Monitoring of steam quality during sterilization with improved temperature control
AssigneeSolidToo B.V.
InventorKlaas Kopinga
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A device for detecting a non-condensable gas including a tube having an open end and a closed end, the tube and the closed end being closed with respect to a fluid, the open end open to allow the fluid to move into and out of the tube, and the tube configured to allow a condensed portion of the fluid to be removed from the tube by gravitation. The device includes a heat sink configured to extract heat from the tube at the closed end. The device further includes a heat source configured to supply heat to the open end of the tube and at least one thermometer configured to measure a temperature at a specific portion of the device or the fluid inside the tube.
Claims16
A device for detecting a non-condensable gas, comprising
- a tube having an open end and a closed end, wherein the tube and the closed end are closed with respect to a fluid, and the open end is open to allow the fluid to move into and out of the tube, wherein the tube is configured to allow a condensed portion of the fluid to be removed from the tube by gravitation;
- a heat sink configured to extract heat from the tube at the closed end of the tube;
- a heat source configured to heat a first portion of the tube up to a specific temperature, wherein the heat source is located between the open end of the tube and the heat sink;
- and
- at least one thermometer configured to measure a temperature of a second portion of the tube between the heat source and the closed end of the tube or the fluid inside that second portion of the tube.
A method of detecting a non-condensable gas in a gas mixture, comprising
- providing a gas mixture to a tube having an open end and a closed end, wherein the tube and the closed end are closed with respect to the gas mixture, and the open end is open to allow the gas mixture to move into and out of the tube, wherein a condensed portion of the gas mixture is allowed to be removed from the tube by gravitation;
- extracting heat from the tube at the closed end of the tube using a heat sink to cool the closed end of the tube to a temperature below a condensation temperature of a condensable gas in the gas mixture;
- heating a first portion of the tube up to a specific temperature above the condensation temperature of the condensable gas, using a heat source that is at a distance from the heat sink towards the open end of the tube;
- and
- measuring a temperature of a second portion of the tube between the heat source and the closed end of the tube or the gas mixture inside that second portion of the tube, using at least one thermometer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.