Autoclave and method for treating regulated medical waste using injection of bursts of stream

A method of treating Regulated Medical Waste with steam in a steam autoclave, comprising the steps of

• (a) commencing a steam treatment cycle for treating Regulated Medical Waste by feeding steam into a sterilization chamber of the steam autoclave into which Regulated Medical Waste to be treated has been placed until a first selected pressure level in the sterilization chamber is reached,
• (b) automatically discontinuing feeding steam into the sterilization chamber when the first selected pressure level in the sterilization chamber is reached,
• (c) heating the sterilization chamber and the Regulated Medical Waste contained therein with the steam until the steam treatment cycle is completed,
• (d) draining condensate from the sterilization chamber during the steam treatment cycle while the sterilization chamber is pressurized,
• (e) sensing during the steam treatment cycle a pressure drop in the sterilization chamber caused by the condensate draining while the sterilization chamber is pressurized during the steam treatment cycle, and
• (f) automatically feeding additional steam into the sterilization chamber during the steam treatment cycle in response to when the pressure drop caused by the condensate draining while the sterilization chamber is pressurized during the steam treatment cycle reaches a second selected pressure level and continuing to do so during the steam treatment cycle until the first selected pressure level in the sterilization chamber is reached again,
• the sterilization chamber having a condensate drain line having a conduit extending therethrough defining a path for condensate to move through the condensate drain line, and the condensate drain line having means formed thereon along at least a portion of the conduit extending therethrough for permitting effective draining of condensate through the conduit while the sterilization chamber is pressurized without substantial loss of steam pressure in the sterilization chamber, wherein the draining step comprises draining condensate from the sterilization chamber through the conduit of the condensate drain line.