System and method for recycling sterilant gas

• US 7,666,369 B2
• Filed: 09/29/2006
• Issued: 02/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kpr U.S., LLC (Cardinal Health, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Tyco Healthcare Group LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Bondar, Douglas E.
• Primary Examiner(s): CONLEY, SEAN EVERETT
• Application Number:
  US11/541,358
• Publication Number:
  US 20080080999A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,243 Days
• Field of Search: 422/31, 422/292, 422/295
• US Class Current: 422/295
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/206 Ethylene oxide

Abstract

A system for recovery and reutilization of sterilant gas mixture from a sterilizer chamber includes a storage tank in gaseous communication with a sterilizer chamber via a gas recovery assembly, wherein after sterilization the gas recovery assembly evacuates the sterilant gas mixture to the storage recovery tank. The system also includes an inert purge gas supply adapted to supply a purge gas to the sterilizer chamber after the sterilant gas mixture is withdrawn to the storage recovery tank, wherein the gas recovery assembly evacuates an additional portion of the purge gas from the sterilizer chamber to the storage tank to enrich the gas mixture for later reutilization in subsequent sterilization cycles.

Claims

1. A system for recovery of sterilant gas mixture from a sterilizer chamber comprising:

a sterilizer chamber configured to receive a sterilant gas mixture having a concentration of a sterilant gas for sterilization at about atmospheric pressure;

a storage tank in gaseous communication with the sterilizer chamber via a gas recovery assembly, wherein after sterilization the gas recovery assembly evacuates the sterilant gas mixture to the storage tank such that the pressure of the sterilant gas mixture is lowered; and

a purge gas supply adapted to supply a purge gas to the sterilizer chamber after the sterilant gas mixture is evacuated to the storage tank, wherein the gas recovery assembly includes a vacuum pump and a circulation blower adapted to evacuate the purge gas from the sterilizer chamber to the storage tank to further enrich the mixture of the sterilant gas mixture in the storage tank, such that the mixture of the purge gas mixture and the sterilant gas mixture within the storage tank is at about atmospheric pressure, and wherein the vacuum pump and the circulation blower are further adapted to pressurize the sterilizer chamber at the atmospheric pressure after the purge gas is withdrawn from the sterilizer chamber to the storage tank.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein the storage tank has a volume larger than a volume of the sterilizer chamber.

3. A system according to claim 1, wherein after the sterilant gas mixture is withdrawn to the storage tank, the storage tank is adapted to store the sterilant gas mixture at pressure lower than the atmospheric pressure.

4. A system according to claim 1, wherein the purge gas is an inert gas.

5. A system according to claim 1, wherein the vacuum pump is adapted to evacuate the storage tank prior to the sterilant gas mixture being withdrawn from the sterilizer chamber.

6. A system according to claim 1, wherein the purge gas supply is adapted to supply the purge gas to the sterilizer chamber to pressurize the sterilizer chamber at a pressure lower than or equal to the atmospheric pressure.

7. A system according to claim 1, wherein the sterilizer chamber is in direct gaseous communication with a pure sterilant gas.

8. A system according to claim 1, wherein the circulation blower is configured to facilitate gas flow out of the sterilizer chamber.

9. A system according to claim 1, wherein the concentration of the sterilant gas of the sterilant gas mixture ranges from about 20 percent to about 100 percent.