Sterilization device and methods

A portable sterilization device for use with one or more sterilants, the portable sterilization device comprising:

• a sealable sterilization chamber having one or more walls defining a sealable internal volume having a height, a width, and a depth;
• a sterilant delivery device comprising an aerosolizing component and a sterilant outlet, the sterilant outlet being disposed within or at a boundary of the internal volume and oriented to disperse aerosolized sterilant into the internal volume;
• an ozone generation and airflow circulation assembly comprising a fluid loop for circulating fluids through the sterilization chamber, comprising:
• an air return having an air return opening in fluid communication with the internal volume of the sterilization chamber;
• an ozone generation assembly having a fluid intake that receives fluid removed from the sterilization chamber through the air return;
• an ozone supply feed that receives ozone from the ozone generation assembly;
• and
• a plurality of ozone outlets in fluid connection with the ozone supply feed through a manifold, the plurality of ozone outlets being disposed within or at the boundary of the internal volume of the sterilization chamber, the plurality of ozone outlets being located and oriented within or at the boundary of the sterilization chamber so as to be capable of delivering ozone to an entirety of a treatment volume of the internal volume of the sterilization chamber;
• and
• a control panel operable to activate the sterilant delivery device and the ozone generation and airflow circulation assembly when the sterilization chamber is sealed, whereby an oxidative aerosol sterilant is created within the internal volume by mixing of the aerosolized sterilant and the ozone in the internal volume of the sealable sterilization chamber, and
• wherein the sterilant is substantially prevented from mixing with ozone prior to being dispersed through the sterilant outlet into the internal volume by the sterilant delivery device.

A sterilization method comprising:

• placing an object to be sterilized within a sealable sterilization chamber of a portable sterilization device;
• sealing the sterilization chamber;
• aerosolizing a sterilant to create an aerosolized sterilant;
• delivering the aerosolized sterilant to the sterilization chamber through a sterilant outlet disposed within or at a boundary of the sterilization chamber, wherein the sterilant is substantially prevented from mixing with ozone prior to delivery of the aerosolized sterilant to the sterilization chamber;
• delivering ozone to the sterilization chamber through an ozone outlet disposed within or at the boundary of the sterilization chamber while the aerosolized sterilant is present in the sterilization chamber, whereby an oxidative aerosol sterilant is created within the sterilization chamber by mixing of the aerosolized sterilant and the ozone;
• continuing to deliver the aerosolized sterilant and the ozone to the sterilization chamber for a sterilizing-effective period of time, whereby a desired assurance of sterility of the object to be sterilized is achieved.