Patent ID: 7901618

Claim:
A method of deactivating biological or chemical agents in a large volume space with a convoluted configuration, the method comprising: isolating the space; introducing a deactivation gas concurrently into each of a plurality of subregions of the isolated space, which subregions are interconnected and open to each other in such a manner that air flows between the subregions; circulating the deactivation gas within each subregion; circulating the deactivation gas from a subregion to its adjoining subregions; sensing concentrations of the deactivation gas at a plurality of points around the isolated space; based on the sensed concentrations, with a computer processor controlling the introducing of the deactivation gas, and the circulating of the deactivation gas from subregion to adjoining subregion using flow dynamics modeling such that the deactivation gas concentration in each of the subregions is maintained above a preselected minimum concentration and below a preselected maximum concentration including: in response to sensing that the concentration of deactivation gas in one of the subregions is approaching a saturation level or condensation point, increasing the circulation of the deactivation gas from the corresponding subregion to neighboring regions, and in response to sensing that the concentration of decontamination gas in one of the subregions has less than a preselected concentration, at least one of, decreasing an exhaust rate of the deactivation gas from the subregion, and directing the decontamination gas to the corresponding subregion from neighboring subregions; and, continuing to introduce and circulate the deactivation gas until any biological or chemical agents in the space are deactivated.