JPH03126462A - Medical waste treatment device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To execute the heating sterilization in a short time and to efficiently process the medical waste thereby by providing a heat sterilizing means for radiating a microwave generated by a microwave oscillator to the medical waste contained in a package body having a melting property and bringing it to heating sterilization. CONSTITUTION:When medical waste (a) contained in a package body having a melting property is supplied to a heat sterilizing means B, a microwave generated in a microwave generator 1 is radiated to the medical waste (a). By radiating this microwave, the medical waste (a) generates heat by internal friction, and by this heat, a bacterium and a harmful microorganism, etc., existing in the inside and the outside of the medical waste (a) are eradicated instantaneously. Simultaneously, since the package body having a melting property and plastic, etc., are melted, the medical waste (a) becomes a state embedded into the molten package body. The medical waste (a) being in such a state is carried to a working means D by a carrying means F. The working means D works the medical waste to a prescribed shape like a plate, etc., in accordance with the subsequent disposal.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Field of Industrial Application) The present invention is a method for quickly and reliably removing medical waste such as linen, cotton wool, syringes, and surgical gloves contaminated with blood, bacteria, or harmful microorganisms. It relates to a device that sterilizes and sterilizes bacteria and processes it into a form that can be used for subsequent disposal.

(Prior Art) Along with advances in medical science and pharmaceuticals, the materials and contamination conditions of medical waste have become more diverse, and the amount of waste has also tended to increase. Furthermore, with regard to infectious viruses, the dangers of hitherto unknown retrovirus RNA such as ATL have begun to be strongly pointed out.

Therefore, waste treatment, which used to be easily disposed of within hospitals and then outsourced to external waste treatment companies, has become a time when full consideration must be given from a pathological and medical perspective. It's here.

Conventionally, medical waste contaminated with bacteria, etc. has been either directly incinerated or subjected to high-temperature and high-pressure treatment (2
atmospheric pressure, 121'O) for a specified period of time.

(Problem to be solved by the invention) However, a device that efficiently processes large amounts of medical waste and that applies appropriate morphological changes in consideration of post-processing disposal has not yet been proposed. It has not been.

In view of the above points, an object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus that can efficiently process medical waste and process the waste into a predetermined shape with consideration for post-processing disposal. It is.

(Means for solving problems) In order to achieve such an object, the present invention.

The following configuration was adopted.

That is, the first invention provides a heat sterilization means for heating and sterilizing medical waste housed in a meltable package by irradiating microwaves generated by a microwave oscillator; It consists of a processing means for processing into a predetermined shape according to subsequent disposal, and a transport means for transporting heat-sterilized medical waste from the heat-sterilization means to the processing means.

In addition, the second invention irradiates medical waste housed in a meltable package with microwaves generated by a microwave oscillator and at the same time irradiates it with light from a light source that generates infrared and ultraviolet rays. a heat sterilization means for heat sterilizing the medical waste by irradiation; a processing means for processing the heat sterilized medical waste into a predetermined shape according to subsequent disposal; and a conveying means for conveying from the sterilizing means to the processing means.

(Function) In the first invention configured as described above, when medical waste housed in a meltable package is supplied to the heat sterilization means, microwaves generated by the microwave generator are directed toward the medical waste. irradiated.

By this microwave irradiation, the medical waste generates heat due to internal friction, and this heat instantly kills bacteria and harmful microorganisms existing inside and outside the medical waste. At the same time, the meltable packaging, plastic, etc. melt, so the medical waste becomes embedded in the melted packaging.

Medical waste in such a state is transported by the transport means toward the processing means.

The processing means processes the medical waste into a predetermined shape such as a plate shape or a strip according to subsequent disposal. Therefore, when disposing of processed medical waste, it becomes extremely easy to dispose of it.

Next, in the second invention, in addition to microwaves, the medical waste is simultaneously irradiated with infrared rays and ultraviolet rays from a light source in the heat sterilization means.

Therefore, in the second invention, the medical waste is subjected to the thermal action of infrared rays and the sterilizing action of ultraviolet rays, thereby further enhancing the heat sterilizing effect. Furthermore, the effects of infrared rays and ultraviolet rays support the heat sterilization effect of medical waste when it contains substances for which the heat sterilization effect of microwaves alone is insufficient.

(Embodiments) Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

As shown in FIG. 1, the embodiment of the present invention includes an input port A for medical waste a housed in a package, a heat sterilization section B for heating and sterilizing the medical waste a, and a post-processing section B if necessary. a freezing section C1 that freezes the heat-sterilized medical waste a; a processing section D that processes the heat-sterilized medical waste a into a predetermined shape;
and a processing material take-out/discharge port E, between which medical waste a contained in a package can be transported by a transport device F.

As the packaging body, a polyethylene bag, a polyethylene cylindrical body, or the like is used, which can isolate the medical waste a from the outside when it is contained therein. In particular, a thin polyethylene cylindrical body is suitable because it assumes a substantially constant shape after containing the medical waste a.

In addition, when disposing of the medical waste a, it is assumed that it is divided into non-combustible materials and combustible materials, and these are stored separately in pre-prepared packages for non-combustible materials and combustible materials.

Next, the heat sterilization section B will be explained with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2.

In the figure, l is a microwave oscillator that generates microwaves, and is placed above the mesh conveyor 2. The oscillation frequency of this microwave oscillator 1 is 300 MHz to 300 MHz, which is a resonance absorber of water molecules and also includes high frequency absorption.
0MHz (UHF band) is preferable, and a magnetron or the like is suitable for the microwave oscillator, and its output is around -t±IKW when the device according to the present invention is small, and about -t±IKW when the device is large. It is preferable to set it around loKW.

Waveguides 3A and 3B are connected to the microwave oscillator 1 on the left and right, respectively, and each of the waveguides 3A and 3B is extended to the left and right upper portions of the mesh conveyor 2, and their terminal openings are opposed to each other. It is preferable that the end openings of the waveguides 3A and 3B be opened in a trumpet shape as shown in FIG. 2, since this increases the microwave radiation efficiency.

A threaded rod 5 extending to the top of the mesh conveyor 2 is connected to the shaft of the mesh board expansion/contraction motor 4, and a right-hand thread and a left-hand thread are respectively formed at the tips of the threaded rods 5, and a female thread 6A is formed on each thread. , 6B are screwed together. Also,
Female threads 6A, 6B are formed in the axial direction by the rotation of the threaded rod 5.
A guide (not shown) is provided along the threaded rod 5, through which the threaded rod 5 can be moved.

And for each female screw 6A, 6B, the corresponding connecting rod 7A
, 7B, the pair of left and right mesh plates 8A, 8B are connected, respectively. The mesh plates 8A and 8B are preferably made of special ceramic whose surface is coated with a fluorine compound such as fluoroethylene in order to increase the microwave absorption rate.

With this configuration, when the motor 4 rotates in the forward and reverse directions, the mesh plates 8A and 8B can expand and contract on the mesh conveyor 2 accordingly.

Furthermore, in order to support the sterilization effect of medical waste that is difficult to heat sterilize with microwaves, the heat sterilization unit B has a light source 9 that simultaneously generates infrared and ultraviolet rays disposed below the microwave oscillator 1. The light from the reflector 10
To more efficiently guide the wire to the mesh conveyor 2. As light source 9.

Use high-pressure xenon discharge tubes or high-pressure mercury discharge tubes.

The freezing section C includes a liquid nitrogen reservoir 11 that is placed above the mesh conveyor 2 and stores liquid nitrogen, and an injection pipe that is connected to the discharge port of the liquid nitrogen reservoir 11 and injects the liquid nitrogen 2 toward the mesh conveyor 2. 12, and a collection tray 13 disposed below the mesh conveyor 2 to collect liquid nitrogen from the injection pipe.

In the processing section, a pair of upper and lower rollers 14A and 14B are arranged at the end of the mesh conveyor 2 so as to be rotatable up and down. Discharge from E.

The conveying device F passes the mesh conveyor 2 between rollers 17 attached to a drive shaft 16 and rollers 19 attached to three driven shafts 18, and connects the drive shaft 16 to a conveyor drive motor 20.
It is connected to the axis of

Next, the electrical system block of the embodiment configured as described above will be explained with reference to FIG.

In FIG. 3, reference numeral 21 denotes a controller composed of a microcomputer or the like, which controls each component of the output system as described later in response to instructions from an operator.

22 is an operation panel, and on this panel there is a power switch 22A, a start switch 22B, and a finish for selecting either "plate" or "strip" depending on the final disposal state of the medical waste a. A selection switch 22C and the like are provided.

In addition to the switches 22A to 22C arranged on the operation panel 22, a package sensor 23 for detecting that the package has reached the connecting portion C is connected to the input side of the controller 21.

On the output side of the controller 22, a microwave oscillator 1,
Light source 9, mesh plate expansion/contraction motor 4, conveyor drive motor 20
, a nitrogen supply solenoid valve 24 connected to the discharge port of the liquid nitrogen reservoir 11, and a roller motor 25 that drives the rollers 14A and 14B.

Next, a usage example of the embodiment configured as above will be described.

First, an operator dumps the medical waste a in the package into a vat b.
Place the pieces on top of each other, and place the pieces (b) together on the mesh conveyor 2 through the input port A. Note that the vat b is preferably a net-shaped plate made of plastic or the like, and is preferably one that can be disposed of together with the medical waste a.

Next, after turning on the power switch 22A on the operation panel 22, the finishing selection switch 22G is set to "plate", and the start button 22B is further pressed.

Then, the conveyor drive motor 20 is started, and the medical waste a on the mesh conveyor 2 starts moving toward the end, and first reaches the sterilization section B. Here, the mesh plate expansion/contraction motor 4 starts normal rotation, and the pair of left and right mesh plates 8A and 8B move inward, so that the moving medical waste a
is gradually pressed from the left and right by the mesh plates 8A and 8B until it reaches a predetermined thickness.

In parallel with this, in addition to irradiating the medical waste a from the microwave oscillator l via the microwave waveguides 3A and 3B, the medical waste a is simultaneously irradiated with infrared rays and ultraviolet rays from the light source 9. be done.

Due to such microwave irradiation, medical waste a is inside y! This friction generates heat and rapidly reaches a high temperature, and this thermal energy destroys and kills bacteria and microorganism cells existing inside and outside of the medical waste a.

Sugars, glycoproteins, or fats that have large amounts of water molecules and OH groups absorb microwaves by resonance and destroy bacteria. In addition, in RNA such as retroviruses, hydrogen bonds between helix molecules absorb microwave energy and are broken.
lose its functionality.

Furthermore, as mentioned above, since microwaves are irradiated toward the medical waste a while being pressed by the pair of left and right mesh plates 8A and 8B, which have high microwave absorption rates, the mesh plates 8A and 8B absorb microwaves. The temperature rises to nearly several hundred degrees Celsius in a short period of time, and this heat melts the meltable packaging, plastic, etc., and forms a molten state on the vat b. Items such as linen and absorbent cotton end up being embedded in the package as it melts at high temperatures.

Note that, due to the heat resistance and non-adhesion of the fluorine compound coated on the surface of the mesh plates 8A and 8B, the molten resin does not adhere or remain.

As described above, since the medical waste a is simultaneously irradiated with infrared rays and ultraviolet rays from the light source 9, the medical waste a is subjected to the thermal action of the infrared rays and the sterilizing action of the ultraviolet rays, thereby further enhancing the heat sterilization effect. The effects of infrared rays and ultraviolet rays assist in cases where the heat sterilization effect of microwaves alone is insufficient.

In other words, if the medical waste a contains metal objects such as injection needles and metal fittings, and microwave irradiation is not effective, infrared and ultraviolet irradiation will raise the temperature of the metal objects to nearly several hundred degrees Celsius. Can destroy bacteria and harmful microorganisms. Further, since the metal object as described above can be buried in the meltable package and then taken out, danger during subsequent disposal can be prevented.

When the medical waste a heated and sterilized in this way passes through the heat sterilization section B, it is embedded in a molten package on the vat b.

Thereafter, the medical waste a simply passes through the freezing section C without being subjected to any freezing action, and reaches the processing section. Then, the medical waste a is rolled together with the bat b by the rollers 14A and 14B, and the plate-shaped medical waste a slides down the inclined plate 5 and is discharged from the discharge port E.

Next, a usage example in which the medical waste a is finally taken out from the discharge port E as small pieces will be described.

In this case, the finish selection switch 22C on the operation panel 22 is set to "strip", and the other operations are the same as described above.

When the medical waste a first passes through the heat sterilization section B, it is subjected to heat sterilization in the same manner as described above.Then, when it passes through the freezing section C, the nitrogen supply solenoid valve 24 opens and the injection pipe 12
Liquid nitrogen is injected toward the medical waste a.

By injecting this liquid nitrogen, the medical waste is frozen at around the liquid nitrogen temperature, and its physical properties acquire a glass-like brittleness. The medical waste a is transported to rollers 14A, 14.
As it passes through B, it is crushed by rollers 14A and 14B into powder, which is discharged from discharge port E.

In this case, in order to prevent moisture in the air from condensing as water droplets on the powder, it is necessary to blow some warm air when returning the temperature of the powder to room temperature.

(Effects of the invention) As explained above, in the first invention, medical waste is heated and sterilized by irradiating it with microwaves.
Heat sterilization can be performed in a short time, allowing for efficient treatment of medical waste.

Further, in the first invention, heat-sterilized medical waste is processed into a predetermined shape according to subsequent disposal.
It is extremely easy to dispose of processed medical waste and work efficiency is improved.

Furthermore, in the second invention, in addition to irradiating the medical waste with microwaves, infrared rays and ultraviolet rays are applied, so that the medical waste receives the thermal effect of the infrared rays and the sterilizing effect of the ultraviolet rays. Heat sterilization effect is further enhanced.

In addition, the effects of infrared rays and ultraviolet rays support the heat sterilization effect of medical waste when it contains substances for which the heat sterilization effect of microwaves alone is insufficient.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the overall configuration of an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a view taken along the line X--X of FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the electrical system of the embodiment of the present invention. a... Medical waste, b... Vat, A... Inlet, B... Heat sterilization section, C... Freezing section, D... Processing section, E... Outlet, F...Transport device, l...Microwave oscillator, 2...Mesh conveyor, 9
... Light source, 11 Liquid nitrogen reservoir 12 ... Injection pipe, 14A, 14B river roll.

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) Heat sterilization means for heating and sterilizing medical waste housed in a meltable package by irradiating microwaves generated by a microwave oscillator, and a method for subsequent disposal of the heat-sterilized medical waste. A medical waste processing device comprising: a processing means for processing the heat-sterilized medical waste into a predetermined shape, and a transport means for transporting heat-sterilized medical waste from the heat-sterilization means to the processing means. (2) Medical waste housed in a meltable package is irradiated with microwaves generated by a microwave oscillator and at the same time light from a light source that generates infrared and ultraviolet rays, and these irradiations cause the medical waste to be a heat sterilization means for heat sterilizing waste; a processing means for processing the heat sterilized medical waste into a predetermined shape according to subsequent disposal; A medical waste processing device comprising: a transport means for transporting the waste to a processing means;