Water Management and Waste Management

An UV ray is a very useful for many things. In our settlement we will be using it for a few things because in space there are many unknown bacteria, germs, and other small organisms. We will be using the UV radiation in space and converting it into something of use. We will be using it to sterilize foods and water and to detect unknown things in space. We will have a processing plant in an enclosed and safe area where the UV rays will not harm anyone.

UV rays is an effective viricide and bactericide. We will use a special low-pressure mercury vapor lamps produce ultraviolet radiation at 254 nm, the optimal wavelength for disinfection and ozone destruction. The UV lamp never contacts the water; it is either housed in a quartz glass sleeve inside the water chamber. Although 100% destruction of microorganisms can't be guaranteed, it is possible to achieve 99.9% or close to 100% reduction in certain applications and with proper maintenance. In order for an UV unit to successfully disinfect water, the following variables must be carefully thought about. We must first consider the water quality of the water. There are certain contaminants in water can reduce the transmission of UV light through the water, which reduces the UV dose that reaches the bacteria. These UV absorbing contaminants include turbidity, iron, humic and fulvic acid (altogether), common to surface water supplies. Suspended particles are a problem because microorganisms buried within particles are shielded from the UV light and pass through the unit unaffected. UV disinfection is most effective for treating high-clarity purified reverse osmosis or distilled water. Also the water flow should be considered. All UV units have a maximum flowrate capacity and some have a minimum flowrate as well. If the flow is too high, water will pass through without enough UV exposure. If the flow is too low, heat may build up which can damage the UV lamp. The water flow in an animal drinking water system is usually low and intermittent so a UV unit with minimum flow requirements should not be placed on the water line supplying pressure stations in a non-recirculating system. UV units are most often used in constant flow recirculating systems. We will also need to replace the light ever so often because unlike florescent lights, the UV lights do not just burn out. They lose their intensity. When lamps are new, they will generate a dosage level near 60,000 µWs/cm2. When the dosage drops to 30,000 µWs/cm2* lamps should be replaced. Lamp life will be shortened significantly if the lamp is turned on and off more frequently than once every eight hours. We will need to monitor the water frequently, preferably hourly. This will do a bacteria count. Also we will need to monitor the intensity of the light so when it starts to lose intensity we will change it immediately. We need consider these things carefully.

We will also need to use the UV rays to disinfect the food in our colony for the same reason as to purifying the water because there are unknown things in space. But UV rays won't be as popular for food. For food we will use many techniques. The cooks for our settlement will do this job. We will use UV rays, and the simplest way is to just boil the food in water.

In these ways we will keep the food and water we consume clean. Also we will help our colony to stay healthy.