Method and apparatus for the processing of medical waste materials

An apparatus for processing medical waste materials comprising an elongate pressure vessel of generally cylindrical configuration having an inlet end, and a closely fitting closure member therefor, said vessel containing an elongate drum of generally cylindrical configuration mounted for rotation about its longitudinal axis, said drum having means for selectively driving it in either rotative direction about such longitudinal axis, said drum having an inlet end corresponding with the inlet end of said vessel, with the longitudinal axis of said drum being at a slight angle of incline to the horizontal, such that the inlet end is at a slightly higher elevation than the opposite end, means for agitating the medical waste within the drum by non-obstructive, helically configured means mounted at spaced locations along the interior perimeter of said drum, such that, during rotation of the drum in a first rotative direction, said helically configured means intercepts the waste materials and tends to move same forward, in the direction away from the inlet end of said drum, whereas during rotation of the drum in the second rotative direction, said helically configured means intercepts the waste materials and tends to move same backward in the direction toward the inlet end of the drum, means for agitating the waste materials within the drum by non-obstructive lifting paddles disposed along the interior perimeter of the drum interspersed between the spacing of said helically configured means, said lifting paddles being bi-directionally configured so as to cooperate with said helically configured means, during rotation of said drum in the first rotative direction, intending to move the medical waste being processed backward toward the inlet end of said drum simultaneously with the forward movement of said waste materials as a result of the effect of said helically configured means, resulting in a highly advantageous, very thorough mixing of the waste materials, whereas during rotation of the drum in the second rotative direction, said helically configured means intercepts the waste materials and tends to move same backward, in the direction toward the inlet of the drum and simultaneously, said lifting paddles also tend to move the waste materials backward, in the direction toward the inlet of said drum, for effecting discharge of the waste materials from the apparatus.

An apparatus for processing medical waste materials comprising an elongate pressure vessel of generally cylindrical configuration having an inlet end, and a closely fitting closure member therefor, said vessel containing an elongate drum of generally cylindrical configuration mounted for rotation about its longitudinal axis, said drum having means for selectively driving it in either rotative direction about such longitudinal axis, said drum having an inlet end corresponding with the inlet end of said vessel, with the longitudinal axis of said drum being at a slight angle of incline to the horizontal, such that the inlet end is at a slightly higher elevation than the opposite end, means for agitating the medical waste within the drum by non-obstructive, helically configured means mounted at spaced locations along the interior perimeter of said drum, such that, during rotation of the drum in a first rotative direction, said helically configured means intercepts the waste materials and tends to move same forward, in the direction away from the inlet end of said drum, whereas during rotation of the drum in the second rotative direction, said helically configured means intercepts the waste materials and tends to move same backward in the direction toward the inlet end of the drum, means for agitating the waste materials within the drum by non-obstructive lifting paddles disposed along the interior perimeter of the drum interspersed between the spacing of said helically configured means, said paddles each being equipped with a plurality of angular surfaces such that during rotation of said drum in the first rotative direction, the first plurality of surfaces of said lifting paddles lift a portion of the waste materials from the mass of waste materials moving through the drum and tend to move such portion of said waste materials backward toward the inlet end of said drum simultaneously with the forward movement of the waste materials as a result of the effect of said helically configured means, with the consequence of a highly advantageous, very thorough mixing of the waste materials being obtained, leading to a very effective contacting of the waste materials with any agent added for accomplishing the sterilization of pathological contaminants, whereas during rotation of the drum in the second rotative direction, said helically configured means intercepts the waste materials and tends to move same backward, in the direction toward the inlet of the drum and simultaneously, with the second plurality of surfaces of said lifting paddles also tending to move the waste materials backward, in the direction toward the inlet of said drum for effecting discharge of the waste materials from the apparatus when the closure member has been opened.

A method for processing medical waste materials utilizing a pressure vessel of generally cylindrical configuration, having rotatably mounted in its interior, a drum of generally cylindrical configuration that is mounted to be driven about its longitudinal axis, said pressure vessel having an inlet end and a closure member therefor, said drum having an open inlet adjacent the inlet of said vessel, the interior of said drum being equipped with helically configured means and lifting paddles designed to accomplish complete agitation of the medical waste materials, such method comprising the steps of:

• introducing waste material through the inlet of said vessel, into the inlet of said drum;
• making the vessel pressure tight by closing said closure member;
• driving the drum in rotation about its longitudinal axis, so as to bring about agitation of the waste material in the drum;
• adding heat to the waste material in order to facilitate the sterilization of the waste materials in the drum, and raising the pressure inside the vessel to a level above atmospheric pressure;
• continuing to rotate the drum in the presence of the added heat in order to accomplish considerable agitation and complete contacting of the waste material in the drum with the added heat;
• and thereafter opening said closure member and discharging the treated waste materials from the drum and the vessel.