Aerosol Exposure System for Container Integrity Testing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for evaluating container integrity, such as microbial ingress and dye ingress tests, are cumbersome and require expensive equipment, making it difficult to efficiently verify the sterility of various types of packages, including flexible and rigid containers.
Innovation Solution
A device and process that uses an aerosol exposure system with a desiccator to generate high concentrations of microorganisms as an aerosol, allowing for the evaluation of container integrity and antimicrobial properties by spraying the aerosol inside an exposure chamber, where the container is placed, and subsequently detecting the presence of microorganisms.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional microbial ingress or dye ingress tests are used to evaluate container integrity, then the sterility of packaged products can be verified, but the testing process becomes cumbersome and requires expensive equipment
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the physical state of the microorganism suspension from liquid to aerosol form. This parameter change enables the microorganisms to be dispersed as fine particles that can penetrate through potential leaks in container closures, making the testing process less cumbersome and reducing equipment requirements while maintaining reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses pneumatic principles by generating and introducing aerosols into the exposure chamber. The aerosol delivery system utilizes gas flow to transport microorganism particles onto container surfaces, simplifying the testing apparatus compared to conventional methods while ensuring reliable detection of container integrity failures
2Measurement precision
If high concentrations of microorganisms are used to ensure detection sensitivity, then the reliability of integrity testing improves, but the complexity of controlling aerosol generation and distribution increases
Solution Approach 1:
The aerosol generation system is designed to automatically maintain optimal microorganism concentrations through self-regulating mechanisms. The system uses inherent properties of aerosol physics and simple flow control to achieve consistent high concentrations on container surfaces without requiring complex external control systems, thus maintaining detection sensitivity while minimizing device complexity
3Adaptability or versatility
If the exposure system accommodates various types of packages (flexible and rigid containers), then the versatility of the testing system improves, but the complexity of designing a universal exposure chamber increases
Solution Approach 1:
The exposure chamber is designed with universal characteristics that allow it to accommodate various package types including flexible and rigid containers. The chamber uses a standardized aerosol delivery system and exposure protocol that works effectively across different container geometries and materials, achieving versatility without requiring multiple specialized chambers or complex adaptive mechanisms
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables efficient testing of container integrity and antimicrobial properties with high concentrations of microorganisms on the container surface, facilitating the use of flexible and rigid packages, and providing a cost-effective means to ensure product sterility and safety.
Implementation Method 1
a device for diffusing an aerosol product comprising a source of aerosol product to be sprayed, connected to an aerosol generator
Implementation Method 2
said aerosol generator cooperating with a desiccator so as to at least partially eliminate the moisture from the aerosol product
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to an aerosol product exposure system comprising an exposure chamber intended to receive an aerosol product, an aerosol product diffusion device comprising a source of aerosol product to be sprayed connected to an aerosol generator, said aerosol generator cooperating with a desiccator so as to at least partially eliminate the moisture from the aerosol product, at least one supply duct intended to bring the aerosol product into the exposure chamber. Such a system can in particular be used to test the integrity of a container and/or the antimicrobial activity of a product of interest.