Vaporized Hydrogen Peroxide Bottle Decontamination
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current sterilization methods for bottles, such as using liquid sterilants or condensed hydrogen peroxide, are complex and costly, and struggle with uniform coverage on complex bottle surfaces due to temperature and humidity variations, and require expensive sterile water production.
Innovation Solution
A continuous bottle-filling system utilizing a centralized vaporized hydrogen peroxide system that includes movable injectors to distribute a predetermined amount of gaseous sterilant around and into bottles, maintaining consistent concentration and flow to ensure effective decontamination without the need for expensive sterile water.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If liquid sterilant is used to sterilize bottles, then sterilization is achieved, but the system complexity increases due to repeated inversion and returning of bottles
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical inversion system with a vapor-based sterilization method. Instead of physically inverting bottles to apply liquid sterilant, the system uses vaporized hydrogen peroxide that can penetrate and sterilize bottles in their upright position, eliminating the need for complex inversion mechanisms
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical state of the sterilant from liquid to vapor phase. By vaporizing hydrogen peroxide and controlling its concentration and temperature parameters, the system achieves effective sterilization without requiring bottle inversion, thus reducing mechanical complexity
2Reliability
If condensed hydrogen peroxide is used for sterilization, then sterilization is achieved, but uniform coverage is difficult on complex bottle surfaces due to temperature and humidity variations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent controls the vaporization parameters of hydrogen peroxide, maintaining specific temperature and concentration ranges to prevent condensation. By keeping the vapor temperature above the dew point and controlling humidity levels, uniform vapor distribution is achieved on complex bottle surfaces without condensation-related coverage issues
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a continuous vapor flow system that constantly replenishes the sterilant vapor around bottles. This continuous action ensures uniform coverage by maintaining consistent vapor concentration and temperature throughout the sterilization chamber, preventing localized condensation
3Reliability
If sterile water is used for rinsing bottles, then rinsing is achieved, but the cost increases due to expensive sterile water production
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the rinsing step from the traditional liquid sterilization process. By using vaporized hydrogen peroxide for both sterilization and residual removal, the system eliminates the need for separate sterile water rinsing, thereby eliminating the cost of sterile water production
Solution Approach 2:
The patent makes the vaporized hydrogen peroxide system multi-functional, using it for both sterilization and residual removal. The vapor phase allows the same substance to perform multiple functions that traditionally required different materials (liquid sterilant and sterile water), reducing overall material costs
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 system provides a high-capacity, efficient decontamination process that maintains consistent vaporized hydrogen peroxide concentration, reducing costs and ensuring uniform coverage on complex bottle surfaces, while preventing condensation and optimizing sterilant usage.
Implementation Method 1
a centralized vaporized hydrogen peroxide system provides and controls the concentration of VHP
Implementation Method 2
the predetermined amount of the gaseous sterilant is conveyed around the bottle and into the interior of the bottle
Data Source
AI summary
A system for sterilizing bottles with a gaseous sterilant. The system includes moving means for continuously moving bottles one after another along a path. An assembly is provided for distributing a predetermined amount of the gaseous sterilant from a source of gaseous sterilant to each of the bottles. The assembly includes a plurality of injectors that are movable with the bottles. One of the plurality of injectors is associated with each of the bottles. The injector is fluidly connected to the source of gaseous sterilant when the bottle associated with the injector is disposed along a first portion of the path. The injector is disposed above the bottle when the injector is in a first position. The injector is disposed within an interior of the bottle when the injector is in a second position such that the predetermined amount of the gaseous sterilant is conveyed into the interior of the bottle.