Design and modeling of an exhaust gas waste heat autoclave

Abstract

In order to provide proper sterilization and cleaning of medical equipment for field hospitals and third-world countries while also decreasing the reliance on electricity of traditional sterilization methods, a new steam sterilizer/autoclave system was designed and modeled. This system uses waste engine heat from the exhaust system of a diesel generator set to boil water and produce the pressurized steam conditions necessary for effective medical sterilization. Currently, the design utilizes a 0.59 meter, concentric tube cross-flow heat exchanger and high-temperature heat transfer fluid to draw thermal energy from the exhaust pipe and deposit it into the autoclave pressure vessel to create steam. The system is designed to run a 35-minute sterilization cycle, requiring 15 minutes to produce saturated steam at 2 atmospheres within a 50- liter autoclave, and 20 minutes to sterilize medical instruments in the steam environment. Furthermore, the system uses basic, off-the-shelf fluid transfer materials to provide a robust, effective system that can be easily maintained in the field without need for specialized parts or technicians.