Ozone generator methods for retrofit of enclosed and air-conditioned environments
First Claim
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.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
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.
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Citations
57 Claims
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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:
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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. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 39)
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37. A method of positioning a conditioned airflow ozone generator in a previously existing conditioned airflow, the method comprising:
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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. - View Dependent Claims (38, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57)
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Specification