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Recirculating high velocity hot air sterilization process

  • US 4,975,245 A
  • Filed: 09/12/1989
  • Issued: 12/04/1990
  • Est. Priority Date: 10/03/1986
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. A method of sterilizing objects, comprising the steps of:

  • creating in a sterilizing chamber of a housing a mutually spaced series of high velocity heated air impingement jets flowing generally in a first direction;

    providing a wall member in said sterilizing chamber having a side surface portion in a spaced, opposing relationship with said heated air jets;

    utilizing said side surface portion to intercept and rearwardly deflect at least some of said jets;

    positioning an object to be sterilized by said heated air jets in a manner such that a first surface portion thereof is impinged by a jet flowing in said first direction and a generally opposite surface portion thereof is impinged by a rearwardly deflected jet;

    continuously enveloping said object in a turbulent layer of heated air formed by said jet flowing in said first direction and said rearwardly deflected jet;

    drawing air from the turbulent layer of heater air across said object in a direction generally transverse to said air impingement jets and flowing the air outwardly from said sterilizing chamber;

    heating to a predetermined sterilizing temperature the air outwardly drawn from said sterilizing chamber; and

    recirculating the heated air sequentially through a spaced series of openings to create said air impingement jets.

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