Shedding New Light on UVC Disinfection

For decades, ultraviolet C (UVC) light has been used to kill viruses and bacteria in health care settings, including the sterilization of surgical suites and medical equipment.

The emergence of superbugs such as SARS and COVID-19 has increased interest in the use of UVC light for large-scale applications, such as cleaning schools, hospitals, retail spaces, airplanes, and rail cars. However, this poses a challenging scientific problem. The UVC light must be administered at the right level to kill viruses and must reach every surface ― in environments that are physically complex, with many objects of different shapes, such as passenger seats. Ansys simulation provides the answer.

Disinfection product engineers can first use Ansys SpaceClaim to recreate highly complex physical environments, then leverage Ansys SPEOS to simulate the application of UVC light to that space. Applied as part of a coordinated global effort to safeguard public health, simulation is a critical tool that can quickly and cost-effectively make the world’s shared spaces safer.