Abstract A method and apparatus for disinfecting rooms and articles in the rooms. The apparatus comprises a housing having an interior disinfecting chamber which is connected through a valve to a scavenging chamber containing a scavenging fan, which has a discharge to atmosphere. An inlet chamber has an inlet valve which may be opened for the inflow of air through a filter into the inlet chamber and the disinfectant chamber. In addition, the housing contains a circulating fan chamber which is connected through an inlet passage having a plurality of circulating socket connections which extend from the circulating fan passage into the disinfectant chamber, and which may be advantageously connected selectively to articles which are to be disinfected. The discharge passage for the circulating fan which extends from the circulating fan passage into the disinfecting passage, passes over preferably at least one evaporator for the evaporation of the disinfectant and, preferably, two evaporators, one of which is an evaporator for a neutralizing agent for the disinfectant. In the method, disinfectant is added to the air in the disinfectant chamber to form a disinfectant gas which may advantageously be evaporated or atomized in the presence of air which is circulated into the chamber. The disinfectant gas is heated and circulated to disinfect the chamber and the articles therein and, thereafter, the disinfectant gas is exhausted from the chamber and air is circulated through the chamber to scavenge it. In a subsequent operation, the air in the chamber is heated in order to evaporate the residual disinfectant and after expiration of a predetermined period of time, this heated air is scavenged from the chamber by circulating fresh air therethrough.
In a method of disinfecting chambers and articles therein comprising the steps of adding disinfectant to the air in the chamber to form a disinfectant gas, heating and circulating the disinfectant gas to disinfect the chamber and the articles therein, circulating fresh air through said chamber thereby exhausting the disinfectant gas from the chamber and scavenging the chamber, the improvement comprising following said fresh air circulating step by at least one residual disinfectant scavenging sequence of steps consisting of (a) heating the air remaining in the chamber to evaporate the residual disinfectant and after an expiration of a predetermined period of time, (b) circulating fresh air through the chamber to scavenge the chamber.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
113 words
In a method of disinfecting chambers and articles therein comprising the steps of adding disinfectant to the air in the chamber to form a disinfectant gas, heating and circulating the disinfectant gas to disinfect the chamber and the articles therein, circulating fresh air through said chamber thereby exhausting the disinfectant gas from the chamber and scavenging the chamber, the improvement comprising following said fresh air circulating step by at least one residual disinfectant scavenging sequence of steps consisting of (a) heating the air remaining in the chamber to evaporate the residual disinfectant and after an expiration of a predetermined period of time, (b) circulating fresh air through the chamber to scavenge the chamber.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
25 words
In a method of disinfecting chambers and articles therein, according to claim 1, the improvement further comprising repeating said residual disinfectant scavenging sequence of steps.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
36 words
In a method of disinfecting chambers and articles therein according to claim 1, the improvement further comprising enriching the air remaining in the chamber with a neutralizing gas after said residual disinfectant scavenging sequence of steps.