Hydrogen peroxide injection system having closed-loop flow control

• US 20040191112A1
• Filed: 03/31/2003
• Published: 09/30/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Steris Corporation
• Original Assignee: Steris Corporation
• Inventors: Lukas, Terrence L., Hill, Aaron L., Logue, Leslie M.
• Application Number:
  US10/403,214
• Publication Number:
  US 20040191112A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 422/3
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 7/0676 by action on flow sources G05D7/0688, G05D7/0694 take precedence

Abstract

A system for injecting liquid hydrogen peroxide using a closed-loop flow control for controlling the injection rate of the liquid hydrogen peroxide. An injection rate is determined from measuring the rotational speed of a pump motor. If the determined injection rate varies from the desired injection rate, the speed of the pump motor is modified. Pulse width modulation (PWM) is used to control the pump motor speed.

Claims

1. A system for controlling the injection rate of liquid hydrogen peroxide supplied to a vaporization chamber in a decontamination system, comprising:

a pump for receiving a supply of liquid hydrogen peroxide;

a motor for driving the pump, wherein speed of the motor varies in accordance with a speed modulation signal;

a motor controller for controlling the speed of the motor by varying the duty cycle of the speed modulation signal; and

a motor shaft speed encoder for detecting the speed of the motor, said motor shaft speed encoder transmitting a pulse train to the motor controller indicative of the injection rate of the liquid hydrogen peroxide, wherein said motor controller determines a frequency of the pulse train and modifies the duty cycle of the speed modulation signal in accordance with the determined frequency.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein said motor controller includes means for comparing the frequency to predetermined low and high limit values, wherein the low limit value is indicative of a minimum injection rate, and the high limit value is indicative of a maximum injection rate.

3. A system according to claim 2, wherein said motor controller increases the duty cycle of the speed modulation signal, if the frequency is below said low limit value.

4. A system according to claim 1, wherein said motor controller decreases the duty cycle of the speed modulation signal, if the frequency is above said high limit value.

5. A system according to claim 1, wherein said motor controller includes a lookup table for storing injection rate values that correspond to the frequency.

6. A method for controlling an injection rate of liquid hydrogen peroxide supplied to a vaporization chamber in a decontamination system, comprising the steps of:

detecting speed of a motor driving a pump that supplies liquid hydrogen peroxide to the vaporization chamber, wherein said motor speed is controlled by varying the duty cycle of a speed modulation signal generated by a motor controller;

transmitting to the motor controller a pulse train indicative of the injection rate of liquid hydrogen peroxide;

determining a frequency of the pulse train; and

modifying the duty cycle of the speed modulation signal in accordance with the determined frequency.

7. A method according to claim 6, wherein said method further comprises:

comparing the frequency to predetermined low and high limit values, wherein the low limit value is indicative of a minimum injection rate, and the high limit value is indicative of a maximum injection rate.

8. A method according to claim 7, wherein said motor controller increases the duty cycle of the speed modulation signal, if the frequency is below said low limit value.

9. A method according to claim 7, wherein said motor controller decreases the duty cycle of the speed modulation signal, if the frequency is above said high limit value.

10. A method according to claim 7, wherein said step of modifying the duty cycle of the speed modulation signal includes accessing a lookup table storing injection rate values that correspond to the frequency.