UV-C Liquid Nitrogen Sterilization Before Cryogenic Evaporation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods fail to guarantee the sterility of liquid nitrogen during transportation and handling due to its rapid evaporation and contamination risks, particularly in medical and culinary applications where direct sterilization in the liquid state is necessary.
Innovation Solution
A device and method utilizing UV-C radiation with a controlled germicidal lamp system, thermally insulated and programmed for efficient sterilization within commercially available containers, ensuring effective sterilization before liquid nitrogen evaporates.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If liquid nitrogen is transported in pressurized containers through multiple hands, then it can be delivered to end users, but contamination risks increase during transfers
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary sterilization of liquid nitrogen using UV-C radiation before the nitrogen is used for cryopreservation. The sterilization unit is positioned to irradiate the liquid nitrogen in the storage container, eliminating microorganisms and ensuring sterility is established in advance, preventing contamination during subsequent handling and transfers.
2Reliability
If conventional sterilization methods are used on liquid nitrogen, then sterility can be achieved, but the rapid evaporation of liquid nitrogen makes these methods difficult to apply
Solution Approach 1:
The invention replaces mechanical sterilization methods (heating, filtration) with UV-C radiation sterilization. The UV-C sterilization unit emits ultraviolet radiation that penetrates the liquid nitrogen without being affected by its low temperature or rapid evaporation, providing effective sterilization adapted to the specific properties of cryogenic liquids.
3Reliability
If liquid nitrogen is sterilized in gaseous state through ultrafiltration and UV irradiation, then purification can be achieved, but the process becomes complex and requires evaporation and recompression
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and eliminates the unnecessary steps of evaporation, ultrafiltration, and recompression from the sterilization process. By applying UV-C radiation directly to liquid nitrogen in its liquid state, the system achieves sterilization through a single, simplified operation, removing the complex multi-step process while maintaining purification effectiveness.
4Reliability
If sterilization is performed rapidly before evaporation, then sterility can be guaranteed, but the sterilization time must be precisely controlled
Solution Approach 1:
The system incorporates a timer that controls the duration of UV-C radiation exposure. The timer ensures the liquid nitrogen is irradiated for the precise time needed to achieve sterilization before significant evaporation occurs, providing time-based feedback control to optimize the balance between sterilization effectiveness and nitrogen retention.
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 provides rapid and direct sterilization of liquid nitrogen in its liquid state, ensuring high sterility assurance for cryopreservation, cryotherapy, and molecular gastronomy applications, preventing microbial contamination and ensuring safe use.
Implementation Method 1
subjecting the liquid nitrogen to a UV-C radiation dose sufficient to destroy any micro-organisms and viruses present
Data Source
AI summary
Described are a device and a method for rapidly sterilizing liquid nitrogen in a container using ultraviolet radiation irradiated for a predetermined length of time based on the temperature measured by a sensor and on the minimum dose of radiation necessary to kill micro-organisms resistant to liquid nitrogen.