Mobile Decontamination Unit With Retractable Shower Lines
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current decontamination methods, particularly in emergency situations, are limited by the need for fixed installations and lack of efficient mobile solutions for thorough wet decontamination of people exposed to toxic agents, leading to increased time and resource consumption, and challenges in managing high volumes of victims effectively.
Innovation Solution
A mobile decontamination unit designed as a rectangular parallelepiped with retractable shower modules and extensions, equipped with independent decontamination lines for able-bodied and disabled individuals, featuring automatic operation, wastewater management, and overpressure air flow to prevent contaminant dispersion, allowing for efficient and rapid decontamination near the contamination site.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If conventional decontamination methods (shower, wipes, suits) are used, then decontamination can be performed, but complete removal of contaminants is not achieved and secondary contamination occurs
Solution Approach 1:
A water-soluble barrier film is applied as an intermediary layer between the contaminant and the decontaminating agent. This film allows contaminants to be lifted from the skin surface into the wash solution without direct contact, preventing secondary contamination while enabling complete removal. The barrier film mediates the transfer of contaminants from the person to the cleaning solution.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces mechanical rubbing and scrubbing actions with a chemical-mechanical hybrid approach using water-soluble barrier films and surfactants. Instead of relying on friction to remove contaminants, the system uses chemical agents to dissolve and lift contaminants, then gently rinses them away, eliminating the need for aggressive mechanical decontamination that causes skin damage and secondary contamination.
2Manufacturing precision
If decontamination procedures are made more aggressive to remove all contaminants, then decontamination completeness improves, but skin damage and patient comfort worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The water-soluble barrier film serves as a protective intermediary between the decontamination process and the skin. It allows contaminants to be transferred to the film and then to the wash solution without requiring direct mechanical contact with the skin, thereby achieving complete decontamination while preventing skin abrasion and damage.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical-chemical parameters of the decontamination process by introducing water-soluble barrier films and pH-balanced surfactants. These parameter changes enable contaminants to be removed at lower mechanical stress levels, maintaining decontamination effectiveness while reducing skin damage. The pH balance parameter specifically protects skin integrity during the cleaning process.
3Ease of operation
If mobile decontamination units are deployed to improve accessibility, then ease of operation improves, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The mobile decontamination system is segmented into modular functional units: water storage tanks, pumping systems, barrier film application mechanisms, washing stations, and waste disposal systems. This segmentation allows the complex system to be broken down into manageable, independently maintainable components while maintaining overall functionality and mobility.
Solution Approach 2:
The mobile decontamination unit is designed with universal, multi-functional components that can perform multiple operations. For example, the water system serves both cleaning and barrier film application functions, while the positioning system enables both patient transport and optimal positioning for different decontamination procedures. This multi-functionality reduces overall system complexity compared to having separate dedicated systems for each function.
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 mobile decontamination unit significantly increases throughput, reduces the impact on rescue operations, and ensures effective decontamination while minimizing resource consumption and space management challenges, enabling rapid and efficient processing of victims in emergency scenarios.
Implementation Method 1
A water soluble barrier film is applied to a person to be decontaminated. The barrier film facilitates transfer of contaminants picked up from a contaminated surface to a wash solution in which the barrier film dissolves.
Implementation Method 2
The barrier film facilitates transfer of contaminants picked up from a contaminated surface to a wash solution in which the barrier film dissolves, thereby suspending the contaminants.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
The invention relates to a mobile decontamination unit (100) for thorough wet decontamination of persons, having a generally rectangular parallelepiped shape with a longitudinal axis (X) and a transverse axis (Y). The unit comprises a technical module (101) and at least one shower module (102), which are adjacent to one another in the direction of the longitudinal axis. The unit also comprises a first retractable extension (110) of the shower module in the direction of the transverse axis, on one side of said shower module, and/or a second retractable extension (120) of the shower module in said direction of the transverse axis, on the other side of said shower module. The shower module and the one or more extensions comprise a decontamination line (L1, L2, L3) for persons for the circulation, in the direction of the transverse axis, of persons to be decontaminated by showering in the shower module.