Decontamination device and method using shearing of cleaning fluid by cavitation
AssigneeTomi Environmental Solutions, Inc.
InventorsHalden Stuart Shane, Johnny Sullivan Cato
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for decontaminating substantially enclosed environments by using ultrasonic cavitation of a cleaning fluid to produce a low pressure, low air flow mist that can be activated by a nonthermal plasma actuator to create a cloud of activated hydroxyl species with the capacity to decontaminate articles, open surfaces or substantially enclosed spaces of pathogens, including bacteria, and other pathogenic microorganisms. An automated system and related non-transitory computer medium are also disclosed.
Claims14
A movable cart for decontaminating a substantially enclosed space, comprising:
- a decontamination apparatus comprising:
- a side chamber;
- a reservoir of cleaning fluid, wherein the cleaning fluid comprises a source of an active species for decontamination of a substantially enclosed space, wherein the active species is hydroxyl ions and wherein the source is hydrogen peroxide and the cleaning fluid is silver-free, chlorine-free and peracetic-acid free;
- a cavitator comprising a proximal end and a distal end, wherein the cavitator is submerged in the reservoir;
- a nonthermal plasma actuator, wherein the actuator activates a mist comprising aerosol droplets generated from the reservoir at substantially one atmosphere ambient pressure;
- a funnel, wherein the funnel connects the nonthermal plasma actuator to the reservoir;
- an outer tube, wherein the outer tube connects the nonthermal actuator to the external atmosphere;
- and
- wherein a mist generated from the reservoir by shearing the cleaning fluid can pass through the funnel to the actuator, and further wherein after the mist is activated by the actuator to form plasma activated ionic particles carried by the aerosol droplets of the mist, wherein the plasma activated ionic particles are hydroxyl ions, the mist is dispersed through the outer tube to the external atmosphere.
A backpack for decontaminating a substantially enclosed space, comprising:
- a decontamination apparatus comprising:
- a side chamber;
- a reservoir of cleaning fluid, wherein the cleaning fluid comprises a source of an active species for decontamination of a substantially enclosed space, wherein the active species is hydroxyl ions and wherein the source is hydrogen peroxide and the cleaning fluid is silver-free, chlorine-free and peracetic-acid free;
- a cavitator comprising a proximal end and a distal end, wherein the cavitator is submerged in the reservoir;
- a nonthermal plasma actuator, wherein the actuator activates a mist comprising aerosol droplets generated from the reservoir at substantially one atmosphere ambient pressure;
- a funnel, wherein the funnel connects the nonthermal plasma actuator to the reservoir;
- an outer tube, wherein the outer tube connects the nonthermal actuator to the external atmosphere;
- and
- wherein a mist generated from the reservoir by shearing the cleaning fluid can pass through the funnel to the actuator, and further wherein after the mist is activated by the actuator to form plasma activated ionic particles carried by the aerosol droplets of the mist, wherein the plasma activated ionic particles are hydroxyl ions, the mist is dispersed through the outer tube to the external atmosphere.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.