WO1988001182A1

WO1988001182A1 - Device for sterilising garbage, especially infectious garbage

Info

Publication number: WO1988001182A1
Application number: PCT/EP1987/000436
Authority: WO
Inventors: Wolfgang Schinke
Original assignee: Wolfgang Schinke
Priority date: 1986-08-12
Filing date: 1987-08-10
Publication date: 1988-02-25
Also published as: DE3627367C1

Abstract

A device (1) for sterilising garbage, in particular so-called infectious garbage, by using microwaves in a microwave chamber. The microwave chamber is shaped as a cylindrical chamber or boiler (2) in which a plunger (3) can move. The infectious garbage to be sterilised is introduced in the boiler (2) through an inlet (6), then pressed with the plunger (3) and sterilised with microwaves supplied by microwave emitters (16). After being sterilised, the infectious garbage can be crushed. The operation of the device is controlled and monitored by a processor (30).

Description

Device for sterilizing waste, in particular infection waste The invention relates to a device for sterilizing waste, in particular infection waste, according to the preamble of patent claim 1.

Infectious waste falls e.g. in hospitals. Here special hygiene requirements apply to waste disposal in order to prevent infections. In particular, so-called infectious waste must be collected and disposed of separately, which is contaminated with blood, secretions or excrement, such as wound dressings, diapers, single-use syringes, cannulas, etc. Furthermore, infectious waste is affected, which is the case when it is collected, transported and stored within the hospital ¬ as in the removal of special measures to prevent infection. This applies in particular to waste from infection stations, dialysis stations, medical laboratories, etc. Special care must be taken when disposing of waste in order to reliably prevent the spread of pathogens.

The infectious waste collected in hospitals is usually disposed of in a waste incineration plant, the special waste mentioned being incinerated in a special plant.

Various attempts have been made to reduce the outlay resulting from this without reducing hygiene safety. A tried and tested device for sterilization. Microwave energy is used is described in DE-PS 35 05 570. This device consequently has a lock chamber, a spray device arranged therein, a waste crusher and a microwave chamber in which the moistened infection garbage is sterilized. A transport path, for example a conveyor belt or a screw conveyor, is provided within the microwave chamber. is surrounded by a microwave-permeable housing. The infection garbage is irradiated with microwaves along this transport path by several microwave transmitters and thereby sterilized. , _ _. _ __ _. "/ 01182"

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The entire device is sealed against the escape of germs and steam to the outside.

A major advantage of this compact disposal system is that the infection garbage sterilized in this way can be treated like normal household waste and can be disposed of in conventional landfills.

By spraying the infectious waste introduced into the lock chamber before and possibly also during the comminution, the air germs which may be released are released to the sprayed liquid, e.g. a disinfectant solution bound. Although the airborne germs cannot escape from the lock chamber, it would be desirable to improve the device in such a way that such airborne germs cannot form at all, even if in small numbers.

If, in the known device, the comminuted infectious waste is transported along the transport path through the microwave chamber, it is practically unavoidable that free air spaces remain within the infectious waste and within the microwave chamber. The sterilization of the infectious waste is not influenced thereby, but relatively high microwave energies are necessary in order to reliably sterilize all infectious waste. The sterilization process in this system is controlled by temperature sensors, e.g. are designed as contact sensors or as infrared sensors.

The object of the invention is to improve a device of the type in question in such a way that the formation of airborne germs is reliably prevented and, moreover, the microwave energy required for sterilization is reduced.

According to the invention, this object is achieved by Drawing part of claim 1 specified features solved.

Accordingly, the ^"is usually pressed in bags or other containers delivered Infektionsmull in a Zylinderkam¬ mer by means of a plunger, optionally after introduced into the cylinder chamber moisture wor¬ the is. The Infektionsmull so compressed and thus do not crushed is then in the cylinder chamber with microwave energy irradiated for so long that the temperature required for sterilization is reached, this temperature is approximately between 130 and 200 ° C. After the opening of the outlet, the now sterilized infection garbage is then preferably expelled from the cylinder chamber by a further movement of the plunger The sterilized waste can, if appropriate after being cooled, be crushed, if necessary packed and finally disposed of in a landfill.

A device according to the invention ensures reliable sterilization of infection garbage. The fact that the infection garbage is not broken up before the microwave irradiation prevents the formation of airborne germs. In order to discharge the excess pressure in the cylinder chamber caused by the residual air when compressing the infectious waste, a ventilation opening with a filter, e.g. an activated carbon filter can be provided, through which released airborne germs are retained.

The compressed infection garbage shows practically no free

Air spaces more so that the microwave energy used is only used for sterilizing the waste. The energy of the microwave transmitters can accordingly be smaller than in the above known device. In the device according to the invention, it is excluded that there are cold spots within the irradiated garbage at which the temperature for sterilization is not is sufficient.

The operation of the device according to the invention is preferably monitored by a processor to which signals from temperature, pressure, gas pressure, position and, if appropriate, moisture sensors are fed. The operation can be fully automated in this way.

Further refinements of the invention emerge from the subclaims.

The invention is explained in more detail in two exemplary embodiments with reference to the drawing. In this represent:

Figures 1, 2 and 3 each have a longitudinal section and a

Partial longitudinal section through a device for sterilizing infection garbage according to the invention;

Figure 4 shows a longitudinal section through a second

Embodiment of a device according to the invention.

A device 1 for sterilizing infection garbage has a boiler 2 which is designed as a cylinder chamber for a plunger 3 which can be moved therein. For the plunger 3, a telescopic piston rod 4 is provided, which is guided through the cover of the boiler and is connected to a drive 5 there. In Figure 1, the plunger is shown in its upper rest position. An inlet 6 is provided directly below this rest position of the plunger and can be closed with a door 7. Bulk surfaces 8 are also provided at the inlet. The bottom of the boiler is closed with a flap 9 which can be opened and pivoted via a hydraulic cylinder 10 which is fastened in a collecting housing 11. A waste shredder 12 is attached underneath this collecting housing. ordered, below the outlet opening 13, a conveyor belt 14 which leads to a dumpster 15.

In the lower area of the boiler 2 below the inlet 6, microwave transmitters 16 are provided around the circumference of the boiler at different heights, each of which has a microwave-permeable window 17, e.g. from ceramic, radiate microwave energy into the interior of the boiler. In this case, several microwave transmitters 16 are provided at three different heights distributed around the circumference of the boiler.

Level sensors 18 are arranged along the jacket lines of the boiler at different heights, e.g. are designed as light barriers. Furthermore, temperature sensors 19 are also provided at different heights along surface lines of the boiler, which can either be touch sensors or infrared sensors. Moisture sensors 20 and gas pressure sensors 21 can also be provided. The arrangement of all sensors and sensors 18 to 21 is only schematic. They all serve the purpose of determining the parameter to be measured within the boiler during operation of the device, as explained further below.

Infection garbage to be sterilized is filled into containers and sacks -22 through the opened inlet 6 into the kettle. During filling, a spray device 23 is actuated, which sprays a disinfectant solution in fine droplet or aerosol form into the kettle. If a sufficient fill level is determined via the fill level sensors 18, the inlet 6 is closed by the door 7. The boiler is now sealed gas and pressure tight. The plunger 3 is then moved downwards with the aid of the drive 5 until the contents of the boiler are sufficiently compressed, as is shown in FIG. 2. The pressure of the plunger can be determined via a pressure sensor 24 in the drive 5 of the plunger. To achieve a good compression, is the pressing surface of the plunger is slightly concave, as indicated by 25 in the figures.

In the plunger 3 there is also a ventilation channel 26, in which a controllable pressure relief valve 27 is arranged. The vent channel 26 opens into a filter 28, e.g. an activated carbon filter. Any air escaping through the ventilation channel 26 during the pressing of the infectious waste is cleaned by the activated carbon filter 28, so that any infection germs are retained. The escaping air can escape from the boiler through a vent 29 on the lid of the boiler; if necessary, a filter, not shown here, is again provided in this ventilation opening.

If the infection gauze, as shown in FIG. 2, is pressed, then those microwave transmitters 16 are switched on which are located below the plunger; in this case these are the two lower groups. By ^th e radiation of the microwave energy of the compressed Infektionsmull is heated. Here, all areas within the compressed infectious waste are reached, either by the directly emitted microwave energy or by microwave energy reflected by the metal walls of the boiler. During the irradiation, the temperature inside the press room is constantly monitored, as well as the humidity and the gas pressure, if necessary. If a certain temperature threshold is reached and held for a certain time, the sterilization phase is ended. Experiments have shown that temperatures of greater than 134 ° C. and sometimes up to 200 ° C. are reached, at which sterilization is reliably guaranteed. The microwave transmitters 16 are then switched off.

After this sterilization phase, the locked flap 9 is unlocked and opened with the aid of the hydraulic cylinder 10, so that the infection garbage enters the collecting housing 11 falls and hits the waste shredder 12 there. This can be supported by a further method of the plunger piston, so that the entire infection garbage is expelled from the boiler. In the garbage shredder 12, the garbage is minced and falls through the outlet opening 13 either directly into a garbage container 15, or, as shown in the figure, first onto a conveyor belt 14 and then into the garbage container 15. The comminuted and fine-grained garbage can then be disposed of like normal household waste in a conventional landfill.

The operation of the device described is processor-controlled; a process computer 30 is provided for this. The function can also be monitored via a monitor 31. The signals from the fill level sensors 18, the temperature sensor 19, the moisture sensor 20, the gas pressure sensor 21 and the pressing pressure sensor 24 are fed to the process computer. Further data is also entered, e.g. the automatic locking of the flap 9, the closing of the door 7 etc.

FIG. 4 shows a modified exemplary embodiment of a device la. The boiler 2a with the plunger and the microwave transmitters is constructed identically to the exemplary embodiment according to FIGS. 1 to 3. The mode of operation and its control and monitoring with the aid of a process computer 30a is also identical to the above exemplary embodiment.

At the end of the sterilization phase, the sterilized one falls

Garbage through the collecting housing 11a first onto a conveyor belt 14a and is only then comminuted into a garbage chopper 12a. This has the advantage that the sterilized waste, which is still relatively hot after the sterilization phase, can cool down on the conveyor belt, so that any plastic waste solidifies at least to such an extent that the waste shredder 12a does not become dirty or glued.

Claims

8/01182-9 claims

1. Device for sterilizing garbage, in particular of garbage (infection garbage) accumulating in hospitals, possibly with infection germs, bacteria or the like, using microwaves in a microwave chamber, characterized in that the microwave chamber is part of a cylinder chamber (2) is designed for a plunger (3) displaceable therein and has a closable inlet (6) for filling the infectious waste into the cylinder chamber and a closable outlet (9) for discharging the refuse, and that along the outer cylinder chamber wall there are microwave transmitters (16) for Radiation of microwave energy into the interior of the cylinder chamber (2) is provided.

2nd Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that along the displacement path of the plunger (3) position transmitter (18) for determining the fill level of the infectious waste introduced into the cylinder chamber (2) and / or the displacement path of the plunger (3) are provided .

3. Device according to claim 2, characterized in that the position sensors (18) are light barriers.

4. Device according to one of the preceding claims, da¬ characterized in that the outlet of the cylinder chamber (2) is a flap (9) forming the bottom of the cylinder chamber.

5. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cylinder chamber (2) has a ventilation opening (26, 29) in which a filter (28) for retaining any infection germs released during the pressing of the infectious waste, Bacteria or the like is arranged.

6. The device according to claim 5, characterized in that at least one vent opening (26) with the filter (28) in the plunger (3) is provided.

7. The device according to claim 5 or 6, characterized gekennzeich¬ net that the vent opening (26) is equipped with a controllable pressure relief valve (27).

8. Device according to one of the preceding claims, da¬ characterized in that temperature sensors (19) are provided for monitoring the temperature within the cylinder chamber (2).

9. The device according to claim 8, characterized in that the temperature sensors (19) are infrared sensors which are integrated in the cylinder chamber wall.

10.The device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a plurality of microwave transmitters (16) are arranged in various groups on the outer cylinder chamber wall along the displacement path of the plunger (3) and that a control circuit (30) for switching on ¬ only those microwave transmitters (16) are provided which are arranged in the area of the compressed infectious waste.

11. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that gas pressure sensors (21) are provided for determining the gas pressure within the cylinder chamber (2).

12. The apparatus according to claim 11, characterized in that the gas pressure sensor (21) are integrated in the cylinder chamber wall and / or in the region of a vent opening (26) in the plunger (3) and / or the cylinder chamber (2) are arranged .

13. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a waste shredder (12) is provided following the outlet (9) of the cylinder chamber (2).

14. The apparatus according to claim 13, characterized in that a calming section, preferably a conveyor belt (14) or a collecting housing (11) for cooling the sterilized garbage is provided between the outlet (9) and waste shredder (12).

15. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a device (23) for introducing liquid, in particular disinfectant solution, is provided in the cylinder chamber (2).

16. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a process computer (30) is provided to control and monitor the operation of the device (1), the signals from the operation of the device (1) monitoring sensors (18th , 19, 20, 21, 24).