Dynamic Barrier Isolation Chamber for Hazardous Substance Containment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional isolation chambers fail to maintain effective containment of hazardous and aseptic compounds due to leakage and contamination risks, posing safety hazards to personnel and compromising the integrity of the isolation space.
Innovation Solution
A dynamic barrier isolation chamber design featuring a dual-container structure with a barrier space between the inner and outer containers, utilizing fluid intake and exhaust ducts with filters and a control system to regulate pressure and prevent contamination, ensuring that the isolation space maintains a lower pressure than the barrier space to prevent egress of hazardous substances and ingress of airborne contaminants.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional isolation chambers are used to contain hazardous compounds, then workers can handle hazardous compounds without extensive personal protective equipment, but the chambers suffer from malfunctions allowing leakage including seepage at joints, imperfections, flaws, fissures or fractures of the chamber walls, permeation due to age, seal wear and tear, component failure due to normal usage, wear and tear, accidental puncture, pressure rupture or chemical erosion, as well as operator errors including improper use such as failure to close doors or air locks so that they seal properly
Solution Approach 1:
The isolation chamber is divided into multiple separate containment barriers including an inner chamber wall, an outer chamber wall, and intermediate seal elements. Each barrier independently contributes to containment, so that failure of one barrier does not necessarily lead to failure of the entire containment system. The seals are segmented into multiple discrete sealing surfaces distributed around the chamber perimeter.
Solution Approach 2:
The chamber design incorporates redundant containment barriers and backup sealing mechanisms that are positioned in advance to compensate for potential failures. If one seal or barrier fails, the remaining barriers provide a secondary line of defense. Pressure equalization channels are pre-configured to prevent sudden pressure differentials that could cause catastrophic failure.
2Reliability
If chambers holding aseptic cytotoxins are maintained at reduced internal pressure to prevent escape of cytotoxins in event of breach, then safety of personnel is improved, but ambient air is drawn into the chamber bringing airborne pyrogens which will contaminate the aseptic cytotoxins
Solution Approach 1:
A barrier fluid or gas is introduced into the intermediate space between the inner and outer chamber walls. This intermediary substance creates a pressure buffer that can be maintained at a pressure higher than the isolation space, preventing ambient air from being drawn in through any breaches in the inner chamber. The barrier fluid acts as a mediator that transmits pressure forces without allowing direct communication between the isolation space and ambient environment.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses pneumatic pressure control to maintain different pressure levels in different zones of the chamber. The barrier space between inner and outer walls is pressurized relative to the isolation space, creating a pressure gradient that prevents inward flow of contaminated air. Flow control valves and pressure regulators are used to maintain the desired pressure differential dynamically.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If chambers are maintained at elevated internal pressure to satisfy FDA concerns regarding aseptic environments, then prevention of pyrogen ingress is improved, but in event of breach or leak, ambient air will be drawn into the chamber compromising the aseptic system
Solution Approach 1:
The pressure control system is segmented into multiple independent zones: the isolation space, the barrier space between inner and outer walls, and the ambient environment. Each zone can be independently pressurized or depressurized. This allows the barrier space to be maintained at elevated pressure to prevent pyrogen ingress while the isolation space can be maintained at reduced pressure for safety, with the barrier acting as a segmented buffer between the two conditions.
4Reliability
If post failure shutdown is addressed by people garbed in personal protection equipment to decontaminate the isolator and entire room, then containment of hazardous substances is maintained, but the process becomes complex and expensive and batches of aseptic cytotoxins are lost
Solution Approach 1:
The intermediate barrier system is extracted as a separate, independently controllable containment zone between the isolation space and ambient environment. This extracted barrier can be isolated and decontaminated separately from the main isolation chamber, allowing the cytotoxin-containing space to remain intact and protected. The barrier space can be purged and sterilized without requiring shutdown of the entire system or loss of product batches.
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
The solution enhances safety by preventing the escape of hazardous substances and contamination, maintaining the integrity of the isolation space, even in the event of a leak, thus safeguarding personnel and the compounds within, while allowing for safe handling and treatment of aseptic materials.
Implementation Method 1
maintains a lower pressure in the isolation space than in the barrier space
Implementation Method 2
An exhaust filter is associated with the first exhaust duct for filtering fluid passing from the isolation space to the ambient
Implementation Method 3
An intake filter is associated with the second intake duct for filtering fluid passing from the ambient into the barrier and isolation spaces
Data Source
AI summary
The invention concerns an isolation chamber for isolating substances from the ambient. The isolation chamber comprises a first container surrounding and defining an isolation space for holding the substances and a second container surrounding the first container. A barrier space is positioned between the first and the second containers. Preferably, the pressure of the isolation space is lower than the pressure of the barrier space.