Apparatus and method for irradiation

1. An irradiation apparatus comprising:

at least one irradiation chamber for a fluid containing a material to be irradiated, said chamber having at least one inlet port for fluid flow into the chamber and at least one outlet port for fluid flow out of the chamber;

at least one cooling chamber having at least one inlet port for fluid flow into the chamber and at least one outlet port for fluid flow out of the chamber;

one or more UV radiation sources coupled to the at least one irradiation chamber;

a moisture seal and desiccant disposed adjacent to the one or more radiation sources; and

at least one heat exchange mechanism thermally coupled to the one or more radiation sources and to the at least one cooling chamber.

2. The irradiation apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the heat exchange mechanism comprises one or more of a thermoelectric cooling device, a vapor chamber, a heatsink, a heat dissipation structure, a fan, a thermal transfer material, a material thermally coupled to a fluid, and a cooling coating.

3. The irradiation apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the heat exchange mechanism is a heatsink or a thermal transfer material, or combinations thereof.

4. The irradiation apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the one or more UV radiation sources comprise one or more UV-C radiation sources, or a combination thereof.

5. The irradiation apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the one or more UV radiation sources comprise a plurality of radiation sources arranged in an array.

6. The irradiation apparatus of claim 1 , wherein one or more wavelengths of the one or more UV radiation sources are dynamically adjustable.

7. The irradiation apparatus of claim 1 , wherein one or more wavelengths of the one or more UV radiation sources are selected based on an identification of a contaminant in the material to be irradiated.

8. The irradiation apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the one or more UV radiation sources deliver one or more wavelengths to the material to be irradiated that induce fluorescence in the material to be irradiated thereby allowing for the identification of the contaminant in the material to be irradiated.

9. The irradiation apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the one or more UV radiation sources deliver a combination of wavelengths to the material to be irradiated.

10. The irradiation apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the one or more UV radiation sources comprise a micro plasma lamp.

11. The irradiation apparatus of claim 1 , comprising a plurality of UV radiation sources and a plurality of irradiation chambers, each with at least one inlet and one outlet port, and all of the UV radiation sources are thermally coupled to a single cooling chamber.

12. The irradiation apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a portion of the radiation from the one or more radiation sources is transmitted to surfaces of one or more secondary chambers to inhibit biofilm formation on the surfaces.

13. A method for irradiating a fluid containing a material to be irradiated disposed in an irradiation chamber, the irradiation method comprising:

(1) providing an irradiation apparatus comprising:

at least one irradiation chamber for a fluid containing a material to be irradiated, said chamber having at least one inlet port for fluid flow into the chamber and at least one outlet port for fluid flow out of the chamber;

at least one cooling chamber having at least one inlet port for fluid flow into the chamber and at least one outlet port for fluid flow out of the chamber;

one or more UV radiation sources coupled to the at least one irradiation chamber; and

at least one heat exchange mechanism thermally coupled to the one or more radiation sources and to the at least one cooling chamber; and

(2) irradiating a fluid containing a material to be irradiated using said irradiating apparatus;

wherein a portion of the radiation from the one or more radiation sources is transmitted to surfaces of one or more secondary chambers to inhibit biofilm formation on the surfaces.

14. The irradiation method of claim 13 , wherein the one or more UV radiation sources comprise one or more UV-C radiation sources, or a combination thereof.

15. The irradiation method of claim 13 , wherein one or more wavelengths of the one or more UV radiation sources are selected based on an identification of a contaminant in the material to be irradiated.

16. The irradiation method of claim 15 , wherein the one or more UV radiation sources deliver one or more wavelengths to the material to be irradiated that induce fluorescence in the material to be irradiated thereby allowing for the identification of the contaminant in the material to be irradiated.

17. The irradiation method of claim 13 , wherein the one or more UV radiation sources deliver a combination of wavelengths to the material to be irradiated.

18. The irradiation method of claim 13 , comprising a plurality of UV radiation sources and a plurality of irradiation chambers, each with at least one inlet and one outlet port, and all of the UV radiation sources are thermally coupled to a single cooling chamber.

19. An irradiation apparatus comprising:

at least one irradiation chamber for a fluid containing a material to be irradiated, said chamber having at least one inlet port for fluid flow into the chamber and at least one outlet port for fluid flow out of the chamber;

at least one cooling chamber having at least one inlet port for fluid flow into the chamber and at least one outlet port for fluid flow out of the chamber;

one or more UV radiation sources coupled to the at least one irradiation chamber; and

at least one heat exchange mechanism thermally coupled to the one or more radiation sources and to the at least one cooling chamber;

wherein a portion of the radiation from the one or more radiation sources is transmitted to surfaces of one or more secondary chambers to inhibit biofilm formation on the surfaces.

20. The irradiation apparatus of claim 19 , wherein the heat exchange mechanism comprises one or more of a thermoelectric cooling device, a vapor chamber, a heatsink, a heat dissipation structure, a fan, a thermal transfer material, a material thermally coupled to a fluid, and a cooling coating.

21. The irradiation apparatus of claim 20 , wherein the heat exchange mechanism is a heatsink or a thermal transfer material, or combinations thereof.

22. The irradiation apparatus of claim 19 , further comprising a moisture seal and desiccant disposed adjacent to the one or more radiation sources.

23. The irradiation apparatus of claim 19 , wherein the one or more UV radiation sources comprise one or more UV-C radiation sources, or a combination thereof.

24. The irradiation apparatus of claim 19 , wherein the one or more UV radiation sources comprise a plurality of radiation sources arranged in an array.

25. The irradiation apparatus of claim 19 , wherein one or more wavelengths of the one or more UV radiation sources are dynamically adjustable.

26. The irradiation apparatus of claim 19 , wherein one or more wavelengths of the one or more UV radiation sources are selected based on an identification of a contaminant in the material to be irradiated.

27. The irradiation apparatus of claim 26 , wherein the one or more UV radiation sources deliver one or more wavelengths to the material to be irradiated that induce fluorescence in the material to be irradiated thereby allowing for the identification of the contaminant in the material to be irradiated.

28. The irradiation apparatus of claim 19 , wherein the one or more UV radiation sources deliver a combination of wavelengths to the material to be irradiated.

29. The irradiation apparatus of claim 19 , wherein the one or more UV radiation sources comprise a micro plasma lamp.

30. The irradiation apparatus of claim 19 , comprising a plurality of UV radiation sources and a plurality of irradiation chambers, each with at least one inlet and one outlet port, and all of the UV radiation sources are thermally coupled to a single cooling chamber.