Apparatus and method for removing microbial contaminants from a flowing fluid

Abstract

A cell culture incubator comprising a chamber, an airflow passage through which fluids may recirculate through the chamber, a filter disposed within the airflow passage, and a structural component constructed of a material with anti-microbial properties. The structural component is disposed in the airflow passage so that microbial contaminants in air flowing into or within the incubator will contact the anti-microbial structural component and be retained in a portion of the airflow passage. The portion of the airflow passage in which the microbial contaminants are retained may be adjacent to the structural element.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A cell culture incubator, comprising: 
 a chamber;    an airflow passage through which gasses may recirculate in and out of the chamber;    a filter disposed within the airflow passage;    and a structural component constructed of a material with anti-microbial properties, wherein the structural component is disposed in the airflow passage so that microbial contaminants in air flowing into the incubator will contact the structural component and be retained in a portion of the airflow passage.    
     
     
         2 . The incubator of  claim 1  wherein the microbial contaminants will be retained in a portion of the airflow passage adjacent the structural component.  
     
     
         3 . The incubator of  claim 1  wherein the structural component is made of copper.  
     
     
         4 . The incubator of  claim 1  wherein the structural component is disposed in the airflow passage upstream of the filter.  
     
     
         5 . The incubator of  claim 1 , wherein the filter includes a casing, and wherein the structural component is disposed inside the casing.  
     
     
         6 . The incubator of  claim 5 , wherein the filter includes a filter element disposed inside the casing, the filter element including an upstream and downstream side, and wherein the structural component is disposed inside the casing on the upstream side of the filter element.  
     
     
         7 . The incubator of  claim 1 , wherein the structural component is a mesh.  
     
     
         8 . The incubator of  claim 1 , wherein the material with anti-microbial properties may react with chemical compounds in the air to form products with anti-microbial properties.  
     
     
         9 . The incubator of  claim 8 , wherein the material with anti-microbial properties is copper, wherein the chemical compounds in the air include sulfur oxides, and wherein the products with anti-microbial properties include copper sulfate.  
     
     
         10 . The incubator of  claim 8 , wherein the material with anti-microbial properties is copper, wherein the chemical compounds in the air include oxygen, and wherein the products with anti-microbial properties include copper oxides.  
     
     
         11 . An air filter for removing microbial contaminants from air, comprising: 
 a casing, the casing defining a passage for airflow through the filter;    a filter element disposed in the casing such that air must flow through the filter element to flow through the passage; and    a structural element made of a material with anti-microbial properties disposed in the casing such that air must flow through the structural element to flow through the filter element.    
     
     
         12 . The filter of  claim 11 , wherein the filter element has an upstream side and a downstream side, and wherein the structural element with anti-microbial properties is disposed in the casing on the upstream side of the filter element.  
     
     
         13 . The filter of  claim 11 , wherein the structural component is a mesh.  
     
     
         14 . The filter of  claim 11 , wherein the material with anti-microbial properties is copper.  
     
     
         15 . The filter of  claim 11 , wherein the material with anti-microbial properties may react with chemical compounds in the air to form products with anti-microbial properties.  
     
     
         16 . The filter of  claim 15 , wherein the material with anti-microbial properties is copper, wherein the chemical compounds in the air include sulfur oxides, and wherein the products with anti-microbial properties include copper sulfate.  
     
     
         17 . The filter of  claim 15 , wherein the material with anti-microbial properties is copper, wherein the chemical compounds in the air include oxygen, and wherein the products with anti-microbial properties include copper oxides.  
     
     
         18 . An anti-microbial structural component for use in an air intake filter, the air filter including a filter element, the structural component comprising: 
 a mesh of a material with anti-microbial properties, wherein the mesh may be configured such that all air flowing through the filter element must first pass through the mesh.    
     
     
         19 . The structural component of  claim 18 , wherein the material with anti-microbial properties is copper.  
     
     
         20 . The structural component of  claim 18 , wherein the material with anti-microbial properties may react with chemical compounds in the air to form products with anti-microbial properties.  
     
     
         21 . The structural component of  claim 20 , wherein the material with anti-microbial properties is copper, wherein the chemical compounds in the air include sulfur oxides, and wherein the products with anti-microbial properties include copper sulfate.  
     
     
         22 . The structural component of  claim 20 , wherein the material with anti-microbial properties is copper, wherein the chemical compounds in the air include oxygen, and wherein the products with anti-microbial properties include copper oxides.  
     
     
         23 . A method of removing microbial contaminants from air, comprising: 
 providing a structural component made of a material with anti-microbial properties in an air filter, the air filter including a filter element;    creating an airflow though the filter element; and    exposing microbial contaminants in air flowing through the filter element to the structural component made of a material with anti-microbial properties.    
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein providing a structural component made of a material with anti-microbial properties includes providing a mesh made of a material with anti-microbial properties.  
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein providing a structural component made of a material with anti-microbial properties includes providing a structural component made of a material that may react with chemical compounds in air to form products with anti-microbial properties.  
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , further comprising exposing the structural element to air before exposing microbial contaminants in the air to the structural component so that the structural component reacts with chemical compounds in the air to form products with anti-microbial properties.  
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the material that may react with chemical compounds in air is copper, wherein the chemical compounds in air include sulfur oxides, and wherein the products include copper sulfate.  
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the material that may react with chemical compounds in air is copper, wherein the chemical compounds in air include oxygen, and wherein the products include copper oxides.  
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 23 , further comprising trapping microbial contaminants after exposing them to the structural component made of a material with anti-microbial properties.