Method of decontamination and decontamination apparatus

A method of decontamination, comprising the steps of:

• providing a chamber with a chamber wall having a supply opening to supply a decontamination subject into the chamber, and a discharge opening to discharge the decontamination subject from the chamber after being decontaminated;
• supplying the decontamination subject into the chamber through the supply opening;
• closing the supply opening and the discharge opening to turn the chamber to a hermetically sealed decontamination chamber with the decontamination subject inside;
• charging decontamination gas into the hermetically sealed decontamination chamber;
• condensing the decontamination gas in the hermetically sealed decontamination chamber;
• forming a condensed liquid layer in a form of a thin film on an outer surface of the decontamination subject so as to decontaminate the decontamination subject;
• evaporating the condensed liquid layer at least partially by supplying unsaturated gas into the hermetically sealed decontamination chamber;
• re-condensing the decontamination gas after the evaporating step to re-form the condensed liquid layer, by closing supply of the unsaturated gas and re-charging the decontamination gas into the hermetically sealed decontamination chamber;
• removing the condensed liquid layer re-formed on the outer surface of the decontamination subject;
• and
• discharging the decontamination subject through the discharge opening, wherein
• the forming step is performed during a first half of the steps beginning the supplying step and ending the discharging step,
• the evaporating step is performed when a predetermined period of time is passed after the condensed liquid layer is formed in the forming step, and
• the removing step is performed during a second half of the steps beginning the supplying step and ending the discharging step.

A decontamination apparatus comprising:

• a chamber having a chamber wall provided with a supply opening to supply a decontamination subject into the chamber, and a discharge opening to discharge the decontamination subject from the chamber after being decontaminated, the chamber being turned to a hermetically sealed decontamination chamber when the supply opening and the discharge opening are closed;
• a decontamination gas supplying device provided with a decontamination gas release opening facing oppositely to an outer surface of the decontamination subject in the chamber, and configured to release decontamination gas toward the decontamination subject through the decontamination gas release opening, the decontamination gas being generated by evaporating an aqueous solution in which the decontamination gas with a higher boiling point than water is dissolved;
• an unsaturated gas supplying device provided with an unsaturated gas release opening facing oppositely to the outer surface of the decontamination subject, and configured to generate and release unsaturated gas toward the decontamination subject through the unsaturated gas release opening, the unsaturated gas not saturating in the hermetically sealed decontamination chamber;
• a condensation controlling device configured to condense the decontamination gas released in the hermetically sealed decontamination chamber, to form a condensed liquid layer in a form of a thin film on the outer surface of the decontamination subject, and to decontaminate the decontamination subject;
• and
• a removing device configured to remove the condensed liquid layer from the decontamination subject.