FR2757063A1 - METHOD AND DEVICE FOR TREATING MATERIALS, ESPECIALLY STERILIZING INFECTIOUS MEDICAL WASTE - Google Patents

Abstract

The process consists of: - reducing the materials to be treated to powder; wet materials; - introduce the wet materials, reduced to powder, into a chamber; and - heating the interior of the chamber to effect the treatment of materials in the chamber. The device (10) comprises: - grinding means (18) for reducing the materials to be treated to powder; - Means (28) defining a chamber (32), located downstream of the grinding means (18), such that the powdered materials are discharged into a chamber (32) of the means (28) defining a chamber; and - heating means (34) for heating the interior of the chamber (32) and its contents, in order to carry out the treatment of the materials.

Description

The present invention relates to the treatment of materials. More

  particularly, the invention relates to a

  method and a material processing device.

  According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of treating materials, the method consisting in: reducing to powder the materials to be treated; wet the materials; introduce the wet, powdered materials into a chamber; and heat the inside of the room to perform

  the treatment of materials in the room.

  The invention is particularly applicable to the treatment of infectious medical waste and, more particularly, to the sterilization of this waste. Accordingly, the invention will be described hereinafter with reference to this application. The invention is specifically, but not necessarily exclusively, intended for the treatment of so-called "soft" medical waste; however, if other types of medical waste were included with the soft medical waste, the device would be able to treat

these medical waste.

  Normally, the waste to be sterilized is placed in a container, such as a sachet. Thus, the process may comprise, initially, the bagging of the

  materials before reducing them to powder.

  The method may also include wetting the materials with hot water. If desired, the method may include dosing the materials with a dosing agent prior to introducing the materials into the chamber. The dosage agent can be

introduced into the hot water.

  Preferably, the method comprises treating the materials by irradiation. In particular, the method may include irradiating materials with microwaves to generate vapor formation for

  sterilize the materials in the chamber.

  The method may further include heating a wall of the chamber to perform the

  treatment of materials in the room.

  After the heat treatment of the materials in the chamber, the method may include removing the vapor from the chamber before the treated materials

not removed from the room.

  The method may include agitating the materials in the chamber during processing of the materials. According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a material processing device, comprising fine grinding means for powdering the materials to be treated; means defining a chamber, located downstream of the spraying means, such that the reduced powder materials are discharged into a chamber delimited by means defining a chamber; and heating means for heating the interior of the chamber and its contents, in order to effect the

treatment of materials.

  Preferably, the device comprises a source

  wetting agent, in order to wet the materials.

  The device may include a receptacle having a loading opening in which the bagged waste is received for processing. Closing means may be provided for closing the loading opening, with monitoring means for monitoring a position of the closing means. The monitoring means may consist of a security to monitor the state of the closing means and to invalidate the device when the means

closing are open.

  The device may comprise means for producing depression, in the form of an extractor fan, intended to produce a depression

inside the receptacle.

  The source of wetting agent may comprise water supply means for wetting the materials, the supply means comprising heating means for preheating the water before introducing it into the receptacle. The water can be introduced into the device via the loading tank, along with the waste. If desired, a dosage agent can be introduced into

  water to help sterilize waste.

  The spraying means may comprise a shredder. A first isolation device may be disposed between an outlet of the shredder and an inlet in the means defining a chamber, and a second isolation device may be disposed at an outlet of the means defining a chamber. The first isolation device and the second isolation device can both be in the form of

of isolation valves.

  The heating means may comprise a microwave device. The microwave device may include a microwave production system for producing microwaves, and a waveguide for passing microwaves from the microwave production system into the chamber. An output of the waveguide, terminating in a wall of the means defining a chamber, can be closed by a panel passing the microwaves to prevent contamination of the microwave production system by the contents of the bedroom. The heating means may further comprise a heating element, in the form of a heating band, affixed to an outer surface of the means defining a chamber. In addition, an insulating layer can be placed around the surface

external housing.

  Sterilized materials inside the housing, after being introduced through the housing opening, can be removed directly or can, if

  it is desired to be first dried before being eliminated.

  The invention will now be described as

  for example, with reference to the attached schematic figures.

  In the drawing, Figure 1 is a schematic representation, in three dimensions, of the device according to a first embodiment of the invention for processing materials; and FIG. 2 is a schematic representation,

  side view of a second embodiment of the device.

  In Figure 1 of the drawing, reference numeral 10 generally designates a device according to the invention for processing materials. As indicated above, the device 10 is intended, in particular, to be used for the sterilization of infectious medical waste and, in particular, waste

soft medical.

  The device 10 comprises loading means

  in the form of a loading tank 12.

  In the loading tank 12 is defined an access opening 14 which is closed by a door 16. Grinding means, in the form of a shredder 18 are placed at an outlet 20 of the loading tray 12. The device 10 comprises a water tank 22 comprising preheating means 23 for preheating the water. The water from the tank 22 is fed through a pipe 24 and nozzles, as schematically illustrated at 26, to the inside.

loading tray 12.

  Means defining a chamber, in the form of a spherical housing 28, are disposed downstream of the shredder 18 and are connected to the shredder 18 by an isolation device in the form of an isolation valve 30. The casing 28 defines a chamber 32 in which the medical waste to be sterilized is received, as will be described in more detail below. The device 10 includes a heat source 34 for heating the chamber 32 of the housing 28. The heat source 34 is a microwave heat source and includes a magnetron 36 which carries microwaves, via a waveguide 38, in the chamber 32, microwaves which pass through a panel or window 40 passing the microwaves. The window 40 is defined in a wall 42 of the housing 28 and is provided to prevent contamination of the heat source by

microwave 34.

  The magnetron 36 is a magnetron of 1.2 kW to 2 kW, able to operate at a frequency of 2450 MHz. It will be understood that the size of the magnetron 36 depends on the volume of the chamber 32 of the housing 28. Usually, the chamber has a diameter of about 450 to 500 mm, and preferably about 480 mm. The spherical housing 28 allows

  the use of many modes of propagation of micro-

  waves in room 32, which improves the possibilities

sterilization of the device 10.

  The device 10 comprises an agitator device 44 placed in the chamber 32. The agitator device 44 comprises a stirrer or scraper 46 mounted on a shaft 48. The shaft 48 is rotatably mounted in the chamber 32, ends 48.1 of the shaft 48 being supported in the wall 42 of the housing 28 via closed bearings 50. An end of the shaft 48 is connected to a motor 52 which drives the shaft 48 and, consequently, the stirrer 46, in rotation. It should be noted that the squeegee 46 is arcuate and has approximately the same radius of curvature as the wall 42 of the housing 28, in order to sweep

  an inner surface of the wall 42 of the casing 28.

  In order to contribute to the heating of the contents of the chamber 32, an outer surface of the wall 42 of the housing 28 is wound in a heating strip (as illustrated schematically at 78, in Figure 2 of the drawing), which operates at a temperature of about 60 C. An insulating strip (not shown) is wrapped around the heating band. The housing 28 has an opening 54 which is closed by an isolation valve 56. In addition, a vent

  58 is defined in the wall 42 of the housing 28.

  Referring now to Figure 2 of the drawing, this is a second embodiment of the illustrated device. Identical references to those in Figure 1 refer to

  identical parts, unless otherwise specified.

  In this embodiment of the invention, the loading tank 12 is placed upstream of a feed chute 62 placed between the loading tank 12 and the shredder 18. Thus, the feed chute 62

  defines the feed aperture of the shredder 18.

  An extractor fan 64 is placed between the loading tank 12 and the feed chute 62, in order to create a depression in the loading tank 12 so that, when the door 16 is open, the emissions

  potentially harmful materials are avoided.

  Packed bags received in the tray 12 are transferred into the feed chute via a loading cylinder 66 operable with a fluid. Preferably, the jack is pneumatic. In this embodiment of the invention, the means defining a chamber are in the form of a right circular cylindrical casing 68, which defines the chamber 32. The casing 68 also makes it possible to use numerous modes of propagation of the microphones. in room 32, for the sterilization of the materials contained

in the bedroom.

  Further, in this embodiment, the stirring device 44 includes a high frequency stirrer 70 which operates in ultrasound mode to transmit vibrations to the housing 68. In order to prevent vibrations from damaging the magnetron 36, the panel or window 40 also serves as a vibration isolator. The housing 68 is mounted on an unloading trolley 74. Once the sterilization process is complete, the treated materials are unloaded, through the isolation valve 56, into the unloading trolley 74, from which the materials can be removed. to be eliminated. As illustrated, the carriage 74 is mounted on

  wheels 76, so that the device 10 is portable.

  In operation, soft medical waste to be sterilized and disposed of is placed in sachets. These sachets, known as "red sachets", generally have a mass of about 4 to 7 kg and two of these sachets can be processed at the same time. The bags containing the medical waste are introduced into the loading tank 12 through the access opening 14, and the door 16 is closed. A security 60 monitors the state of the door 16 and, if it opens, the device 10 is

  disengaged to become inoperative.

  Preheated water from the tank 22 flows through the pipe 24, through the nozzles 26, to reach the inside of the loading tank. The bags containing the waste, as well as water, are introduced into the shredder 18, where the bags and their contents are shredded. As long as the shredder 18 is operating, the isolation valve 30 remains closed. The shredder shreds the waste to give them the

  size required, and the waste is mixed with the water.

  After shredding, the isolation valve 30 opens, discharging the wet and shredded material from the shredder 18 into the chamber 32 of the housing 28, 68. Thereafter, the isolation valve 30 closes. It will be understood that, during this time, the isolation valve 56, present at the outlet 54 of the casing 28, 68, is also closed. The chamber 32 is put at a pressure of about 2 bar by activating the microwave heat source 34, to cause a rise in the temperature in the chamber 32. The operation of the microwave heat source 34 is controlled by a pressure monitoring device, which monitors the pressure of the chamber 32. At a pressure of 2 bar, the interior of the chamber is heated to a temperature of about 120 C, under the control of the device pressure monitoring. The chamber 32, with its contents, is maintained at this pressure and temperature for a predetermined time, generally about 40 minutes. During this time, the water contained in the waste is converted into steam, resulting in

  sterilization of shredded waste.

  After completion of the sterilization process, the vapor is vented to the atmosphere through the vent 58. The remaining materials are then discharged from the chamber 32 of the housing 28 through the opening 54, opening the isolation valve 56. The materials discharged from the housing 28 can either be removed directly, for example, in the direction of a drainage system, or sent to a drying station (not shown) for

  be dried and then removed.

  During the sterilization of the waste, a chemical dosing agent can be introduced into the device, with the water coming from the water tank 22, via a conduit 72. This metering agent can,

  for example, be a peroxide product.

  The dimensions of the device 10 make it semi-

  portable and allow it to be used where it is needed. Thus, usually, a number of devices 10 are placed at strategic points in health care facilities where the waste can be sterilized. This is an advantage as medical waste should not be transported long distances and handled by more than one person. In addition, it is possible to reduce the volume of waste by up to 80% by shredding waste before sterilization. In addition, waste is transformed in such a way that it is no longer recognizable and a large part of the waste surface is exposed to

sterilization.

  In addition, since the device 10 is semi-

  portable, waste can be effectively sterilized virtually as soon as it is produced, and the problems

  associated with waste storage are eliminated.

Claims (22)

claims   A method of treating materials, the method comprising: powdering the materials to be treated; wet the materials; introduce the wet, powdered materials into a chamber; and heat the inside of the room to perform   the treatment of materials in the room.   2. Method according to claim 1, comprising, initially, the bagging of the materials before powder the materials.   The method of claim 1 or claim 2 comprising wetting the materials with hot water.   4. Process according to any one of   preceding claims, including dosing   the materials with a dosing agent before introduction materials in the room.   5. Process according to any one of   preceding claims, including the treatment with irradiation of materials.   The process according to claim 5, comprising irradiating the materials with microwaves, to cause the formation of steam to sterilize the   materials present in the room.   The method of claim 6 further comprising heating a wall of the chamber to   to perform the treatment of materials in the room.   The process of claim 7 including venting the vapor from the chamber prior to   unloading treated materials out of the chamber.   9. Process according to any one of   preceding claims, including shaking   the materials in the chamber when processing materials. 10. Material processing device, comprising: fine grinding means for powdering the materials to be treated; means defining a chamber, located downstream of the grinding means, so that the reduced powder materials are discharged into a chamber defined by means defining a chamber; and heating means for heating the interior of the chamber and its contents, in order to effect the treatment of materials.   11. Device according to claim 10, comprising a source of wetting agent, in order to wet the materials.   The device of claim 11, comprising a receptacle having a loading opening, wherein the materials are received for processing. 13. Device according to claim 12, comprising closure means for closing the loading opening and monitoring means   intended to monitor the position of the closing means.   14. Device according to claim 12 or claim 13, comprising means for producing depression intended to create a depression inside. of the receptacle.   15. Device according to any one of   Claims 11 to 14 inclusive, wherein the source   wetting agent comprises water supply means for wetting the materials, the supply means comprising heating means for preheating the water before the introduction of water into the receptacle. 16. Device according to any one of   Claims 10 to 15 inclusive, wherein the means for   spraying include a shredder.   The device of claim 16, wherein a first isolation device is placed between an opening of the shredder and an inlet of the means defining a chamber, and wherein a second isolation device is placed at an output of the means. defining a room.   18. Device according to any one of   Claims 10 to 17 inclusive, wherein the means of   heating systems include a micro-generation system   waves. The device of claim 18, wherein the microwave production system comprises a microwave production system for producing microwaves, and a waveguide for   pass the microwaves from the micro-production system waves in the room.   20. Device according to claim 19, wherein an output of the waveguide, ending in a wall of the means defining a chamber, is closed by   a panel allowing the microwaves to pass.   21. Device according to any one of   Claims 18 to 20 inclusive, wherein the means for   heating, furthermore comprise a heating element present on an outer surface of the means defining a chamber. 22. Device according to any one of   Claims 10 to 21 inclusive, in which means   agitators are mounted on the means defining a chamber, so as to agitate the contents of the means defining   a room when the materials are heated.