Griffith Laboratories U.s.a., Inc.

Anthony C Yeung

Donald E Alguire

Norbert Kotulla

Fernand Cammaerts

Albert Aerts

Robert Bennett

A method and control apparatus for the safe and effective ultimate disposal of spent biocidal gases such as alkylene oxides after their use in a reactor, including hopsital-type gaseous sterilizers, to reduce the concentration of viable organisms present as contaminants in articles treated in the reactor. The disposal is carried out in a manner to prevent air contaminating release of objectionable material into the atmosphere. The process includes the steps of pumping the biocidal gas from the reactor, delivering the gas to a combustion chamber fitted with a flue gas stack, and igniting and burning the gas in the combustion chamber in the presence of and aided by an added auxiliary combustible fuel augmented by a supply of air. Safety devices such as temperature controls and sensors, flame sensors, flash arrestors, and automatic shut off valves minimize potential hazards.

Apparatus for disposal of spent sterilant or biocidal gases

In the treatment of articles with a sterilant gas such as an alkylene oxide, and the circulation of the gas throughout a treatment chamber containing the articles to be treated, a gas circulating system completely devoid of electrical contacts, switches, electrical motors and other potentially dangerous electrical components which could cause explosive ignition of the sterilant gas. The circulation system includes a fluid-driven turbine-like impeller completely isolated from the sterilant gas, and drivingly coupled to a fan blade which serves to force the gas through conduits and to circulate and recycle the sterilant gas throughout the treatment chamber. In a second embodiment of the invention a magnetically coupled drive is used to actuate the sterilant-circulating fan.

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Downers Grove, IL, United States of America

Anthony C Yeung