Sterilization Chamber Aeration Using Heated Air Pulses
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional sterilization methods are inadequate for efficiently removing residual sterilants from highly absorptive materials, particularly those used in next-generation medical devices and additive manufacturing, due to inefficient aeration strategies that fail to maintain necessary temperatures for vaporizing adsorbed or absorbed residuals.
Innovation Solution
An apparatus and method utilizing a sterilizing chamber with a vaporizer, vacuum, and controller to conduct multiple sterilization and aeration cycles, involving sterilization pulses with vaporized sterilant and aeration pulses with heated filtered air, effectively removing residual sterilants through controlled pressure and temperature adjustments.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If conventional aeration methods using ambient air are used, then the aeration cycle can be performed, but the temperature is insufficient to vaporize absorbed or adsorbed sterilant residuals from highly absorptive materials
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the temperature parameter of the aeration atmosphere from ambient temperature to elevated temperature by introducing a heating system. This allows the aeration atmosphere to reach temperatures sufficient to vaporize sterilant residuals absorbed or adsorbed by highly absorptive materials, thereby resolving the temperature insufficiency problem while maintaining aeration efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs periodic aeration pulses where heated filtered air is intermittently introduced into the sterilizing chamber. This periodic action allows the heated atmosphere to contact the materials, vaporize residuals, and then be evacuated, creating an efficient cyclic process that maintains high temperature exposure while improving aeration productivity
2Object-affected harmful factors
If heated air is used during aeration, then sterilant residuals can be vaporized, but the materials may be degraded by excessive heat
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by filtering the heated air before introducing it to the sterilizing chamber. The filtered air removes particles and contaminants that could damage sensitive materials, while the heated atmosphere maintains sufficient temperature to vaporize sterilant residuals. This selective filtration preserves material integrity while achieving effective sterilant removal
Solution Approach 2:
The patent maintains continuous circulation and heating of filtered air during the aeration cycle, ensuring that the beneficial heated atmosphere continuously contacts the materials to vaporize residuals without interruption. This continuous action ensures thorough sterilant removal while the filtration system continuously protects material integrity
3Reliability
If multiple sterilization pulses are conducted to ensure complete sterilization, then sterilization effectiveness is improved, but the time required for the sterilization cycle increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses periodic sterilization pulses where vaporized sterilant is intermittently introduced into the chamber under vacuum conditions. Each pulse delivers concentrated sterilant exposure, and the vacuum periods remove excess sterilant and allow penetration into materials. This periodic approach achieves complete sterilization effectiveness while reducing total cycle time compared to continuous exposure methods
Solution Approach 2:
The patent exploits phase transitions of the sterilant by vaporizing it before introduction and using vacuum evacuation to remove it. The sterilant transitions between liquid, vapor, and removed phases efficiently, allowing multiple effective pulses to be delivered in reduced time while maintaining sterilization effectiveness
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
Efficiently removes residual sterilants from highly absorptive materials without degrading performance or structure, suitable for next-generation medical devices and additive manufacturing products like surgical models and reusable instruments.
Implementation Method 1
a vaporizer configured to vaporize sterilant supplied from a sterilant source
Implementation Method 2
a vacuum configured to evacuate the sterilizing chamber
Implementation Method 3
A compression gas is then introduced into the closed chamber in an amount effective to raise the pressure in the chamber to a sub-atmospheric or atmospheric pressure to drive the vaporized sterilant into lumens or passageways of the materials to be sterilized
Implementation Method 4
The aeration cycle uses heated air pulses to vaporize or remove the absorbed or adsorbed sterilant residuals from the sterilized material and into the heated air atmosphere existing in the sterilizing chamber during aeration
Data Source
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AI summary
A method of sterilizing material includes receiving the material in a sterilizing chamber, vaporizing sterilant supplied to vaporizer from a sterilant source, exposing the material to the vaporized sterilant by conducting a sterilization cycle in the sterilizing chamber, heating ambient filtered air supplied to the vaporizer from an ambient filtered air source, and removing residuals of the vaporized sterilant absorbed or adsorbed by the material during the sterilization cycle by conducting an aeration cycle in the sterilizing chamber. The removing of the residuals includes conducting a plurality of aeration pulses to provide the sterilizing chamber with an aeration atmosphere comprising the heated filtered air to vaporize the absorbed or adsorbed residuals, and conducting a plurality of aeration vacuum pulses to evacuate the aeration atmosphere and vaporized residuals from the sterilizing chamber.