Ozone generator methods for retrofit of enclosed and air-conditioned environments

• US 10,555,548 B2
• Filed: 05/30/2019
• Issued: 02/11/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Quail Systems, LLC
• Original Assignee: Quail Systems, LLC
• Inventors: Smith, Robert W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Spamer, Donald R
• Application Number:
  US16/426,742
• Publication Number:
  US 20190335790A1
• Time in Patent Office: 257 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A23B 7/152 in a controlled atmosphere comprising other gases in addition to CO2, N2, O2 or H2O ; Elimination of such other gases
• CPC Class Codes: A23L 3/3445 in a controlled atmosphere comprising other gases in addition to CO2, N2, O2 or H2O
• CPC Class Codes: A23V 2002/00 Food compositions, function of food ingredients or processes for food or foodstuffs
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/202 Ozone
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/26 Accessories or devices or components used for biocidal treatment
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 13/11 by electric discharge
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 13/115 characterised by the electrical circuits producing the electrical discharge
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2201/12 Plate-type dischargers
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2201/90 Control of the process

Abstract

An ozone generator includes at least four independent ozone generation control channels that energize at least four independent ozone generation plates. The at least four independent ozone generation control channels allow for multiple modes of operation, including sterilization, disinfecting, and managing, in addition to interleaved operation, which significantly extends the useful life of the individual ozone generation plates. The ozone generator is placed in a preexisting conditioned airflow that enters a conditioned airspace enclosed by a container. Being placed in the preexisting conditioned airflow, the ozone generator does not require a fan or other air movement device to actively transport ozone-enriched air or oxygen through the ozone generator.

Claims

1. A method of operating a conditioned airflow ozone generator in an enclosed airspace in a previously existing conditioned airflow to extend produce and other foods shelf-life after shipment, the method comprising:

sterilizing an enclosed airspace lacking produce and other foods with a conditioned airflow ozone generator placed in a previously existing conditioned airflow within the enclosed airspace, where the enclosed airspace maintains from 4 to 8 ppm ozone for a time period from 10 to 20 minutes;

placing produce and other foods within the enclosed air space;

disinfecting the produce and other foods within the enclosed airspace with the conditioned airflow ozone generator placed in the previously existing conditioned airflow, where the enclosed airspace maintains from 2 to 3.9 ppm ozone for a time period from 15 minutes to 2 hours; and

managing the produce and other foods within the enclosed airspace with the conditioned airflow ozone generator during transport of the produce and other foods, where the enclosed airspace maintains from 0.5 to 1.5 ppm ozone for a time period after termination of the disinfecting.

2. The method of claim 1, where the sterilizing the enclosed airspace includes operating at least four ozone generation control channels to energize at least four ozone generation plates.

3. The method of claim 2, where each of the at least four ozone generation plates can produce at least 700 milligrams of ozone per hour.

4. The method of claim 1, where the sterilizing the enclosed airspace includes operating at least eight ozone generation control channels to energize at least eight ozone generation plates.

5. The method of claim 1, where during the sterilizing, the enclosed airspace maintains from 4 to 7 ppm ozone for a time period from 12 to 18 minutes.

6. The method of claim 1, where during the sterilizing, the enclosed airspace maintains from 4 to 6 ppm ozone for a time period from 14 to 16 minutes.

7. The method of claim 1, where during the sterilizing, the sterilizing kills at least 90% of microorganisms in the enclosed airspace.

8. The method of claim 1, where the disinfecting the enclosed airspace includes operating at least two ozone generation control channels to energize at least two ozone generation plates.

9. The method of claim 4, where the disinfecting the enclosed airspace includes operating at least four ozone generation control channels to energize at least four ozone generation plates.

10. The method of claim 1, where the disinfecting the produce and other foods includes interleaving at least four ozone generation control channels so that no more than one-half of the available ozone generation plates are simultaneously energized.

11. The method of claim 1, where during the disinfecting, the enclosed airspace maintains from 2.5 to 3.9 ppm ozone for a time period from 15 minutes to 1 hour.

12. The method of claim 1, where during the disinfecting, the enclosed airspace maintains from 3 to 3.9 ppm ozone for a time period from 15 to 30 minutes.

13. The method of claim 1, where during the disinfecting the produce and other foods, the disinfecting kills at least 70% of microorganisms on the produce and other foods.

14. The method of claim 1, where during the disinfecting the produce and other foods, the disinfecting oxidizes at least 70% of pesticide residue on the produce and other foods.

15. The method of claim 1, where the managing the produce and other foods within the enclosed airspace includes using at least one ozone generation control channel to energize at least one ozone generation plate.

16. The method of claim 4, where the managing the produce and other foods within the enclosed airspace includes using at least two ozone generation control channels to energize at least two ozone generation plates.

17. The method of claim 1, where the managing the produce and other foods within the enclosed airspace includes interleaving at least four ozone generation control channels so that no more than one-quarter of the available ozone generation plates are simultaneously energized.

18. The method of claim 1, where the managing the produce and other foods within the enclosed airspace includes interleaving at least eight ozone generation control channels so that no more than one-quarter of the available ozone generation plates are simultaneously energized.

19. The method of claim 1, where during the managing, the enclosed airspace maintains from 0.7 to 1.3 ppm ozone.

20. The method of claim 1, where during the managing, the enclosed airspace maintains from 0.9 to 1.1 ppm ozone.

21. The method of claim 1, further comprising monitoring ozone levels in the enclosed airspace.

22. The method of claim 1, further comprising turning off the conditioned airflow zone generator at a pre-selected time period before the conditioned airspace is entered by a person.

23. The method of claim 1, where the conditioned airspace is a refrigerated container.

24. The method of claim 1, where the conditioned airspace is conditioned by a refrigeration unit.

25. The method of claim 1, where an energizer controller implements the sterilizing, the disinfecting, and the managing in response to a display controller.

26. The method of claim 25, where the display controller provides for user input.

27. The method of claim 25, where the display controller communicates wirelessly with the energizer controller.

28. The method of claim 1, where an energizer controller implements the sterilizing, the disinfecting, and the managing in response to electrical communication with a remote computing device.

29. The method of claim 28, where the electrical communication is through a wi-fi network.

30. The method of claim 1, where the energizer controller includes a processor and a storage medium.

31. The method of claim 25, further comprising remotely accessing the storage medium.

32. The method of claim 30, further comprising logging individual trip identity.

33. The method of claim 30, further comprising storing sensor readings and operating times.

34. The method of claim 30, further comprising transmitting sensor readings and operating times.

35. The method of claim 1, further comprising turning off the conditioned airflow ozone generator after the managing but before delivering the produce and other foods to allow adequate ozone decomposition before opening the enclosed airspace.

36. The method of claim 1, further comprising during the managing monitoring the ethylene gas level within the enclosed airspace and adjusting the ozone level within the enclosed airspace in response to the ethylene gas level.

39. The method of claim 28, where a portion of the conditioned airflow ozone generator lacking perforations does not cover the area of the duct.

37. A method of positioning a conditioned airflow ozone generator in a previously existing conditioned airflow, the method comprising:

determining a region of maximum airflow within an enclosed airspace;

positioning a conditioned airflow ozone generator so at least a portion of the region of maximum airflow passes through back perforations and front perforations of the conditioned airflow ozone generator; and

attaching the conditioned airflow ozone generator to an interior wall of the enclosed airspace, where the conditioned airflow ozone generator comprises;

an enclosure including a back attached to a front through a top, a bottom, a left side, and a right side,

where from 10% to 70% of the surface area of the back and the front includes perforations allowing passage of a previously existing conditioned airflow,

where from 30% to 95% of the surface area of the bottom includes perforations allowing passage of the previously existing conditioned airflow,

at least four independently operable ozone generation plates mounted within the enclosure, where the at least four independently operable ozone generation plates form at least four independent ozone generation control channels, and

at least one plate energizer in electrical communication with the at least four independently operable ozone generation plates through the at least four independent ozone generation control channels,

where the at least one plate energizer is in electrical communication with at least one processor and the at least one processor is configured to operate the at least one plate energizer to sterilize an enclosed airspace lacking produce and other foods,

where the at least one processor is configured to maintain from 4 to 8 ppm ozone for a time period from 10 to 20 minutes in the enclosed airspace lacking produce and other foods during sterilization,

where the at least one processor is configured after the sterilization to operate the at least one plate energizer to disinfect an enclosed airspace including produce and other foods, where the at least one processor maintains from 2 to 3.9 ppm ozone for a time period from 15 minutes to 2 hours in the enclosed airspace including produce and other foods during disinfecting, and

where the at least one processor is configured after the disinfecting to operate the at least one plate energizer to manage the produce and other foods within the enclosed airspace including produce and other foods during transport of the produce and other foods, where the at least one processor maintains from 0.5 to 1.5 ppm ozone in the enclosed airspace including produce and other foods during managing the transport of the produce and other foods.

38. The method of claim 37, where the region of maximum airflow within the enclosed airspace originates from a duct and the conditioned airflow ozone generator covers no more than 50% (area/area) of the area of the duct.

40. The method of claim 37, where the region of maximum airflow within the enclosed airspace originates from a duct and a back of the ozone generator is positioned from 8 to 20 centimeters away from the duct.

41. The method of claim 37, where the back and the front are substantially the same area, the top and the bottom are substantially the same area, and the left and the right sides are substantially the same area.

42. The method of claim 37, where the conditioned airflow ozone generator comprises an enclosure that is rectangular in shape.

43. The method of claim 37, where the at least one processor is configured to manage the ozone level within the enclosed airspace including produce and other foods during the transport of the produce and other foods in response to an ozone sensor and a conditioned air sensor.

44. The method of claim 37, further comprising the at least one processor configured to interleave the at least four independent ozone generation control channels.

45. The method of claim 37, further comprising the at least one processor responsive to a display controller.

46. The method of claim 37, where the conditioned airflow ozone generator further comprises at least eight ozone generation plates mounted within the enclosure.

47. The method of claim 46, where the conditioned airflow ozone generator further comprises at least eight ozone generation control channels.

48. The method of claim 47, where the at least one processor is configured to activate the at least four independent ozone generation control channels during the sterilization.

49. The method of claim 37, where the at least one processor is configured to maintain from 4 to 6 ppm ozone for a time period from 14 to 16 minutes in the enclosed airspace lacking produce and other foods during the sterilization.

50. The method of claim 37, where the at least one processor is configured to kill at least 90% of microorganisms in the enclosed airspace lacking produce and other foods during the sterilization.

51. The method of claim 37, where the at least one processor is configured to activate at least two of the at least four ozone generation control channels during the disinfecting.

52. The method of claim 37, where the at least one processor is configured to activate no more than one-half of the at least four ozone generation control channels simultaneously during the disinfecting.

53. The method of claim 37, where the at least one processor is configured to maintain from 3 to 3.9 ppm ozone for a time period from 15 to 30 minutes in the enclosed airspace including produce and other foods during the disinfecting.

54. The method of claim 37, where the at least one processor is configured to kill at least 70% of microorganisms on the produce and other foods during the disinfecting.

55. The method of claim 37, where the at least one processor is configured to oxidize at least 70% of pesticide residue on the produce and other foods during the disinfecting.

56. The method of claim 37, where the at least one processor is configured to activate no more than one-quarter of the at least four ozone generation control channels simultaneously during the managing.

57. The method of claim 37, where the at least one processor is configured to maintain from 0.9 to 1.1 ppm ozone in the enclosed airspace including produce and other foods during the managing.