Compression apparatus having grooved compression sleeve and press ram

Claim 1

A compression and volume reduction treatment apparatus for solid waste, comprising: a compression sleeve for receiving therein a cylindrical vessel filled with the solid waste, said compression sleeve having an interior surface comprising a straight large diameter portion having a straight cylindrical inner surface, a straight small diameter portion having a straight cylindrical inner surface with an inner diameter which is smaller than that of said straight large diameter portion and smaller than an outer diameter of the cylindrical vessel, and an intermediate tapered portion whose inner surface is tapered to connect said straight cylindrical inner surfaces of said straight large diameter portion and said straight small diameter portion, said inner surfaces of the large diameter portion, the straight diameter portion and the intermediate tapered portion including a plurality of axially aligned longitudinal grooves; and a press ram arranged above said compression sleeve such that it is upwardly and downwardly displaceable for compressing at high pressure the cylindrical vessel in the compression sleeve, said press ram having an outer circumferential surface that includes a plurality of axially aligned ridges engaging with said axially aligned longitudinal grooves of said large diameter portion, said small diameter portion and said intermediate tapered portion of the compression sleeve, thereby compressing said cylindrical vessel and reducing its volume in three dimensional directions by compressing said vessel radially inwardly at the tapered inner surface of said intermediate tapered portion and compressing axially at said inner surface of said straight small diameter portion when the cylindrical vessel in said straight large diameter portion is urged by said press ram in a uniaxial direction.