Burch Oil , Carlin Combustion / Hydrolevel , Thermo Products , and Triton Defense helped inventor Matt Hayes make a “ Hot Box ” designed to disinfect personal protective equipment . Now three facilities in Maryland are using the oil-fired device to treat N95 masks so that they can be reused .

For a heat source , the device uses a low-profile highboy oil furnace manufactured by Thermo Products , Denton , N . C ., said Rob Paquette , national sales manager , who emphasized that the furnace is being used outside its normal scope . “ This is a very specific , controlled environment ,” he noted . instrumental in the development , and the units have been manufactured on Triton ’ s premises .

“ They designed a lot of the individual hardware ,” Hayes says of Triton and Burch Oil . Hayes adds that he worked closely with Bobby Parlett , Burch Oil ’ s sales manager , to establish a supply chain “ that was going to be stable through the pandemic , relying on all Americanmade equipment .” The FDA authorized the system , Hayes says .

“ Our big challenges are scaling up the production , meeting the demands of healthcare facilities and making sure that everyone ’ s aware that this is now an option that they have ,” Hayes says in a phone

The device needs to maintain a consistent , high specific temperature throughout the chamber in which the PPE is placed .

“ They needed a way to maintain a very tight temperature differential in the hot box ,” said Bruce Graham , a technical support specialist for Carlin Combustion / Hydrolevel . “ We built them a Carlin EZ Temp that would keep the furnace firing on and off to maintain that temperature . We also built them customized safety limit controls .” The heating oil is contained in a double-walled tank manufactured by Roth North America .

Hayes , who came up with the conceptual design , says he approached Burch Oil and Triton Defense , local companies in Hollywood , Maryland , for their technical and manufacturing expertise . Maurice Owens and Jason Norris of Triton were interview with Fuel Oil News .

Capable of disinfecting 24,000 N95 masks per day , the machine can provide healthcare personnel the ability to reuse their masks at least 20 times , the developers say . It takes about one hour to cycle .

A goal is to build the devices and distribute them nationally and internationally , Parlett says . “ At this point the use of the machine is exclusively for the N95 mask ,” per the FDA , Parlett emphasizes .

The prototype was subjected to FDA testing last year while in use at the University of Maryland Charles Regional Medical Center , Southern Maryland News Net reported .

More recently , additional units have been placed with Charlotte Hall Veterans Home in Charlotte Hall , Maryland , and the St .

www . fueloilnews . com | FUEL OIL NEWS | FEBRUARY 2021 19