Method for vaporizing a fluid using an electromagnetically responsive heating apparatus

• US 6,967,315 B2
• Filed: 11/23/2004
• Issued: 11/22/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: American Sterilizer Company (Steris Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Steris Corporation
• Inventors: Centanni, Michael A., Hill, Aaron L., Zelina, Francis J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Leung, Philip H.
• Application Number:
  US10/995,967
• Publication Number:
  US 20050095168A1
• Time in Patent Office: 364 Days
• Field of Search: 219628-631, 219/635, 219/634, 219/679, 219/687, 219/688, 422/22, 422/26, 422/27
• US Class Current: 219/628
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/07 Steam
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/208 Hydrogen peroxide
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/24 Apparatus using programmed or automatic operation
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2202/122 Chambers for sterilisation
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2202/14 Means for controlling sterilisation processes, data processing, presentation and storage means, e.g. sensors, controllers, programs
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2202/24 Medical instruments, e.g. endoscopes, catheters, sharps
• CPC Class Codes: B24B 49/105 using eddy currents
• CPC Class Codes: F22B 1/281 other than by electrical resistances or electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: F22B 1/282 with water or steam circulating in tubes or ducts
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 6/108 for heating a fluid

Abstract

A method of microbially decontaminating at least one of a defined area and an item within the defined area. The method includes the steps of (a) inductively heating a block comprising an electrically non-conductive material and an electromagnetically responsive material; (b) passing an atomized liquid into an interior passage defined by the block, wherein the inductively heated block vaporizes the atomized liquid that contacts walls of the passage to form an antimicrobial vapor; and (c) flowing the vapor out of the block to the defined area to microbially decontaminate at least one of the defined area and the item.

Claims

1. A method of microbially decontaminating at least one of a defined area and an item within the defined area, the method comprising:

inductively heating a block comprising an electrically non-conductive material and an electromagnetically responsive material, the block defining an interior passage;

passing an atomized liquid into the interior passage, the inductively heated block vaporizing the atomized liquid which contacts walls of the passage to form an antimicrobial vapor; and

,

flowing the vapor out of the block to the defined area to microbially decontaminate at least one of the defined area and the item.

2. The method of claim 1, further including:

mixing the vapor with a carrier gas; and

,

flowing the mixture of vapor and carrier gas to the defined area.

3. The method of claim 2, further including:

mixing the atomized liquid with a portion of the carrier gas prior to vaporization.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the atomized liquid includes water and the vapor is steam.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the atomized liquid includes a peroxy compound.

6. The method of claim 1, further including:

detecting a concentration of the antimicrobial vapor in the defined area; and

,

adjusting a rate of inductive heating of the vessel in response to the detected concentration.