Disinfestation apparatus utilizing heat

Abstract

A disinfestation apparatus that treats an existing structure with heat and is designed to be portable is disclosed.

I claim:  
     
         1 . An apparatus for eradicating pests, said apparatus comprising: 
 a chamber having means for lifting by external machinery, said chamber having first and second ends;    a door or pair of doors that allow ingress and egress from the interior of the chamber, said doors positioned at the first end of the chamber;    a means for heating the interior of said chamber, said means for heating located either on the exterior or remote of said chamber.    
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said means for heating comprises an indirect fired heating unit.  
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said means for heating is a direct fired heating unit.  
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said chamber is insulated.  
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said chamber is a refurbished reefer box.  
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said chamber is substantially a rectangular box.  
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 6  wherein said means for lifting said chamber comprises lift mounts positioned proximate the upper four corners of said rectangular chamber.  
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said means for lifting said chamber comprises fork-lift pockets underneath the chamber.  
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising a plurality of wheels that can be mounted on the underside of said chamber in order to move the chamber and facilitate its portability.  
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising a trailer having wheels, said trailer adapted to be pulled by a tractor truck and that can accept said chamber in order to move the chamber and facilitate its portability.  
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprised of a modified existing trailer to which said heating device is attached directly.  
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprised of a modified existing trailer to which said heating device is attached remotely.  
     
     
         13 . A process for converting an existing enclosed structure into an apparatus for eradicating pests, the enclosed structure having a first endwall, a second endwall, a left wall, a right wall, a ceiling and a floor that define an interior chamber, the process comprising the steps of: 
 providing a heater capable of heating the interior air of the chamber to a desired temperature for a desired period of time, the heater having an inlet for drawing in cooler air and an outlet for outputting air after it has been heated, said heater being located outside of said structure;    modifying the first endwall with a chamber inlet for accepting heated air from the heater;    attaching a plenum on the inside of said chamber proximate the chamber inlet, the plenum being designed to accept and assist in distributing the heated air;    hanging ductwork on the inside of said structure proximate the ceiling, the ductwork communicating with said plenum for allowing heated air to travel from the plenum through the ductwork, said ductwork having a plurality of perforations for distributing the heated air from the ductwork throughout the chamber; and    attaching a return baffle proximate the plenum, said return baffle communicating with said plenum for drawing in at least a portion of the air in the chamber and directing said drawn air back into the plenum preferably to be remixed with the heated air.    
     
     
         14 . The process of  claim 13  further comprising the step of insulating said walls, the ceiling and the floor.  
     
     
         15 . The process of  claim 13  wherein said heater is a direct fired heater that draws air into its inlet from outside the chamber.  
     
     
         16 . The process of  claim 13  wherein said heater is an indirect fired heater, further comprising the steps of: 
 providing a plenum deck between the plenum and the return baffle for at least partially restricting the air drawn from the chamber from being directed to the plenum;  
 modifying the endwall proximate the return baffle with a chamber outlet; and  
 connecting the heater inlet to the chamber outlet with a duct for directing at least a portion of the air drawn by the return baffle from the chamber into the heater.  
 
     
     
         17 . The process of  claim 16  wherein said ductwork comprises two elongated ducts extending from the plenum along the entire length of the structure, one elongated duct positioned along the left wall and the other elongated duct positioned along the right wall.  
     
     
         18 . The process of  claim 16  wherein said ductwork comprises a left side elongated duct and a right side elongated duct, the elongated ducts having a triangular cross-section wherein a portion of the ceiling and a portion of the left wall form two sides of the left side elongated duct and a portion of the ceiling and a portion of the right wall form two sides of the right side elongated duct.  
     
     
         19 . The process of  claim 18  further comprising the step of providing a fan assembly that communicates with said plenum for forcibly blowing air into the ductwork.