AquiSense Technologies of Florence, KY, USA (which works with UV-C LED makers to evaluate their devices and then design efficient UV disinfection products) has launched PearlBeam, a compact collimated beam device that employs UV-LEDs emitting radiation in the germicidal range.
Collimated beam devices are an increasingly critical tool in providing a standardized unit of measurement for UV exposure. Historically, they have been expensive, cumbersome, and difficult to operate.
However, the PearlBeam's small size and ease of use allows the realization of a table-top homogenized UV delivery system, which can be operated virtually anywhere in the laboratory or even field locations. Unlike mercury-lamp systems, the PearlBeam features narrow-band emission and is available in a suite of individually selectable wavelengths.
"PearlBeam represents a significant upgrade from the old, bulky mercury-lamp units," says chief technical officer Dr Jennifer Pagan. "Because PearlBeam uses the latest UV-LEDs, it has a much smaller footprint, costs much less, and it very easy to use," she claims.
Six standard configurations are available, with single, double or triple wavelengths ranging from 255nm to 365nm. They can also be fully customized to fit a specific need.
Each unit provides uniform and stable irradiation, due to a proprietary integrated heat-management system. The temperature of each UV-LED is controlled with active feedback, preventing instant decay after turning on (which is typical of commercial UV LED sources). With UV-LED lifetimes up to 10,000 hours of constant-wave operation, the PearlBeam requires no consumables.
Pricing for single-wavelength units start below $2000, and monthly rental options are available for users that have only short-term needs.
PearlBeam is the first of several new standard products that will be launched by AquiSense in the coming months.
