HPV Decontamination

Hydrogen Peroxide Vapour is used to decontaminate the inside of an Aseptic Isolator.

 

The gaseous decontamination process uses a HPV generator, with its own PLC controller, that manages the various cycle set points and phase parameters, and communicates with the isolator.

 

In practice, an aqueous solution of Hydrogen Peroxide is flash vaporized. A heated air stream then carries the vapour into the isolator. Air and the HPV antimicrobial is drawn out of the isolator and passes through a catalytic converter which degrades the HPV antimicrobial into oxygen and water vapour. The air stream then recharges with fresh HPV antimicrobial vapour (occuring within the HPV Bio-decontamination unit) and returns to the Isolator.

 

In developing any HPV decontamination cycle there is a balance to be made between the need to ensure an adequate biocontamination kill rate and the desire to minimize cycle duration.

 

Howorth have been able to utilize computer modeling techniques, including Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) to help with the optimization of the HPV decontamination cycle.  Through the enhancement of the isolator’s internal aerodynamic characteristics, including the inlet and exit ports, we are able to ensure the most effective dispersion of HPV within the enclosure.