| abstract |
An ozone sterilizer includes a generator (10) capable of generating a gas containing at least about 10 % by weight ozone, a holding tank (31), a humidification chamber (33) for receiving the ozonated gas and humidifying it to form a sterilant including at least about 8 % by weight ozone at a humidity of at least about 60 %, a vent (43) for bleeding sterilant over a first catalyst (47), a sterilization chamber (75) for receiving a controlled flow of sterilant which is in fluid communication with a pump (91) for evacuating the sterilization chamber (75) over a second catalyst (89), a vent (85) for bleeding the sterilant from the sterilization chamber and a heater (99). The ozone generating apparatus includes an ozone generator (10) having concentric electrodes and means for generating a corona discharge, a pump (90) for recirculating a portion of the ozone containing gas leaving the generator through a conduit and a heat exchanger (38) for cooling the recirculated portion of the ozone-containing gas. |