Process for the disposal of medical waste

Claim 2

A process for the disposal of medical waste comprising the steps of: A. providing a pressure vessel containing rotatable disintegration means, a closure means for said pressure vessel, and connected to said pressure vessel an entrained solids separator, a liquid condenser, a condensate receiver, a vacuum pump, and a filter of an activated carbon type; B. introducing medical waste to be treated into said pressure vessel containing rotatable disintegration means; C. sealing said pressure vessel with said closure means against the uncontrolled release of contents; D. locking said closure means in a manner to preclude accidental or casual opening of said pressure vessel prior to the sterilization of the contents; E. activating said rotatable disintegration means to effect a substantial disintegration of the contents of said pressure vessel; F. heating the contents of said pressure vessel to a temperature in the range of about 245 to 270 degrees Fahrenheit and maintaining the contents at a temperature in said range for a period sufficient to destroy any micro-organism content of said medical waste; G. terminating the heating of the contents of said pressure vessel; H. drawing a vacuum on said pressure vessel through said entrained solids separator, said liquid condensor and said condensate receiver by means of said vacuum pump and passing the exhaust stream from said vacuum pump through said filter, and I. discharging the contents of said pressure vessel; and further providing that all of the steps of said process other than the initial loading of the pressure vessel with medical waste and the discharge of medical waste therefrom are controlled by automatic control means provided with recorder means to provide a verifiable record of the sterilization of the contents of said pressure vessel.

Claim 3

A process in accordance with claim 1 wherein heating step F comprises steam injection, and wherein a vacuum of at least 25 inches of water is drawn on the pressure vessel following locking step D and prior to heating step F.

Claim 4

A process for the continuous disposal of medical waste comprising the steps of: A. providing a pressure vessel containing rotatable disintegration means and closure means for said pressure vessel; B. providing a pressurized sterilization vessel; C. providing a vacuum vessel, and connected to said vacuum vessel an entrained solids separator, a liquid condenser, a condensate receiver, a vacuum pump, and a filter of an activated carbon type; D. introducing medical waste to be treated into said pressure vessel containing rotatable disintegration means; E. sealing said pressure vessel with said closure means against the uncontrolled release of contents; F. locking said closure means in a manner to preclude accidental or casual opening of said pressure vessel prior to the sterilization of the contents; G. activating said rotatable disintegration means to effect a substantial disintegration of the contents of said pressure vessel; H. injecting steam into the contents of said pressure vessel during said disintegration; I. terminating said disintegration of the contents of said pressure vessel when the particle size of the contents is less than one-half (1/2) inch; J. discharging the contents of said pressure vessel into said pressurized sterilization vessel; K. forcing the contents of said pressurized sterilization vessel through said pressurized sterilization vessel with agitation and mixing while injecting steam into said pressurized sterilization vessel for the mixing with and sterilization of said pressurized sterilization vessel contents to heat the contents of said pressure vessel to a temperature in the range of about 245 to 270 degrees Fahrenheit; L. discharging into said vacuum vessel the contents of said pressurized sterilization vessel which have reached and been held at a temperature in said temperature range for a period sufficient to kill micro-organisms contained in said medical waste; M. forcing the treated medical waste discharged from said vacuum vessel through said vacuum vessel with agitation and mixing until said materials reach a temperature below 140 degrees Fahrenheit; N. discharging from said vacuum vessel cooled contents that are below 140 degrees Fahrenheit; and further comprising providing a connection between said vacuum vessel and said vacuum pump whereby spaced above the contents of said pressure vessel is evacuated through said entrained solids separator, said liquid condensor and said condensate receiver, and the exhaust stream from said vacuum pump is passed through said filter, and further providing that all of the steps of said process other than the initial loading of the pressure vessel with medical waste and the discharge of medical waste therefrom are controlled by automatic control means provided with recorder means to provide a verifiable record of the sterilization of the contents of said pressure vessel.

Claim 5

A process for the continuous disposal of medical waste comprising the steps of: A. providing a pressure vessel containing rotatable disintegration means and closure means for said pressure vessel; B. providing a pressurized sterilization vessel; C. providing a vacuum vessel, and connected to said vacuum vessel an entrained solids separator, a liquid condenser, a condensate receiver, a vacuum pump, and a filter of an activated carbon type; D. introducing medical waste to be treated into said pressure vessel containing rotatable disintegration means; E. sealing said pressure vessel with said closure means against the uncontrolled release of contents; F. locking said closure means in a manner to preclude accidental or casual opening of said pressure vessel prior to the sterilization of the contents; G. activating said rotatable disintegration means to effect a substantial disintegration of the contents of said pressure vessel; H. injecting steam into the contents of said pressure vessel during said disintegration; I. terminating said disintegration of the contents of said pressure vessel when the particle size of the contents is less than one-half (1/2) inch; J. discharging the contents of said pressure vessel into said pressurized sterilization vessel; K. forcing the contents of said pressurized sterilization vessel through said pressurized sterilization vessel with agitation and mixing while injecting steam into said pressurized sterilization vessel for the mixing with and sterilization of said pressurized sterilization vessel contents to heat the contents of said pressure vessel to a temperature in the range of about 245 to 270 degrees Fahrenheit; L. discharging into said vacuum vessel the contents of said pressurized sterilization vessel which have reached and been held at a temperature in said temperature range for a period sufficient to kill micro-organisms contained in said medical waste; M. forcing the treated medical waste discharged from said vacuum vessel through said vacuum vessel with agitation and mixing until said materials reach a temperature below 140 degrees Fahrenheit; N. discharging from said vacuum vessel cooled contents that are below 140 degrees Fahrenheit; and further comprising providing a connection between said vacuum vessel and said vacuum pump whereby spaced above the contents of said pressure vessel is evacuated through said entrained solids separator, said liquid condensor and said condensate receiver, and the exhaust stream from said vacuum pump is passed through said filter, and further providing that all of the steps of said process other than the initial loading of the pressure vessel with medical waste and the discharge of medical waste therefrom are controlled by automatic control means provided with recorder means to provide a verifiable record of the sterilization of the contents of said pressure vessel.

Claim 6

A process in accordance with claims 1, 2, or 3 in which the pH of waste products being processed is reduced by the addition of acid to a value below about 4.5 prior to the completion of sterilization.