Atomic Nitrogen Sterilization for Polymer Objects
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current sterilization methods using high temperatures can damage objects with polymer materials and may not achieve complete microorganism reduction due to saturation phenomena, even with prolonged treatment times.
Innovation Solution
A method involving alternating stages of injecting atomic nitrogen and molecular nitrogen into a sterilization chamber, with suction stages in between, to enhance sterilization effectiveness while maintaining low temperatures below 60°C, and varying atomic nitrogen concentrations to improve microorganism reduction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If high temperature sterilization is used, then sterilization effectiveness is improved, but object damage increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical-chemical parameters of the sterilization agent from molecular nitrogen to atomic nitrogen, which has different reactivity and sterilization mechanisms. This allows effective sterilization at lower temperatures (below 60°C) without causing thermal damage to polymer materials, while still achieving complete microorganism reduction without saturation
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the thermal sterilization mechanism with a chemical/physical mechanism using atomic nitrogen. Instead of relying on high temperature (thermal energy), the invention uses atomic nitrogen's high reactivity and ability to form compounds with microbial components, achieving sterilization through chemical interaction rather than thermal destruction
2Object-affected harmful factors
If prolonged low temperature sterilization is used, then object damage is reduced, but sterilization effectiveness saturates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the concentration parameter of nitrogen from molecular to atomic form, which fundamentally alters the sterilization mechanism. Atomic nitrogen achieves complete microorganism destruction without saturation even at low temperatures and short durations, eliminating the saturation phenomenon that plagues prolonged low-temperature treatments
3Productivity
If treatment time is reduced, then productivity is improved, but sterilization completeness deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the nitrogen state from molecular to atomic, which dramatically increases the sterilization rate. This allows complete sterilization (6 log reduction) to be achieved in short treatment times without saturation, simultaneously improving both productivity and sterilization completeness
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs periodic cycles of atomic nitrogen injection followed by suction stages. This periodic action maintains optimal atomic nitrogen concentration in the chamber, ensuring continuous effective sterilization throughout the treatment period and achieving complete microorganism reduction in shorter overall treatment time
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
This method achieves a 6 log reduction in microorganisms within a shorter treatment time, preventing saturation and effectively sterilizing objects without damaging them, as demonstrated by a 12 log reduction with two half-cycles.
Implementation Method 1
atomic nitrogen from a nitrogen plasma
Implementation Method 2
The term 'atomic nitrogen' should be understood as the nitrogen that is obtained after dissociating dinitrogen N2
Implementation Method 3
each intermediate stage including at least one suction stage during which the chamber is evacuated
Data Source
AI summary
A method of sterilizing an object with atomic nitrogen from a nitrogen plasma includes the steps of placing the object in a sterilization chamber and a sterilization half-cycle for sterilizing the object present in the chamber. The sterilization half-cycle comprises an alternation between stages of injecting atomic nitrogen into the chamber and of intermediate stages, each intermediate stage including at least one suction stage during which the chamber is evacuated.