DRDO develops UV disinfection tower for sanitizing coronavirus-prone areas

The Defence Research and Development Organisation has developed an ultraviolet (UV) disinfection tower for rapid and chemical-free sanitization of areas that are highly prone to the coronavirus infection, the Defence Ministry said on Monday.

"For a room of about 12x12 feet dimension, the disinfection time is about 10 minutes," the ministry said, adding a 400-square-foot area can be sanitized within 30 minutes if the device is positioned at different places within the room.

The disinfection tower can be used remotely through laptop or mobile phone using a WIFI link, the ministry said. It has six lamps each with 43 watts of UVC power at 254 nanometre wavelength for 360 degree illumination.

The device -- named "UV blaster" -- is designed and developed by Laser Science & Technology Centre, the Delhi-based premier laboratory of the DRDO, with the help of Gurugram-based New Age Instruments and Materials Private Ltd, the ministry said.

"The UV Blaster is useful for high tech surfaces like electronic equipment, computers and other gadgets in laboratories and offices that are not suitable for disinfection with chemical methods," the ministry noted.

The device is also effective for areas with large flow of people such as airports, shopping malls, metros, hotels, factories, offices, etc, the ministry added.

India has been under a lockdown since March 25 to curb the spread of the coronavirus, which has infected around 42,500 people and killed more than 1,370 people in the country.