CM/Spotlight: Infection Control The Lucky SEVEN Of By: Rick Hoverson STEAM VAPOR S Steam vapor systems are increasingly used in facilities because they rapidly clean and deodorize and because they disinfect and sanitize surfaces. Steam vapor systems heat and pressurize tap water to produce “dry” steam vapor at six percent moisture, sometimes referred to as saturated steam vapor. The overall function, longevity and usefulness of a steam vapor system depends on seven key elements. 1. Heating element The heating element is where electrical energy is transferred to the water that will become steam to power the cleaning and disinfection process. An immersion-type heating element is prefer-able since it directly contacts the boiler water, the most efficient way for the solution to be heated. 2. Boiler The boiler contains the steam within the system. Aluminum boilers are lightweight and hold heat well, but may have a short operational life if regu-larly used with water containing a great deal of calcium or other minerals. Only plain, ordinary, potable tap water is need-ed for filling the steam vapor system. Since obtaining water with reduced mineral content in some environments may be impracti-cal, some steam vapor systems are outfitted with technologies designed to minimize scale development within the boiler and on the heating element. A quality steam vapor system will generate 300 degree Fahrenheit (F) to 320 degree F steam in the boiler. This will provide a minimal water droplet size and maximize the energy transfer within the steam vapor application. A common misconception is that a hotter boiler Selection should be made on the basis of seven key elements of functionality and safety. Rick Hoverson is the principal of Advanced Vapor Technologies LLC, Edmonds, Washington. The simplified, water-only protocol for Advanced Vapor Technologies’ proprietary thermo accelerated nano-crystal sanitation (TANCS) steam vapor cleaning and dis-infection system means fewer consumables, less room for error and less mess. Reduced health risks than those associated with typical chemical cleaners mean a healthier, more comfortable work environment and fewer lost work-days for your staff and less risk for you. For more information, visit www.AdVap.com. for more info Visit www.cmmonline.com and type in search key-word: Infection Control . For more information on related products, visit www.cmmonline.com , select SUPPLIER SEARCH from the main navigation bar, and enter keyword: Steam Vapor . temperature is always better. However, the steam heat-pressure curve is not linear, so getting the boiler hotter does not neces-sarily make better steam and can waste energy. A good steam vapor system is designed to allow the operator to maintain an optimum temperature and pressure over long periods of use. When steam is created in any device, it is important to have redundant safety measures engineered into the system to prevent overheating, over-pressuring or any other situation that might arise if there should be a malfunction within the system. 3. Reservoir The reservoir holds the system’s water. In a single-tank system configuration, the boiler also serves as the reservoir. A significant drawback to this design is that the unit requires a cool-down period before it can be refilled, and then a heat-up period to operating temperatures before work can continue. In two-tank systems, a separate reservoir feeds the boiler automatically, resulting in constant, uninterrupted steam vapor. As water is drawn down, the operator simply adds more to the reservoir when the machine indicates it needs to be replenished. A quart of water will generally provide about an hour’s use of steam vapor from a 120-volt sys-tem — and most systems will have a capacity of several quarts. 4. Hoses The hose, which carries steam from the boiler to the tool, is typically the most abused part of the system. For this reason, removable hoses are advanta-geous because they allow for repair or replace-ment. 22 CM/Cleaning & Maintenance Management ® • February 2012
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