| 摘要 |
A sterilant challenge device (50), for use in testing the efficiency of the air removal stage of a sterilization cycle in a sterilizer, includes a tube (2) of thermally-insulating material, the bore of which is closed at one end (52) and open at the other for the entry of sterilant. A plurality of thermally-conductive masses (51) are located around the tube (2) and thermally-separated from one another by air gaps (59), and a temperature sensor is located in an opening (61) in one of the masses adjacent the closed end of the tube. An outer casing (25) defines an air space around the thermally-conductive masses and thermally insulates the masses from the heat in the sterilizer. When the challenge device is located in a sterilizer, the penetration of sterilant along the bore of the tube (2) during a sterilization cycle, is inhibited by the accumulation of air and/or non-condensable gas within the bore resulting from the condensation of moisture on the walls of the bore. By measuring the temperature in a thermally-conductive mass (51) adjacent the closed end of the tube (2), the presence of sterilant in the adjacent region of the bore of the tube can be detected.
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