A sterilizer

Abstract

This invention discloses a sterilizer, relating to the field of environmental treatment, comprising a main fan, a return air duct, a first outlet air duct, a vaporization chamber, and a second outlet air duct. The air inlet of the main fan is connected to the end opening of the return air duct, and the air outlet of the main fan is connected to the beginning opening of the first outlet air duct. The end opening of the first outlet air duct is connected to the air inlet of the vaporization chamber, and the air outlet of the vaporization chamber is connected to the beginning opening of the second outlet air duct. The vaporization chamber is equipped with a dual-fluid atomizing nozzle and a heater, and also includes a disinfectant storage tank, a metering pump, and an air pump. The inlet of the metering pump is connected to the disinfectant storage tank, the outlet of the metering pump is connected to the supply port of the dual-fluid atomizing nozzle, and the air outlet of the air pump is connected to the supply port of the dual-fluid atomizing nozzle. It achieves sterilization of the entire internal cavity without blind spots or dead angles, achieving a kill rate of up to 99.9999% for target microorganisms. It has a compact structure and strong versatility, and can be used for sterilization of closed equipment as well as room sterilization, meeting the relevant requirements of biosafety laboratories.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of environmental treatment, and in particular to a sterilizer. Background Technology

[0002] Biosafety laboratories are core facilities for conducting the isolation, identification, culture, detection, and scientific research of pathogenic microorganisms. Their goal is to prevent the leakage or accidental release of highly hazardous or potentially hazardous microorganisms into the environment and to ensure the safety of staff and the public. These laboratories typically employ stringent protective measures, including advanced filtration systems, negative pressure environments, and strict adherence to operating procedures, to minimize biosafety risks.

[0003] An isolator is a device that provides a sealed environment, strictly controlling airflow through a high-efficiency particulate filter (HEPA) and supporting decontamination and pollution protection. Isolators, BIBO systems, and biosafety cabinets often suffer from complex internal structures, narrow piping, hidden corners, uneven airflow, and difficulties in HEPA filter penetration. After handling highly pathogenic pathogens, bacteria, spores, viruses, fungi, and other microorganisms can easily remain in the internal cavities, piping, dead corners, gaps, and around the filters of these sealed devices. Incomplete sterilization can easily lead to cross-contamination, pathogen leakage, and personnel infection, resulting in major biosafety incidents.

[0004] While existing conventional sterilization methods and commercially available pipeline hydrogen peroxide sterilizers can achieve a certain level of sterilization, they generally suffer from the following drawbacks: Ultraviolet irradiation creates shadow zones, resulting in uneven gas diffusion; it cannot reach narrow pipes and blind ends, and HEPA filters cannot penetrate it; furthermore, contaminant leakage may occur during sterilization. Traditional methods struggle to consistently achieve log6 kill levels and are unreliable against stubborn microorganisms such as spores. Some disinfectant residues are toxic and can corrode equipment cavities, seals, and electrical components. Traditional methods are not optimized for the structures of isolators, BIBO systems, and biosafety cabinets; uniform, controllable, and verifiable sterilization cannot be achieved within sealed cavities, and the internal pressure of the sterilized equipment cannot be actively controlled during sterilization to prevent pathogens from penetrating between clean and contaminated areas.

[0005] Therefore, providing a dedicated sterilizer that can target both rooms and enclosed equipment, with no blind spots, no leakage, a kill rate of 99.9999%, safety, no residue, and verifiability has become an urgent need for the operational support of high-level biosafety laboratories. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The purpose of this invention is to provide a sterilizer that avoids the risks of residue and corrosion, meets the specialized needs of sealed equipment, and achieves sterilization of the interior of sealed equipment and rooms with no dead corners, no leakage, high kill rate, and safe and controllable performance.

[0007] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the present invention provides a sterilizer, including a main fan, a return air duct, a first air outlet duct, a vaporization chamber, and a second air outlet duct. The air inlet of the main fan is connected to the end opening of the return air duct, and the air outlet of the main fan is connected to the beginning opening of the first air outlet duct. The end opening of the first air outlet duct is connected to the air inlet of the vaporization chamber, and the air outlet of the vaporization chamber is connected to the beginning opening of the second air outlet duct. The vaporization chamber is equipped with a dual-fluid atomizing nozzle and a heater. The device also includes a disinfectant storage tank, a metering pump, and an air pump. The inlet of the metering pump is connected to the disinfectant storage tank, the outlet of the metering pump is connected to the liquid supply port of the dual-fluid atomizing nozzle, and the air outlet of the air pump is connected to the air supply port of the dual-fluid atomizing nozzle.

[0008] Preferably, the device includes a residue decomposer containing a catalyst for decomposing disinfectants. The inlet and outlet of the residue decomposer are connected to the middle of the first air outlet pipe and the middle of the second air outlet pipe, respectively, via pipes. A residue removal valve is provided at the connection between the first air outlet pipe and the pipe at the inlet of the residue decomposer. During the disinfection stage, the residue removal valve allows the main fan to connect to the vaporization chamber and isolate the residue decomposer. During the ventilation stage, the residue removal valve allows the main fan to connect to the residue decomposer and isolate the vaporization chamber.

[0009] Preferably, the system includes a make-up air pressure relief filter, with the middle section of the return air duct connected to the first interface of the make-up air pressure relief filter via a make-up air duct, the middle section of the first outlet air duct connected to the first interface of the make-up air pressure relief filter via a pressure relief pipe, the second interface of the make-up air pressure relief filter being connected to the outside, the make-up air duct being provided with a make-up air valve for controlling the opening and closing state of the make-up air duct, and the pressure relief pipe being provided with a pressure relief valve for controlling the opening and closing state of the pressure relief pipe.

[0010] Preferably, the first end of the return air duct is provided with a return air valve for controlling the opening and closing state of the return air duct, and the second outlet air duct is provided with an outlet air valve for controlling the opening and closing state of the second outlet air duct.

[0011] Preferably, the residual removal valve is an electrically controlled three-way switching valve, and the make-up air valve, the pressure relief valve, the return air valve, and the outlet air valve are electrically controlled shut-off valves.

[0012] Preferably, the return air duct is equipped with a concentration probe and a temperature and humidity probe in the middle, and also includes a differential pressure sensor, which is connected to the sealed equipment through a differential pressure detection tube.

[0013] Preferably, it includes a ventilation fan, and a catalyst holding device is provided on the outer periphery of the ventilation fan.

[0014] Preferably, the system includes a base and a frame disposed above the base. The frame is enclosed by a housing. The main fan, the return air duct, the first air outlet duct, the second air outlet duct, the vaporization chamber, the residue decomposer, and the make-up air pressure relief filter are disposed within the housing. The ventilation fan is disposed within the base. Ventilation openings are provided around the base.

[0015] Preferably, the first air outlet pipe and the second air outlet pipe are arranged coaxially, with the second air outlet pipe located above the first air outlet pipe. The return air pipe and the second air outlet pipe are arranged vertically side by side. The opening at the beginning of the return air pipe and the opening at the end of the second air outlet pipe extend out of the top surface of the housing. The residue decomposer and the make-up air pressure relief filter are located between the return air pipe and the second air outlet pipe. The main fan is located at the bottom inside the housing and above the base. An electrical box is installed inside the housing.

[0016] Preferably, a differential pressure pipe connector is provided on the top surface of the housing, and a touch screen, a printer outlet, and a liquid storage tank flap door are provided on one side of the housing.

[0017] This invention provides a sterilizer, comprising a main fan, a return air duct, a first air outlet duct, a vaporization chamber, and a second air outlet duct. The air inlet of the main fan is connected to the end opening of the return air duct, and the air outlet of the main fan is connected to the beginning opening of the first air outlet duct. The end opening of the first air outlet duct is connected to the air inlet of the vaporization chamber, and the air outlet of the vaporization chamber is connected to the beginning opening of the second air outlet duct. The vaporization chamber is equipped with a dual-fluid atomizing nozzle and a heater. It also includes a disinfectant storage tank, a metering pump, and an air pump. The inlet of the metering pump is connected to the disinfectant storage tank, the outlet of the metering pump is connected to the supply port of the dual-fluid atomizing nozzle, and the air outlet of the air pump is connected to the supply port of the dual-fluid atomizing nozzle.

[0018] Driven by a main fan, airflow circulates between the space to be disinfected, the return air duct, the first outlet air duct, the vaporization chamber, the second outlet air duct, and back to the space to be disinfected. The disinfectant is first atomized and then vaporized by dual-fluid atomizing nozzles in the vaporization chamber, resulting in a high concentration of gaseous disinfectant accumulating in the space to be disinfected, without condensation, droplets, or corrosion of equipment. Under the forced circulation of the main fan, the disinfecting gas evenly fills the cavities, pipes, and gaps of the equipment to be disinfected, penetrating deeply into blind ends, dead corners, the interior of the enclosure, the return air cavity of the biosafety cabinet, and the operating ports of the isolator, achieving sterilization without blind spots or dead angles throughout the entire cavity. The kill rate of target microorganisms can reach 99.9999%, achieving a 6-log kill level. The compact structure and high versatility make it suitable for sterilizing both closed equipment and room sterilization, meeting the relevant requirements of biosafety laboratories. Attached Figure Description

[0019] Figure 1A schematic diagram of the internal structure of a specific embodiment of the sterilizer provided by the present invention; Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the internal structure of a specific embodiment of the sterilizer provided by the present invention from another perspective; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the external structure of a specific embodiment of the sterilizer provided by the present invention.

[0020] The components are as follows: 1-Main fan; 2-Return air duct; 3-First outlet air duct; 4-Vaporization chamber; 5-Second outlet air duct; 6-Dual fluid atomizing nozzle; 7-Metering pump; 8-Air pump; 9-Residue remover / decomposer; 10-Residue remover valve; 11-Make-up air pressure relief filter; 12-Make-up air duct; 13-Pressure relief duct; 14-Make-up air valve; 15-Pressure relief valve; 16-Return air valve; 17-Outlet air valve; 18-Concentration probe; 19-Temperature and humidity probe; 20-Differential pressure sensor; 21-Differential pressure detection tube; 22-Ventilation fan; 23-Base; 24-Frame; 25-Housing; 26-Electrical box; 27-Differential pressure pipe connector; 28-Touch screen; 29-Printer outlet; 30-Liquid storage tank flap door. Detailed Implementation

[0021] The core of this invention is to provide a sterilizer that avoids the risks of residue and corrosion, meets the specialized needs of sealed equipment, and achieves sterilization of the interior of sealed equipment and rooms without dead corners, without leakage, with a high kill rate, and with safety and controllability.

[0022] To enable those skilled in the art to better understand the present invention, the present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0023] Please refer to Figures 1 to 3 , Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the internal structure of a specific embodiment of the sterilizer provided by the present invention; Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the internal structure of a specific embodiment of the sterilizer provided by the present invention from another perspective; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the external structure of a specific embodiment of the sterilizer provided by the present invention.

[0024] This invention provides a sterilizer, comprising a main fan 1, a return air duct 2, a first outlet air duct 3, a vaporization chamber 4, and a second outlet air duct 5. The main fan 1 is the power core of the sterilizer, preferably a high-speed fan with large air volume and high gas pressure, operating throughout the sterilization process to generate airflow with stronger diffusion and efficient penetration capabilities. The air inlet of the main fan 1 is connected to the end opening of the return air duct 2. The beginning opening of the return air duct 2 is connected to the sealed equipment being sterilized or directly to the interior of the room via a pipe, allowing airflow to enter the sterilizer from the space being sterilized via the return air duct 2. The air outlet of the main fan 1 is connected to the beginning opening of the first outlet air duct 3. The end opening of the first outlet air duct 3 is connected to the air inlet of the vaporization chamber 4. The air outlet of the vaporization chamber 4 is connected to the beginning opening of the second outlet air duct 5. The end opening of the second outlet air duct 5 is connected to the sealed equipment being sterilized or directly to the interior of the room via a pipe, allowing airflow to enter the space being sterilized from the sterilizer via the second outlet air duct 5. The beginning and end of each pipe are defined according to the airflow direction. The gas flows from the beginning to the end. In this way, a closed airflow circulation loop is formed between the return air pipe 2, the main fan 1, the first air outlet pipe 3, the vaporization chamber 4, the second air outlet pipe 5 and the space to be disinfected.

[0025] The vaporization chamber 4 is equipped with a dual-fluid atomizing nozzle 6 and a heater. The sterilizer also includes a disinfectant storage tank, a metering pump 7, and an air pump 8. The disinfectant storage tank stores the disinfectant solution. The inlet of the metering pump 7 is connected to the disinfectant storage tank, and the outlet of the metering pump 7 is connected to the supply port of the dual-fluid atomizing nozzle 6, used to quantitatively extract the disinfectant solution from the storage tank and add it to the dual-fluid atomizing nozzle 6. The outlet of the air pump 8 is connected to the air supply port of the dual-fluid atomizing nozzle 6, used to generate compressed gas that acts on the nozzle. The dual-fluid atomizing nozzle 6 has two inlets: one for compressed gas and the other for disinfectant solution. Under the action of the compressed gas, the incoming disinfectant solution is atomized into a mist, evenly distributed, and sprayed onto the heater inside the vaporization chamber 4. A temperature probe can also be installed inside the vaporization chamber 4 to work with the heater to set and control different heating temperatures according to different disinfectants. Since the disinfectant is first atomized by the dual-fluid atomizing nozzle 6 and then vaporized in the vaporization chamber 4, the vaporization chamber 4 is heated evenly, thereby improving the vaporization efficiency and speed. At the same time, the temperature in the vaporization chamber 4 can be set appropriately according to different disinfectants, reducing the high-temperature decomposition loss of the disinfectant.

[0026] The main fan 1 drives airflow circulation, and the dual-fluid atomizing nozzle 6, in conjunction with the vaporization chamber 4, transforms the disinfectant from a liquid state into a dry gas. This allows a high concentration of gaseous disinfectant to accumulate in the space to be disinfected, without condensation, droplets, or corrosion of equipment. Under the powerful circulation of the main fan 1, the airflow evenly fills and penetrates all cavities, pipes, and gaps of the equipment being disinfected, achieving sterilization without dead angles. The disinfectants used include, but are not limited to, hydrogen peroxide, peracetic acid, silver ion-containing disinfectants, and compound disinfectants.

[0027] In the sterilizer provided in this specific embodiment of the invention, the sterilizer also includes a residue decomposer 9, which contains a catalyst for decomposing the disinfectant. The inlet and outlet of the residue decomposer 9 are respectively connected to the middle of the first air outlet pipe 3 and the middle of the second air outlet pipe 5 through pipelines, forming a bypass between the first air outlet pipe 3 and the second air outlet pipe 5 that bypasses the vaporization chamber 4. A residue removal valve 10 is provided at the connection between the first air outlet pipe 3 and the inlet of the residue decomposer 9. The residue removal valve 10 has two switching states: opening the vaporization chamber 4 and opening the residue decomposer 9. During the sterilization stage (including the heating stage, vaporization injection stage, and sterilization maintenance stage), the residue removal valve 10 opens the vaporization chamber 4 to the main fan 1 and isolates the residue decomposer 9. At this time, the air from the main fan 1 enters the vaporization chamber 4 through the first air outlet pipe 3, carrying the disinfectant gas into the equipment to be sterilized to complete the sterilization. During the ventilation phase, the residue removal valve 10 switches, causing the main fan 1 to connect to the residue removal decomposer 9 and isolate the vaporization chamber 4. At this time, the air from the main fan 1 passes through the residue removal decomposer 9, and the residual disinfectant in the airflow is decomposed into harmless substances under the catalytic action of the catalyst. This degrades the residual disinfectant in the disinfection equipment and circuit to a safe concentration, achieving zero residue and no toxic byproducts. The catalyst inside the residue removal decomposer 9 can be replaced according to different disinfectants to obtain the best decomposition effect.

[0028] Furthermore, it also includes a make-up air pressure relief filter 11. The middle part of the return air duct 2 is connected to the first interface of the make-up air pressure relief filter 11 through the make-up air duct 12. The middle part of the first outlet air duct 3 is connected to the first interface of the make-up air pressure relief filter 11 through the pressure relief pipe 13. The second interface of the make-up air pressure relief filter 11 is connected to the outside. The make-up air duct 12 is equipped with a make-up air valve 14 for controlling the opening and closing state of the make-up air duct 12, and the pressure relief pipe 13 is equipped with a pressure relief valve 15 for controlling the opening and closing state of the pressure relief pipe 13. The make-up air valve 14 is located on the return air side of the main fan 1, and the pressure relief valve 15 is located on the outlet air side of the main fan 1. When sterilizing the sealed equipment, the make-up air valve 14 is opened, and the outside air can enter the circuit and the interior of the equipment being sterilized after being filtered by the make-up air pressure relief filter 11, so that the gas pressure inside the equipment being sterilized increases and presents a positive pressure. Opening the pressure relief valve 15 allows the gas inside the equipment to be disinfected to pass through the make-up air and pressure relief filter 11 before being discharged to the outside, reducing the internal gas pressure to below standard atmospheric pressure, creating a negative pressure. Since the make-up air valve 14 and the pressure relief valve 15 are connected and share the same make-up air and pressure relief filter 11, both the gas entering during pressurization and the gas exiting during depressurization pass through this high-efficiency filter. This filter completely filters all pathogens and contaminants, ensuring that both the gas entering and exiting the equipment are absolutely clean and free of any pathogens or contaminants. Furthermore, using a single high-efficiency filter to perform both make-up air and pressure relief functions simplifies the structure and facilitates replacement.

[0029] With the help of the air supply valve 14 and the pressure relief valve 15, the sterilization process can be designed to maintain either positive or negative pressure inside the equipment, and the pressure value can be set manually. For example, when the equipment is located in a high-level clean area and the external environment is in a low-level clean area, a positive pressure mode is selected during sterilization, ensuring that the internal pressure of the equipment is higher than that of the external environment throughout the process. Even if there is a gas leak, it will flow from the high-level clean area to the low-level clean area, preventing contamination of the equipment's interior. When the equipment contains hazardous pathogens or other contaminants, a negative pressure mode is selected during sterilization to prevent the pathogens from leaking into the external environment. This ensures that the internal pressure of the equipment is lower than that of the external environment throughout the process. Even if there is a gas leak, it will flow from the clean external environment to the contaminated area, preventing the pathogens from escaping into the external environment.

[0030] In addition, a return air valve 16 is installed at the first opening of the return air duct 2 to control its opening and closing status, and an outlet air valve 17 is installed at the last opening of the second outlet air duct 5 to control its opening and closing status. The return air valve 16 is a valve at the return air duct inlet, allowing for quick opening and closing. The outlet air valve 17 is a valve at the outlet air duct, also allowing for quick opening and closing. By setting the return air valve 16 and the outlet air valve 17, the circuit can be quickly isolated when the sterilizer is connected to or disconnected from the equipment being sterilized, preventing the leakage of sterilizing gas and facilitating subsequent pressure maintenance and leak detection operations.

[0031] Specifically, the residue removal valve 10 is an electrically controlled three-way switching valve, and the make-up air valve 14, pressure relief valve 15, return air valve 16, and outlet air valve 17 are electrically controlled shut-off valves. Using an electrically controlled three-way switching valve as the residue removal valve 10 allows for reliable and rapid switching of the airflow path between the disinfection and ventilation stages, switching the air from the main fan 1 between the vaporization chamber 4 and the residue removal decomposer 9. Using electrically controlled shut-off valves as the make-up air valve 14, pressure relief valve 15, return air valve 16, and outlet air valve 17 enables rapid opening and closing of each pipeline and facilitates automated control by the controller.

[0032] To achieve automation, a concentration probe 18 and a temperature and humidity probe 19 are installed in the middle of the return air duct 2. The concentration probe 18 is a disinfectant gas concentration detector used to detect the concentration of disinfectant gas in the room and the equipment being disinfected during the sterilization process. The temperature and humidity probe 19 is used to detect the temperature and humidity in the room and the equipment being disinfected during the sterilization process. The sterilizer also includes a differential pressure sensor 20, which is connected to the sealed equipment through a differential pressure detection tube 21 and is used to detect the internal gas pressure of the equipment being disinfected in real time during sterilization. The concentration probe 18, temperature and humidity probe 19, and differential pressure sensor 20 feed back the detected concentration, temperature, humidity, and pressure signals to the controller. Based on this, the controller performs closed-loop control of the concentration, temperature, humidity, sterilization time, and pressure throughout the entire process, achieving precise, controllable, and verifiable sterilization.

[0033] Based on the sterilizers provided in the above-described embodiments, a ventilation fan 22 is also included. A catalyst holding device is disposed around the ventilation fan 22, meaning that catalytic substances are arranged around the ventilation fan 22. The ventilation fan 22 is used during the decomposition ventilation phase when sterilizing a room. After sterilization is completed and the ventilation phase begins, the ventilation fan 22 is activated, driving the air in the room to flow through the catalytic substances around it, thereby decomposing the residual disinfectant in the room and degrading it into harmless substances, achieving safe ventilation after room sterilization.

[0034] To ensure stable placement of all components, the sterilizer also includes a base 23 and a frame 24 mounted on top of the base 23, with a housing 25 enclosing the frame 24. The main fan 1, return air duct 2, first outlet air duct 3, second outlet air duct 5, vaporization chamber 4, residue decomposer 9, and make-up air pressure relief filter 11 are housed within the housing 25. The ventilation fan 22 is housed within the base 23, which has ventilation openings around its perimeter. The frame 24 serves as the equipment's support frame, and the housing 25 acts as an outer cover mounted on the frame 24, providing protection and load-bearing support for the internal components. By placing the ventilation fan 22 within the base 23 and providing ventilation openings around it, room air can easily enter through these openings during the sterilization ventilation phase and flow through the ventilation fan 22 and the surrounding catalytic substances, thus decomposing residual disinfectant. This also results in a compact and rationally designed overall structure.

[0035] Furthermore, to further optimize the internal layout and reduce the floor space, the first air outlet duct 3 and the second air outlet duct 5 are arranged coaxially, with the second air outlet duct 5 located above the first air outlet duct 3 and connected to the vaporization chamber 4 in the middle. The return air duct 2 and the second air outlet duct 5 are arranged vertically side by side, with the opening at the beginning of the return air duct 2 and the opening at the end of the second air outlet duct 5 extending out of the top surface of the housing 25, thus facilitating connection with the air outlet and return air ducts of the equipment being disinfected. The residue decomposer 9 and the make-up air pressure relief filter 11 are located between the return air duct 2 and the second air outlet duct 5, making full use of the internal space. The main fan 1 is located at the bottom inside the housing 25 and above the base 23. An electrical box 26 is also installed inside the housing 25, containing electrical components such as controllers. The above arrangement ensures compact connections between pipes and components, smooth airflow paths, and facilitates equipment inspection and maintenance. The position and layout of each component can also be adjusted as needed, all within the scope of protection of this invention.

[0036] A differential pressure connector 27 is provided on the top surface of the housing 25. The differential pressure connector 27 is connected to the equipment being sterilized via a thin tube. It is used to detect the internal gas pressure of the equipment during sterilization of the sealed equipment. Its rear end is connected to the differential pressure sensor 20 inside the sterilizer via a differential pressure detection tube 21. A touch screen 28, a printer outlet 29, and a liquid storage tank flap door 30 are provided on one side of the housing 25. The touch screen 28 is a human-machine interface for operating the equipment and can project the screen onto a tablet computer for remote operation. The printer outlet 29 is the paper output port of a printer located inside the housing 25, used to print operation records. The liquid storage tank flap door 30 is used to open and close the tank for adding disinfectant or for maintenance. This structure centralizes the human-machine interface, record output, liquid addition and maintenance, and pressure detection interfaces on the top and side surfaces of the housing 25, making operation intuitive and maintenance convenient.

[0037] When disinfecting enclosed equipment, the disinfector is connected to the equipment via piping, specifically including an external air outlet duct, an external air return duct, and an external differential pressure monitoring duct. The second air outlet duct 5 is connected to the enclosed equipment via the external air outlet duct, and the air return duct 2 is connected to the external air return duct. The external air outlet duct and the external air return duct deliver the disinfecting gas into the equipment, forming a circulation. The differential pressure sensor 20 monitors the pressure difference between the inside of the equipment and the external environment in real time through the differential pressure detection duct 21 and the differential pressure pipe connector 27, and feeds this feedback to the controller for pressure control. The entire disinfection process consists of four stages: heating, vaporization, disinfection, and ventilation to remove residues.

[0038] During the heating phase, the return air valve 16 and the outlet air valve 17 are opened, the main fan 1 operates, and the airflow circulates within the loop. The heater in the vaporization chamber 4 heats the vaporization chamber 4, and when the vaporization chamber 4 reaches the set temperature, it enters the vaporization phase. During this phase, the residue removal valve 10 allows the main fan 1 to connect to the vaporization chamber 4 while isolating the residue removal decomposer 9.

[0039] During the vaporization stage, the return air valve 16 and the outlet air valve 17 remain open, the main fan 1 operates, and the air pump 8 and metering pump 7 begin operation. The metering pump 7 draws disinfectant from the disinfectant storage tank and adds it to the dual-fluid atomizing nozzle 6. Under the action of compressed gas provided by the air pump 8, the disinfectant is atomized into a mist and evenly sprayed onto the heater inside the vaporization chamber 4 to complete vaporization. The temperature inside the vaporization chamber 4 is controlled at the set value. When the amount of disinfectant added reaches the set amount, the process jumps to the disinfection stage.

[0040] During the disinfection phase, the return air valve 16 and the outlet air valve 17 remain open, the main fan 1 operates, and the temperature inside the vaporization chamber 4 is controlled at the set value. A small amount of disinfectant is added every minute to maintain the disinfectant concentration, and the concentration probe 18 monitors the concentration in real time and sends feedback to the controller. After the set disinfection time is reached, the system switches to the ventilation phase. Specifically, the gas inside the disinfected sealed equipment enters the first outlet air pipe 3 through the return air pipe 2 via the main fan 1, flows back into the disinfected sealed equipment through the vaporization chamber 4 and the second outlet air pipe 5, and already contains vaporized disinfectant.

[0041] During the ventilation phase, the return air valve 16 and the outlet air valve 17 remain open, the main fan 1 operates, and the residue removal valve 10 switches, so that the air coming out of the main fan 1 passes through the residue removal decomposer 9. The residual disinfectant in the airflow is decomposed into harmless substances under the action of the catalyst in the residue removal decomposer 9, thereby reducing the residual disinfectant in the circuit and the disinfected equipment to a safe concentration.

[0042] Throughout the disinfection cycle, the differential pressure sensor 20 monitors the internal pressure of the equipment being disinfected in real time. The controller maintains the pressure inside the sealed equipment at the set value by controlling the opening and closing of the air supply valve 14 and the pressure relief valve 15. When positive pressure is required, the controller controls the air supply valve 14 to open, allowing clean air from the outside to enter the circuit after being filtered by the air supply and pressure relief filter 11, thus increasing the internal pressure of the equipment. When negative pressure is required, the controller controls the pressure relief valve 15 to open, allowing air in the circuit to be filtered by the air supply and pressure relief filter 11 and discharged to the outside, thus reducing the internal pressure of the equipment. This ensures that the internal pressure of the equipment being disinfected is stably maintained at the set positive or negative pressure state throughout the sterilization process, preventing pathogens from penetrating between the contaminated and clean areas.

[0043] When disinfecting a room, place the equipment in the room, add sufficient disinfectant to the disinfectant storage tank, set the parameters, and it can be started on a timer or by clicking "Start Now" on the touchscreen 28. The entire disinfection process also goes through four stages: heating, vaporization, disinfection, and ventilation. During room disinfection, the air supply valve 14 and pressure relief valve 15 are no longer in operation. The operating status of each component during the heating, vaporization, and disinfection stages is the same as when disinfecting a closed device. The return air valve 16 and air outlet valve 17 are opened to allow the disinfectant gas to diffuse into the room and circulate. During the ventilation stage, the ventilation fan 22 at the bottom of the equipment is in operation, and other components are no longer in operation. Air in the room enters through the ventilation openings around the base 23 and flows through the catalytic substances around the ventilation fan 22, thereby decomposing the residual disinfectant in the room.

[0044] In addition, the sterilizer also has a leak detection function for sealed equipment to be sterilized. During leak detection, the sterilizer is connected to the sterilization equipment via piping, and an external pressure monitoring pipe is connected. Depending on the type of sealed equipment, a negative pressure mode or a positive pressure mode is selected, and the initial pressure value, detection time, and acceptable pressure value for leak detection are set. After the leak detection program is started, the return air valve 16, the outlet air valve 17, and the make-up air valve 14 or pressure relief valve 15 open, and the main fan 1 operates. When the pressure of the sealed equipment to be sterilized reaches the set value, the return air valve 16, the outlet air valve 17, and the make-up air valve 14 or pressure relief valve 15 close, and the main fan 1 stops operating. At this time, the sealed equipment to be sterilized is in a completely sealed state. The controller detects the pressure value of the sealed equipment to be sterilized through the differential pressure sensor 20 and calculates the leakage rate in real time. If the leakage rate exceeds the set value, it is determined that the equipment is not sealed; if the leakage rate does not exceed the set value, it is determined that the equipment is sealed. Leak detection before sterilization can reduce the risk of leakage of high-risk pathogens.

[0045] The sterilizer can also perform self-cleaning sterilization. By connecting the air outlet at the end of the second air outlet duct 5 to the return air outlet at the beginning of the return air duct 2 through a pipeline, a self-circulating loop is formed. Activating the self-cleaning program will sterilize the equipment itself. During self-cleaning sterilization, the make-up air valve 14 and the pressure relief valve 15 will open, sterilizing the make-up air and pressure relief filter 11 as well, thereby preventing cross-contamination when sterilizing other clean equipment.

[0046] For closed-system sterilization, the sterilization device is quickly connected to the sterilization interface of the isolator, BIBO system, or biosafety cabinet to form a closed sterilization chamber. This step is not required for room sterilization. In the pretreatment stage, the chamber is dehumidified and the air is replaced to establish optimal sterilization conditions. This step is optional. In the vaporization injection stage, vaporization chamber 4 is activated to generate dry disinfectant gas, which circulates evenly within the chamber, undergoes forced diffusion, and intensifies sterilization in dead zones. In the sterilization maintenance stage, the set disinfectant concentration, temperature, and time are maintained to achieve log6 inactivation of microorganisms. In the desorption ventilation stage, the residue removal valve 10 is switched to activate the residue decomposer 9 to degrade residual disinfectant to a safe concentration. Finally, the sterilization is verified using a biological indicator, and the equipment is restored to usable condition.

[0047] In summary, the sterilizer provided by this invention allows the sterilization medium to diffuse evenly and fully penetrate all areas of the equipment cavity, pipelines, gaps, and interlayers, truly achieving sterilization without blind spots or dead angles throughout the entire cavity. It achieves a 99.9999% kill rate against target microorganisms, reaching a 6-log kill level. It effectively kills various difficult-to-inactivate microorganisms, including bacterial spores, mycobacteria, fungal spores, lipophilic and hydrophilic viruses, and Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Simultaneously, the sterilization process is safe and controllable, without damaging the sealed equipment body, corroding cavity materials, producing toxic residues, or affecting the subsequent normal use of the equipment. It can sterilize both sealed equipment and rooms, and is compatible with various structural sealed equipment such as isolators, BIBO systems, and biosafety cabinets. It is highly versatile and specialized, meeting the relevant requirements of biosafety laboratory regulations.

[0048] The sterilizer provided by this invention has been described in detail above. Specific examples have been used to illustrate the principles and implementation methods of this invention. The descriptions of the embodiments above are merely for the purpose of helping to understand the method and core ideas of this invention. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various improvements and modifications to this invention without departing from its principles, and these improvements and modifications also fall within the protection scope of the claims of this invention.

Claims

1. A sterilizer, characterized in that, The system includes a main fan (1), a return air duct (2), a first air outlet duct (3), a vaporization chamber (4), and a second air outlet duct (5). The air inlet of the main fan (1) is connected to the end opening of the return air duct (2), the air outlet of the main fan (1) is connected to the beginning opening of the first air outlet duct (3), the end opening of the first air outlet duct (3) is connected to the air inlet of the vaporization chamber (4), and the air outlet of the vaporization chamber (4) is connected to the beginning opening of the second air outlet duct (5). The vaporization chamber (4) is equipped with a dual-fluid atomizing nozzle (6) and a heater. The system also includes a disinfectant storage tank, a metering pump (7), and an air pump (8). The inlet of the metering pump (7) is connected to the disinfectant storage tank, the outlet of the metering pump (7) is connected to the supply port of the dual-fluid atomizing nozzle (6), and the outlet of the air pump (8) is connected to the supply port of the dual-fluid atomizing nozzle (6).

2. The sterilizer according to claim 1, characterized in that, The device includes a residue decomposer (9), which contains a catalyst for decomposing disinfectant. The inlet and outlet of the residue decomposer (9) are connected to the middle of the first air outlet pipe (3) and the middle of the second air outlet pipe (5) respectively through pipes. A residue decomposition valve (10) is provided at the connection between the first air outlet pipe (3) and the inlet of the residue decomposer (9). During the disinfection stage, the residue decomposition valve (10) allows the main fan (1) to open the vaporization chamber (4) and isolate the residue decomposer (9). During the ventilation stage, the residue decomposition valve (10) allows the main fan (1) to open the residue decomposition valve (9) and isolate the vaporization chamber (4).

3. The sterilizer according to claim 2, characterized in that, The system includes a make-up air pressure relief filter (11), the middle part of the return air pipe (2) is connected to the first interface of the make-up air pressure relief filter (11) through the make-up air pipe (12), the middle part of the first outlet air pipe (3) is connected to the first interface of the make-up air pressure relief filter (11) through the pressure relief pipe (13), the second interface of the make-up air pressure relief filter (11) is connected to the outside, the make-up air pipe (12) is provided with a make-up air valve (14) for controlling the opening and closing state of the make-up air pipe (12), and the pressure relief pipe (13) is provided with a pressure relief valve (15) for controlling the opening and closing state of the pressure relief pipe (13).

4. The sterilizer according to claim 3, characterized in that, The first end of the return air duct (2) is provided with a return air valve (16) for controlling the opening and closing state of the return air duct (2), and the second outlet air duct (5) is provided with an outlet air valve (17) for controlling the opening and closing state of the second outlet air duct (5).

5. The sterilizer according to claim 4, characterized in that, The residual valve (10) is an electrically controlled three-way switching valve, and the air supply valve (14), the pressure relief valve (15), the return air valve (16) and the air outlet valve (17) are electrically controlled shut-off valves.

6. The sterilizer according to claim 3, characterized in that, The return air duct (2) is equipped with a concentration probe (18) and a temperature and humidity probe (19) in the middle, and also includes a differential pressure sensor (20). The differential pressure sensor (20) is connected to the sealed equipment through a differential pressure detection tube (21).

7. The sterilizer according to any one of claims 3 to 6, characterized in that, It includes a ventilation fan (22), and a catalyst holding device is provided on the outer periphery of the ventilation fan (22).

8. The sterilizer according to claim 7, characterized in that, The device includes a base (23) and a frame (24) disposed above the base (23). The frame (24) is covered by a shell (25). The main fan (1), the return air duct (2), the first air outlet duct (3), the second air outlet duct (5), the vaporization chamber (4), the residue decomposer (9), and the make-up air pressure relief filter (11) are disposed inside the shell (25). The ventilation fan (22) is disposed inside the base (23). Ventilation openings are provided around the base (23).

9. The sterilizer according to claim 8, characterized in that, The first air outlet pipe (3) and the second air outlet pipe (5) are arranged coaxially. The second air outlet pipe (5) is located above the first air outlet pipe (3). The return air pipe (2) and the second air outlet pipe (5) are arranged vertically side by side. The opening at the beginning of the return air pipe (2) and the opening at the end of the second air outlet pipe (5) extend out of the top surface of the housing (25). The residue decomposer (9) and the make-up air pressure relief filter (11) are located between the return air pipe (2) and the second air outlet pipe (5). The main fan (1) is located at the bottom inside the housing (25) and above the base (23). An electrical box (26) is installed inside the housing (25).

10. The sterilizer according to claim 9, characterized in that, The top surface of the housing (25) is provided with a differential pressure pipe joint (27), and one side of the housing (25) is provided with a touch screen (28), a printer outlet (29) and a liquid storage tank flap door (30).

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