I was president of the IET for 2016-17, and have been asked by government to gather practical and innovative ideas from our Engineering communities. So, please enter any ideas you might have in this thread that might help address and mitigate the Covid-19 crisis. Ideas might include digital tracking / monitoring through therapy equipment and beyond. Even ideas outside your usual expertise domain will be welcome. Now’s the time for Engineering to show we can change the world!
Jeremy, just having thoughts on this nightmare situation we are all in .Many years ago as a railway apprentice and working in one of the large electrical repair/manufacturing shops, on one section we used to assemble uv sterilisers that were used for the African and Indian railway water supplies on coaching stock. They consisted of a large glass tube that the contaminated water passed through , this tube was surrounded by high intensity uv tubes and later mercury vapour .They evidently killed all known bacteria/virus e-coli etc and made the water safe to drink . I seem to remember from our days at the south bank university that mercury vapour lights emit light at about 253 nano metres and max bactericidal efficacy is in the region of 260 nm so should be ideal for the job.
I am surprised that we are not investigating if this virus is susceptible to uv and if it is developing a hand held version of these devices or similar to eradicate this virus on all surfaces etc , (may be preferable than using chemicals).I seem to remember the parameters for safety Utilising uv is that any wavelength less than 320 nm could cause skin or eye irritation so protective gear might be needed. If a very low level of uv proved effective could this be used medically .
Jeremy, just having thoughts on this nightmare situation we are all in .Many years ago as a railway apprentice and working in one of the large electrical repair/manufacturing shops, on one section we used to assemble uv sterilisers that were used for the African and Indian railway water supplies on coaching stock. They consisted of a large glass tube that the contaminated water passed through , this tube was surrounded by high intensity uv tubes and later mercury vapour .They evidently killed all known bacteria/virus e-coli etc and made the water safe to drink . I seem to remember from our days at the south bank university that mercury vapour lights emit light at about 253 nano metres and max bactericidal efficacy is in the region of 260 nm so should be ideal for the job.
I am surprised that we are not investigating if this virus is susceptible to uv and if it is developing a hand held version of these devices or similar to eradicate this virus on all surfaces etc , (may be preferable than using chemicals).I seem to remember the parameters for safety Utilising uv is that any wavelength less than 320 nm could cause skin or eye irritation so protective gear might be needed. If a very low level of uv proved effective could this be used medically .
