Hydrogen peroxide decontamination system

Abstract

Provided is a hydrogen peroxide decontamination system capable of accurately ascertaining the amount and concentration of hydrogen peroxide supplied to a decontamination target chamber, and capable of accurately managing the concentration of hydrogen peroxide gas in the chamber and the concentration of hydrogen peroxide in a condensation film by being provided with an environment in which a uniform condensation film is formed in the decontamination target chamber. In step 1, the air circulation unit is stopped in a state in which the temperature and humidity in the work chamber are stabilized. In step 2, hydrogen peroxide is supplied from a storage tank to a mist conversion / supply unit, and the weight and concentration of the supplied hydrogen peroxide are calculated over time. In addition, the mist conversion / supply unit is operated to convert the hydrogen peroxide into the decontaminating mist, and the mist diffusion unit is operated to diffuse the decontaminating mist in the working chamber. And in the step 3, the working state of the fog diffusion unit is maintained for a preset decontamination time. And in the step 4, the aeration unit works at the time point when the decontamination time is completed.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a hydrogen peroxide decontamination system for decontaminating the interior of cleanrooms, isolators, etc. using hydrogen peroxide, and more particularly to a hydrogen peroxide decontamination system for decontaminating while simultaneously confirming the gas-liquid balance of hydrogen peroxide. Background Technology

[0002] Maintaining a sterile environment is crucial in pharmaceutical or food manufacturing facilities, as well as in medical settings such as operating rooms. Particularly in the decontamination of sterile rooms used for pharmaceutical manufacturing, a high level of decontamination validation conforming to GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice) is required.

[0003] In recent years, hydrogen peroxide has been widely used for decontamination in sterile rooms and other work areas (hereinafter referred to as the decontamination target room). Hydrogen peroxide has a strong sterilization effect, is inexpensive and readily available, and is effective as an environmentally friendly decontamination gas that ultimately decomposes into oxygen and water.

[0004] The prevailing and current mainstream method involves heating and evaporating hydrogen peroxide inside the chamber to generate hydrogen peroxide gas. This method is known as "flash decontamination." In this method, hydrogen peroxide at a concentration of, for example, 30-35 W / V, is supplied from the outside to the chamber. It is then heated by a high-temperature evaporation device located inside the chamber, producing hydrogen peroxide gas and water vapor. The air inside the chamber is then circulated to fill it with hydrogen peroxide gas. In this flash decontamination method, the concentration of hydrogen peroxide gas inside the chamber is measured and used as a parameter to assess the decontamination effectiveness.

[0005] On the other hand, Patent Document 1 describes that the decontamination effect of hydrogen peroxide is produced by the condensation film of hydrogen peroxide on the surface of the object to be decontaminated (wall surface, internal storage). However, in flash decontamination, the hydrogen peroxide gas concentration is used as a parameter of the decontamination effect, but the reliability of hydrogen peroxide gas concentration meters has limitations, and the hydrogen peroxide gas concentration under decontamination conditions remains as a reference value. Furthermore, hydrogen peroxide for decontamination is supplied in various grades and specifications, but the concentration specifications vary considerably, and currently, the concentration of stored hydrogen peroxide always changes over time, even gradually. Thus, the inability to accurately manage the concentration of hydrogen peroxide supplied to the decontamination chamber for decontamination operations becomes a major problem. When the hydrogen peroxide concentration changes, there is a problem that decontamination operations may be performed without fully understanding the relationship between the hydrogen peroxide gas concentration inside the decontamination chamber and the hydrogen peroxide concentration in the condensation film inside.

[0006] Furthermore, in flash evaporation decontamination, the air inside the target chamber is circulated by a fan, resulting in variations in airflow and velocity depending on the location within the chamber, making it impossible to form a uniform condensation film throughout. Additionally, the high-temperature evaporation device evaporates hydrogen peroxide, causing temperature variations within the chamber and further hindering the formation of a uniform condensation film. Therefore, to address the uneven decontamination effect of flash evaporation in the target chamber, it is necessary to increase the amount of hydrogen peroxide used and the supply of generated hydrogen peroxide gas to create conditions conducive to the formation of an excessive condensation film. Existing technical documents Patent documents

[0007] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Publication No. 61-4543. Summary of the Invention The problem that the invention aims to solve

[0008] However, if excessive hydrogen peroxide gas is supplied to the decontamination chamber, excessive condensation will occur, leading to corrosion of various production equipment, precision measuring equipment, and the chamber walls by the resulting high-concentration hydrogen peroxide condensate film. Furthermore, after decontamination with hydrogen peroxide, aeration with clean air is required to remove residual hydrogen peroxide gas and the hydrogen peroxide condensate film. However, when excessive hydrogen peroxide gas is supplied, the aeration process to remove the high-concentration hydrogen peroxide condensate film from the chamber walls and other surfaces takes a significant amount of time.

[0009] Therefore, in addition to addressing issues related to flash evaporation decontamination methods such as reducing hydrogen peroxide usage, shortening decontamination cycle time, and lowering residual gas concentration after decontamination, there is also a desire to explore decontamination methods using hydrogen peroxide condensation membranes. For these purposes, methods have begun to be adopted that directly supply hydrogen peroxide mist instead of hydrogen peroxide gas into the target chamber.

[0010] This method is called "mist injection cleaning." It utilizes a dual-fluid nozzle or similar device to supply hydrogen peroxide at room temperature, mixed with compressed air, to form a hydrogen peroxide mist, which is then injected into the room to be cleaned. However, because this method relies on the high-speed ejection of compressed air to diffuse the mist, uneven condensation can easily occur depending on the location within the room, making uniform cleaning difficult. Therefore, even with this method, an excessive amount of hydrogen peroxide mist must be supplied to achieve a comprehensive cleaning effect throughout the room.

[0011] Furthermore, while this method uses the concentration of hydrogen peroxide gas in the target room as a parameter for the cleaning effect, it does not accurately manage the concentration of hydrogen peroxide supplied to the target room. When the concentration of the added hydrogen peroxide changes, the cleaning operation is performed without a full understanding of the relationship between the concentration of hydrogen peroxide gas inside the target room and the concentration of hydrogen peroxide in the condensate film.

[0012] Therefore, the purpose of this invention is to address the above-mentioned problems by providing a hydrogen peroxide decontamination system that can accurately control the amount and concentration of hydrogen peroxide supplied to the chamber to be decontaminated, and is equipped with an environment that forms a uniform condensation film in the chamber to be decontaminated, thereby enabling accurate management of the hydrogen peroxide gas concentration in the chamber and the hydrogen peroxide concentration in the condensation film. Methods for solving problems

[0013] To solve the above-mentioned problems, the inventors of this invention, through in-depth research, concluded that by accurately determining the concentration of hydrogen peroxide used for decontamination during supply, setting the interior of the decontamination chamber to a windless state, and equipping it with a decontamination environment where there is no material or heat input or output during decontamination, the gas-liquid balance of hydrogen peroxide can be confirmed, and thus this invention was completed.

[0014] That is, according to the description of technical solution 1, the hydrogen peroxide decontamination system involved in the present invention is a hydrogen peroxide decontamination system (100) for decontaminating the interior of the work room, characterized by having the following structure: It is equipped with an operating room (C3), an air circulation unit (20), a hydrogen peroxide supply unit (30), a mist conversion / supply unit (40), a mist diffusion unit (50), and an aeration unit (60). The work chamber is equipped with an air supply port (13) and an exhaust port (14) for switching between a connected state and a sealed state between the work chamber and the external environment, and is also equipped with a temperature measuring device (15) and a humidity measuring device (16) to measure the temperature and humidity inside the work chamber over time. The air circulation unit includes an air circulation fan (21) and a high-performance air filter (22) to circulate clean air within the work chamber. The hydrogen peroxide supply unit includes a storage tank (31), a supply pump (32), a supply piping (33), a metering device (34), and a concentration measuring device (35), which supplies a preset amount of hydrogen peroxide to the mist conversion / supply unit. The mist conversion / supply unit converts the hydrogen peroxide supplied by the hydrogen peroxide supply unit into a decontamination mist and supplies the decontamination mist into the working chamber. The fog diffusion unit includes a vibrating plate (51) disposed in the working chamber, which vibrates ultrasonically to generate an ultrasonic-based acoustic stream from the plate surface, thereby diffusing the decontamination fog supplied to the working chamber within the working chamber. The aeration unit includes supply and exhaust fans (61a, 62a), high-performance air filters (61b, 62b), and a hydrogen peroxide decomposition device (63). It replaces the air introduced from the external environment of the working chamber through the air supply port with clean air, and then introduces this clean air into the working chamber. After decontamination, the clean air, along with any residual hydrogen peroxide in the working chamber, is discharged into the external environment through the hydrogen peroxide decomposition device and the exhaust port. Furthermore, the hydrogen peroxide decontamination system is configured to perform the following steps: In step 1, while the air circulation unit is in operation, the air supply port and the exhaust port are closed to make the working chamber a sealed state. After the temperature and humidity in the working chamber have stabilized, the air circulation unit is stopped. In step 2, the hydrogen peroxide supply unit is activated, supplying hydrogen peroxide from the storage tank to the mist conversion / supply unit via a supply pump and supply piping. A metering device and a concentration measuring device are used to calculate, over time, the weight and concentration of the hydrogen peroxide supplied to the mist conversion / supply unit based on the amount and concentration of the supplied hydrogen peroxide. The mist conversion / supply unit is activated to convert all the hydrogen peroxide supplied from the hydrogen peroxide supply unit into decontamination mist and supply it to the working chamber, and the mist diffusion unit is activated to diffuse the decontamination mist in the working chamber. In step 3, at the point when the mist conversion / supply unit completes the supply of decontamination mist to the working chamber, the mist conversion / supply unit is stopped, and the working state of the mist diffusion unit is maintained for the preset decontamination time. In step 4, at the time point when the mist diffusion unit has completed the preset decontamination time, the mist diffusion unit is stopped, the air supply port and the exhaust port are opened, and the air circulation unit and the aeration unit are put into operation. In step 5, after the preset aeration time has elapsed, the air circulation unit and the aeration unit are stopped, and the air supply port and the exhaust port are closed to seal the operating chamber. Based on the temperature and humidity data of the work chamber measured over time by the temperature measuring device and the humidity measuring device, and the weight and concentration of hydrogen peroxide supplied to the work chamber measured over time by the metering device and the concentration measuring device, the hydrogen peroxide gas concentration in the work chamber is continuously calculated using the gas-liquid balance of hydrogen peroxide and water.

[0015] Furthermore, according to the description in technical solution 2, based on the hydrogen peroxide decontamination system described in technical solution 1, the present invention is characterized in that... In step 3, the interior of the work chamber is kept sealed, and no substances and / or heat flow into the work chamber from the external environment, so as to carry out the decontamination in the work chamber.

[0016] Furthermore, according to the description in technical solution 3, based on the hydrogen peroxide decontamination system described in technical solution 1 or 2, the present invention is characterized in that... The fog diffusion unit has one or more vibrating discs (51). The vibratory plate has a base (52) and a plurality of transmitters (53). The transmitters are configured to emit in the same direction on the plane of the base and operate in the same phase, such that the ultrasonic waves in the front direction of the transmitters enhance each other and the ultrasonic waves in the lateral direction of the transmitters cancel each other out, thereby generating a highly directional ultrasonic-based sound stream from the surface of the vibratory plate in the vertical direction. Invention Effects

[0017] According to the above structure, the hydrogen peroxide decontamination system involved in the present invention includes an operating chamber, an air circulation unit, a hydrogen peroxide supply unit, a mist conversion / supply unit, a mist diffusion unit, and an aeration unit.

[0018] The operating chamber is equipped with air supply and exhaust ports that allow switching between connected and sealed states between the operating chamber and the external environment. It also features temperature and humidity measuring devices to continuously monitor the temperature and humidity within the operating chamber. The air circulation unit includes an air circulation fan and a high-performance air filter to circulate clean air within the operating chamber. The hydrogen peroxide supply unit includes a storage tank, supply pump, supply piping, metering device, and concentration measuring device to supply a preset amount of hydrogen peroxide to the mist conversion / supply unit.

[0019] The mist conversion / supply unit converts the hydrogen peroxide supplied by the hydrogen peroxide supply unit into a decontamination mist and supplies this decontamination mist into the working chamber. The mist diffusion unit has a vibrating disc disposed in the working chamber, which generates an ultrasonic-based acoustic stream from the disc surface by ultrasonic vibration, thereby diffusing the decontamination mist supplied to the working chamber. The aeration unit has an exhaust fan, a high-performance air filter, and a hydrogen peroxide decomposition device, which replaces the air introduced from the external environment into the working chamber through the air supply port with clean air, and introduces this clean air into the working chamber. After decontamination, the clean air, along with the residual hydrogen peroxide in the working chamber, is discharged into the external environment through the hydrogen peroxide decomposition device and the exhaust port.

[0020] With this structure, in step 1, while the air circulation unit is in operation, the air supply port and exhaust port are closed to make the working chamber a sealed state. After the temperature and humidity in the working chamber have stabilized, the air circulation unit is stopped.

[0021] Next, in step 2, the hydrogen peroxide supply unit is activated, supplying hydrogen peroxide from the storage tank to the mist conversion / supply unit via a supply pump and supply piping. A metering device and a concentration measuring device are used to calculate the weight and concentration of the hydrogen peroxide supplied to the mist conversion / supply unit over time, based on the amount and concentration of the supplied hydrogen peroxide. Furthermore, the mist conversion / supply unit is activated to convert all the hydrogen peroxide supplied from the hydrogen peroxide supply unit into a decontamination mist and supply it to the work chamber. The mist diffusion unit is also activated to diffuse the decontamination mist within the work chamber.

[0022] Next, in step 3, at the point when the mist conversion / supply unit has completed supplying the decontamination mist to the working chamber, the mist conversion / supply unit is stopped, and the mist diffusion unit is kept in operation for the preset decontamination time. Next, in step 4, at the point when the mist diffusion unit has completed the preset decontamination time, the mist diffusion unit is stopped, the air supply port and exhaust port are opened, and the air circulation unit and aeration unit are put into operation.

[0023] Finally, in step 5, after the preset aeration time, the air circulation unit and aeration unit are stopped, and the air supply and exhaust ports are closed to seal the working chamber. In this state, the hydrogen peroxide decontamination system is complete.

[0024] Furthermore, according to the above structure, the feature is that: based on the temperature and humidity inside the work chamber measured over time by the temperature measuring device and the humidity measuring device, and the weight and concentration of hydrogen peroxide supplied to the work chamber measured over time by the metering device and the concentration measuring device, the hydrogen peroxide gas concentration inside the work chamber is continuously calculated using the gas-liquid balance of hydrogen peroxide-water.

[0025] Therefore, a hydrogen peroxide decontamination system can be provided that can accurately control the amount and concentration of hydrogen peroxide supplied to the chamber to be decontaminated, and create an environment in which a uniform condensation film is formed in the chamber, thereby accurately managing the concentration of hydrogen peroxide gas in the chamber and the concentration of hydrogen peroxide in the condensation film.

[0026] Furthermore, according to the above structure, in step 3, the interior of the work chamber is kept sealed, and the state in which no substances and / or heat flow into the work chamber from the external environment is maintained, so as to carry out the decontamination in the work chamber.

[0027] Furthermore, according to the above structure, the fog diffusion unit includes one or more vibrating disks, each vibrating disk having a base and multiple transmitters. The emission directions of the multiple transmitters can be uniformly arranged on the plane of the base, and these transmitters can operate with the same phase. This allows the ultrasonic waves emitted from the front of the multiple transmitters to mutually amplify each other, while the ultrasonic waves emitted from the lateral direction of the multiple transmitters can mutually cancel each other out, thereby generating a highly directional ultrasonic-based acoustic stream from the surface of the vibrating disk along the vertical direction. Therefore, the aforementioned effects can be achieved more specifically. Attached Figure Description

[0028] Figure 1 The hydrogen peroxide decontamination system described in this embodiment will be explained using an isolator as an example, and the diagram is a schematic cross-sectional view of its interior viewed from the side. Figure 2 The fog conversion / supply device according to this embodiment is shown, wherein (A) is a front view viewed from the inside of the chamber, and (B) is a side sectional view. Figure 3 A schematic perspective view showing the state of a fog diffusion device with multiple ultrasonic speakers arranged on a speaker base in a vibrating disk. Detailed Implementation

[0029] In this invention, "fog" should be interpreted broadly, encompassing the state of hydrogen peroxide being atomized and suspended in air as droplets, the state of hydrogen peroxide gas mixed with hydrogen peroxide droplets, and the state of hydrogen peroxide undergoing repeated condensation and evaporation phase transitions between gas and droplets. Therefore, the fog involved in this invention includes, depending on the circumstances, what is referred to as fog (sometimes defined as below 10 μm) or dense fog (sometimes defined as below 5 μm), as well as fog with particle sizes greater than those specified.

[0030] Furthermore, in this invention, the ultrasonic vibration of the fog diffusion unit is utilized to homogenize even fog, dense fog, droplets, etc., which are 3μm to 10μm or larger, into ultrafine particles smaller than 3μm. These particles undergo repeated gas-liquid phase transitions between hydrogen peroxide gas, condensation film, and fog in the room, thereby achieving a high level of decontamination effect.

[0031] The hydrogen peroxide decontamination system 100 according to the present invention will be described in detail below through embodiments. It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the following embodiments. Furthermore, in this embodiment, an isolator will be used as an example for explanation. Figure 1 This is a side view of the isolator of this embodiment, showing its internal structure.

[0032] exist Figure 1In this design, isolator device A consists of a platform B placed on the ground and an isolator body C mounted on the platform B. The platform B is surrounded by walls made of stainless steel plates, and electrical and mechanical equipment (not shown) is housed inside. The isolator body C is divided into an upper exhaust chamber C1, a lower air circulation drive chamber C2, and a lower working chamber C3.

[0033] In addition, each part (C1, C2, C3) of the isolator body C has a chamber 10, an air circulation device 20, a hydrogen peroxide supply device 30, a mist conversion / supply device 40, a mist diffusion device 50 and an aeration device 60.

[0034] The work chamber C3 is set on the platform B, surrounded by four side walls, and connected to the air circulation drive chamber C2 via a rectifier screen 12 installed on its ceiling; a work glove 11 is provided on a part of the wall of the work chamber C3. The work chamber C3 constitutes a chamber 10 in which the operator outside the isolator device A performs aseptic work by using the work glove 11 inside.

[0035] The chamber 10 has an air supply port 13, an air supply valve 13a, an exhaust port 14, and an exhaust valve 14a in its upper air supply and exhaust chamber C1, which are connected to the external environment via an air circulation drive chamber C2. These valves allow switching between a connected state and a sealed state of the chamber 10. Furthermore, the chamber 10 is equipped with a temperature measuring device 15 and a humidity measuring device 16 that measure its internal temperature and humidity over time. It should be noted that a hydrogen peroxide gas concentration meter, a pressure gauge, etc., may also be installed inside the chamber 10.

[0036] The air circulation device 20 has an air circulation fan 21, a HEPA filter 22 and a circulation path 23 in the air circulation drive chamber C2, so that the clean air inside the chamber 10 circulates between itself and the air circulation drive chamber C2.

[0037] A hydrogen peroxide supply device 30 is installed outside the isolator body C. This hydrogen peroxide supply device 30 includes a storage tank 31, a supply pump 32, a supply piping 33, a metering device 34, and a concentration measuring device 35. The supply piping 33 connects the storage tank 31 to the mist conversion / supply device 40, with the supply pump 32 and concentration measuring device 35 connected along its path. Through the operation of the supply pump 32, hydrogen peroxide is supplied from the storage tank 31 to the mist conversion / supply device 40, and the amount and concentration of the supplied hydrogen peroxide are measured over time. Furthermore, in this embodiment, a two-fluid spray nozzle 37, which atomizes hydrogen peroxide using a compressed air supply device 36, is provided along the path of the supply piping 33, supplying it as hydrogen peroxide mist (primary mist) to the mist conversion / supply device 40.

[0038] The mist conversion / supply device 40 is located in the area where the upper wall and side wall of the chamber 10 intersect. It should be noted that alternatively, only a mist outlet can be provided on the inner wall of the chamber 10, while the main body of the device is located on the outer wall of the chamber 10. This mist conversion / supply device 40 converts the hydrogen peroxide (primary mist in this embodiment) supplied from the hydrogen peroxide supply device 30 into fine hydrogen peroxide mist (secondary mist) and supplies it into the interior of the chamber 10.

[0039] Figure 2 The fog conversion / supply device according to this embodiment is shown, wherein (A) is a front view viewed from the inside of the chamber, and (B) is a side sectional view. Figure 2 In the middle, the fog conversion / supply device 40 consists of a fog receiver 41 and an ultrasonic atomizing device 42.

[0040] The front interior of the fog receiver 41 forms a semi-spindle-shaped space, with an ultrasonic atomizing device 42 installed at the lower end of the narrowed semi-spindle-shaped front. The lower end of this interior space is narrowed to accommodate a small amount of decontamination liquid collection area 41a after gas-liquid separation. Furthermore, at the lower rear end of the fog receiver 41 (facing the ultrasonic atomizing device 42), the end of the supply pipe 33 communicates with the interior of the fog receiver 41. An air exhaust section 41b is provided at the upper end of the interior of the rear of the fog receiver 41. A baffle 41c is provided between the end of the supply pipe 33 in the center of the interior of the fog receiver 41 and the air exhaust section 41b.

[0041] The ultrasonic atomizing device 42 comprises a generally circular porous vibrating plate 42a, a generally annular piezoelectric vibrator 42b, and a control device (not shown) for controlling the vibration of the piezoelectric vibrator 42b. The porous vibrating plate 42a has multiple micropores (not shown) extending through both its surface and back to atomize the hydrogen peroxide after gas-liquid separation. The piezoelectric vibrator 42b causes the porous vibrating plate 42a to vibrate like a membrane. The porous vibrating plate 42a is attached to the piezoelectric vibrator 42b in a manner that covers the inner bore of the piezoelectric vibrator 42b.

[0042] Furthermore, the porous vibrating plate 42a is installed with its surface facing the interior of the chamber 10 and its back facing the interior of the mist receiver 41. Multiple micro-holes in the porous vibrating plate 42a penetrate the interior of the cleaning chamber and the interior of the mist receiver 41. It should be noted that... Figure 2 In this configuration, hydrogen peroxide mist is released horizontally from the surface of the porous vibrating plate 42a, but it is not limited to this; it can also be released downwards or upwards depending on the setting position.

[0043] The fog diffusion device 50 is disposed on the upper part of the side wall surface of the chamber 10. Figure 1The vibrating disk 51 (visible from the front as the upper part of the inner wall) is located in the middle. The mist diffusion device 50 causes the vibrating disk 51 to vibrate ultrasonically, generating an ultrasonic-based acoustic stream from the disk surface, thereby causing the hydrogen peroxide mist supplied to the inside of the chamber 10 to diffuse inside the chamber 10. It should be noted that in this embodiment, there is one vibrating disk 51, but multiple units can also be used. Figure 2 A schematic perspective view of a fog diffusion device with multiple ultrasonic speakers mounted on a speaker base in a vibrating disc.

[0044] exist Figure 2 In this embodiment, the vibrating plate 51 includes a base and multiple transmitters. In this embodiment, a speaker base 52 is used as the base, and ultrasonic speakers 53 are used as transmitters. In this embodiment, 40 ultrasonic speakers 53 are arranged on the plane 52a of the speaker base 52 in such a way that the emission direction (leftward direction in the front view shown in the figure) of their vibration surfaces 53a is uniform. It should be noted that the number of ultrasonic speakers is not particularly limited.

[0045] In this embodiment, a super-directional ultrasonic loudspeaker is used as the ultrasonic loudspeaker 53. Specifically, an ultrasonic loudspeaker (DC12V, 50mA) with a frequency modulation method for transmitting ultrasonic waves at a frequency around 40kHz is used. It should be noted that there are no particular limitations on the type, size, structure, output, etc. of the ultrasonic loudspeaker. Furthermore, in this invention, the vibrating plate of the fog diffusion device 50 is not limited to an ultrasonic loudspeaker, and there are no particular limitations on the ultrasonic wave generating mechanism, frequency range, and output.

[0046] In this embodiment, by unifying the emission directions of the vibration surfaces 53a of the plurality of (40) ultrasonic loudspeakers 53 and making these emitters operate in the same phase, the ultrasonic waves emitted in the front direction of each ultrasonic loudspeaker 53 mutually reinforce each other, and the ultrasonic waves emitted in the lateral direction of each ultrasonic loudspeaker 53 cancel each other out. As a result, when the ultrasonic loudspeakers 53 disposed on the loudspeaker base 52 vibrate ultrasonically, a highly directional sound stream is generated that travels vertically through the air from each vibration surface 53a. It should be noted that the frequency and output of the ultrasonic loudspeakers 53 are controlled by a control device (not shown), thereby enabling an effective cleaning operation.

[0047] The aeration device 60 has an air supply device 61, an exhaust device 62, and a hydrogen peroxide decomposition device 63 in the upper air supply and exhaust chamber C1, and is connected to the interior of the chamber 10 via an air circulation drive chamber C2. The air supply device 61 has an air supply fan 61a and a HEPA filter 61b, the exhaust device 62 has an exhaust fan 62a and a HEPA filter 62b, and the hydrogen peroxide decomposition device 63 has a hydrogen peroxide decomposition fan 63a and a hydrogen peroxide decomposition filter 63b.

[0048] Air supply fan 61a draws air from the external environment through air supply port 13, replaces it with clean air using HEPA filter 61b, and then introduces it into chamber 10 via air circulation fan 21 and HEPA filter 22 in air circulation drive chamber C2. The air introduced into chamber 10, along with residual hydrogen peroxide, is introduced into hydrogen peroxide decomposition device 63 via circulation path 23 and air circulation drive chamber C2, where hydrogen peroxide is decomposed using hydrogen peroxide decomposition filter 63b. Exhaust fan 62a discharges the decomposed hydrogen peroxide-free air to the external environment via HEPA filter 62b and exhaust port 14.

[0049] Next, the hydrogen peroxide decontamination system 100 according to the present invention will be described according to each operation step, based on the isolator A having the above-described structure. In this embodiment, the hydrogen peroxide decontamination system 100 can be described in five stages of operation, from step 1 to step 5. It should be noted that the decontamination conditions, taking into account the volume of the chamber to be decontaminated, preliminary experiments and studies of the contents, include the pre-set supply amount and supply time of the decontamination liquid (supply amount per unit time), decontamination time, and aeration time.

[0050] Step 1 In step 1, the air supply valve 13a of the air supply port 13 and the exhaust valve 14a of the exhaust port 14 of the upper air supply and exhaust chamber C1 are first closed, thus sealing the interior of chamber 10. Next, the air circulation fan 21 of the air circulation device 20 is activated, causing air to circulate between the air circulation drive chamber C2, chamber 10, and circulation path 23. At this time, chamber 10 is equipped with a temperature measuring device 15 and a humidity measuring device 16, which continuously measure the temperature and humidity inside chamber 10.

[0051] It should be noted that in this embodiment, a recording control device (not shown) is provided to continuously monitor / record temperature and humidity. Alternatively, in addition to the temperature measuring device 15 and humidity measuring device 16, a separate temperature control device and humidity control device can be provided inside chamber 10 to adjust the temperature and humidity to preset values. Next, after the temperature and humidity inside chamber 10 have stabilized, the air circulation fan 21 of the air circulation device 20 is stopped. Here, the interior of chamber 10 is a closed system, preventing the inflow of substances and heat from the external environment.

[0052] In this embodiment, there is no need to specifically specify the temperature and humidity for initiating the decontamination process. In the hydrogen peroxide decontamination system of this invention, the interior of chamber 10 remains a closed system, and the substance introduced into the system is room-temperature hydrogen peroxide, without any heat source to heat it. Therefore, in principle, the temperature change before and after the decontamination operation is very small.

[0053] Step 2 Step 2 is the stage of introducing hydrogen peroxide into the interior of chamber 10 during the decontamination operation. In this step, the sealed state of chamber 10 is maintained, and the supply pump 32 and compressed air supply device 36 of hydrogen peroxide supply device 30 are activated while the air circulation fan 21 of air circulation device 20 is stopped. Simultaneously, mist conversion / supply device 40 and mist diffusion device 50 are activated. Here, the interior of chamber 10 is a closed system, but it is in a state where a substance (hydrogen peroxide) can flow in from the external environment. However, in this embodiment, since the hydrogen peroxide is not heated and vaporized, no heat flows in.

[0054] By activating the supply pump 32 and compressed air supply device 36 of the hydrogen peroxide supply device 30, hydrogen peroxide (primary mist) is supplied to the working mist conversion / supply device 40. As a result, the refined hydrogen peroxide mist (secondary mist) is released into the interior of the chamber 10, and the hydrogen peroxide mist (secondary mist) is further refined by the working mist diffusion device 50 and diffused inside the chamber 10.

[0055] Here, the air circulation device 20 is not in operation, and the air inside the chamber 10 is in a state of no flow. Therefore, there are no differences in airflow or velocity due to different locations within the chamber, thus enabling the formation of a uniform condensation film throughout the entire chamber. Furthermore, through the ultrasonic vibration of the mist diffusion device 50, the hydrogen peroxide mist (secondary mist) released into the chamber 10 is homogenized into ultrafine particles smaller than 3 μm, and diffuses while repeatedly undergoing gas-liquid phase transitions between the hydrogen peroxide gas and the condensation film inside the chamber 10.

[0056] In step 2, simultaneously with the operation of the hydrogen peroxide supply device 30, the weight of the hydrogen peroxide supplied to the mist conversion / supply device 40 is accurately measured over time by the metering device 34 and recorded in the recording control device. Furthermore, at the same time, the concentration measuring device 35, installed along the path of the supply piping 33, accurately measures the concentration of the hydrogen peroxide supplied to the mist conversion / supply device 40 over time and records it in the recording control device.

[0057] This is to accurately calculate the concentration of hydrogen peroxide, which is prone to change during storage. Hydrogen peroxide gradually decomposes while stored in storage tank 31. If this concentration change is ignored, the balance between the amount of hydrogen peroxide supplied to chamber 10 and the amount of water will become inaccurate, making it impossible to construct a decontamination system aimed at reducing usage and achieving uniform decontamination.

[0058] Therefore, in this invention, the weight and concentration of hydrogen peroxide supplied to the chamber 10 are also included in the variation and accumulated over the supply time. Thus, the accurate amount of hydrogen peroxide supplied to the mist conversion / supply device 40, i.e., the amount of hydrogen peroxide (pure hydrogen peroxide) supplied, and the amount of water (pure water) supplied along with the hydrogen peroxide supply, can be accurately calculated and recorded together with the supply time axis.

[0059] It should be noted that the hydrogen peroxide (primary mist) supplied to the mist conversion / supply device 40 is successively converted into hydrogen peroxide mist (secondary mist) and supplied into the interior of the chamber 10. In addition, the hydrogen peroxide mist supplied into the interior of the chamber 10 is homogenized into ultrafine particles of less than 3 μm by the mist diffusion device 50, and diffuses inside the chamber 10 while repeatedly undergoing phase transitions of condensation and evaporation, forming a uniform condensation film inside the chamber 10.

[0060] Step 3 Step 3 is the stage where the decontamination operation is completed by maintaining a state where no substances or heat flow into the external environment. In this step 3, the hydrogen peroxide supply device 30 completes the supply of a predetermined amount of hydrogen peroxide, and the supplied hydrogen peroxide is converted into hydrogen peroxide mist (secondary mist) by the mist conversion / supply device 40, thus completing the supply to the interior of the chamber 10. At this time, the mist conversion / supply device 40 continues to operate for the preset decontamination time.

[0061] Here, the interior of chamber 10 remains a closed system, and the hydrogen peroxide supply device 30 and the mist conversion / supply device 40 are stopped; only the mist diffusion device 50 is operational. In this state, there is no airflow inside chamber 10; only the acoustic flow based on ultrasonic vibration diffuses and reflects. Under these conditions, there are no differences in airflow or velocity due to different locations within the chamber, thus enabling the formation of a uniform condensation film throughout the entire chamber. Therefore, without the inflow of substances or heat from the external environment, the decontamination operation proceeds while maintaining gas-liquid balance until stable decontamination is achieved.

[0062] Here, the confirmation of gas-liquid balance in step 3 will be explained. At the point when step 1 is completed, the interior of chamber 10 becomes a closed system, and the amount of water present can be calculated based on the temperature, humidity, and volume of chamber 10 at that time. Furthermore, at the point when step 2 is completed, the accurate amount of hydrogen peroxide supplied to the interior of chamber 10 (the amount of hydrogen peroxide and its solvent, i.e., the amount of water) can be calculated / recorded.

[0063] Therefore, the gas-liquid balance of hydrogen peroxide and water inside chamber 10 can be calculated and confirmed over time. Here, based on the amount of hydrogen peroxide, the amount of water, temperature, humidity, and pressure inside chamber 10, a calculation is performed using the gas-liquid balance curve of hydrogen peroxide and water, thereby calculating the hydrogen peroxide gas concentration within the system. Thus, compared to the imperfect management methods of previous hydrogen peroxide gas concentration meters, the concentration of hydrogen peroxide gas within the system can be accurately determined, thereby confirming a more appropriate decontamination effect.

[0064] Step 4 Step 4 is the stage where the decontamination operation is completed and the aeration operation begins. In this step 4, at the preset decontamination time point of step 3 above, the operation of the mist diffusion device 50 is stopped. Next, the air supply valve 13a of the air supply port 13 and the exhaust valve 14a of the exhaust port 14 of the upper air supply and exhaust chamber C1 are opened, causing the air circulation fan 21 of the air circulation device 20 to operate, and the aeration device 60 to operate. The operating time of the aeration device 60 is executed according to preset conditions.

[0065] Step 5 Step 5 is the stage where aseptic operation can begin inside chamber 10 after the aeration operation is completed. In step 5, at the time point when the preset aeration time of step 4 is completed, the air circulation fan 21 of the air circulation device 20 and the aeration device 60 are stopped. Then, the air supply valve 13a of the air supply port 13 and the exhaust valve 14a of the exhaust port 14 of the upper air supply and exhaust chamber C1 are closed, thus sealing the interior of chamber 10.

[0066] Thus, the hydrogen peroxide decontamination system 100 of the isolator device A is completed. Therefore, according to this embodiment, a hydrogen peroxide decontamination system can be provided that can accurately control the amount and concentration of hydrogen peroxide supplied to the chamber to be decontaminated, and is equipped with an environment that forms a uniform condensation film in the chamber to be decontaminated, thereby accurately managing the concentration of hydrogen peroxide gas in the chamber and the concentration of hydrogen peroxide in the condensation film. Symbol Explanation

[0067] 10…chamber, 11…work gloves, 13…air supply port, 13a…air supply valve,

[0068] 12…rectifier screen, 14…exhaust port, 14a…exhaust valve,

[0069] 15…Temperature measuring device, 16…Humidity measuring device,

[0070] 20…Air circulation device, 21…Air circulation fan,

[0071] 22…HEPA filter, 23…circulation path,

[0072] 30…Hydrogen peroxide supply device, 31…Storage tank, 32…Supply pump,

[0073] 33…supply piping, 34…metering device, 35…concentration measuring device,

[0074] 36… Compressed air supply device, 37… Dual-fluid spray nozzle,

[0075] 40…Fog conversion / supply device, 41…Fog receiver, 41a…Liquid collection section, 41b…Air exhaust section,

[0076] 41c…baffle, 42…ultrasonic atomizing device, 42a…porous vibrating plate, 42b…piezoelectric vibrator,

[0077] 50…fog diffusion device, 51…vibrating plate, 52…speaker base, 52a…base plane,

[0078] 53…ultrasonic loudspeaker, 53a…vibrating surface,

[0079] 60…Aeration device, 61…Air supply device, 61a…Air supply fan,

[0080] 61b…HEPA filter, 62…exhaust system, 62a…exhaust fan,

[0081] 62b…HEPA filter, 63…hydrogen peroxide decomposition device,

[0082] 63a… Hydrogen peroxide decomposition fan, 63b… Hydrogen peroxide decomposition filter,

[0083] 100… Hydrogen peroxide decontamination system

[0084] A…Isolator, B…Standing platform, C…Isolator body, C1…Upper exhaust / supply chamber,

[0085] C2…Air circulation drive chamber, C3…Working chamber.

Claims

1. A hydrogen peroxide decontamination system for decontaminating the interior of a work chamber, characterized in that, The hydrogen peroxide decontamination system has the following structure: It is equipped with an operating room, an air circulation unit, a hydrogen peroxide supply unit, a mist conversion / supply unit, a mist diffusion unit, and an aeration unit. The work chamber is equipped with air supply and exhaust ports that allow switching between a connected and sealed state between the work chamber and the external environment. It also includes temperature and humidity measuring devices to continuously monitor the temperature and humidity within the work chamber. The air circulation unit is equipped with an air circulation fan and a high-performance air filter, which circulates clean air within the work chamber. The hydrogen peroxide supply unit includes a storage tank, a supply pump, supply piping, a metering device, and a concentration measuring device, and supplies a preset amount of hydrogen peroxide to the mist conversion / supply unit. The mist conversion / supply unit converts the hydrogen peroxide supplied by the hydrogen peroxide supply unit into a decontamination mist and supplies the decontamination mist into the working chamber. The fog diffusion unit includes a vibrating plate disposed in the working chamber, which vibrates ultrasonically to generate an ultrasonic-based acoustic stream from the plate surface, thereby diffusing the decontamination fog supplied to the working chamber within the working chamber. The aeration unit includes an air supply and exhaust fan, a high-performance air filter, and a hydrogen peroxide decomposition device. It replaces the air introduced from the external environment of the working chamber through the air supply port with clean air, and then introduces this clean air into the working chamber. After decontamination, the clean air, along with any residual hydrogen peroxide in the working chamber, is discharged into the external environment through the hydrogen peroxide decomposition device and the exhaust port. Furthermore, the hydrogen peroxide decontamination system is configured to perform the following steps: In step 1, while the air circulation unit is in operation, the air supply port and the exhaust port are closed to make the working chamber a sealed state. After the temperature and humidity in the working chamber have stabilized, the air circulation unit is stopped. In step 2, the hydrogen peroxide supply unit is activated, supplying hydrogen peroxide from the storage tank to the mist conversion / supply unit via a supply pump and supply piping. A metering device and a concentration measuring device are used to calculate, over time, the weight and concentration of the hydrogen peroxide supplied to the mist conversion / supply unit based on the amount and concentration of the supplied hydrogen peroxide. The mist conversion / supply unit is activated to convert all the hydrogen peroxide supplied from the hydrogen peroxide supply unit into decontamination mist and supply it to the working chamber, and the mist diffusion unit is activated to diffuse the decontamination mist in the working chamber. In step 3, at the point when the mist conversion / supply unit completes the supply of decontamination mist to the working chamber, the mist conversion / supply unit is stopped, and the working state of the mist diffusion unit is maintained for the preset decontamination time. In step 4, at the time point when the mist diffusion unit has completed the preset decontamination time, the mist diffusion unit is stopped, the air supply port and the exhaust port are opened, and the air circulation unit and the aeration unit are put into operation. In step 5, after the preset aeration time has elapsed, the air circulation unit and the aeration unit are stopped, and the air supply port and the exhaust port are closed to seal the operating chamber. Based on the temperature and humidity inside the work chamber measured over time by the temperature measuring device and humidity measuring device, and the weight and concentration of hydrogen peroxide supplied to the work chamber measured over time by the metering device and concentration measuring device, the hydrogen peroxide gas concentration inside the work chamber is continuously calculated using the gas-liquid balance of hydrogen peroxide and water.

2. The hydrogen peroxide decontamination system according to claim 1, characterized in that, In step 3, the interior of the work chamber is kept sealed, and no substances and / or heat flow into the work chamber from the external environment, in order to carry out the decontamination of the work chamber.

3. The hydrogen peroxide decontamination system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The fog diffusion unit has one or more vibrating discs. The vibratory plate has a base and multiple transmitters. By arranging the emission directions of the multiple transmitters uniformly on the plane of the base and making these transmitters operate in the same phase, the ultrasonic waves in the front direction of the multiple transmitters enhance each other and the ultrasonic waves in the lateral direction of the multiple transmitters cancel each other out, thereby generating a highly directional ultrasonic-based sound stream from the surface of the vibratory plate in the vertical direction.

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