Abstract: A method for reducing viable microbial burden on a surface. The method includes placing an item into a system chamber. The method includes a conditioning phase where ozone is generated by an ozone generator and a fan circulates the ozone in a closed loop between the ozone generator and the system chamber. The method then includes a disinfection phase where a pump pumps disinfectant to a nebulizer where it is converted into a disinfectant vapor. A fan is then activated to circulate the vapor in a closed loop between the nebulizer and the system chamber. After the disinfecting phase, the method activates a post-disinfection conditioning phase where an ozone generator generates ozone that is circulated by a fan in a closed loop between the ozone generator, the nebulizer and the system chamber. Lastly, the method activates a system clearing phase, where air flow is pulled into the system through an inlet and exhausted out of the system through an outlet.

Abstract: A sterilization, disinfection, sanitization, or decontamination system having a chamber defining a region, and a generator for creating a free radical effluent with reactive oxygen, nitrogen, and other species and/or a vaporizer. A closed loop circulating system without a free-radical destroyer is provided for supplying the mixture of free radicals from the generator mixed with the hydrogen peroxide solution in the form of the effluent to the chamber. The system is used in sterilizing, disinfecting, sanitizing, or decontaminating items in the chamber or room and, with a wound chamber, in treating wounds on a body. The wound chamber may be designed to maintain separation from wounds being treated. Various embodiments can control moisture to reduce or avoid unwanted condensation. Some embodiments can be incorporated into an appliance having a closed space, such as a washing machine. Some embodiments may include a residual coating device that deposits a bactericidal coating on sterilized items.

Abstract: A chemical indicator strip for detecting disinfectant that includes a film substrate, and an indicator portion with a first and a second ink. The first and the second ink can react in the presence of a threshold level of disinfectant for a threshold level of exposure time. The chemical indicator strip can be used in a method of detecting a threshold level of disinfectant. The method can include exposing a chemical indicator strip to a concentration of disinfectant for a preset amount of time. The method can include providing a visual indicator to a user that changes from a first color to a second color. The method can indicate that the chemical indicator strip has been exposed to a threshold concentration of disinfectant for a threshold amount of time when a complete color change occurs on the chemical indicator strip from the first color to the second color.

Abstract: A sterilization, disinfection, sanitization, or decontamination system having a chamber defining a region, and a generator for creating a free radical effluent with reactive oxygen, nitrogen, and other species and/or a vaporizer. A closed loop circulating system without a free-radical destroyer is provided for supplying the mixture of free radicals from the generator mixed with the hydrogen peroxide solution in the form of the effluent to the chamber. The system is used in sterilizing, disinfecting, sanitizing, or decontaminating items in the chamber or room and, with a wound chamber, in treating wounds on a body. The wound chamber may be designed to maintain separation from wounds being treated. Various embodiments can control moisture to reduce or avoid unwanted condensation. Some embodiments can be incorporated into an appliance having a closed space, such as a washing machine. Some embodiments may include a residual coating device that deposits a bactericidal coating on sterilized items.

Abstract: A sterilization, disinfection, sanitization, or decontamination system having a chamber defining a region, and a generator for creating a free radical effluent with reactive oxygen, nitrogen, and other species and/or a vaporizer. A closed loop circulating system without a free-radical destroyer is provided for supplying the mixture of free radicals from the generator mixed with the hydrogen peroxide solution in the form of the effluent to the chamber. The system is used in sterilizing, disinfecting, sanitizing, or decontaminating items in the chamber or room and, with a wound chamber, in treating wounds on a body. The wound chamber may be designed to maintain separation from wounds being treated. Various embodiments can control moisture to reduce or avoid unwanted condensation. Some embodiments can be incorporated into an appliance having a closed space, such as a washing machine. Some embodiments may include a residual coating device that deposits a bactericidal coating on sterilized items.

Abstract: A sterilization, disinfection, sanitization, or decontamination system having a chamber defining a region, and a generator for creating a free radical effluent with reactive oxygen, nitrogen, and other species and/or a vaporizer. A closed loop circulating system without a free-radical destroyer is provided for supplying the mixture of free radicals from the generator mixed with the hydrogen peroxide solution in the form of the effluent to the chamber. The system is used in sterilizing, disinfecting, sanitizing, or decontaminating items in the chamber or room and, with a wound chamber, in treating wounds on a body. The wound chamber may be designed to maintain separation from wounds being treated. Various embodiments can control moisture to reduce or avoid unwanted condensation. Some embodiments can be incorporated into an appliance having a closed space, such as a washing machine. Some embodiments may include a residual coating device that deposits a bactericidal coating on sterilized items.

Abstract: A sterilization, disinfection, sanitization, or decontamination system having a chamber defining a region, and a generator for creating a free radical effluent with reactive oxygen, nitrogen, and other species and/or a vaporizer. A closed loop circulating system without a free-radical destroyer is provided for supplying the mixture of free radicals from the generator mixed with the hydrogen peroxide solution in the form of the effluent to the chamber. The system is used in sterilizing, disinfecting, sanitizing, or decontaminating items in the chamber or room and, with a wound chamber, in treating wounds on a body. The wound chamber may be designed to maintain separation from wounds being treated. Various embodiments can control moisture to reduce or avoid unwanted condensation. Some embodiments can be incorporated into an appliance having a closed space, such as a washing machine. Some embodiments may include a residual coating device that deposits a bactericidal coating on sterilized items.

Abstract: A sterilization, disinfection, sanitization, or decontamination system having a chamber defining a region, and a generator for creating a free radical effluent with reactive oxygen, nitrogen, and other species and/or a vaporizer. A closed loop circulating system without a free-radical destroyer is provided for supplying the mixture of free radicals from the generator mixed with the hydrogen peroxide solution in the form of the effluent to the chamber. The system is used in sterilizing, disinfecting, sanitizing, or decontaminating items in the chamber or room and, with a wound chamber, in treating wounds on a body. The wound chamber may be designed to maintain separation from wounds being treated. Various embodiments can control moisture to reduce or avoid unwanted condensation. Some embodiments can be incorporated into an appliance having a closed space, such as a washing machine. Some embodiments may include a residual coating device that deposits a bactericidal coating on sterilized items.

Abstract: A free radical sterilization system having a chamber defining a region, and a generator for generating free radical reach effluent from a free radical electric generator and/or a vaporizer. A closed loop circulating system without a free-radical destroyer is provided for supplying the mixture of free radicals from the electric generator mixed with the hydrogen peroxide solution in the form of the effluent to the chamber. The free-radical sterilization system is used in sterilizing items in the chamber and, with an open-bottomed wound chamber, in treating wounds on a body.

Abstract: A free radical sterilization system having a chamber defining a region, and a generator for generating free radical reach effluent from a free radical electric generator and/or a vaporizer. A closed loop circulating system without a free-radical destroyer is provided for supplying the mixture of free radicals from the electric generator mixed with the hydrogen peroxide solution in the form of the effluent to the chamber. The free-radical sterilization system is used in sterilizing items in the chamber and, with an open-bottomed wound chamber, in treating wounds on a body.

Abstract: A free radical decontamination method and system. The system is comprised of a chamber defining a region, and a generator for generating free radical reach effluent from a free radical electric generator and hydrogen peroxide solution with water. A closed loop circulating system is provided for supplying the mixture of free radicals from the electric generator mixed with the hydrogen peroxide solution in the form of the effluent to the chamber.

Abstract: A free radical decontamination method and system. The system is comprised of a chamber defining a region, and a generator for generating free radical reach effluent from a free radical electric generator and hydrogen peroxide solution with water. A closed loop circulating system is provided for supplying the mixture of free radicals from the electric generator mixed with the hydrogen peroxide solution in the form of the effluent to the chamber.

Abstract: A non-thermal plasma generation device for non-destructively decontaminating sensitive surfaces, such as living tissue, electronic equipment and other surfaces that cannot tolerate high temperatures or aggressive chemicals, using the free radicals and excited states of gas produced in an atmospheric-pressure air plasma. The plasma is preferably generated by a stable, self-igniting discharge in a resonant waveguide system, driven by a magnetron or other high power microwave source, operating in a pulsed mode.

Abstract: A non-thermal plasma generation device for non-destructively decontaminating sensitive surfaces, such as living tissue, electronic equipment and other surfaces that cannot tolerate high temperatures or aggressive chemicals, using the free radicals and excited states of gas produced in an atmospheric-pressure air plasma. The plasma is preferably generated by a stable, self-igniting discharge in a resonant waveguide system, driven by a magnetron or other high power microwave source, operating in a pulsed mode.

Abstract: A discharge lamp bulb includes a light transmissive envelope and at least one conductive fiber disposed on a wall of the envelope, where the fiber has a thickness of less than 100 microns. The lamp may be either electrodeless or may include internal electrodes. Suitable materials for the fiber(s) include but are not limited to carbon, silicon carbide, aluminum, tantalum, molybdenum, platinum, and tungsten. Silicon carbide whiskers and platinum coated silicon carbide fibers may also be used. The fiber(s) may be aligned with the electrical field, at least during starting. The lamp preferably further includes a protective material covering the fiber(s). For example the protective material may be a sol gel deposited silica coating. Noble gases inside the bulb at pressures in excess of 300 Torr can be reliably ignited at applied electric field strengths of less than 4×105 V/m. Over 2000 Torr xenon, krypton, and argon respectively achieve breakdown with an applied field of less than 3×105 V/m.

Abstract: A discharge lamp bulb includes a light transmissive envelope and at least one conductive fiber disposed on a wall of the envelope, where the fiber has a thickness of less than 100 microns. The lamp may be either electrodeless or may include internal electrodes. Suitable materials for the fiber(s) include but are not limited to carbon, silicon carbide, aluminum, tantalum, molybdenum, platinum, and tungsten. Silicon carbide whiskers and platinum coated silicon carbide fibers may also be used. The fiber(s) may be aligned with the electrical field, at least during starting. The lamp preferably further includes a protective material covering the fiber(s). For example the protective material may be a sol gel deposited silica coating. Noble gases inside the bulb at pressures in excess of 300 Torr can be reliably ignited at applied electric field strengths of less than 4×105 V/m. Over 2000 Torr xenon, krypton, and argon respectively achieve breakdown with an applied field of less than 3×105 V/m.

Abstract: Ignition of an electrodeless lamp, energized by microwave or radio frequency energy, is achieved by disposing a ferroelectric igniter in the lamp envelope along with the fill material. The igniter responds to switching of its spontaneous ferroelectric polarization by emitting electrons that collide with the atoms of the fill material to discharge further electrons and ultimately provide emission of light. In the preferred embodiment, the microwave or radio frequency energy used to excite the fill material is applied to the ferroelectric igniter to cause switching of its spontaneous ferroelectric polarization. Another preferred feature is the securing of the igniter, in the form of a thin patch or wafer, to the inside surface of the lamp envelope in a generally perpendicular orientation to the electric field in the microwave excitation energy.

Abstract: A free radical sterilization system having a chamber defining a region, and a generator for generating free radical reach effluent from a free radical electric generator and/or a vaporizer. A closed loop circulating system without a free-radical destroyer is provided for supplying the mixture of free radicals from the electric generator mixed with the hydrogen peroxide solution in the form of the effluent to the chamber. The free-radical sterilization system is used in sterilizing items in the chamber and, with an open-bottomed wound chamber, in treating wounds on a body.

Abstract: A free radical sterilization system having a chamber defining a region, and a generator for generating free radical reach effluent from a free radical electric generator and/or a vaporizer. A closed loop circulating system without a free-radical destroyer is provided for supplying the mixture of free radicals from the electric generator mixed with the hydrogen peroxide solution in the form of the effluent to the chamber. The free-radical sterilization system is used in sterilizing items in the chamber and, with an open-bottomed wound chamber, in treating wounds on a body.