Pulsed vs. Continuous UV for In-Line Sterilisation or Sanitation

For high-speed in-line sanitation of cups, lids, etc. (max to 99.99%, 3,000 cups/h) the optimal UV equipment is U-shaped amalgam low-pressure mercury vapour lamps. Sterilisation (6 logs, 99.9999%) at the same or at lower production rates (e.g. ca. 1,000 products/h) requires pulsed UV light systems. The selection method is illustrated by results and data from manufactures. Using pulsed light for sanitising cups, lids and packs causes unjustified high capital losses (1 to 25) and high operating losses per cup or lid (1 to 8). Yet pulsed UV (PL) becomes the only non-invasive sterilisation choice for infusion solutions, reviewed for packed in 0.25 l UV semi-transparent PE bags, reaching 0.27 c/bag in operating costs including 6 logs reduction of B. Pumilus spores, the most radiation and UV resistant spores of all. This result is not possible with amalgam lamps. The use of in-line pulsed light is also advantageous to amalgam lamps both for sanitation and sterilisation of open or PE packed food or pharmaceutical products. SteriBeam offers both choices of lamps for its UV tunnels.