Ultraviolet Sensors

Ultraviolet Sensors and Radiometers

The measurement of ultraviolet radiation is a cornerstone of industrial and laboratory processes based on UV technology. These measurements enable process validation and quality control while providing essential data to identify stray reflections that could pose a safety risk to operators. While various methods exist to quantify the photons emitted by a lamp or system, electro-optical systems are the most common and convenient, allowing for simple and rapid online measurements.

Optoelectronic measurement systems can be classified as follows:

• Handheld instruments with interchangeable sensors (radiometers).
• Integrating instruments or dosimeters that measure cumulative dose. These systems are widely used in continuous processes, such as UV lacquer curing.
• Integrated meters and data loggers connected to equipment control systems and PLCs. These range from simple monitoring displays to complex feedback loops designed to maintain target irradiance levels.

From a practical standpoint, and due to the technical complexities of obtaining absolute values, the use of relative sensors is often preferred. In these cases, a known value (e.g., the lamp’s output after 100 hours of operation) is set as 100%. Relative measurements are typically sufficient for most processes, providing excellent quality control and process reproducibility.

Absolute sensors are considerably more complex, requiring regular calibration and verification to maintain measurement accuracy. Furthermore, absolute measurements can become excessively complicated when factors such as geometry, radiant distribution, spatial distribution, and other optical parameters must be accounted for.

Typical applications:

The implementation of precise UV measurement is essential across a wide spectrum of scientific and industrial activities. At UV-Consulting Peschl, our systems support the following applications:

• Process validation
• Quality control (QC)
• Reflected radiation measurements (occupational safety and health)
• Emission spectrum identification
• Determination of exposure limits (TLVs)
• Simple transmission measurements
• Material aging and weathering validation
• Comparison with actinometric measurements
• Determination of UV dose in dynamic processes
• Certification of lamps and instrumentation
• Comparison between different systems

UV-Consulting Peschl works in close cooperation with the accredited laboratory of Excelitas Noblelight GmbH. This synergy allows us to address and resolve the most complex challenges in ultraviolet technology, providing our clients with access to high-end testing facilities and internationally recognized calibration standards.