Disinfection methods for surfaces and enclosed spaces

• US 8,029,726 B2
• Filed: 05/22/2008
• Issued: 10/04/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vapex Environmental Technologies Inc. (Guardian Manufacturing, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Vapex Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Resch, Darrel R., Bettle, Griscom III
• Primary Examiner(s): Conley; Sean E
• Application Number:
  US12/125,427
• Publication Number:
  US 20080292498A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,230 Days
• Field of Search: 422/4, 422/28, 422/29, 239/398
• US Class Current: 422/28
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/22 Phase substances, e.g. smokes, aerosols or sprayed or atomised substances
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/24 Apparatus using programmed or automatic operation
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 13/10 Preparation of ozone

Abstract

A system and method for producing an ozone-containing disinfecting cloud includes an enclosure. A pair of atomizing nozzles are affixed to the enclosure in substantially directly opposed relation. Each nozzle produces a spray of ozonated water from compressed gas, ozone, and water and are positioned to direct the sprays toward each other to form a cloud comprising droplets having a size distribution. A portion of the cloud that comprises droplets having a size less than a predetermined limit is expelled from the enclosure. Droplets having a size greater than the predetermined limit remain in the enclosure. The expelled cloud has been found to have a pH lower than a pH of the remaining droplets. The cloud so produced can be used to disinfect an area by directing the cloud to the area desired to be disinfected, which can comprise a surface and/or a space.

Claims

1. A method for producing an ozone-containing disinfecting cloud comprising:

directing compressed gas, ozone, and water to a pair of atomizing nozzles having outlets positioned in opposed relation to each other;

producing a spray of ozonated water from the compressed gas, ozone, and water from the pair of atomizing nozzles;

directing the produced sprays toward each other, to form a cloud comprising droplets having a size distribution;

retaining droplets having a size greater than a predetermined limit; and

expelling a portion of the cloud comprising droplets having a size less than the predetermined limit, the expelled cloud having a pH lower than a pH of retained droplets.

2. The method recited in claim 1, wherein the expelling step comprises directing air toward each of the atomizing nozzles using a pair of fans.

3. The method recited in claim 2, further comprising:

measuring a humidity within the expelled cloud;

comparing the received humidity measurement with a predetermined humidity value;

increasing a speed of the fans if the measured humidity is less than the predetermined humidity value; and

decreasing the fan speed if the measured humidity is greater than the predetermined humidity value.

4. The method recited in claim 1, further comprising:

measuring an ozone concentration in the expelled cloud;

comparing the measured ozone concentration with a predetermined concentration value;

increasing an amount of the ozone directed to the nozzles if the measured concentration is less than the predetermined concentration value;

decreasing the amount of the ozone directed to the nozzles if the measured concentration is greater than the predetermined concentration value.

5. The method recited in claim 1, further comprising channeling the retained droplets to the pair of nozzles.

6. The method recited in claim 1, controlling a velocity of the compressed gas directed to the nozzles to a desired velocity.

7. The method recited in claim 1, wherein the predetermined limit of droplet size comprises approximately 1 μ

m.

8. A method for disinfecting a space comprising:

producing an ozone-containing disinfecting cloud by;

directing compressed gas, ozone, and water to a pair of atomizing nozzles having outlets positioned in opposed relation to each other;

producing a spray of ozonated water from the compressed gas, ozone, and water from the pair of atomizing nozzles;

directing the produced sprays toward each other, to form a cloud comprising droplets having a size distribution; and

expelling a portion of the cloud comprising droplets having a size less than a predetermined limit, the expelled cloud having a pH lower than a pH of retained droplets; and

directing the produced cloud into an area desired to be disinfected.