Advanced UV Source for Biological Agent Destruction
Abstract
Under Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) sponsorship, Novatron, Inc. has developed a unique new technology that can be used to protect facilities and personnel against bioterrorism attacks. Applications include protection of military and government facilities worldwide and protecting important civilian facilities as part of a homeland defense strategy. The bio-defense technology described in this paper is based on a novel, very high intensity, pulsed Advanced Ultraviolet Source (AUVS) that very rapidly and effectively destroys biological agents. The technology can be used to protect buildings against biological weapon attack and/or create safe zones within buildings. The technology also can be used to destroy some chemicals, and with additional development, could potentially provide protection against chemical agents. The AUVS can be inserted into HVAC air ducts to eliminate biological warfare agents, used to purify water, and/or used to reduce biological warfare contamination on surfaces. When used to treat air in an air duct, the pressure drop created by the system is negligible and the projected operating costs are very low. The technology has been shown to be very effective for destroying Bacillus pumilus endospores that are significantly more resistant to UV than anthrax spores. Up to 7 orders of magnitude (7 logs) kill of B. pumilus spores have been demonstrated with the AUVS technology. The technology is ideally suited to protecting critical government, military, and civilian facilities against biological warfare attack by treating incoming air. Other applications include air treatment for portable shelters, field hospitals, aircraft, ships, land vehicles, and military and civilian housing. In addition, the technology has applications for water purification and surface decontamination. AUVS development to date has led to major advances in capabilities to destroy biological agents.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 2006
- Accession Number
- ADA445898
Entities
People
- Bernard Eastlund
- Joseph Stumpf
- Michael Ingram
- Wayne Clark