Safety improvements for uv radiation in aquatic applications

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018099317-A1
Application number	US-201615569124-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 26, 2016
Priority date	Jun 3, 2015
Publication date	Apr 12, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

The invention provides an object ( 10 ) that during use is at least partly submerged in water, the object ( 10 ) further comprising an anti-bio fouling system ( 200 ) comprising an UV emitting element ( 210 ), wherein the UV emitting element ( 210 ) comprises one or more light sources ( 220 ) and is configured to irradiate with UV radiation ( 221 ) during an irradiation stage one or more of (i) a part ( 111 ) of an external surface ( 11 ) of said object ( 10 ) and ( ii ) water adjacent to said part ( 111 ) of said external surface ( 11 ), wherein the object ( 10 ) is selected from the group consisting of a vessel ( 1 ) and an infrastructural object ( 15 ), wherein the object ( 10 ) further comprises a water switch ( 400 ), wherein the anti-bio fouling system ( 200 ) is configured to provide said UV radiation ( 221 ) to said part ( 111 ) in dependence of the water switch ( 400 ) being in physical contact with the water.

First claim

1 . An object that during use is at least partly submerged in water, the object further comprising an anti-biofouling system comprising an UV emitting element, wherein the UV emitting element comprises one or more light sources and is configured to irradiate with UV radiation during an irradiation stage one or more of (i) a part of an external surface of said object and (ii) water adjacent to said part of said external surface, wherein the object is selected from the group consisting of a vessel and an infrastructural object, wherein the object further comprises a water switch, wherein the anti-biofouling system (NCO-is configured to provide said UV radiation ( 221 ) to said part in dependence of the water switch being in physical contact with the water, and wherein the water switch is an electrical switch which upon contact with the water switches an electrical device on or off.

2 . The object according to claim 1 , wherein the UV emitting element comprises a UV radiation escape surface and wherein the UV emitting element is configured to provide said UV radiation downstream from said UV radiation escape surface of said UV emitting element, wherein the anti-biofouling system comprises a plurality of light sources, a plurality of radiation escape surfaces, and a plurality of said parts, wherein the plurality of light sources are configured to provide said UV radiation via said plurality of radiation escape surfaces to said plurality of parts, and wherein said plurality of parts are configured at different heights of the object and further comprising a plurality of said water switches, configured at the heights of the plurality of parts, and wherein the anti-biofouling system is configured to provide said UV radiation to said parts when the respective water switches are in physical contact with the water.

3 . The object according to claim 1 , further comprising a local energy harvesting system configured to harvest electrical energy and to provide said energy to said anti-biofouling system.

4 . The object according to claim 3 , wherein the local energy harvesting system is comprised by said anti-biofouling system, and wherein the local energy harvesting system is selected from the group consisting of a solar cell, a turbine operating in water, a piezoelectric element operating on a pressure of waves.

5 . The object according to claim 3 , wherein the local energy harvesting system comprises (i) a sacrificial electrode in electrical connection with a first electrode of the light source, and (ii) a second energy system electrode in electrical connection with a second electrode of the light source, wherein the energy system is configured to provide electrical power to said anti-biofouling system when the sacrificial electrode and the second energy system electrode are in electical contact with the water, wherein the sacrificial electrode is comprised by the water switch, wherein the anti-biofouling system is configured to provide said UV radiation to said part in dependence of the sacrificial electrode being in physical contact with the water.

6 . The object according to claim 1 , wherein the UV emitting element is attached to said external surface.

7 . The object according to claim 1 , wherein the UV emitting element comprises a UV radiation escape surface and wherein the UV emitting element is configured to provide said UV radiation downstream from said UV radiation escape surface of said UV emitting element, wherein the radiation escape surface of the anti-biofouling system is configured as part of said external surface.

8 . The object according to claim 1 , wherein the object comprises a vessel comprising a hull, and wherein the UV emitting element is attached to said hull.

9 . The object according to claim 1 , wherein the UV emitting element comprises a UV radiation escape surface and wherein the UV emitting element is configured to provide said UV radiation downstream from said UV radiation escape surface of said UV emitting element, wherein the part comprises said radiation escape surface.

10 . The object according to claim 1 , wherein the UV emitting element comprises a luminescent material configured to absorb part of the UV radiation and convert into visible luminescent material light, wherein the light source and said luminescent material are configured to provide said visible luminescent material light emanating in a direction away from the external surface.

11 . The object according to claim 1 , further comprising a sensor configured to provide a sensor signal indicative for the sensor and/or the part being in physical contact with the water, and a control system, wherein the control system is configured to provide said UV radiation as function of said sensor signal.

12 . The object according to claim 1 , wherein one or more of (i) the anti-biofouling system is further configured to provide visible light emanating as a light beam in a direction away from the external surface, wherein the light beam has a cross-section having the shape of a warning sign, and (ii) wherein the UV emitting element comprises a second light source configured to provide visible second light source light of which at least part emanates in a direction away from the external surface, applies.

13 . The object according to claim 1 , wherein the UV emitting element -comprises a UV radiation escape surface and wherein the UV emitting element is configured to provide said UV radiation downstream from said UV radiation escape surface of said UV emitting element, wherein the object comprises a vessel, wherein the UV radiation escape surface is configured to the external surface of the object at a position which is permanently under the water (line) during use of the object.

14 . The object according to claim 1 , wherein the UV emitting element is configured to provide at least 80% of the power of the UV radiation in a direction within an angle of 0-90° from a perpendicular to the earth's surface and in a direction below the object, relative to the object during its use.

15 . A method of providing an anti-biofouling system as defined in claim 1 to an object, that during use is at least temporarily exposed to water, the method comprising providing the anti-biofouling system to the object with the UV emitting element configured to provide said UV radiation to one or more of a part of an external surface of the object and water adjacent to said part.

Assignees

• Koninklijke Philips Nv

Inventors

• Salters Bart Andre
• Hietbrink Roelant Boudewijn

Classifications

• B63B59/08

  of underwater surfaces while afloat (B63B59/10 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H01M6/34

  Immersion cells, e.g. sea-water cells · CPC title

• A61L2/10

  Ultraviolet [UV] radiation · CPC title

• B63B59/04

  Preventing hull fouling (anti-fouling paints C09D5/16) · CPC title

• B08B17/02 Primary

  Preventing deposition of fouling or of dust · CPC title