Method for removing or treating harmful biological and chemical substances within structures and enclosures

US 20050220662A1
Filed: 05/04/2005
Published: 10/06/2005
Est. Priority Date: 05/28/1999
Status: Active Grant

First Claim

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1. A method for destroying or denaturing and removing harmful microbiological organisms and chemical substances from an enclosure, comprising the steps of:

creating a negative pressure within the enclosure;

heating ambient air within the enclosure to a predetermined temperature of between 110°

F. and 400°

F., wherein due to the negative pressure and elevated temperature at least a portion of the harmful microbiological and chemical substances in the enclosure are destroyed or volatilize into the ambient air; and

removing the microbiological organisms and chemical substances from the heated air by incinerating the microbiological organisms and chemical substances or passing the heated air from the enclosure through a filter adapted to capture the microbiological organisms and chemical substances.

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Abstract

A process for removing or treating harmful biological and chemical substances from an enclosure, such as a building or vehicle by using heated air. The method of the present invention is non-toxic and can be performed in a relatively short amount of time while effectively killing and removing a large proportion of dead organisms and substantially reducing volatile organic compounds.

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55 Claims

1. A method for destroying or denaturing and removing harmful microbiological organisms and chemical substances from an enclosure, comprising the steps of:
- creating a negative pressure within the enclosure;
  
  heating ambient air within the enclosure to a predetermined temperature of between 110°
  
  F. and 400°
  
  F., wherein due to the negative pressure and elevated temperature at least a portion of the harmful microbiological and chemical substances in the enclosure are destroyed or volatilize into the ambient air; and
  
  removing the microbiological organisms and chemical substances from the heated air by incinerating the microbiological organisms and chemical substances or passing the heated air from the enclosure through a filter adapted to capture the microbiological organisms and chemical substances.
- View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
- - 2. The method of claim 1, including the step of physically cleaning a contaminated portion of the enclosure.
  - 3. The method of claim 1, including the step of physically cleaning a contaminated portion within the enclosure after the removing step.
  - 4. The method of claim 1, including the step of placing and distributing heated air into the enclosure using a heater passing heated air through a duct into the structure.
  - 5. The method of claim 4, including the step of introducing moisture into the heated air.
  - 6. The method of claim 1, including the step of protecting heat-sensitive articles within the enclosure.
  - 7. The method of claim 1, including the step of aggressively moving air within the enclosure to facilitate the volatilization of the microbiological organisms and chemical substances into the air.
  - 8. The method of claim 1, including the step of positioning a plurality of temperature probes at predetermined locations relative to the enclosure to monitor the temperature in the enclosure until the predetermined temperature is achieved.
  - 9. The method of claim 1, including the step of positioning a plurality of moisture probes at predetermined locations relative to the enclosure to monitor the moisture in the enclosure.
  - 10. The method of claim 1, including the step of positioning a manometer within the enclosure to measure the pressure within the enclosure.
  - 11. The method of claim 1, including the step of directing non-heated ambient air into the enclosure after a predetermined time of directing heated air into the enclosure, while continuing to remove the air through the filter.
  - 12. The method of claim 1, wherein the heating step includes the step of placing a heating device within the enclosure.
  - 13. The method of claim 12, wherein the heating device comprises an electric heater or a liquid to air heat exchanger.
  - 14. The method of claim 1, wherein the chemical substances removed from the enclosure include at least one of:
    - volatile organic compounds, oil, chloroanisole compounds, or Mercury.
  - 15. The method of claim 1, wherein the microbiological organisms destroyed or removed from the enclosure include at least one of:
    - fungi, molds, viruses, or bacteria.
  - 16. The method of claim 1, including the step of monitoring the levels of volatilized chemical substances in the heated air.
  - 17. The method of claim 16, including the step of utilizing a gas chromatography device.

18. A method for destroying or denaturing biological organisms or removing chemical substances such as TCA from an enclosure, comprising the steps of:
- placing a heating device within a portion of the enclosure;
  
  creating a positive pressure within the portion of the enclosure; and
  
  using the heating device to heat ambient air within the enclosure to a predetermined temperature of between 110°
  
  F. and 400°
  
  F. to kill or denature the organisms within the enclosure, or cause the chemicals to volatilize and migrate into the heated ambient air.
- View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
- - 19. The method of claim 18, including the step of passing the heated air from the enclosure through a filter adapted to capture the organisms and chemical substances.
  - 20. The method of claim 18, wherein the heating device comprises an electric heater, an oil heater or a liquid-to-air heat exchanger.
  - 21. The method of claim 18, including the step of physically cleaning a contaminated portion of the enclosure.
  - 22. The method of claim 18, including the step of introducing moisture into the heated air.
  - 23. The method of claim 18, including the step of protecting heat-sensitive articles within the enclosure.
  - 24. The method of claim 18, including the step of aggressively moving airwithin the enclosure to facilitate the volatilization of microbiological organisms and chemical substances into the air.
  - 25. The method of claim 18, including the step of positioning a plurality of temperature probes at predetermined locations relative to the enclosure to monitor the temperature in the enclosure until the predetermined temperature is achieved.
  - 26. The method of claim 18, including the step of positioning a plurality of moisture probes at predetermined locations relative to the enclosure to monitor the temperature therein.
  - 27. The method of claim 18, including the step of utilizing fans or blowers to aggressively move air within the enclosure.
  - 28. The method of claim 19, including the step of directing non-heated ambient air into the enclosure after a predetermined time of directing heated air into the enclosure, while continuing to remove the air through the filter.
  - 29. The method of claim 18, wherein the chemical substances removed from the enclosure include at least one of:
    - volatile organic compounds, oil, chloroanisole compounds, or Mercury.
  - 30. The method of claim 18, wherein the biological organisms destroyed or denatured from the enclosure include at least one of:
    - fungi, molds, viruses, or bacteria.
  - 31. The method of claim 18, wherein the biological organisms destroyed or denatured from the enclosure include at least one of:
    - bed bugs or fleas.

32. A method for removing moisture from building materials of a partially constructed building, comprising the steps of:
- heating ambient air within the partially constructed building to cause moisture from the building materials to migrate into the heated ambient air; and
  
  removing the heated air from the building.
- View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39)
- - 33. The method of claim 32, including the step of enclosing the building.
  - 34. The method of claim 32, including the step of placing a dehumidifier in the building.
  - 35. The method of claim 32, wherein the heating step includes the step of placing and distributing heated air into the building using a heater passing heated air through a duct into the building.
  - 36. The method of claim 32, wherein the heating step includes the step of placing a heater within the building.
  - 37. The method of claim 36, wherein the heater comprises an oil heater, an electric space heater or a liquid-to-air heat exchanger device.
  - 38. The method of claim 32, including the step of positioning a plurality of temperature probes at predetermined locations within the building to monitor the temperature in the building until a predetermined temperature is achieved.
  - 39. The method of claim 32, including the step of positioning at least one moisture probe within the building to monitor the moisture therein.

40. A method for removing pests from a structure, comprising the steps of:
- heating ambient air within the structure to a predetermined temperature of between 120°
  
  F. and 400°
  
  F. to either kill the pests or drive the pests from the structure;
  
  using a thermal imaging device to determine pest access points in the structure; and
  
  sealing the access points in the structure.
- View Dependent Claims (41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47)
- - 41. The method of claim 40, including the step attracting the insects to a selected location within the structure.
  - 42. The method of claim 41, wherein the attracting step includes the step of placing bait within the selected location of the structure.
  - 43. The method of claim 40, wherein the heating step includes the step of distributing heated air into the structure using a heater passing heated air through a duct into the structure.
  - 44. The method of claim 40, wherein the heating step includes the step of placing a heater device within the structure.
  - 45. The method of claim 40, including the step of positioning a plurality of temperature or moisture probes at predetermined locations relative to structure monitor the temperature in the structure until the predetermined temperature is achieved.
  - 46. The method of claim 40, wherein the pests comprise scorpions and other arachnoids.
  - 47. The method of claim 46, including the step of spraying the scorpions and other arachnoids with silica air gel.

48. A method for killing insects in a portion of a multi-unit building, comprising the steps of:
- determining a discrete portion of the multi-unit building infested with insects;
  
  heating ambient air within the infested discrete portion to a predetermined temperature of between 110°
  
  F. and 400°
  
  F. for a sufficient time period to kill the insects.
- View Dependent Claims (49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55)
- - 49. The method of claim 48, wherein the multi-unit building comprises a hotel, the discrete portion comprises a room of the hotel, and the insects comprise bed bugs.
  - 50. The method of claim 49, including the step of heating the ambient air in adjacent rooms to the infested room, totaling less than all of the rooms of the hotel.
  - 51. The method of claim 48, including the step of positioning a temperature or moisture probe to monitor the temperature in the discrete portion until the predetermined temperature is achieved.
  - 52. The method of claim 49, including the step of placing a temperature probe in a bed of the room.
  - 53. The method of claim 48, wherein the heating step includes the step of placing a heater device within the discrete portion.
  - 54. The method of claim 48, including the step of cleaning the discrete portion to remove the killed insects.
  - 55. The method of claim 48, including the step of sealing insect entry points to the discrete portion.

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Current Assignee
ThermaPure Incorporated
Original Assignee
David E Hedman
Inventors
Hedman, David E.

Granted Patent

US 8,256,135 B2
Time in Patent Office

Days
Field of Search
US Class Current

422/1
CPC Class Codes

A01M 1/2094   killing insects by using te...

A01M 1/24   Arrangements connected with...

A01M 19/00   Apparatus for the destructi...

A01M 21/04   Apparatus for destruction b...

A01M 2200/011   Crawling insects

A01M 2200/012   Flying insects

A61L 2/02   using physical phenomena

A61L 2/04   Heat A61L2/08 takes precedence

A61L 2/22   Phase substances, e.g. smok...

A61L 9/16   using physical phenomena

B01D 2257/2064   Chlorine

B01D 2257/90   Odorous compounds not provi...

B01D 2257/91   Bacteria; Microorganisms

F23G 7/06   of waste gases or noxious g...

F24F 2011/0005   to create underpressure in ...

F24F 8/20   by sterilisation

Method for removing or treating harmful biological and chemical substances within structures and enclosures

First Claim

1 Assignment

0 Petitions

Accused Products

Abstract

131 Citations

55 Claims

Specification

Solutions

Use Cases

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Method for removing or treating harmful biological and chemical substances within structures and enclosures

First Claim

1 Assignment

Subscription Required

Subscription Required

0 Petitions

Subscription Required

Accused Products

Subscription Required

Abstract

131 Citations

55 Claims

Specification

Subscription Required

Solutions

Use Cases

Quick Links