Method of sterilizing

Abstract

Abstract THE STERILIZING PROCESS IS CARRIED OUT IN A SCALED CONTAINER OR AUTOCLAVE WHEREIN AIR IN THE CHAMBER IS DISPLACED WITH STEAM WHILE THE CHAMBER IS MAINTAINED AT VACUUM CONDITION. THE STEAM IS FED IN AT A RATE NO GREATER THAN THE CAPACITY OF THE VACUUM PUMP SO THAT THE PUMP WILL MAINTAIN THE DESIRED PRESSURE IN THE CHAMBER. STEAM THEREBY HEATS THE LOAD TO THE DESIRED TEMPERATURE IN A SHORT TIME AND THEREBY CREATES A MORE EFFICIENT AN SHORTER OVERALL TIME FOR THE STERILIZING CYCLE. A CONTROL IS USED, MADE UP OF A NEEDLE VALVE IN THE STEAM LINE WHICH IS USED TO SET THE APPROXIMATE FLOW RATE. ACTUALLY, THIS FLOW RATE IS SLIGHTLY GREATER THAN THE FLOW RATE REQUIRED. AN ADDITIONAL SOLENOID VALVE IS PLACED IN THE STEAM LINE IN SERIES WITH THE NEEDLE VALVE AND A THERMOSTATIC CONTROL IS PLACED IN THE CHAMBER DRAIN LINE TO TURN THE SOLENOID VALVE ON AND OFF TO MAINTAIN THE DESIRED LOAD TEMPERATURE AT APPROXIMATELY 130*F. THE TURNING ON AND OFF OF THE SOLENOID VALVE TO MODULATE THE DRAIN LINE TEMPERATURE SETS UP A PLUSING FLOW OF STEAM AND STEAM PRESSURE CONDITION OF APPROXIMATELY 25 TO 30 IN. HG WHICH HELPS TO PURGE THE LOAD OF ENTRAINED AIR THEREBY HEATING THE LOAD MORE RAPIDLY. FOLLOWING THE SIMULTANEOUS APPLICATION OF VACUUM AND STEAM, A MICROBIOCIDAL CHEMICAL STERILIZING GAS IS ADMITTED TO THE STERILIZING CHAMBER.

Inventors

• 👤 James J Shull
• 👤 Robert S Lloyd

Bibliographic Details