# US 2013/0153692 A1 · Process for recycling absorbent sanitary products

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- Number: US 2013/0153692 A1
- Document ID: US20130153692A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 13/686,842
- Filed: 2012-11-27
- Published: 2013-06-20
- Earliest claimed: 2011-11-28
- Assignees: FATER S p.A.
- Inventors: Marcello SOMMA; Giorgio Vaccaro; Jan K. Michalek; Theodore Thomas
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20130153692A1

## CPC

- B02C 19/00: Other disintegrating devices or methods (for grain B02C9/00)
- A61L 2/07: Steam
- A61L 11/00: Methods specially adapted for refuse {(disintegrating medical waste B02C19/0075; disposal of medical waste B09B3/00)}
- B29B 17/02: Separating plastics from other materials
- B29B 2017/0224: {Screens, sieves}
- B29K 2001/00: Use of cellulose, modified cellulose or cellulose derivatives, e.g. viscose, as moulding material
- B29L 2031/4878: {Diapers, napkins}
- Y02W 30/52: Mechanical processing of waste for the recovery of materials, e.g. crushing, shredding, separation or disassembly
- Y02W 30/62: Plastics recycling; Rubber recycling
- B02C: CRUSHING, PULVERISING, OR DISINTEGRATING IN GENERAL; MILLING GRAIN ({household tools and machines for pulverising foodstuffs, e.g. coffee and spice mills A47J42/00; pharmaceutical mortars A61J3/02; mechanical processing of refuse and garbage B03B9/06; dressing mould materials by grinding B22C5/04}; obtaining metallic powder by crushing, grinding or milling B22F9/04; {recovery of plastics by disintegrating B29B17/00; crushing raw materials in starch making C08B30/02; beaters for papermaking D21D1/02; crushing devices specially for transport in mines E21F13/002; slag crushing devices F23J1/00; fuel milling devices in combustion apparatus F23K1/00; household devices for crushing coal F24B15/02; ice disintegrating devices F25C5/02})
- A61L: METHODS OR APPARATUS FOR STERILISING MATERIALS OR OBJECTS IN GENERAL; DISINFECTION, STERILISATION OR DEODORISATION OF AIR; CHEMICAL ASPECTS OF BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS OR SURGICAL ARTICLES; MATERIALS FOR BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS OR SURGICAL ARTICLES (preservation of bodies or disinfecting characterised by the agents employed A01N; preserving, e.g. sterilising, food or foodstuffs A23; preparations for medical, dental or toiletry purposes A61K)
- B29B: PREPARATION OR PRETREATMENT OF THE MATERIAL TO BE SHAPED; MAKING GRANULES OR PREFORMS; RECOVERY OF PLASTICS OR OTHER CONSTITUENTS OF WASTE MATERIAL CONTAINING PLASTICS
- B29K: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES B29B, B29C OR B29D, RELATING TO MOULDING MATERIALS OR TO MATERIALS FOR {MOULDS, } REINFORCEMENTS, FILLERS OR PREFORMED PARTS, e.g. INSERTS
- B29L: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASS B29C, RELATING TO PARTICULAR ARTICLES
- Y02W: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO WASTEWATER TREATMENT OR WASTE MANAGEMENT

## Abstract

A process for treating used absorbent sanitary products, comprising the steps of providing a rotary cylindrical autoclave having an inner surface and two ends, at least one of which terminates in a hatch that can be opened to enable access to said autoclave and sealably closed to enable pressurization of said autoclave; loading said autoclave with closed absorbent sanitary products; heating and pressurizing the autoclave to a sterilization temperature and at the same time driving the autoclave in rotation about a longitudinal axis thereof, wherein said step of heating and pressurizing the autoclave envisages a first temperature regime for the products contained in the autoclave and a second temperature regime, higher than the first temperature regime, for said inner surface.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A process for treating used absorbent sanitary products, comprising the steps of:
providing a rotary cylindrical autoclave having an inner surface and two ends, at least one of which terminates in a hatch that can be opened to enable access to said autoclave and sealably closed to enable pressurization of said autoclave;
loading said autoclave with closed absorbent sanitary products;
heating and pressurizing the autoclave to a sterilization temperature and at the same time driving the autoclave in rotation about a longitudinal axis thereof,
wherein said step of heating and pressurizing the autoclave envisages a first temperature regime for the products contained in the autoclave and a second temperature regime, higher than the first temperature regime, for said inner surface.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The process according to claim 1, wherein said first temperature regime is comprised between 138 and 152° C.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The process according to claim 1, wherein said second temperature regime is comprised between 160 and 200° C.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The process according to claim 1, wherein said second temperature regime is comprised between 165 and 175° C.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The process according to claim 1, wherein the first temperature regime is provided by contact steam in direct contact with the products contained in the autoclave and said second temperature regime is provided by non-contact steam that traverses ducts located on the inner wall of the autoclave.