Method and apparatus for anesthetic gas reclamation with compression stage
US7669438B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | May 11, 2006 |
| Grant date | Mar 2, 2010 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Feb 24, 2028 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
- CPC primaryA61M2205/3606
- WIPO fieldMedical technology
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A method and apparatus are disclosed for recovering and separating anesthetic gas components from waste anesthetic gases to be purged from a healthcare facility. Prior to a condensation step, a compressor is used to increase the waste anesthetic gas pressure in order to facilitate condensation of anesthetic gas components at higher temperatures and in greater amounts than through condensation at lower pressures. Condensing the anesthetic gas components from the compressed waste anesthetic gas stream is then achieved using conventional condensation systems, which remove anesthetic gases as either liquid condensates or solid frosts. A preferred embodiment of the invention may be used with existing high-flow scavenging or reclamation systems but is more preferably used with low-flow scavenging or reclamation systems, which employ intelligent waste anesthetic gas collection units to minimize the ingress of atmospheric gas when no waste anesthetic gas is to be purged from the healthcare facility.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.