US 12,268,791 B2
Systems and methods for sterilization using nonthermal plasma generation
Mark Edward Hogsett, Wilmington, NC (US); Steven Bernard Heymann, Los Gatos, CA (US); and Carl Newberg, Tuscon, AZ (US)
Assigned to Illinois Tool Works Inc., Glenview, IL (US)
Filed by Illinois Tool Works Inc., Glenview, IL (US)
Filed on Feb. 23, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/182,967.
Application 17/182,967 is a continuation of application No. 16/204,567, filed on Nov. 29, 2018, granted, now 10,925,985, issued on Feb. 23, 2021.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/592,785, filed on Nov. 30, 2017.
Prior Publication US 2021/0322605 A1, Oct. 21, 2021
Int. Cl. B01J 19/08 (2006.01); A61L 2/14 (2006.01); A61L 2/24 (2006.01); A61L 2/26 (2006.01); A61L 9/22 (2006.01); B23H 3/02 (2006.01); B23H 7/14 (2006.01); H01T 23/00 (2006.01)
CPC A61L 2/14 (2013.01) [A61L 2/24 (2013.01); A61L 2/26 (2013.01); A61L 9/22 (2013.01); H01T 23/00 (2013.01); A61L 2202/11 (2013.01); A61L 2202/14 (2013.01); A61L 2202/25 (2013.01); A61L 2209/111 (2013.01); H05H 2245/36 (2021.05)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for inactivation of viable microorganisms, the method comprising:
inactivating viable microorganisms in a predetermined volume by:
determining a plurality of target ion densities based on one or more predetermined sterilization levels:
installing a plurality of direct current (DC) or alternating current (AC), bipolar or steady-state, ion emitter modules based on a geometry of the predetermined volume, wherein the installing of the plurality of ion emitter modules comprises arranging the plurality of ion emitter modules to have a module density in the predetermined volume based on a plurality of target ion densities, each of the target ion densities corresponding to a different subvolume of the predetermined volume and a corresponding sterilization level for the subvolume;
connecting the plurality of ion emitter modules to a controller module; and
controlling, using the controller module, the plurality of ion emitter modules to produce, a bipolar or steady-state nonthermal plasma (NTP), each of the ion emitter modules comprising a high voltage power supply (HVPS).