Method for decontaminating temperature-sensitive objects
AssigneeKaercher Futuretech GmbH
InventorsHans-Joachim Toepfer, Markus Kostron
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus for decontamination of objects, such as temperature-sensitive devices for military applications, comprises a vacuum chamber having an internal space for receiving an object to be decontaminated. A vacuum pump produces a vacuum in the internal space. A heater is used for heating the internal space. A first arrangement is provided for ventilation of the internal space, and a second arrangement is provided for filling the internal space with a gaseous chemical decontamination agent. The apparatus can be used optionally for disinfection or detoxification, with a low decontamination temperature being sufficient in both cases because of the low pressure in the chamber.
Claims12
A method for removing biological contaminants from an object, comprising the steps of:
- providing a vacuum chamber having a plurality of inner walls surrounding an internal space,
- inserting the object into the internal space,
- evacuating the internal space by means of a vacuum pump to an internal pressure of less than 50 Pa,
- heating the object in the internal space by means of at least one heat radiator arranged in the internal space remote from the object, and heating the plurality of internal walls by means of a casing heater designed to heat all the internal walls,
- supplying a gaseous chemical decontamination agent into the internal space, and
- ventilating the internal space subsequently,
- wherein formation of condensation of the gaseous chemical decontamination agent in the internal space is prevented by use of the at least one heat radiator and the casing heater,
- wherein a pressure rise and a temperature in the internal space is determined while the internal space is being filled with the gaseous chemical decontamination agent, and
- wherein the concentration of the gaseous chemical decontamination agent in the internal space is controlled as a function of the pressure rise and the temperature in the internal space in accordance with Dalton's ideal gas law.
A method for removing biological contaminants from an object, comprising the steps of:
- providing a vacuum chamber having inner walls surrounding an internal space,
- inserting the object into the internal space,
- evacuating the internal space by means of a vacuum pump to an internal pressure of less than 50 Pa,
- heating the object in the internal space by means of at least one heat radiator arranged in the internal space and heating the internal walls by means of a casing heater,
- introducing a concentration of a gaseous chemical decontamination agent into the internal space, wherein formation of condensation of the gaseous chemical decontamination agent in the internal space is prevented by use of the at least one heat radiator and the casing heater,
- monitoring the pressure and temperature within said internal space, and
- controlling the concentration of gaseous chemical decontamination agent introduced into the internal space in accordance with said monitored pressure and temperature.
A method for removing biological contaminants from an object, comprising the steps of:
- providing a vacuum chamber having inner walls surrounding an internal space,
- inserting the object into the internal space,
- evacuating the internal space by means of a vacuum pump to an internal pressure of less than 50 Pa,
- introducing a gaseous chemical decontamination agent into the internal space, and
- heating the object in the internal space by means of at least one heat radiator arranged in the internal space, and heating the internal walls by means of a casing heater designed to heat all internal walls, thus preventing formation of condensation of the gaseous chemical decontamination agent in the internal space.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.