Catalytic Air Recirculation for Faster Isolator Decontamination
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing decontamination arrangements require lengthy flushing times to reduce decontamination agent concentrations in isolator rooms, which is inefficient and costly due to the need for oversized fresh air conditioning systems and increased energy consumption.
Innovation Solution
A decontamination arrangement where a catalytically active cleaning device is used to circulate room air contaminated with decontamination agents, reducing the concentration of hydrogen peroxide vapor by using an existing circulating air blower, and optionally supplementing with fresh air to maintain static pressure, thereby minimizing flushing time without the need for a larger fresh air conditioning system.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of time
If a larger fresh air conditioning system is used to reduce decontamination agent concentration faster, then the flushing time is reduced, but the system cost and energy consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the harmful decontamination agent (hydrogen peroxide vapor) into a beneficial outcome by using catalytic converters to break it down into water and oxygen. This eliminates the need for lengthy flushing operations while avoiding the energy consumption and cost associated with oversized fresh air conditioning systems. The catalyst transforms the contaminant into harmless substances, resolving the contradiction between fast decontamination and energy efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical fresh air flushing system with a chemical-catalytic system. Instead of relying on mechanical ventilation to physically remove decontamination agents through large volumes of fresh air, the system uses catalytic converters to chemically decompose the agents in place. This substitution eliminates the need for oversized mechanical systems and their associated energy consumption while achieving rapid decontamination.
2Loss of time
If a larger fresh air conditioning system is used to reduce decontamination agent concentration faster, then the flushing time is reduced, but the system cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the harmful decontamination agent into a beneficial outcome by using catalytic converters to break it down into water and oxygen. This eliminates the need for lengthy flushing operations while avoiding the energy consumption and cost associated with oversized fresh air conditioning systems. The catalyst transforms the contaminant into harmless substances, resolving the contradiction between fast decontamination and energy efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical fresh air flushing system with a chemical-catalytic system. Instead of relying on mechanical ventilation to physically remove decontamination agents through large volumes of fresh air, the system uses catalytic converters to chemically decompose the agents in place. This substitution eliminates the need for oversized mechanical systems and their associated energy consumption while achieving rapid decontamination.
3Productivity
If fresh air is supplied at high rate to blow out decontamination agent, then the decontamination agent concentration is reduced faster, but the energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the harmful decontamination agent into a beneficial outcome by using catalytic converters to break it down into water and oxygen. This eliminates the need for lengthy flushing operations while avoiding the energy consumption and cost associated with oversized fresh air conditioning systems. The catalyst transforms the contaminant into harmless substances, resolving the contradiction between fast decontamination and energy efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical fresh air flushing system with a chemical-catalytic system. Instead of relying on mechanical ventilation to physically remove decontamination agents through large volumes of fresh air, the system uses catalytic converters to chemically decompose the agents in place. This substitution eliminates the need for oversized mechanical systems and their associated energy consumption while achieving rapid decontamination.
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 approach significantly reduces the time required to achieve desired decontamination levels without increasing system costs or energy consumption, by utilizing existing infrastructure and leveraging the catalytic properties of MnO2 or palladium catalysts to break down hydrogen peroxide vapor.
Implementation Method 1
a catalytically active cleaning device (7) is used to extract gaseous and/or vaporous decontamination agents, in particular hydrogen peroxide, from the room air
Data Source
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AI summary
The decontamination device, comprises a space (3) to be decontaminated such as insulator space, a cleaning device (7) for removing gaseous- and/or vaporous decontaminant such as hydrogen peroxide from indoor air, a device (16) comprising a vaporizer (23) for supplying the decontaminant, an exhaust outlet for discharging excess decontaminant during a conditioning phase, and a device for conditioning and supplying fresh air. The cleaning device is arranged in such a way that the indoor air is circulated through the cleaning device by a blower (5). The decontamination device, comprises a space (3) to be decontaminated such as insulator space, a cleaning device (7) for removing gaseous- and/or vaporous decontaminant such as hydrogen peroxide from indoor air, a device (16) comprising a vaporizer (23) for supplying the decontaminant, an exhaust outlet for discharging excess decontaminant during a conditioning phase, and a device for conditioning and supplying fresh air. The cleaning device is arranged in such a way that the indoor air is circulated through the cleaning device by a blower (5). The cleaning device comprises a catalyst for chemical splitting of the decontaminant, and open-porous metal foam structure or lattice structure coated with a reactive or catalytically active substance. The cleaning device is arranged in a convection generator space arranged above the space to be decontaminated or in an air recirculation duct such as a bypass between a lockable fresh air line and a lockable exhaust air line. The blower is a circulation fan for producing a circulating-air flow during the operation of the space to decontaminated. A high-efficiency mechanical filter such as an ultra-low particulate air-filter or a high-efficiency particulate air-filter is downstream to the blower in flow directions. The cleaning device is arranged between the blower and the high-efficiency particulate air-filter in the flow directions. A membrane is formed downstream to the high-efficiency mechanical filter in the flow direction for producing a laminar current with a flow velocity of 0.45 m/second and the decontaminant is fed to the region above the membrane. The substance is electrolytically isolated. The fresh air conditioning device is designed such that it supplies a fresh air volume of less than 50 times air exchange in the decontaminated room and allows for all flow techniques associated with the room. The space to be decontaminated comprises or is formed as a biological or pharmaceutical manipulator space, a handling space for pharmaceuticals or a filling space with a filling device for filling pharmaceuticals. The space to be decontaminated comprises a volume of 100 m 3>. An independent claim is included for a method for removing gaseous- and/or vaporous decontaminant such as hydrogen peroxide vapor.