Vaporizer using electrical induction to produce heat
AssigneeSTERIS Inc.
InventorsMichael A. Centanni, Francis J. Zelina, Aaron L. Hill
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An induction coil (36) generates a magnetic field which induces current in an induction vessel (28). The induction vessel is heated by the current and supplies the heat to a passage (34) within the vessel. A liquid to be vaporized, such as water or hydrogen peroxide solution, is supplied to the passage where it is converted to vapor. The vapor is supplied to a defined area, such as a chamber (14) of a steam or vapor hydrogen peroxide sterilizer (10), where items are microbially decontaminated by the vapor.
Claims23
A vapor decontamination system comprising:
- a vaporizer for vaporizing a liquid to form an antimicrobial vapor, the vaporizer including:
- a means for generating a changing magnetic field, and
- an induction vessel which intercepts the changing magnetic field and is heated thereby, the induction vessel supplying heat to the liquid to convert the liquid to the vapor, the induction vessel comprising a block, a passage being defined through the block and having an inlet and an outlet and at least one turn between the inlet and outlet, the vessel being inductively heated by the changing magnetic field to a temperature sufficient to convert liquid flowing through the passage to the vapor within the passage;
- and
- a duct connected with the outlet of the passage for supplying the vapor formed within the passage to a defined region.
A vapor decontamination system comprising:
- a means for supplying an antimicrobial liquid including at least one of hydrogen peroxide and a peracid;
- a vaporizer for vaporizing the antimicrobial liquid to an antimicrobial vapor including at least one of hydrogen peroxide and peracid vapor, the vaporizer including:
- a means for generating a changing magnetic field, and
- an induction vessel which intercepts the changing magnetic field and is heated thereby, the induction vessel supplying sufficient heat to the antimicrobical liquid to convert the liquid to the antimicrobial vapor;
- at least a first duct along which a carrier gas is passed to a defined region;
- a second duct connected with the outlet of the vaporizer for supplying the, antimicrobial vapor formed within the vessel to a mixing region in the first duct, the carrier gas mixing with the antimicrobial vapor to form a mixture, the antimicrobial vapor and carrier gas mixture being passed to the defined region.
A vapor decontamination system comprising:
- a vaporizer for vaporizing a liquid to form an antimicrobial vapor, the vaporizer including:
- a means for generating a changing magnetic field,
- an induction vessel which intercepts the changing magnetic field and is heated thereby, the induction vessel defining an interior passage within it having an inlet, an outlet, and interior walls, the vessel supplying sufficient heat to the liquid to convert the liquid which strikes the walls of the passage into the vapor within the vessel, and
- a deflecting member, mounted within the passage, the deflecting member deflecting the liquid passing through the passage toward the walls of the passage;
- and
- a duct connected with the outlet of the passage for supplying the vapor formed within the vessel to a defined region.
A method of microbially decontaminating at least one of a defined area and an item within the defined area, the method comprising:
- inductively heating a block which defines an interior passage;
- passing a liquid into the interior passage, the inductively heated block vaporizing the liquid which contacts walls of the passage to form an antimicrobial vapor;
- and
- flowing the vapor out of the block to the defined area to microbially decontaminate at least one of the defined area and the item.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.