JP2690518B2 - Method for removing residual gas in gas sterilizer - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Industrial field of application) The method for removing residual gas in a gas sterilizer according to the present invention performs sterilization work using sterilizing gas such as formaldehyde or ethylene oxide gas. After that, it is used to efficiently remove the sterilizing gas (residual gas) remaining on the object to be sterilized.

(Prior Art) Instruments such as surgical tools and clothes used in hospitals and various laboratories and clothes such as surgical gowns should be sterilized before being reused in order to prevent infection by bacteria attached to these articles. I need to do it.

For this reason, conventionally, sterilization treatment of these various articles has been performed using a sterilizing gas such as formaldehyde or ethylene oxide gas.

By the way, when such a sterilizing gas is used for sterilization, the above-mentioned various articles (object to be sterilized) after sterilization
It is necessary to remove the residual gas adhering to the so that the person who reuses these various articles does not cause the damage (skin irritation, etc.) due to the residual gas.

Therefore, a so-called aeration work has conventionally been performed in which after the sterilization work is completed, a sterilizing gas is discharged from the sterilization container, and then clean air is circulated in the sterilization container to remove residual gas. .

Further, in order to improve the efficiency of the aeration work, it is considered that the clean air circulated in the sterilization container is heated and humidified as disclosed in JP-B-60-9456.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) However, in the conventional residual gas removing method as described above,
Not only it takes a relatively long time to remove the residual gas adhering to the object to be sterilized, but also a separate circulation circuit for circulating the clean air needs to be provided, which inevitably complicates the equipment.

The residual gas removing method in the gas sterilizer according to the present invention eliminates any of the above-mentioned disadvantages.

(Means for Solving the Problem) A method for removing residual gas in a gas sterilizer of the present invention is a sterilization process in which an object to be sterilized is stored in a sterilizing container having airtightness, and sterilizing gas is fed into the sterilizing container. After completing the above, by continuing to operate the vacuum pump with the suction port communicating with the sterilization container, the gas inside the sterilization container was discharged while the steam supply pipe was provided in the middle of the steam supply pipe communicating with the sterilization container. The on-off valve is repeatedly opened and closed, and the steam is repeatedly fed into and discharged from the sterilization container while maintaining a negative pressure inside the sterilization container.

(Operation) As described above, by repeatedly feeding steam into the sterilization container while keeping the sterilization container at a negative pressure, the sterilization container can be rid of residual gas adhering to the sterilization target. The separation of the gas and the discharge to the outside of the sterilization container are accelerated, and the removal of residual gas is completed in a short time.

(Example) Next, the present invention will be described in more detail while describing the illustrated example.

1 and 2 are diagrams for explaining the present invention. FIG. 1 is a piping diagram of a gas sterilizer, and FIG. 2 is a change in pressure in a sterilization container with progress of sterilization work and components. It is a diagram which shows the relationship with the state of with time progress. In addition, in FIG.
The bold lines indicate that each component is operating or, in the case of a valve, is open.

When performing the sterilization work, first, the object to be sterilized is stored in the sterilization container 1, then the lid 2 of the sterilization container 1 is closed, the vacuum pump 3 is operated, and the inside of the sterilization container 1 is made to have a negative pressure. A vacuum process for discharging air is performed so that the sterilizing gas can easily enter the inside of the object to be sterilized. After this vacuum process, the humidification valve 4 is opened for an appropriate time to perform a humidification process for humidifying the object to be sterilized, and the sterilizing gas to be sent into the sterilization container 1 later and the object to be sterilized are improved. To do.

After this humidification step, after the humidification vacuum step, operation of the metering pump 5 for transferring formalin, opening of the solenoid valve 6, and turning on the vaporization timer for heating and vaporizing formalin.
And the opening of the solenoid valve 7 for sending the formaldehyde generated by vaporization to the sterilization container 1 are appropriately repeated to generate formaldehyde for sterilization, and the work of sending a relatively small amount of formaldehyde into the sterilization container 1 is repeated. The formalin pulse step is performed to further improve the compatibility between the formaldehyde, which is sent in large amounts later, and the object to be sterilized.

After completing these steps of vacuum, humidification, humidification vacuum, and formalin pulse, a relatively large amount of formaldehyde is sent into the sterilization container 1 to sterilize (disinfect) the sterilized object stored in the sterilization container 1. Do.

After finishing the sterilization process, open the air valve 8 to remove the sterilization filter 10
After inhaling the clean air that has passed through the sterilization container 1 into the sterilization container 1, a vacuum process for discharging the gas in the sterilization container 1 is performed again.

After the end of this vacuum stroke, the solenoid valve 9 is opened to inject ammonia, the vaporization timer is operated for a certain period of time to change the ammonia, and the solenoid valve 7 is opened to send the ammonia into the sterilization container 1. Thus, the neutralization step of neutralizing the formaldehyde remaining in the sterilization container 1 is performed.

After this neutralization process, the air valve 8 is opened again, the clean air that has passed through the sterilization filter 10 is sucked into the sterilization container 1, and then the vacuum process for discharging the gas in the sterilization container 1 is performed again.

After the completion of this vacuum process, the humidification valve 4 provided in the middle of the steam supply pipe 11 leading to the sterilization container 1 is repeatedly opened and closed while the vacuum pump 3 is continuously operated.
The steam mixing and cleaning step, which is the object of the present invention, is performed in which the supply and discharge of steam into and from the sterilization container 1 are repeated with the inside kept at a negative pressure.

As described above, when steam is repeatedly fed into the sterilization container 1 while the inside of the sterilization container 1 is kept at a negative pressure,
The residual gas adhering to the material to be sterilized in the sterilization container 1 can be quickly removed by repeating the dissolution of the residual gas in the condensed water caused by the condensation of the steam and the evaporation of the condensed water in which the residual gas is dissolved. Finish in time.

After completion of such a steam mixing cleaning process, the air valve 8
And the operation of the vacuum pump 3 are alternately performed to feed the clean air into the sterilization container 1 and to discharge the air alternately, and further, the pulse cleaning is performed with the air valve 8 opened. Perform blow cleaning to continue operation,
The sterilization of the sterilized object and the removal of residual gas are completed.

(Effects of the Invention) As described above, the method for removing residual gas in a gas sterilizer according to the present invention can efficiently remove residual gas adhering to an object to be sterilized without providing a new pipe or the like. Thus, the residual gas can be completely removed in a relatively short time.

[Brief description of the drawings]

1 and 2 are diagrams for explaining the present invention. FIG. 1 is a piping diagram of a gas sterilizer, and FIG. 2 is a change in pressure in a sterilization container with progress of sterilization work and components. It is a diagram which shows the relationship with the state of with time progress. 1: Sterilization container, 2: Lid, 3: Vacuum pump, 4: Humidification valve, 5: Metering pump, 6, 7: Solenoid valve, 8: Air valve, 9: Solenoid valve, 10: Sterilization filter, 11: Supply Steam tube.

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A sterilization process in which an object to be sterilized is housed in an airtight sterilization container and sterilization gas is fed into the sterilization container, and then a vacuum pump having an inlet port communicating with the sterilization container is continued. By operating in this manner, while discharging the gas in the sterilization container, the opening / closing valve provided in the middle of the steam supply pipe leading to the sterilization container is repeatedly opened and closed, while maintaining the negative pressure in the sterilization container, A method for removing residual gas in a gas sterilizer, which comprises repeatedly sending and discharging steam into the sterilization container.