UV irradiation chambers for research, testing and production
UV irradiation chambers create defined and shielded conditions for photostability, material ageing, curing and microbiological trials. The selection is governed by spectral range, usable sample area, uniformity, achievable irradiance, dose control, temperature management and documentation. The product overview sorts the chambers by testing task and the proof required.
Depending on the series, the chambers work with UV fluorescent lamps, UVC amalgam emitters, medium-pressure mercury lamps or UV LEDs and cover UVC, UVB, UVA and the visible range. All chambers operate under time or dose control and are available in different sizes and power classes – from the laboratory chamber for reproducible test series to the production unit with a fixed cycle time.
UV chamber selection by task
| Task | Key parameters | Matching series | More detail |
|---|---|---|---|
| UV ageing and colour fastness | Spectrum, dose, temperature, sample geometry | BS-02 to BS-05 – by sample size and single- or double-sided irradiation | UV ageing |
| Curing trial with UV LED | Wavelength, intensity, uniformity, cycle time | BSL series in four sizes, UV-LED chambers | UV curing |
| Pharmaceutical photostability | ICH exposure, light and UV captured separately, documentation | BS-02+ | ICH Q1B |
| UVC and microbiology trial | Dose, shielding, sample safety, fluence rate | BSH-02 with amalgam lamps, BSH-03 CBD and BSM-03 CBD for the collimated beam test | UV disinfection |
| Broadband or VUV irradiation | Spectrum down to 185 nm, ozone formation, heat input | BSM-03 with a medium-pressure mercury lamp, BS-OX for 185 nm and ozone | radiation sources |
| Standard-bound appliance safety | Test conditions to IEC 60335-1, documentation | BS-02CT | standards in UV |
Which UV chamber suits which task?
Choosing a UV chamber comes down to three questions. They come in this order because each one narrows the next.
1. How large is the sample, and how many?
That sets the interior – and with several samples per batch, whether a sliding sample tray is needed. The BS-02 is the compact chamber, the BS-03 takes several samples per batch, the BS-04 large-area samples with single-sided irradiation, and the BS-05 irradiates from both sides through a quartz plate – liquid samples included.
2. Which spectral range acts on the process?
The BS series can be fitted for UVA, UVB or UVC. Where it has to be broadband, the BSM-03 works with a mercury medium-pressure lamp; where 185 nm and ozone are needed, the BS-OX. For narrowband UV LED irradiation the BSL series offers four sizes.
3. What irradiance is required – and how uniform?
More than an order of magnitude lies between the BS series and the UV LED chambers; the BSH-02 with amalgam lamps closes the gap in the UVC. Uniformity across the sample area matters more the longer the test runs: with a dose that accumulates over weeks, every deviation carries straight through.
To find out in advance what irradiance and dose reach the sample plane, use the irradiation chamber simulator.
BS-02
Compact benchtop chamber with eight lamps for UVA, UVB or UVC, time- or dose-controlled via the UV-MAT.
BS-03
Mid-size irradiation chamber for several samples per batch, lamps for UVA, UVB or UVC, dose-controlled.
BS-04
Large irradiation chamber for samples that do not fit in the hand, with lamps for UVA, UVB or UVC.
BS-05
Large UV test chamber for double-sided irradiation through a quartz glass plate, footprint 86 × 65 cm.
UV-MAT
Dose and irradiation controller for UV irradiation chambers and UV systems with calibrated radiometer sensors.
BSL-01i
Inert UV-LED chamber with protective-gas purging, 365 to 450 nm, for curing without oxygen inhibition.
BS-02CT IEC 60335-1
Irradiation chamber BS-02CT with temperature control for tests according to IEC 60335-1.
BS-02+ ICH Q1B
UV irradiation chamber BS-02+ for photostability testing according to ICH Q1B and VICH GL5.
BSH-02
UVC irradiation chamber with amalgam lamps for disinfection trials and surface treatment at high irradiance.
BSH-03 CBD
Collimated beam device with UVC amalgam lamps for dose-response curves of microorganisms in the laboratory.
BSM-03 CBD
Irradiation chamber for liquid samples based on the collimated-beam principle with a medium-pressure mercury lamp.
BS-OX
Ozone-UVC irradiation chamber with 185 and 254 nm for surface activation, cleaning and contact-angle improvement.
Applications of Irradiation Chambers
- Irradiation of bacterial and cell cultures
- Post-treatment for rapid prototyping / 3D printing
- Uniform irradiation of liquids in bags and blood plasma
- UV Curing of adhesives and polymers for small parts
- PCB and wafer irradiation
- Photostability of pharmaceuticals according to ICH Q1B
- Accelerated aging of plastics and similar materials with UV and daylight
- Surface disinfection
- Surface cleaning, activation and contact-angle adjustment with UVC and ozone (AOP chamber BS-OX)
Our UV irradiation chambers are used in ageing, disinfection, photocatalysis and material testing. Most recently published:
- Bacillus subtilis endospore integrity and viability on simulated Martian regolith in rotational UVC radiation exposures — Davis, G. M.; Horner, J.; Greenhill, A. R. et al. · Life Sciences in Space Research · 2026
- Erlotinib and Leflunomide Disrupt 6‐Formylindolo [3, 2‐b] Carbazole Metabolism and Sensitize Keratinocytes to UVA Radiation‐Induced Apoptosis — Hartung, F.; Dairou, J.; Ramamoorthy, S. et al. · Photodermatology, Photoimmunology & Photomedicine · 2026
- Estudo para remoção de ácido p-arsanílico em águas brutas e potáveis com a subsequente quantificação de as por cvg-mip oes — 2026
- High-Throughput Complex Disease Modeling for Ethical Drug Discovery: Clinical Relevance of a NAM Platform for Cancer Biomarker Development – Dillier, E.; Sousa, R.; Kluser, T. et al. · Journal of Cancer Genetics And Biomarkers · 2026
- Influence of Treated Surface Proportion on the Antibacterial Performance of UV-Activated Hydroxyapatite–Magnesium Phosphate–Zinc Oxide Coating on Magnesium Alloys — Tamurejo-Alonso, P.; Casares-López, J. M.; García-Galván, F. R. et al. · Journal of Functional Biomaterials · 2026
Further publications are listed in the publication finder.
The details come from Crossref. Authorship and content rest with the respective research groups.
These are the rules most often consulted in practice for irradiation chambers — from measurement through limits to the requirements on the device:
- DIN EN 62471:2009-03 — Photobiological safety of lamps and lamp systems
- DIN EN ISO 15858 (ISO 15858:2016) — UV-C devices — Safety information — Permissible human exposure
- DIN EN ISO 4892, Teile 1 bis 4 — Plastics — Methods of exposure to laboratory light sources
All rules for irradiation chambers are listed in the standards finder.
Not a normative reference. What counts is always the currently valid edition in the original text.
