Method for purging and decontaminating a product-containing storage drum

Abstract

A drum processing apparatus serves to purge and decontaminate successive product-containing storage drums. The drum processing apparatus includes a drum deheading station, a drum emptying station, and at least one drum cleaning station. The drum deheading station includes high frequency torch or non-flammable cutting device for removing a lid of the drum to provide an opening at one end of the drum. The drum emptying station includes a drum invertor for emptying the contents of the drum through the opening in the drum. The drum cleaning stations are located downstream of the drum emptying station, and function to remove contaminants from the interior and exterior surfaces of the drum. A drum table moves the successive drums downstream from the drum deheading station to the drum emptying station and the drum cleaning station.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.