IT202000009925A1 - Sanitization apparatus. - Google Patents

Description

DESCRIPTION

Attached to a patent application for INDUSTRIAL INVENTION having the title

?Sanitization apparatus?

The invention concerns a sanitizing apparatus for drastically reducing, until almost eliminating, the microbial load present on a surface, by treating the surface itself with ozonated water.

The apparatus according to the invention ? particularly suitable for sanitizing an environment, for example inside a building such as an industrial warehouse, a school, a hospital, a shopping center and the like. The apparatus according to the invention can it can also be used to sanitize environments in the food, dairy, animal farms and other industries.

The apparatus according to the invention allows to reduce the microbial load present on surfaces such as floors, coverings, tables, workbenches, desks, bathroom fixtures and the like.

The ozone ? a gas soluble in aqueous solution, the molecule of which has a high oxidative potential.

At the cellular level, the main biological effects of ozone can be traced back to its oxidative power, and therefore to its ability to to oxidize and peroxidize biomolecules, both directly and indirectly.

In fact, ozone, decomposing rapidly in the aqueous phase, can give rise to a series of reactive oxygen species which cause alterations in the structure and function of biological macromolecules.

The oxidizing action carried out by the ozone has made s? that since its discovery it was used as a bactericidal, fungicidal and virus inactivating agent.

The mechanism by which ozone acts against bacteria? lipid peroxidation. There? does it? that the bacteria show a sensitivity? variable to ozone. Gram-negatives are less sensitive than Gram-positives, spore-forming bacteria are more resistant to non-sporing.

The mechanism of action of ozone on viruses consists in an oxidation, and consequent inactivation, of the specific viral receptors used for the creation of the bond with the wall of the cell to be invaded. Comes like this? blocked the mechanism of viral reproduction at the level of its first phase: cell invasion.

After the treatment, the ozone is transformed into oxygen, leaving no residues or by-products.

AND? it is known to use ozone for water treatment in order to reduce the microbial load present in the water itself.

AND? it is also known to use ozone for washing surfaces in order to reduce the microbial load present on these surfaces.

However, the known apparatuses which use ozone for washing surfaces are not capable of delivering ozonated water in which the ozone concentration can be precisely controlled and maintained at a high and constant level as the operating conditions vary.

A purpose of the invention? improve the equipment to sanitize an environment using ozonized water.

Another purpose? provide an apparatus to sanitize an environment quickly and effectively.

An additional purpose? provide an apparatus for sanitizing an environment using ozonated water, which guarantees a high and constant concentration of ozone in the water.

An additional purpose? provide an apparatus for sanitizing an environment using ozonized water, which is constructively simple and space-saving.

According to the invention, ? provided a sanitization apparatus to sanitize an environment by nebulization of ozonized water, including:

- a tank to contain water to be ozonated;

- an ozone generator to generate ozone;

- a nebulizer element for delivering ozonized water in atomized form onto a surface of said environment;

- an introduction device connected to the ozone generator to introduce ozone into the water as to obtain the ozonized water, the introduction device being arranged downstream of the tank and upstream of the atomising element;

- a first pressure control valve and a second pressure control valve, the first pressure control valve being arranged upstream of the introduction device and the second pressure control valve being arranged downstream of the introduction device to maintain the water pressure upstream and respectively downstream of the introduction device at desired and constant values,

- a probe placed downstream of the introduction device to measure the redox potential of the ozone present in the ozonated water.

The apparatus according to the invention makes it possible to introduce ozone into the water in a position close to the nebulizer element, i.e. in a position close to the point where the ozonated water will be used. dispensed on the surface to be treated. The residence time of the ozone in the ozonated water inside the apparatus? consequently very low, which allows to limit the risk that the ozone can decay, turning into oxygen, before being dispensed on the surface to be treated.

There? allows introducing a high concentration of ozone into the water and maintaining this concentration even when the ozonized water is dispensed on the surface to be treated, with consequent high efficacy in reducing the microbial load.

Furthermore, the first pressure control valve allows a predetermined inlet pressure of the water to be maintained upstream of the introduction device, whatever the pressure and flow rate of the water flowing from the tank towards the introduction device, i.e. whatever the the characteristics of a pump intended to send water to be ozonated to the introduction device..

The second pressure control valve ensures that the pressure downstream of the introduction device is substantially constant and equal to a predetermined value, whatever the nebulizer element that sends the ozonized water to the surface to be treated. As a result, the introduction device by which ozone is introduced into the water can work correctly, whatever the configuration, number and type of nozzles of the nebuliser element used.

The first pressure control valve and the second pressure control valve therefore allow water to be supplied to the introduction device with a substantially constant inlet pressure, and to maintain a substantially constant pressure at the introduction device outlet. In this way, the introduction device can? work in optimal and repetitive conditions.

For the above, ? It is possible to ensure that the concentration of ozone present in the ozonated water which is sprayed onto the surface to be treated is substantially constant and equal to a desired value, such as to allow the treated surfaces to be sanitized. There? happens why? the water is added, in quantity? constant, with the quantity? desired amount of ozone immediately before being dispensed on the surface to be treated, and ? essentially impossible (if the sanitization apparatus is used correctly) for the concentration of ozone in the water to decrease significantly in the short time, and in the short distance, envisaged between the introduction of ozone in the water and the delivery of the ozonated water on the surface to be treated.

Furthermore, the probe that measures the redox potential of the ozone present in the ozonized water provides an indicative measurement of the ozone concentration in the ozonized water.

The probe allows you to monitor, practically continuously, if the ozone generator and the introduction device are working properly. The operator can? what? immediately detect any decrease in the concentration of ozone in the ozonized water, linked for example to the use of unclean water, in particular containing substances that have reacted with the ozone, or due to a fault.

because the apparatus according to the invention guarantees a high and constant concentration of ozone in the water, ? Is it possible to obtain an effect of reduction of the microbial load even by nebulizing small quantities? of ozonated water in aerosol form. There? allows more treatments? fast and effective in different types of environments.

Furthermore, by introducing ozone into the water in a position between the tank and the atomising element, it is not necessary to ozonate the entire mass of water present in the tank, but ? it is sufficient to ozonate the water which, at that moment, the nebuliser element is about to spray onto the surface to be treated.

In this way, the quantity of water that must be ozonated in? unit? of time ? relatively low.

There? allows you to make the ozone generator independent of the tank size and use components ? first an ozone generator ? small in size and with limited energy consumption. Consequently, the sanitizing apparatus according to the invention does not have excessive costs, both as regards its construction and as regards its operation.

The invention can be better understood and implemented with reference to the attached drawings, which illustrate an exemplifying and non-limiting embodiment, in which:

Figure 1 ? a perspective and schematic view showing a sanitizing apparatus;

Figure 2 ? a diagram showing the components of the sanitation apparatus in Figure 1.

Figure 1 shows a sanitizing apparatus 1, which can be used to sanitize an environment, for example inside a building. The sanitization apparatus 1 ? particularly suitable for sanitizing environments frequented by many people, such as hospitals, schools, shopping centres, offices, industrial warehouses and the like.

The sanitization apparatus 1 ? able to reduce, or break down, the microbial load present on surfaces of the environment to be treated, by dispensing a jet of ozonated water in a nebulised form on these surfaces.

The sanitizing apparatus 1 comprises a tank 2, able to contain water destined to be dispensed on the surfaces to be treated, after having been added with ozone.

The sanitizing apparatus 1 also comprises a nebuliser element 3 for delivering ozonised water in nebulised form onto a surface to be treated. In the example shown, the atomizing element 3 comprises a nozzle 4 arranged at one end of a spear 5.

AND? however, it is possible to provide a nebulizing element 3 different from the one described above, for example a nebulizing element 3 comprising a plurality of of nozzles, for example mounted on a spray bar.

A connection line 6 comes out of the tank 2 to send the water coming from the tank 2 towards the nebulizer element 3.

Along the connecting line 6 pu? be provided a filter 7, able to filter the water leaving the tank 2 so? to retain any impurities? or large particles.

The sanitizing apparatus 1 also comprises a pump 8, able to pump the water from the tank 2 towards the nebulizer element 3. The pump 8 ? arranged along the connection line 6, particularly downstream of the filter 7. The pump 8 can? be of the diaphragm, piston or other type.

The pump 8 ? operated by actuation means which can comprise a motor 9, for example of the electric type.

The sanitizing apparatus 1 further comprises an ozone generator 10 for generating ozone in gaseous form, the ozone in gaseous form being intended to be added to the water coming from the tank 2 so as to to obtain ozonated water. The ozone generator 10 can? include an oxygen concentrator, which receives atmospheric air as an input and obtains from it a gas comprising a high percentage of oxygen, equal to 98% for example. The ozone generator 10 further comprises an ozonator device, which transforms the oxygen of the gas obtained from the oxygen concentrator into gaseous ozone.

AND? an introduction device 11 is also provided, connected to the ozone generator 10 and arranged to introduce, into the water coming from the tank 2, the gaseous ozone produced in the ozone generator 10. In this way ozonated water is obtained.

In the example shown, the introduction device 11 ? shaped like a Venturi tube, i.e. like a tube whose section decreases progressively, reaches a minimum in a throat or bottleneck section and then increases again.

The introduction device 11 receives the water coming from the tank 2 as an input through the connection line 6. This latter in fact connects the tank 2 with the introduction device 11.

The water from connection line 6 passes through the venturi tube. In the throat section, the gaseous ozone coming from the ozone generator 10 is injected into the water flow coming from the tank 2. Due to the particular shape of the Venturi tube, when the water flow passes through the throat section, it creates an aspiration that favors the entry of gaseous ozone and its dispersion in the water.

An output line 12 departs from the introduction device 11 which connects the introduction device 11 with the nebulizer element 3. The introduction device 11 ? therefore interposed between the connection line 6 and the output line 12.

Downstream of the introduction device 11, along the output line 12, ? a mixer 13 is provided, arranged to mix the gaseous ozone with the water, in order to ensure that the ozone particles are uniformly distributed within the water flow. The mixer 13 can? be in particular shaped like a tube inside which ? arranged a mixing propeller.

The sanitizing apparatus 1 also comprises a first pressure control valve 14, in particular of the volumetric type. The first valve 14 ? of the manual type (ie? manually adjustable), ie ? calibrated to a predetermined pressure during assembly of the sanitizing apparatus 1.. The first valve 14 ? arranged immediately upstream of the introduction device 11. At the first valve 14 ? associated with a first pressure gauge 15, for example a manometer.

The first valve 14 ensures that the pressure upstream of the introduction device 11 is equal to a set value p1. because the first valve 14 ? of the manual type, the first valve 14 is set to the value p1 during assembly of the sanitizing apparatus 1.

The first valve 14 ? arranged along the connecting line 6.

A circuit branch 16 branches off from the first valve 14, which flows into a return line 17, which in turn flows into the tank 2. If the first pressure gauge 15 detects that the water pressure in the connection line 6 ? excessive, the first valve 14 opens the circuit branch 16 to let a certain quantity flow? of water from the connection line 6 into the return line 17 and from the latter into the tank 2.

In this way, ? it is possible to maintain the water pressure immediately upstream of the introduction device 11 at a substantially constant value p1.

Similarly, along the outlet line 12, in a position interposed between the mixer 13 and the nebuliser element 3, ? a second valve 18 is provided for pressure control, in particular of the volumetric type. Also the second valve 18 ? of the manual type (ie manually adjustable) and ? analogous to the first valve 14. To the second valve 18 ? associated with a second pressure gauge 19, for example a pressure gauge.

The second valve 18 allows to maintain the pressure of the ozonated water, downstream of the mixer 13, equal to a desired value p2. because the second valve 18 ? of the manual type, the p2 value is set during the assembly of the sanitation device 1.

The return line 17 branches off from the second valve 18. If the second pressure gauge 19 measures an excessive pressure in the second valve 18, the latter sends a certain quantity? of ozonated water in the return line 17. Cos? by doing so, the pressure of the ozonated water at the second valve 18 is kept substantially constant, equal to the set value p2.

Does a certain amount arrive in tank 2? of ozonized water which does not affect the correct functioning of the sanitization apparatus 1.

Thanks to the first valve 14 and the second valve 18, ? possible to have the correct pressure upstream and downstream of the introduction device 11, as well as? the correct pressure difference between the water that enters the introduction device 11 and the ozonized water that leaves the mixer 11. What? guarantees that the Venturi tube included in the introduction device 11 operates under substantially constant conditions, so to create, in the throat section, a pre-established depression. In this way, the quantity of ozone that is introduced into the water, i.e. the concentration of ozone in ozonated water, does not undergo substantial changes.

In other words, the first valve 14 and the second valve 18 make it possible to produce ozonated water, with the correct ozone concentration, whatever the pressures upstream and downstream of the introduction device 11, i.e. whatever the pressure of the water coming from the tank 2 and whatever the pressure that is generated downstream of the outlet line 12, according to the configuration of the nebulizer element 3.

Along the return line 17, immediately downstream of the second valve 18, ? a probe 20 is arranged to measure the redox potential of the ozone present in the water. because this redox potential? proportional to the quantity? of ozone present in the water, the probe 20 supplies an indicative measurement of the concentration of ozone present in the ozonated water.

The sanitization apparatus 1 can? comprise indicator means, for example of the visual type, to indicate whether the ozone concentration in the ozonated water, as determined thanks to the probe 20, is correct. In particular, the indicator means can comprise a warning light which lights up if the ozone concentration drops below a predetermined limit value, thus to allow an operator to intervene. Alternatively, the indicator means can comprise a display on which the value of the redox potential measured by the probe 20 is displayed.

Downstream of the second valve 18, the outlet line 12 is connected to the nebulizer element 3.

In the example shown, the sanitization apparatus 1 is movable and, in particular, comprises a carriage 21, shown in Figure 1. The carriage 21 is equipped with wheels 22 and two handles 23 to be pushed manually to a desired place. The trolley 21 also comprises a support structure 24 for supporting the components of the sanitizing apparatus 1.

In particular, the support structure 24 supports the tank 2, as well as the pump 8 and the motor 9, which are arranged in a position interposed between the tank 2 and the handles 23.

The support structure 24 further supports the ozone generator 10, which can for example be arranged in a front area of the trolley 21, i.e. in an area opposite to the handles 23.

The introduction device 11, the mixer 13, the first valve 14 and the second valve 18 can be arranged inside a casing 25, also supported by the support structure 24. The casing 25 is? distinct from the ozone generator 10. The casing 25 can? be arranged above the ozone generator 10, for example in a front area of the trolley 21.

Probe 20 can? be placed on the casing 25, so? to be accessible from the outside, as shown in Figure 1.

In an alternative version not shown, the sanitization apparatus 1 can be mounted on a demountable equipment equipped with a platform, to be moved on a vehicle, or a lifting device, or a tractor

Alternatively, the apparatus 1 can? be incorporated into a floor cleaning machine.

AND? it is also possible that the sanitizing apparatus 1 is equipped with a motor to move, ie shaped like a self-propelled vehicle.

During operation, the pump 8 draws water from the tank 2. The water flows in the connection line 6, until it reaches the introduction device 11. Here, the gaseous ozone produced in the ozone generator 10 is added to the water, after that? the ozonized water cos? produced pu? be sprayed onto the surfaces to be treated using the nebuliser element 3.

The ozone concentration in the water leaving the introduction device 10 can be greater than 0.8 mg/l, for example equal to 1 mg/l. This concentration remains constant for the entire duration of the treatment.

This concentration? relatively high and ensures that the sanitation apparatus 1 has a high capacity? reduction of the microbial load.

The nebulizer element 3 can? be configured to dispense onto the surfaces to be treated drops having an average size of less than 220 ?m, in particular less than 50 ?m, for example equal to 20 ?m.

The size of the drops to be used can? be selected according to the type of surface to be sanitized.

To change the size of the drops, ? simply change the type of nozzle 4 used.

In general, thanks to the small size of the drops generated by the nebulizer element 3, ? It is possible to treat the surfaces to be sanitized in a uniform manner, which increases the effectiveness and speed? of the sanitization treatment, without excessively wetting these surfaces.

AND? It has been experimentally verified that the sanitization apparatus 1 guarantees a strong reduction of the microbial loads on the treated surfaces, with a reduction of the loads that can range from 91% to nearly 99%.

By suitably modulating the conditions of use of the sanitizing apparatus 1 according to the characteristics of the surfaces to be treated, and in particular by using nozzles 4 which guarantee greater nebulization when the surface to be treated is not ? perfectly smooth, ? possible to have a reduction of the microbial load greater than 95%. Thanks to its ability to maintain the ozone concentration in the water at adequate levels during the entire treatment cycle, the sanitization apparatus 1 represents a valid aid for enhancing the reduction of the surface microbial load in environmental sanitation.

Claims (12)

1. Sanitization apparatus for sanitizing an environment by nebulization of ozonized water, including: - a tank (2) to contain water to be ozonated; - an ozone generator (10) for generating ozone; - a nebulizer element (3) to deliver ozonized water in nebulized form onto a surface of said environment; - an introduction device (11) connected to the ozone generator (10) to introduce ozone into the water so to obtain the ozonized water, the introduction device (11) being arranged downstream of the tank (2) and upstream of the nebulizer element (3); - a first pressure control valve (14) and a second pressure control valve (18), the first pressure control valve (14) being arranged upstream of the introduction device (11) and the second valve (18) ) pressure control being arranged downstream of the introduction device (11) to maintain the water pressure upstream and downstream of the introduction device (11) at desired values, - a probe (20) arranged downstream of the introduction device (11) to measure the redox potential of the ozone present in the ozonated water. The apparatus according to claim 1, and further comprising a return line (17) connected to the tank (2), thus? to allow the water circulating in the apparatus (1), upstream and/or downstream of the introduction device (11), to be at least partially returned to the tank (2). 3. Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the probe (20) is arranged along the return line (17) downstream of the second pressure control valve (18). 4. Apparatus according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the first pressure control valve (14) is connectable with the return line (17) to discharge part of the water passing through the first pressure control valve (14) in the return line (17), so? to maintain the water pressure upstream of the introduction device (11) at a predetermined value, the second pressure control valve (18) being connectable to the return line (17) to discharge part of the water passing through the second valve (18) for pressure control in the return line (17), cos? to maintain the water pressure downstream of the introduction device (11) at a pre-set value. 5. Apparatus according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the introduction device (11) comprises a Venturi tube having a constriction for drawing gaseous ozone produced by the ozone generator (10) into the water coming from the tank (2). 6. Apparatus according to one of the preceding claims, and further comprising a mixer (13) arranged downstream of the introduction device (11) for uniformly distributing the ozone in the water. The apparatus according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the first pressure control valve (14) and the second pressure control valve (18) are manually adjustable. 8. Apparatus according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the nebulization element (3) comprises at least one nozzle (4) mounted on a lance (5). 9. Apparatus according to one of the preceding claims, configured to deliver onto said surface ozonated water with a concentration of ozone in the water of 1 mg/l. 10. Apparatus according to one of the preceding claims, shaped like a trolley (21) which can? be pushed by an operator, or as a demountable piece of equipment equipped with a platform to be moved on a vehicle, or as a floor washing machine. 11. Apparatus according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the nebulizer element (3) is? configured to deliver drops of ozonated water having an average size of less than 220 ?m, in particular less than 50 ?m, for example equal to 20 ?m. The apparatus according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the introduction device (11), the first pressure control valve (14) and the second pressure control valve (18) are housed in a housing (25), the ozone generator (10) being arranged outside the casing (22).