Thermal stability of a user-friendly UV-C disinfection system integrated with automatic motion sensors for pathogen control

• Pulsed UVC LEDs (50% duty rate) + water cooling reduced peak temperatures up to 55% • The overpowered system achieved a maximum intensity of 342.5 µW cm −2 . • Integrated sensors with LabVIEW-Arduino enable real-time and automated monitoring. • A safe, user-friendly, non-chemical disinfection solution for occupied spaces. Ultraviolet (UV)-C radiation is widely recognized as an effective non-chemical disinfection method in food processing, medical, and water treatment applications. Its germicidal efficiency is influenced by multiple factors, including wavelength, radiant exposure, microbial physiology, and surface characteristics. This study aimed to develop and evaluate an automated thermostable UV-C disinfection system featuring 280-nm UV-C LEDs integrated with motion detection for occupied spaces. The system operates in continuous or pulsed modes and incorporates an active liquid cooling mechanism to mitigate overheating, which is a key decision-making parameter for managing high-power UV irradiation systems. The programmable interface, designed using LabVIEW® software and Arduino, facilitated adjustment of two irradiation modes, eight electrical power inputs, and two cooling conditions (with and without water cooling) to investigate the system’s thermal behavior and improve irradiance performance. Pulsed irradiation modes combined with a water-cooling system significantly improved temperature control of the UV-C LEDs (p < 0.05), with peak temperatures reduced by up to 55% compared to continuous modes, stabilizing at approximately 40 °C under highest power configuration (32 V, 5A). The system achieved enhanced irradiance, with maximum reaching 342.5 µW cm −2 directly beneath the radiation source and maintaining adequate radial distance (150 cm) over 200 cm vertical distance in high-power configurations. Irradiance followed an inverse-square decay pattern, emphasizing the importance of proximity and high-power settings. This work highlights the potential of improving UV-C LEDs as a non-chemical disinfection solution offering a safe, efficient, and user-friendly tool by combining pulsed irradiation with a water-cooling mechanism to limit overheating and safeguard hardware