[News] Nichia’s New Light Source Technology Contributes to Large-scale Mercury-free UV-LED Water Sterilization Equipment

Nichia, the world’s largest LED manufacturer and inventor of the high-brightness blue and white LEDs, is pleased to announce the successful development of a new UV-C LED light source technology.

Nichia has been continuously developing various light sources with the aim of realizing a mercury-free society. As environmental conditions change, market needs and challenges also evolve, requiring technologies that can adapt accordingly. In particular, the replacement of mercury lamps demands light sources with high output, high output density, and excellent heat dissipation. Nichia is one of the very few manufacturers engaged in both lasers diodes (LDs) and LEDs. By applying the high heat dissipation packaging technology cultivated through projector-use LDs over many years and combining it with high-power UV-C LED chips, Nichia has transformed its unique concept into reality and established a new light source technology. As a result, output density has doubled compared to conventional models, and heat dissipation performance has improved by approximately 20%.

MIURA CO., LTD. (Tokyo Head Office: Minato-ku, Tokyo; President and CEO: Tsuyoshi Yoneda) has succeeded in the development of mercury-free UV-LED water sterilization equipment using this new light source technology. Nichia is also preparing for MIURA’s mass production and implementation of Nichia’s newest technology. By integrating the features of this light source with MIURA’s advanced water treatment technologies and expertise, the new equipment has significantly increased treated water capacity—from 10 m3/h to 25 m3/h—while maintaining the same light source size already in mass production.

The mercury-free UV-LED water sterilization equipment from MIURA has steadily increased its treated water capacity in line with advances, in part due to Nichia’s light sources and advancements in LED technology. The capacity improved from 8 m3/h in 2024 to 10 m3/h in 2025 and has now reached approximately 25 m3/h—about 2.5 times greater—enabling significantly higher flow rates.

In addition, the miniaturization of the light source enabled by Nichia’s new technology allows for a more compact design of the equipment itself, making it suitable for installation in locations where it was previously difficult to install. This is not merely a replacement for mercury lamps, but a solution that can meet actual market needs. Nichia believes that this technology will contribute to overcoming challenges not only in disinfection fields beyond water, but also in exposure and curing applications.

Nichia will continue to evolve its technology to further enable increases in flow rates, reduction in reactor footprints, and contribute to expanding the application areas of the mercury-free UV-LED water sterilization equipment. By focusing on the development of UV LEDs with enhanced performance and scale, Nichia will continue to make efforts to solve social issues such as the realization of a mercury-free and carbon neutral society.

(Photo credit: Nichia)

TrendForce 2025 Deep UV LED Market Trend and Product Analysis

Release: 31 March, 30 September 2025

Language: Traditional Chinese / English

Format: PDF / EXCEL

Page: 50-60 / Semi-Annual

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