JP2751525B2 - Sterilization method of attached bacteria by ozone - Google Patents

Description

Description: TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a method for sterilizing bacteria adhered to the surface of an object.

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 2 shows an example of a conventional system for performing a sterilization treatment of adherent bacteria using ozone.

Here, 1 is an ozone generator, 2 is oxygen used as a source of ozone, 3 is an ozonizer, 4 is an ozonizer power supply,
8 denotes ozone.

2, the oxygen 2 is supplied to the ozonizer 3, and at the same time, the power supply device 4 for the ozonizer is started to generate a discharge inside the ozonizer 3, and the supplied oxygen 2 is continuously converted into ozone 8.

The ozone 8 is supplied to the closed storage container 5 and sterilizes the object 9 to be sterilized inside. The surplus ozone is sent to the ozone decomposition catalyst 6, and the ozone is converted into oxygen and released to the outside as exhaust gas 7.

"Problems to be Solved by the Invention" In the conventional method for disinfecting adherent bacteria using ozone, ozone acts only on the surface of the object to be sterilized and has almost no permeability.
However, the surface of a normal object to be sterilized has a myriad of pores and fine scratches, and there are very few cases in which the surface is completely flat. In addition, the inside of the pores and wounds is a suitable breeding place for bacteria, and complete sterilization cannot be performed by conventional sterilization methods.

Even when ozone is injected with a negative pressure in the container, the ozone once permeates the pores, but since the half-life of ozone is extremely short, the contact time with bacteria is short and sufficient sterilization cannot be performed.

"Means for solving the problem" The present invention, the operation of reducing the pressure in the storage container of the object to be sterilized by 50 mmHg or more and supplying ozone gas to the container under negative pressure conditions to normal pressure is repeated a plurality of times. By doing so, ozone is made to permeate into the surface of the object to be sterilized, the pores, and the inside of the wound.

[Operation] When ozone is supplied to the object to be sterilized under negative pressure conditions, the ozone penetrates to the surface of the object to be sterilized and even to details such as pores and scratches, and can be brought into effective contact with adherent bacteria.

Also, since ozone is a very active molecule, it has the property of causing self-decomposition and returning to oxygen. Sterilization treatment can be performed.

"Example" Fig. 3 shows a sterilization system using ozone in the present invention, and Fig. 1 shows an operation flow of the system.

In FIG. 3, 1 is an ozone generator, 2 is oxygen as a raw material of ozone, 3 is an ozonizer, 4 is a power supply for an ozonizer, 6 is an ozone decomposing medium, 8 is ozone, 10 is a vacuum pump, and 11 is an electric motor. Shows a valve.

In FIG. 1, in the sterilization process, first, the vacuum pump 10 is started to depressurize the closed storage container 5. After the pressure reduction, the electric valve 11 is opened, and oxygen 2 is supplied to the ozonizer 3. At the same time, the power supply device 4 for the ozonizer is activated to generate a discharge inside the ozonizer 3, so that the supplied oxygen 2 is continuously converted into ozone 8 and supplied to the storage container 5. At this time, ozone permeates the surface of the object 9 to be sterilized inside the storage container 5. After the internal pressure of the storage container 5 reaches the normal pressure (760 mmHg), the supply of the oxygen 2 is stopped, the power supply device 4 for the ozonizer is stopped, and the electric valve 11 is stopped.
Close.

Here, the ozone permeated into the object to be sterilized 5 has a very high reactivity and has a characteristic of easily decomposing and returning to oxygen, so that the sterilizing effect cannot be maintained for a long time. Therefore, the pressure of the storage container 5 is reduced again, and ozone in the nascent period is supplied to the object 9 to be sterilized.

By repeating this treatment method a plurality of times, complete sterilization of the adherent bacteria becomes possible.

After the elapse of various processing times, the electric valve 11 is opened, the ozone generator 1 is stopped, and only the oxygen is continuously supplied to ventilate the storage container 5 and complete the operation. I do.

The ozone released in the sterilization step and the ventilation step is converted into oxygen by the ozone decomposition catalyst 6 and then released to the outside as exhaust gas 7.

[Effect of the Invention] According to the method of the present invention for sterilizing adherent bacteria by ozone, not only the treatment efficiency is improved, but also bacteria that have multiplied inside countless pores and scratches on the surface of the object, which have been considered impossible in the past. Can be completely sterilized.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a view for explaining a method for sterilizing adherent bacteria with ozone in the present invention. FIG. 2 is a view for explaining a conventional sterilization system using ozone. FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining a system for carrying out the sterilization method of the present invention. 1) Ozone generator 2: Oxygen 3: Ozonizer 4: Ozonizer power supply 5: Storage container 6: Ozone decomposition catalyst 7: Exhaust gas 8: Ozone 9: Object to be sterilized 10: Vacuum pump 11: Electric valve

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] In the sterilization treatment of adherent bacteria using ozone, an operation of reducing the pressure in a storage container of an object to be sterilized by 50 mmHg or more and supplying ozone gas to the container under negative pressure conditions to normal pressure is performed. A sterilization method using ozone, wherein the method is repeated a plurality of times.