GB2152378A

GB2152378A - Autoclave

Info

Publication number: GB2152378A
Application number: GB08430637A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Lauri Santasalo
Original assignee: Santasalo Sohlberg Oy AB
Current assignee: Santasalo Sohlberg Oy AB
Priority date: 1983-12-19
Filing date: 1984-12-05
Publication date: 1985-08-07
Also published as: GB8430637D0; DE3444197A1; FI68361B; FI68361C; FI834681A0; GB2152378B

Abstract

A sterilizing autoclave (10) comprises a chamber (11) for infected material, an input connection (22) for sterilizing steam, a condensate- collecting vessel (14) and a tubular connection (26) by which the waste condensate solution flows from the chamber (11) into the condensate collecting vessel (14), the sterilizing steam feed line (13, 17) runs in the form of a coil-like member (15) through the condensate-collecting vessel (14) before conducting the sterilizing steam into the chamber (11). The autoclave 10 can be maintained as an entirely closed system for a period of time such that complete annihilation of any microorganisms contained in the initial portions of waste solution formed from the infected material is assured before the valve means (24) in the outlet line (27) leading from the condensate collecting tank (14) to the sewage system is opened. In the sterilizing steam feed line (13, 17) there are provided condensate separators (26, 21) (for condensing any water that may be present or arise in the heating steam) and an air filter for bacteria (18) for heating to a temperature to kill microorganisms in the outflow of air needed to create and/or maintain a partial vacuum in the chamber. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Autoclave The present invention relates to an annihilating or destruction autoclave.

Such autoclaves typically comprise a chamber inside which the objects containing infected material are placed, an inlet connection for sterilizing steam, a condensate collecting vessel and a tube connection duct th rough which condensate flows from the chamber to the condensate collecting vessel.

Generally speaking dangerous viruses, bacteria etc are annihilated in the autoclave by conducting sterilizing steam into the chamber in which the objects containing infected waste have previously been placed. However, the first few litres of condensate discharged from the chamber may still contain and carry along viable microorganisms so that the waste solution as it occurs cannot be discharged directly from the chamber into the sewage system. Annihilating autoclaves known in the art are provided therefore typically with a further, separate, condensate collecting tank in which the waste solution first discharged from the chamber is collected.This further collecting tank can then be separately heated (in general up to about 121") in orderto ensure that all microorganisms in this portion of condensate have been reliably annihilated before discharge into the sewage system.

A drawback of such known annihilating autoclave designs resides in the separate heating of the condensate collecting tank, which takes up time and thus slows down the process of annihilating viruses or bacteria, etc.

The present invention sets out to improve upon these known annihilating autoclave designs by provision of an annihilating autoclave in which no separate heating of the condensate collecting tank is needed and which speeds up the process of annihilating viruses, bacteria, etc and with reliable and complete annihilation of such viruses or bacteria, etc. prior to disch - rging of the condensate into the sewage system.

The invention consists in an autoclave for achieving annihilation or destruction of bacteria, viruses or the like from infected non-sterile material of the type comprising a chamber for holding nonsterile or infected material; an inlet connection thereto for sterilizing steam; a condensatecollecting vessel; and a connection duct by which the condensate flows from the chamber into the condensate-collecting vessel: characterised in that a sterilizing steam feed line is disposed to pass in heat-exchange relationship through a condensatecollecting vessel such that the autoclave can be maintained as a closed system for a period of time such that complete annihilation of any microorganisms contained in the initial portion of condensate can be effected before discharging the contents of the condensate-collecting vessel.

The other characteristic features of the autoclave of the invention are described in more detail below.

The invention will be further described in detail by way of example only with reference to the single figure of the accompanying drawings, which shows an embodiment of the annihilating autoclave of the invention in a schematic elevational view.

The annihilating autoclave 10 comprises a chamber 11 in which the objects 12 containing infected waste are placed; an inlet line 13, for sterilizing steam; and inlet connection 22 leading to the chamber 11, a condensate-collecting tank 14 and a tubular connection 26 communicating at one end with the chamber 11 and at the other end with the condensate-collecting tank 14.

The sterilizing steam feed line 13, 17 runs as a coil like member 15 within the condensate-collecting tank 14 and so heats and sterilizes by heat exchange the waste solution accumulating. The annihilating autoclave 10 of the invention is initially kept entirely closed for a period of time (e.g. about 10 minutes) whereby waste solution accumulated in the condensate-collecting tank 14 is not discharged.

In the sterilizing steam feed line 13, 17 has been inserted a first condensate separator 16 for eliminating any condensate produced in the heating steam after such heat exchange. Thereafter, the heating steam flows via line 17 through an air or bacterial filter 18 which is consequently heated by its passage. Subatmospheric pressure i.e. partial vacuum is created with pump 20 which draws air from the chamber 11 via tubular connector 26, and another tubular connector 19 through the bacterial filter 18, and to remove such air into the ambient air.

The suction line of the pump 20 is provided with a valve 25.

The sterilizing steam feed line 13,17 is thereafter provided with a second condensate separator 21, for separating any condensate still present in the sterilizing steam, before such sterilizing steam is fed into the chamber 11 by the inlet connection 22. The feed line 13 is provided with a main shut-off valve 23. An outlet line 27 provided with a valve 24 leads out from the condensate-collecting tank 14. Valve 24 will not be opened until it is completely established that the water solution accumulated in the condensate-collecting tank 14 has been reliably sterilized.

Numerous modifications of the example of the invention described are feasible within the scope of the inventive idea as presented in the following claims.

With the autoclave shown numerous advantages are gained. The condensate collecting vessel has been so placed in conjunction with the chambertha- the actual feed line conducting the sterilizing steam runs through the condensate-collecting vessel as a coil-like member. The waste-solution in the condensate-collecting tank will be sterilized at the same time as the infected material placed in the chamber of the autoclave are sterilized. A remarkable time saving is achieved by this design and complete destruction of any viable microorganisms which may be present in the waste solution before the waste solution is achieved before such solution is discharged from the condensate-collecting vessel by the outlet line into the sewage system.

In the autoclave shown, the condensate-collecting vessel is of appropriate size such that it can accommodate the condensate accumulating in the process for a preseiected period of time before the outlet line of the condensate-collecting tank need be opened. The air drawn from the chamber of the autoclave arrives at the upper part of the condensate-coliecting vessel wherefrom it is vented into the ambient air th rough an air filter. The air filter is also heated by the same supply steam, so that further obstacles for viable microorganisms escape through the air venting line route into the atmosphere are prevented.

In the autoclave of the invention, any condensate must of course be removed from the sterilizing steam feed line prior to conducting the sterilizing steam into the chamber. This has been solved in that in the sterilizing steam feed line has been inserted a condensate separator, or separators, to eliminate the condensate contained in the heating system.

Claims

1. An autoclave for achieving annihilation or destruction of bacteria, viruses or the like from infected non-sterile material, of the type comprising a chamber for holding non-sterile or infected material; an inlet connection thereto for sterilizing steam; a condensate-collecting vessel; and a connection duct by which the condensate flows from the chamber into the condensate-collecting vessel: characterised in that a sterilizing steam feed line is disposed to pass in heat-exchange relationship through a condensate-collecting vessel such that the autoclave can be maintained as a closed system for a period of time such that complete annihilation of any microorganisms contained in the initial portion of condensate can be effected before discharging the contents of the condensate-collecting vessel.

2. An autoclave as claimed in claim 1 in which the sterilizing steam feed line is deformed into a coil within the condensate-collecting vessel.

3. An autoclave as claimed in claim 1 or 2 characterised in that a condensate separator is located in the steam line, after the heat-exchange relationship portion thereof for condensing any water that may condense from this input heating steam.

4. An autoclave as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3 characterised in that an air filter for bacteria is located in the steam line after the heat-exchange relationship portion thereof, for heating by the input steam.

5. An autoclave as claimed in claim 4, characterised in that a pump means is connected to draw air from the chamber by the connection duct through the condensate-collecting vessel and through the said air filter prior to releasing such air to atmosphere.

6. An autoclave as claimed in claim 4 or 5 characterised in that another condensate separator is located in the steam feed line after the said filter.

7. An autoclave as claimed in claim 1 and substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawing.

8. A method of freeing material from bacterial, viral or like contamination, in which there is used an autoclave as claimed in any one preceding claim.