APPARATUS AND METHODS FOR OZONE GENERATION AND DEGRADATION

• US 20140193296A1
• Filed: 01/09/2014
• Published: 07/10/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/10/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gene Therapy Systems, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Gene Therapy Systems, Inc.
• Inventors: JURAK, Steven J., SORGE, Anthony M. Sr., SORGE, Anthony M. Jr., GREENER, Alan
• Granted Patent: US 9,623,140 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 422/4
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/202 Ozone
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 9/22 Ionisation

Abstract

Devices and methods for sterilizing an enclosed space using ozone are disclosed herein. Various embodiments of the devices and methods also provide for accelerated degradation of the ozone upon sterilization. In some embodiments, a disclosed sterilization unit includes a first housing defining an ozone generation cavity, an ozone generator disposed within the ozone generation cavity, a second housing defining an ozone degradation cavity, and an ozone degrader disposed within the ozone degradation cavity. The sterilization unit of various embodiments is configured to cycle air between the enclosed space and the ozone generation cavity during an ozone generation cycle to sterilize the enclosed space; similarly, the unit is further configured to cycle air between the enclosed space and the ozone degradation cavity during an ozone degradation cycle to return the air within the enclosed space to safe ozone levels.

Claims

1. A sterilization unit for decontaminating an enclosed space, comprising:

a first housing defining an ozone generation cavity;

a second housing defining an ozone degradation cavity;

an ozone generator disposed within the ozone generation cavity, configured to ozonize air that enters the ozone generation cavity; and

an ozone degrader disposed within the ozone degradation cavity, configured to remove ozone from air within the ozone degradation cavity.

2. The sterilization unit of claim 1, further comprising:

a first air-moving component positioned in or next to the ozone generation cavity, configured to move air from the enclosed space into a first inlet, through the ozone generation cavity, and out a first outlet; and

a second air-moving component positioned in or next to the ozone degradation cavity, configured to move air from the enclosed space into a second inlet, through the ozone degradation cavity, and out a second outlet.

3. The sterilization unit of claim 1, further comprising:

a processor that controls the ozone generator, the first air-moving component, and the second air-moving component in order to initialize and terminate an ozone generation cycle and an ozone degradation cycle; and

a user interface configured to receive inputs from a user and send command outputs to the processor.

4. The sterilization unit of claim 1, further comprising a vortex plate positioned within the ozone degradation cavity, configured to induce at least partially vortical flow of the air passing through the ozone degradation cavity.

5. The sterilization unit of claim 1, further comprising an outer housing enclosing the first housing and the second housing.

6. The sterilization unit of claim 1, wherein the first housing and the second housing are not enclosed within the same outer housing and are located a distance away from each other at different locations within the enclosed space.

7. The sterilization unit of claim 1, further comprising a dust filter disposed in the first inlet or in the ozone generation cavity between the first inlet and the ozone generator.

8. The sterilization unit of claim 2, wherein the first and second air-moving components are selected from the group consisting of:

a fan and an air blower.

9. The sterilization unit of claim 1, wherein the ozone generator is selected from the group consisting of:

a corona discharge ozone generator, an ultraviolet ozone generator, and a vacuum-ultraviolet ozone generator.

10. The sterilization unit of claim 1, wherein the ozone generator comprises a plurality of ceramic plates with each of the ceramic plates at least partially coated or wrapped with a layer comprising a heavy metal.

11. The sterilization unit of claim 10, wherein the layer comprises mesh formed of a metal selected from the group consisting of steel, copper, nickel, cobalt, zinc, iron, silver, gold, and any combination thereof.

12. The sterilization unit of claim 10, wherein the ozone generator is configured to produce a gas comprising ozonized air and heavy metal ions.

13. The sterilization unit of claim 10, wherein the ozone generator is configured to produce a gas comprising ozonized air and silver ions.

14. The sterilization unit of claim 1, wherein the ozone degrader is selected from the group consisting of:

an ozone oxidation catalyst, a catalytic filter, a filter and any combination thereof.

15. The sterilization unit of claim 1, wherein the ozone degrader comprises activated carbon.

16. The sterilization unit of claim 1, wherein the ozone degrader comprises a plurality of filters.

17. A method of decontaminating an enclosed space using the sterilization unit of claim 2, the method comprising:

moving air containing oxygen from the enclosed space into the ozone generation cavity using the first air-moving component to bring at least some of the air into contact with the ozone generator;

converting at least some of the oxygen in the ozone generation cavity into ozone;

discharging ozonized air into the enclosed space at least until the enclosed space reaches a measurable ozone concentration;

moving the ozonized air from the enclosed space into the ozone degradation cavity using the second air-moving component to bring at least some of the ozonized air into contact with the degrader;

converting at least some of the ozonized air into deozonized air; and

discharging deozonized air into the enclosed space at least until the enclosed space reaches a safe concentration of ozone.

18. A method of decontaminating an enclosed space, comprising:

providing a sterilization unit, said sterilization unit comprising;

a housing defining an ozone generation cavity having a first inlet and first outlet, and an ozone degradation cavity having a second inlet and second outlet;

an ozone generator disposed within the ozone generation cavity;

a first air-moving component positioned in or next to the ozone generation cavity;

an ozone degrader disposed within the ozone degradation cavity; and

a second air-moving component positioned in or next to the ozone degradation cavity;

activating the first air-moving component to move air containing oxygen from the enclosed space into the ozone generation cavity, thereby bringing air into contact with the ozone generator;

activating the ozone generator to convert at least some of the oxygen in the ozone generation cavity into ozone;

discharging ozonized air into the enclosed space at least until the enclosed space reaches a measurable ozone concentration;

activating the second air-moving component to move the ozonized air from the enclosed space into the ozone degradation cavity, thereby bringing the ozonized air into contact with the degrader to produce deozonized air; and

discharging deozonized air into the enclosed space at least until the enclosed space reaches a safe concentration of ozone.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the measurable ozone concentration is above 0.1 ppm.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the safe ozone concentration is below 0.1 ppm.