Continuous-operation, closed loop decontamination system and method
First Claim
1. A closed-loop, flow through method of vapor phase decontamination in which a carrier gas is selectively and adjustably dried to varying amounts to maintain a predetermined humidity level within a sterilization chamber, which comprises the steps of:
- providing a sealable chamber having an inlet port and an outlet port, and a closed-loop conduit circuit having a first end fluidly connected to the chamber inlet port and a second end fluidly connected to the chamber outlet port;
recirculating a flow of a carrier gas into, through, and out of the chamber and around the closed-loop conduit circuit;
delivering a vaporized decontaminant into the recirculating carrier gas flow upstream of the chamber inlet port;
converting the decontaminant vapor to a form suitable for disposal downstream of the chamber outlet port;
monitoring the chamber temperature, the chamber relative humidity, and the decontaminant vapor concentration in the chamber during decontamination;
selectively adjusting an amount of drying of the carrier gas entering the chamber in response to the monitored chamber temperature, chamber relative humidity, and decontaminant vapor concentration to a predetermined humidity level to maintain a predetermined percent saturation of the decontaminant vapor in the chamber during decontamination.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The invention provides an optimized method and system for conducting a continuous-operation, closed-loop, flow-through vapor phase decontamination. By the method, a liquid decontaminant is vaporized and delivered into, through and out of a sealable chamber by means of a carrier gas that is recirculated in a closed-loop conduit circuit. After leaving the chamber, the vapor is decomposed and the carrier gas is partially and selectively dried in response to the monitored temperature, relative humidity, and decontaminant vapor concentration in the chamber. The degree of drying is particularly selected in response to these chamber parameters to maintain a predetermined percent saturation of the decontaminant vapor in the chamber.
76 Citations
18 Claims
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1. A closed-loop, flow through method of vapor phase decontamination in which a carrier gas is selectively and adjustably dried to varying amounts to maintain a predetermined humidity level within a sterilization chamber, which comprises the steps of:
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providing a sealable chamber having an inlet port and an outlet port, and a closed-loop conduit circuit having a first end fluidly connected to the chamber inlet port and a second end fluidly connected to the chamber outlet port; recirculating a flow of a carrier gas into, through, and out of the chamber and around the closed-loop conduit circuit; delivering a vaporized decontaminant into the recirculating carrier gas flow upstream of the chamber inlet port; converting the decontaminant vapor to a form suitable for disposal downstream of the chamber outlet port; monitoring the chamber temperature, the chamber relative humidity, and the decontaminant vapor concentration in the chamber during decontamination; selectively adjusting an amount of drying of the carrier gas entering the chamber in response to the monitored chamber temperature, chamber relative humidity, and decontaminant vapor concentration to a predetermined humidity level to maintain a predetermined percent saturation of the decontaminant vapor in the chamber during decontamination. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10)
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2. A vapor phase decontamination method comprising:
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circulating a flow of a carrier gas into, through, and out of a decontamination chamber; selectively routing a first portion of the carrier gas flow discharged from the decontamination chamber through a dryer and selectively bypassing a second portion of the carrier gas flow around the dryer; combining the first and second portions of the carrier gas flow; entraining a decontaminant vapor into the combined carrier gas flow portions upstream of the decontamination chamber; monitoring a temperature, a relative humidity, and a decontaminant vapor concentration in the decontamination chamber; selectively adjusting the first portion of the carrier gas flow routed to the dryer relative to the second portion of the carrier gas flow bypassing the dryer in response to the monitored temperature, relative humidity, and decontaminant vapor concentration to control a percent saturation of the decontaminant vapor in the chamber.
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9. A closed-loop, flow through method of vapor phase decontamination in a sealable chamber having an inlet port and an outlet port, and a closed-loop conduit circuit having a first end fluidly connected to the chamber inlet port and a second end fluidly connected to the chamber outlet port, the method comprising:
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recirculating a flow of a carrier gas into, through, and out of the chamber and around the closed-loop conduit circuit; entraining a decontaminant vapor into the recirculating carrier gas flow upstream of the chamber inlet port; converting the decontaminant vapor to a form suitable for disposal downstream of the chamber outlet port; monitoring temperature and decontaminant vapor concentration in the chamber during decontamination; monitoring relative humidity of the carrier gas in the chamber indirectly by sensing a read-out from a humidity sensor positioned in the closed-loop conduit circuit downstream of the chamber outlet port; adjusting a decree of drying the recirculating carrier gas flow in response to the monitored temperature, relative humidity, and decontaminant vapor concentration to maintain a selected percent saturation of the decontaminant vapor in the chamber during decontamination.
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11. A closed-loop, flow-through vapor phase decontamination system comprising:
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a sealable chamber having an inlet port and an outlet port; a closed-loop conduit circuit having a first end fluidly connected to the chamber inlet port and a second end fluidly connected to the chamber outlet port for recirculating a carrier gas flow into, through, and out of the chamber; a blowing unit fluidly connected to the conduit circuit to recirculate the carrier gas; a drying unit fluidly connected to the conduit circuit for drying the carrier gas the drying unit being selectively controllable to adjust a decree to which humidity of the carrier gas is reduced; a vaporizer unit fluidly connected to the conduit circuit between the drying unit and the chamber inlet port for delivering a decontaminant vapor into the recirculating carrier gas flow; a converter for converting the decontaminant vapor to a form suitable for disposal, fluidly connected to the conduit circuit downstream of the chamber outlet port; a processing unit for monitoring instantaneous temperature, relative humidity, and decontaminant vapor concentration, and for controlling the adjustable drying unit to adjust the degree of drying of the carrier gas in accordance with the monitored temperature, relative humidity, and concentration to maintain a predetermined percent saturation of the decontaminant vapor in the chamber during decontamination even as any of the temperature, relative humidity, and concentration in the chamber varies. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification