Design of an Efficient Sterilisation System

Abstract

Sterilisation, a key method for reducing the transfer of communicable diseases, is an extermination method for microorganisms from the surface of devices, culture media, fluids and reagents. In a developing country such as Ghana, electricity is often unavailable and supply when available is frequently unreliable. High cost of existing sterilization systems, inefficient microbe elimination by improvised methods and material degradation were identified as major inadequacies associated with sterilisation systems, currently being employed. Using a formal engineering design process, a sterilisation system satisfying objectives of user safety, high operational efficiency, competitive cost, and an aesthetically pleasing appearance was developed for hospitals, clinics, traditional birth attendants and beauty parlours. The affordable steriliser resolves the aforementioned limitations by operating without the use of electricity and attains sterility without material degradation. The design may be modified to obtain sterilisers of varying capacity to satisfy different categories of users, both small and large scale. The mediation of designing a non-electrical steriliser, with an operational efficiency of 83%, is meant to promote the practice of sterilisation among healthcare providers and beauticians, so as to reduce disease transfer resulting from the use of contaminated equipment.