Negative Pressure Chamber for Pharmaceutical Component Decontamination
Solution Overview
Problem
Current cleaning devices in the pharmaceutical industry face challenges in isolating, cleaning, and decontaminating contaminated pharmaceutical components, particularly powders, which can escape during the cleaning process, leading to cross-contamination and exposure risks for staff, and existing isolators lack self-cleaning capabilities.
Innovation Solution
A device with a chamber, entrance and exit doors, a washing system, drying system, and an exhaust filter system that maintains negative pressure to prevent pollutant escape, combined with a method for isolating, cleaning, drying, decontaminating, and sanitizing components using a HEPA filter and antiseptic gas, ensuring containment and safety.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If contaminated components are cleaned in an open environment, then cleaning access is improved, but cross-contamination risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cleaning system is segmented into distinct functional zones: a contamination zone where contaminated components are introduced and cleaned, and a clean zone where cleaned components are removed. The chamber is divided by airflow patterns and pressure differentials, creating isolated zones that prevent cross-contamination while maintaining cleaning effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
A HEPA filter serves as an intermediary element between the contaminated cleaning environment and the clean external environment. The filter allows airflow while blocking particulate contamination, enabling the chamber to be accessed and operated while preventing harmful substances from escaping to surrounding areas.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If isolators are used to prevent contamination, then cross-contamination is reduced, but self-cleaning capability is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The chamber serves multiple functions: it acts as an isolator to contain contaminated components during cleaning operations, provides a controlled environment for effective cleaning, and enables self-cleaning through integrated spray systems and airflow patterns that remove contaminants from all surfaces including walls and ceilings.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs self-cleaning through automated spray nozzles that distribute cleaning solutions throughout the chamber, combined with airflow systems that remove contaminated water and debris. The chamber cleans itself without requiring manual intervention or separate cleaning procedures.
3Device complexity
If powder components are handled in traditional cleaning devices, then cleaning is simplified, but powder escape and atmospheric contamination occur
Solution Approach 1:
The chamber maintains a controlled atmosphere with negative pressure relative to the external environment, preventing powder from escaping. The HEPA filtered airflow creates an inert-like environment that contains particulate matter, allowing powder components to be cleaned without risk of atmospheric contamination while maintaining operational simplicity.
4Object-affected harmful factors
If negative pressure is maintained in the chamber, then pollutant escape is prevented, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The negative pressure and HEPA filtration system operates continuously throughout the cleaning cycle, ensuring constant containment of contaminants. This continuous operation prevents pollutant escape at all times while the system is active, maintaining safety without requiring intermittent high-energy interventions.
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 device effectively isolates and cleans components without allowing pollutants to escape, maintaining a safe environment by capturing all hazardous materials and allowing for automatic decontamination and sterilization, reducing the risk of cross-contamination and exposure.
Implementation Method 1
The exhaust filter system is configured to be able to bring the chamber under a pressure lower than atmospheric pressure by means of the blower all the time the chamber is closed
Implementation Method 2
capable of filtering at least 99.99% of the air in the chamber
Implementation Method 3
a drying system configured to dry the chamber as well as its content
Implementation Method 4
allowing for automatic decontamination and sterilization
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a device for isolating and cleaning contaminated components comprising a chamber, an entrance door through which components to be isolated and cleaned are introducible into the chamber, means configured to deliver washing solution into the chamber and onto the components to be cleaned, a drying system configured to dry the chamber as well as its content, wherein the device further comprises an exhaust filter system attached to the air exhaust of the chamber, the exhaust filter system comprising a pipe, at least one filter and a blower, the exhaust filter system being configured to be able to bring the chamber under a pressure lower than atmospheric pressure by means of the blower all the time the chamber is closed. The present invention also relates to a corresponding method for isolating and cleaning contaminated components with the aforementioned device.