Atmospheric-pressure plasma decontamination/sterilization chamber
Abstract
An atmospheric-pressure plasma decontamination/sterilization chamber is described. The apparatus is useful for decontaminating sensitive equipment and materials, such as electronics, optics and national treasures, which have been contaminated with chemical and/or biological warfare agents, such as anthrax, mustard blistering agent, VX nerve gas, and the like. There is currently no acceptable procedure for decontaminating such equipment. The apparatus may also be used for sterilization in the medical and food industries. Items to be decontaminated or sterilized are supported inside the chamber. Reactive gases containing atomic and metastable oxygen species are generated by an atmospheric-pressure plasma discharge in a He/O.sub.2 mixture and directed into the region of these items resulting in chemical reaction between the reactive species and organic substances. This reaction typically kills and/or neutralizes the contamination without damaging most equipment and materials. The plasma gases are recirculated through a closed-loop system to minimize the loss of helium and the possibility of escape of aerosolized harmful substances.
- Inventors:
-
- Los Alamos, NM
- Issue Date:
- Research Org.:
- Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
- OSTI Identifier:
- 873709
- Patent Number(s):
- 6228330
- Assignee:
- Regents of University of California (Los Alamos, NM)
- Patent Classifications (CPCs):
-
A - HUMAN NECESSITIES A61 - MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE A61L - METHODS OR APPARATUS FOR STERILISING MATERIALS OR OBJECTS IN GENERAL
Y - NEW / CROSS SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES Y10 - TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC Y10S - TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-36
- Resource Type:
- Patent
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- atmospheric-pressure; plasma; decontamination; sterilization; chamber; described; apparatus; useful; decontaminating; sensitive; equipment; materials; electronics; optics; national; treasures; contaminated; chemical; biological; warfare; agents; anthrax; mustard; blistering; agent; vx; nerve; gas; currently; acceptable; procedure; medical; food; industries; items; decontaminated; sterilized; supported; inside; reactive; gases; containing; atomic; metastable; oxygen; species; generated; discharge; mixture; directed; region; resulting; reaction; organic; substances; typically; kills; neutralizes; contamination; damaging; recirculated; closed-loop; minimize; loss; helium; possibility; escape; aerosolized; harmful; atmospheric-pressure plasma; pressure plasma; reactive gas; plasma discharge; chemical reaction; plasma gas; reactive species; sensitive equipment; warfare agent; reactive gases; gases containing; active species; organic substance; organic substances; sterilization chamber; plasma decontamination; /422/
Citation Formats
Herrmann, Hans W, and Selwyn, Gary S. Atmospheric-pressure plasma decontamination/sterilization chamber. United States: N. p., 2001.
Web.
Herrmann, Hans W, & Selwyn, Gary S. Atmospheric-pressure plasma decontamination/sterilization chamber. United States.
Herrmann, Hans W, and Selwyn, Gary S. Mon .
"Atmospheric-pressure plasma decontamination/sterilization chamber". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/873709.
@article{osti_873709,
title = {Atmospheric-pressure plasma decontamination/sterilization chamber},
author = {Herrmann, Hans W and Selwyn, Gary S},
abstractNote = {An atmospheric-pressure plasma decontamination/sterilization chamber is described. The apparatus is useful for decontaminating sensitive equipment and materials, such as electronics, optics and national treasures, which have been contaminated with chemical and/or biological warfare agents, such as anthrax, mustard blistering agent, VX nerve gas, and the like. There is currently no acceptable procedure for decontaminating such equipment. The apparatus may also be used for sterilization in the medical and food industries. Items to be decontaminated or sterilized are supported inside the chamber. Reactive gases containing atomic and metastable oxygen species are generated by an atmospheric-pressure plasma discharge in a He/O.sub.2 mixture and directed into the region of these items resulting in chemical reaction between the reactive species and organic substances. This reaction typically kills and/or neutralizes the contamination without damaging most equipment and materials. The plasma gases are recirculated through a closed-loop system to minimize the loss of helium and the possibility of escape of aerosolized harmful substances.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {2001},
month = {1}
}
Works referenced in this record:
Decontamination of chemical and biological warfare (CBW) agents using an atmospheric pressure plasma jet (APPJ)
journal, May 1999
- Herrmann, H. W.; Henins, I.; Park, J.
- Physics of Plasmas, Vol. 6, Issue 5
The atmospheric-pressure plasma jet: a review and comparison to other plasma sources
journal, January 1998
- Schutze, A.; Jeong, J. Y.; Babayan, S. E.
- IEEE Transactions on Plasma Science, Vol. 26, Issue 6
Room temperature sterilization of surfaces and fabrics with a One Atmosphere Uniform Glow Discharge Plasma
journal, January 1998
- Kelly-Wintenberg, K.; Montie, T. C.; Brickman, C.
- Journal of Industrial Microbiology and Biotechnology, Vol. 20, Issue 1