To provide a sterilization apparatus and a sterilization method to be used together with an article having at least two open ends and a fluid passage between the open ends.
This sterilization method is used together with the article having at least the two open ends and the fluid passage between the open ends, and includes a a process for fluid connection, a process for lowering pressure in a chamber to a level not more than first atmospheric pressure, a process for allowing the increment amount by the steam pulse of a multicomponent sterilant wherein one component is water vapor, to flow into the chamber on the level not more than second atmospheric pressure and at a temperature higher than the condensation temperature of the vapor of the sterilant , a process for stopping the flow of the steam of the sterilant to spread the vapor in the chamber to come into contact with an outer surface of the article and the fluid passage, and a process for repeating the flowing periods of the sterilant and the stop periods of the sterilant continuously turning over a plurality of times enough to sterilize the article and the fluid passage.
RICKLOFF JAMES R
MIELNIK THADDEUS J
KLOBUSNIK KENNETH J
