Method for recycling sterilant gas
First Claim
1. A method for recovery of a sterilant gas mixture from a sterilizer chamber, comprising:
- withdrawing a sterilant gas mixture after sterilization from a sterilizer chamber via a gas recovery assembly to a storage tank such that the pressure of the sterilant gas mixture is lowered;
supplying a purge gas to the sterilizer chamber after the sterilant gas mixture is withdrawn to the storage tank; and
withdrawing the purge gas from the sterilizer chamber to the storage tank to form a combined mixture of the sterilant gas mixture and the purge gas.
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Accused Products
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an inert purge gas supply adapted to supply a purge gas to the sterilizer chamber after the sterilant gas mixture is withdrawn to the storage recovery tank, wherein the gas recovery assembly evacuates an additional portion of the purge gas from the sterilizer chamber to the storage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.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. A method for recovery of a sterilant gas mixture from a sterilizer chamber, comprising:
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withdrawing a sterilant gas mixture after sterilization from a sterilizer chamber via a gas recovery assembly to a storage tank such that the pressure of the sterilant gas mixture is lowered; supplying a purge gas to the sterilizer chamber after the sterilant gas mixture is withdrawn to the storage tank; and withdrawing the purge gas from the sterilizer chamber to the storage tank to form a combined mixture of the sterilant gas mixture and the purge gas. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method for recovery of a sterilant gas mixture from a sterilizer chamber, comprising:
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withdrawing a sterilant gas mixture after sterilization from a sterilizer chamber via a gas recovery assembly to a storage tank such that the pressure of the sterilant gas mixture is lowered; supplying a purge gas to the sterilizer chamber after the sterilant gas mixture is withdrawn to the storage tank; withdrawing the purge gas from the sterilizer chamber to the storage tank to form a combined mixture of the sterilant gas mixture and the purge gas; and supplying the combined mixture of the sterilant gas mixture and the purge gas to the sterilizer chamber. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method for recovery of a sterilant gas mixture from a sterilizer chamber, comprising:
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withdrawing a sterilant gas mixture after sterilization from a sterilizer chamber via a gas recovery assembly to a storage tank such that the pressure of the sterilant gas mixture is lowered; supplying a purge gas to the sterilizer chamber after the sterilant gas mixture is withdrawn to the storage tank; withdrawing the purge gas from the sterilizer chamber to the storage tank to form a combined mixture of the sterilant gas mixture and the purge gas; supplying the combined mixture of the sterilant gas mixture and the purge gas to the sterilizer chamber; determining an amount of at least one of the sterilant gas mixture and the purge gas present in the combined mixture; and refortifying the combined mixture with at least one of the sterilant gas mixture and the purge gas based on the determined amount in the combined mixture. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification