Method for the recovery of sterilants
First Claim
1. A method for safely recovering a flammable chemical sterilant gas from a sterilizing chamber following the treatment of material within the chamber with said gas at an elevated pressure which comprises:
- (a) reducing the pressure in said chamber,(b) flushing the chamber at the reduced pressure with a stream of substantially condensable, inert dilutant gas,(c) recovering from the chamber a discharge stream comprising said sterilant and said condensable dilutant,(d) subjecting said stream to conditions of temperature and pressure for causing said dilutant to condense but not the sterilant gas, thereby separating the dilutant from the sterilant gas, and thereafter(e) recovering the sterilant gas.
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Accused Products
Abstract
For safe removal and collection of chemical sterilants such as ethylene oxide from a sterilization process, steam or other substantially condesable, inert dilutent gas is used to extract and to transport sterilant from the inside of sterilized materials and the sterilizing chamber into a collection tank. The sterilant and the condensable dilutent are separated when the mixture is discharged from the sterilizing chamber such that virtually all of the sterilant can be collected as a liquid by compression and/or refrigeration at practical pressures and temperatures.
36 Citations
10 Claims
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1. A method for safely recovering a flammable chemical sterilant gas from a sterilizing chamber following the treatment of material within the chamber with said gas at an elevated pressure which comprises:
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(a) reducing the pressure in said chamber, (b) flushing the chamber at the reduced pressure with a stream of substantially condensable, inert dilutant gas, (c) recovering from the chamber a discharge stream comprising said sterilant and said condensable dilutant, (d) subjecting said stream to conditions of temperature and pressure for causing said dilutant to condense but not the sterilant gas, thereby separating the dilutant from the sterilant gas, and thereafter (e) recovering the sterilant gas. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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- 8. A method of recovering a chemical sterilant gas from a sterilizing chamber which comprises flushing the chamber with a substantially condensable, insert dilutent gas and selectively condensing the effluent dilutent gas to separate the sterilant gas from the dilutent.
Specification