Patent ID: 7332140
Filing Date: 2008-02-19
Classification: A61L,F24F,F25D,Y02A

Abstract:
1. A sterilization system for exterminating airborne micro-organisms in an airstream received from a chamber in which a volume of air is substantially enclosed and to which the airstream is to be returned consisting essentially of an air sterilization assembly having: an air sterilization chamber surrounding one or more air sterilization passageways therein for confining the airstream passing therethrough, the one or more passageways being capillary passageways oriented substantially vertically and extending for at least 120 mm, one or more heating elements situated within said one or more air sterilization passageways, said one or more heating elements being heated to a temperature of not less than 160 degrees Celsius, for radiating heat into said one or more substantially vertical air sterilization passageways, heating the air therein, thereby sterilizing the air; at least one exhaust air passageway extending from said air sterilization chamber to the chamber in which a volume of air is substantially enclosed and being substantially unobstructed therebetween, the air exhaust passageway disposed on top of the air sterilization chamber, said sterilized heated air flowing up and out of the air exhaust passageway; at least one entrance air passageway extending from the chamber in which a volume of air is to be sterilized to said air sterilization chamber and being substantially unobstructed therebetween, the air entrance passageway disposed on a bottom of the air sterilization chamber, the flow of sterilized air passing through the air exhaust passageway causing new contaminated air to flow into the air entrance passageway, creating a continuous upward airflow known as air convection; means for substantially preventing heat from the heating elements from transferring to the chamber in which a volume of air is substantially enclosed; means for circulating air located external to the chamber in which a volume of air is to be sterilized about external surfaces of the air sterilization chamber, air entrance passageway and exhaust air passageway, to remove heat generated by the air sterilization therefrom; the one or more air passageways directing a continuous flow therethrough of an airstream received from the chamber in which a volume of air is substantially enclosed such that airborne micro-organisms within said airstream are exposed to the heat radiated from said heated elements and are exterminated thereby, such that a cleaned airstream is returned by air convection to said chamber in which a volume of air is substantially enclosed through the at least one exhaust air passageway, thereby drawing an uncleaned airstream into the at least one entrance air passageway, due to a negative pressure created at an entrance to the one or more passageways, created by the exhaust of sterilized air at the at least one passageway air exhaust and; said air sterilization assembly only minimally heating the airstream delivered to the chamber in which a volume of air is substantially enclosed.