Apparatus and method for generating, controlling and applying hydrogen peroxide vapor doses

Abstract

An apparatus for generating, controlling and applying a dose of hydrogen peroxide vapor is disclosed, comprising an injection chamber (1), an inlet valve (10), an outlet valve (11), a chamber pressure relief valve (9), an injection chamber pressure sensor (3), an injection valve (2), a hydrogen peroxide supply line (16), a carrier medium supply line (13) and an application line (15). Injecting a desired amount of liquid hydrogen peroxide (8) via an injection valve (2) onto a thermal injection surface of a chamber (12) of the closed, heated and depressurized injection chamber (1), thereby changing the state of hydrogen peroxide from liquid to gaseous; then, the correctness of the injected amount of liquid hydrogen peroxide (8) is evaluated by measuring the pressure rise in the injection chamber (1), and the desired batch of hydrogen peroxide vapor is generated at the desired concentration.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for generating, controlling and applying small and precise doses of hydrogen peroxide vapor intended for sterilizing objects, equipment and places. Background Art

[0002] Currently, objects and places are sterilized by continuous hydrogen peroxide vapor generators, which allow continuous steam generation without the need to record the amount of steam generated. Summary of the invention

[0003] The device and method for generating, controlling and applying hydrogen peroxide vapor dosage according to the present invention solves the generation, control and application of hydrogen peroxide vapor for sterilization purposes, in which small and precise doses of hydrogen peroxide vapor are required. The device generates a certain vapor dosage by injecting a precise amount of liquid hydrogen peroxide onto a hot surface of an injection chamber, wherein each dose of vapor has various parameters. After the injection of liquid hydrogen peroxide, the pressure in the injection chamber increases, and its value indicates the content of the desired amount of hydrogen peroxide in the generated hydrogen peroxide vapor dosage. The device allows to generate individual doses of vapor with different concentrations of hydrogen peroxide. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0004] Figure 1 Shown is a device for generating, controlling and applying a dose of hydrogen peroxide vapor. This is also a picture used for annotation.

[0005] Figure 2 The injection valve is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0006] It should be understood that the device configuration according to the present invention is presented in an illustrative manner and should not be interpreted as limiting its technical design. A person skilled in the art will be able to determine many equivalents of the specific embodiments of the present invention simply by applying routine experiments. Such equivalents of the constructed device and its parts will also fall within the scope of the patent claims. For a person skilled in the art, it will not be a problem to optimally design the structure and select its elements; therefore, these features are not discussed in detail in this specification.

[0007] Figure 1 to Figure 2The device and method for generating, controlling and applying a peroxide vapor dose shown in is formed by an injection chamber 1, an inlet valve 10, an outlet valve 11, a chamber pressure reducing valve 9, an injection chamber pressure sensor 3, an injection valve 2, a hydrogen peroxide supply line 16, a carrier medium supply line 13 and an application line 15. The injection chamber 1 is designed as a pressure-tight vessel, which has an injection chamber heating device 5 and an injection chamber temperature sensor 4. The injection valve 2 is arranged in the injection chamber 1, and a chamber injection surface 12 is formed relative to the injection valve 2. At the end of the injection valve 2 is an injection valve nozzle 19 with an injection valve needle 17 and an injection valve seat 18. The device also includes a liquid hydrogen peroxide pressure tank 6 with a liquid hydrogen peroxide pressure sensor 7 and an application line 15.

[0008] The operating cycle of the device according to the invention begins with the opening of the chamber pressure relief valve 9, whereby the pressure of the heated injection chamber 1 is equalized to the ambient pressure via the pressure relief line 14. After the injection chamber pressure sensor 3 has registered the pressure set point, the chamber pressure relief valve 9 is closed, thereby sealing the injection chamber 1 under pressure.

[0009] In the liquid hydrogen peroxide pressure tank 6, a higher pressure than the pressure in the injection chamber 1 is maintained above the liquid hydrogen peroxide level 8 by means of a compressed air supply line 22 for the peroxide tank. The required amount of liquid hydrogen peroxide 8 is injected into the injection chamber 1 by opening the injection valve 2. The injection of the liquid hydrogen peroxide 8 onto the hot injection surface of the chamber 12 changes the state of hydrogen peroxide from liquid to gaseous and forms a desired dose of hydrogen peroxide vapor at a desired concentration. After the injection of the liquid hydrogen peroxide 8 onto the hot injection surface of the chamber 12, the pressure in the injection chamber 1 rises. By measuring this pressure increase by the pressure sensor of the injection chamber 3, the device according to the invention assesses whether the required amount of liquid hydrogen peroxide 8 has been injected.

[0010] If the device according to the invention assesses that the correct amount of liquid hydrogen peroxide 8 has been injected, the device continues the prescribed operating cycle. By opening the inlet valve 10 and the outlet valve 11, the carrier medium starts to flow into the injection chamber 1 through the carrier medium supply line 1 and fills the injection chamber 1 with new carrier medium; this medium pushes the generated dose of hydrogen peroxide vapor through the outlet valve 11 and the application line 15 to the desired peroxide vapor application site 21.

[0011] If another dose of peroxide vapor is to be generated, the operating cycle is repeated.

[0012] If the device according to the invention assesses that an incorrect amount of liquid hydrogen peroxide 8 has been injected into the injection chamber 1 , the operating cycle starts over from the beginning.

[0013] Variation of the dosage density of the peroxide vapor generated by the device according to the present invention can be achieved by changing various parameters of the injection of liquid hydrogen peroxide 8 into the injection chamber 1, namely, the injection pressure of the liquid hydrogen peroxide 8, the opening length of the injection valve 2, the temperature of the injection chamber 1, the temperature of the chamber injection surface 12, the pressure of the carrier medium used to flush the injection chamber 1, and the flushing length of the injection chamber 1.

[0014] It is particularly important to maintain a correct and constant temperature of the chamber injection surface 12. Since the liquid hydrogen peroxide 8 is injected onto this chamber injection surface 12, the chamber injection surface 12 cools down rapidly and therefore requires special heating means.

[0015] In order to properly apply the hydrogen peroxide vapor to the desired peroxide vapor application site, it is necessary to maintain the correct temperature of the application line 15 and all surfaces of the piping and valves that come into contact with the hydrogen peroxide vapor.

[0016] Due to the construction of the device and the method of generating, controlling and applying the vapor dosage, the device is also suitable for generating vapor from other liquid substances and compounds besides hydrogen peroxide alone.

[0017] Explanation of terminology

[0018] Carrier medium - compressed gas (e.g. air, nitrogen)

[0019] Inlet valve - closes the supply line for the carrier medium

[0020] Outlet valve - separates the injection chamber from the application line

[0021] Chamber pressure relief valve - separates the injection chamber from the external environment

[0022] Sterilization - the process of destroying all microorganisms in a given environment, object or equipment

[0023] Condensation - the physical process of changing a gas into a liquid

[0024] Reference numerals- Figure 1 to Figure 2 :

[0025] 1) Injection chamber

[0026] 2) Injection valve

[0027] 3) Injection chamber pressure sensor

[0028] 4) Injection chamber temperature sensor

[0029] 5) Heating device for injection chamber

[0030] 6) Liquid hydrogen peroxide pressure tank

[0031] 7) Liquid hydrogen peroxide pressure sensor

[0032] 8) Liquid hydrogen peroxide

[0033] 9) Chamber pressure reducing valve

[0034] 10) Inlet valve

[0035] 11) Outlet valve

[0036] 12) Injection surface of chamber

[0037] 13) Carrier medium supply pipeline

[0038] 14) Pressure reducing pipeline

[0039] 15) Application pipeline

[0040] 16) Hydrogen peroxide supply pipeline

[0041] 17) Injection valve needle

[0042] 18) Injection valve seat

[0043] 19) Injection valve nozzle

[0044] 20) Application of pipeline heating device

[0045] 21) Peroxide vapor application site

[0046] 22) Compressed air supply line for peroxide tank

Claims

1. A device for generating, controlling and applying a dose of hydrogen peroxide vapor, characterized in that: It comprises an injection chamber (1), an inlet valve (10), an outlet valve (11), a pressure reducing valve (9), an injection chamber pressure sensor (3), an injection valve (2), a hydrogen peroxide supply line (16), a carrier medium supply line (13) and an application line (15).

2. A device for generating, controlling and applying hydrogen peroxide vapor dosage, characterized in that When the injection valve (2) is opened and closed, the injection valve needle (17) moves inside the injection valve nozzle (19), thereby mechanically cleaning the wall of the injection valve nozzle (19).

3. A method for generating, controlling and applying a dosage of hydrogen peroxide vapor by means of a device according to the invention, characterized in that The injection valve (2) injects a required amount of liquid hydrogen peroxide (8) onto a hot injection surface of a chamber (12) of a closed, heated and depressurized injection chamber (1), thereby changing the state of hydrogen peroxide from liquid to gaseous; then, the correctness of the injected amount of liquid hydrogen peroxide (8) is evaluated by measuring the pressure rise in the injection chamber (1), and a desired dose of hydrogen peroxide vapor is generated at a desired concentration.

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