Disinfection methods for surfaces and enclosed spaces
View Patent ↗A system and method for producing an ozone-containing disinfecting cloud includes an enclosure. A pair of atomizing nozzles are affixed to the enclosure in substantially directly opposed relation. Each nozzle produces a spray of ozonated water from compressed gas, ozone, and water and are positioned to direct the sprays toward each other to form a cloud comprising droplets having a size distribution. A portion of the cloud that comprises droplets having a size less than a predetermined limit is expelled from the enclosure. Droplets having a size greater than the predetermined limit remain in the enclosure. The expelled cloud has been found to have a pH lower than a pH of the remaining droplets. The cloud so produced can be used to disinfect an area by directing the cloud to the area desired to be disinfected, which can comprise a surface and/or a space.
1. A method for producing an ozone-containing disinfecting cloud comprising:
directing compressed gas, ozone, and water to a pair of atomizing nozzles having outlets positioned in opposed relation to each other;
producing a spray of ozonated water from the compressed gas, ozone, and water from the pair of atomizing nozzles;
directing the produced sprays toward each other, to form a cloud comprising droplets having a size distribution;
retaining droplets having a size greater than a predetermined limit; and
expelling a portion of the cloud comprising droplets having a size less than the predetermined limit, the expelled cloud having a pH lower than a pH of retained droplets.
2. The method recited in claim 1 , wherein the expelling step comprises directing air toward each of the atomizing nozzles using a pair of fans.
3. The method recited in claim 2 , further comprising:
measuring a humidity within the expelled cloud;
comparing the received humidity measurement with a predetermined humidity value;
increasing a speed of the fans if the measured humidity is less than the predetermined humidity value; and
decreasing the fan speed if the measured humidity is greater than the predetermined humidity value.
4. The method recited in claim 1 , further comprising:
measuring an ozone concentration in the expelled cloud;
comparing the measured ozone concentration with a predetermined concentration value;
increasing an amount of the ozone directed to the nozzles if the measured concentration is less than the predetermined concentration value;
decreasing the amount of the ozone directed to the nozzles if the measured concentration is greater than the predetermined concentration value.
5. The method recited in claim 1 , further comprising channeling the retained droplets to the pair of nozzles.
6. The method recited in claim 1 , controlling a velocity of the compressed gas directed to the nozzles to a desired velocity.
7. The method recited in claim 1 , wherein the predetermined limit of droplet size comprises approximately 1 μm.
8. A method for disinfecting a space comprising:
producing an ozone-containing disinfecting cloud by: directing compressed gas, ozone, and water to a pair of atomizing nozzles having outlets positioned in opposed relation to each other; producing a spray of ozonated water from the compressed gas, ozone, and water from the pair of atomizing nozzles;
directing the produced sprays toward each other, to form a cloud comprising droplets having a size distribution; and expelling a portion of the cloud comprising droplets having a size less than a predetermined limit, the expelled cloud having a pH lower than a pH of retained droplets; and
directing the produced cloud into an area desired to be disinfected.