glands  105  by a removable power head coupler. This is illustrated in more detail in FIG. 1( b ), which is an exploded drawing of the rapid lamp assembly system of the invention shown in FIG. 1( a ). A simplified drawing of the rapid lamp assembly and power coupler is also shown disengaged in FIG. 1( c ).  
     [0014] As shown in FIGS.  1 ( b ) and  1 ( c ), reactor gland  105  has a lamp connector plate  106  removably affixed thereto. Standoffs  107  are preferably mounted to lamp connector plate  106 , and are capable of removably engaging standoff ports  108  on power coupler head  109  to provide strengthening support for power head coupler  109  while it is affixed to reactor gland  105 . Similarly, electrical connector prongs  110  are affixed to lamp connector plate  106 , and are capable of removably engaging electrical connector ports  111  on power coupler head  109 . Electrical connector ports  111  are, in turn, electrically connected to a power supply (not shown) via power coupler head  109  in a conventional manner, such as by bolted or soldered wire connections through cable gland  112  and the like.  
     [0015] Positioning tubes  113  are also preferably included for positioning lamps  104  within the quartz protection tubes  114  of reactor vessel  101  and supplying electrical power thereto. Accordingly, positioning tubes  113  are electrically connected to electrical connector prongs  110  in a conventional manner. For example, positioning tubes  113  are capable of preferably removably engaging electrical connector prongs  110 , which extend through lamp connector plate  106 , to be in electrical contact therewith. Positioning tubes  113  are conventionally sized in accordance with the size of lamp  104  and reactor vessel  101  to provide proper support thereto. Lamps  104  are then plugged into positioning tubes  113  to receive electrical power therefrom.  
     [0016] Positioning tubes  113 , electrical connector prongs  110 , and electrical connector ports  111  may comprise any material capable of adequately conducting electricity to lamp  104 , such as metals or metal alloys, and is not particularly limited. Electrical connector prongs  110  are preferably, but not necessarily, gold plated. Positioning tube  113  may also be coated with an anticorrosive material, such as Teflon® and the like.  
     [0017] Radiation shield  115  may be formed as an integral part of lamp  104 , or may simply be mounted atop positioning tubes  113  within quartz protection tube  114  and minimizes the exposure of the electrical connections to heat and to ozone produced by the high energy radiation of the lamps. Radiation shield  115  preferably comprises a ceramic material, but may comprise any other equivalent material that is capable as acting as a radiation shield to the heat and ozone produced by lamp  104 . Lamp connector plate  106  may be affixed to reactor gland  103  using any number of conventional means, but is preferably removably connected thereto through the use of bolts, pins, or the like.  
     [0018] An alternative preferred embodiment of the invention is shown in FIGS.  2 ( a )-( c ), which illustrate an in-line high energy ultraviolet disinfection system in accordance with the invention. As shown in FIGS.  2 ( a )-( c ), positioning tubes  113  are not necessary in an inline system, since the lamps are positioned directly perpendicular to the fluid flow.  
     [0019] By providing the rapid lamp assembly discussed above, the invention provides significant advantages over the prior art in that it allows for the quick removal of the ultraviolet lamps from the reactor vessel for inspection, replacement, or removal, without the need to hard wire each lamp to a power supply. It also minimizes the exposure of the electrical connectors to heat and ozone produced by the lamps.  
     [0020] Although this invention has been described with reference to particular embodiments, it will be appreciated that many variations may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention as set forth in the appended claims. For example, while the electrical connector has been shown as a plurality of prongs inserted into the power coupler, the invention is not limited thereto, and the electrical connector and power coupler may be any type of device that is capable of being removably engaged yet providing electrical power when in contact, such as snaps, threaded contacts, spring contacts, etc. Similarly, while the power coupler has been shown as being hard-wired to the power supply, it may be removably engaged therefrom using the same type of contacting devices.