WO2011069166A2

WO2011069166A2 - Method and system for steam treating waste

Info

Publication number: WO2011069166A2
Application number: PCT/US2010/059144
Authority: WO
Inventors: Joseph F. Derrico; Randal L. Troch; Kenneth Edward Bean; Clifford B. Oliver; Preston J. Williams
Original assignee: Amerisouth Recycling & Consulting Services, Inc.
Priority date: 2009-12-06
Filing date: 2010-12-06
Publication date: 2011-06-09

Abstract

A system for steam treating waste is provided comprising a roll-off container, the roll-off container including a chamber and a steam inlet for inserting steam into the chamber; a steam unit, the steam unit including a steam outlet for delivering steam to the inlet of the container; and a roll-off truck, the truck including a lift for transferring the roll-off container onto the truck. Furthermore, a method of steam treating waste is provided comprising sealing waste in a chamber of a roll-off container; inserting steam into the chamber to steam treat the waste; and transferring the container onto a roll-off truck.

Description

Patent

Atty. Ref. No.: 25792.2.9001

METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR STEAM TREATING WASTE

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

[0001] This application claims priority to and the benefit of United States Provisional Patent Application No. 61/267,076, filed December 6, 2009, which is incorporated herein in its entirety by this reference as if fully set forth herein.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0002] The present invention relates to systems and methods for treating international waste.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0003] Waste from international flights can carry dangerous biological materials including insects and bacteria. To protect the country from these materials, federal regulations require that international garbage be sterilized within a short time after its arrival. Meeting these requirements can be very costly, as even miniscule amounts of waste must be quickly transported to a sterilization facility.

[0004] One solution to this problem is to permanently install an autoclave at the airport that sterilizes waste using high-temperature steam. Waste from international flights can be unloaded from flights, placed in the chamber of the autoclave, sterilized, removed from the chamber, placed in a trash container, and then transported at later time to a landfill. Unfortunately, this method requires the waste to be removed from the autoclave and placed in a trash container, adding to cost of the waste treatment.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0005] The present invention relates to methods and systems for steam treating waste in a roll-off container. In a particular embodiment, the invention includes a system for steam treating waste comprising (a) a roll-off container, wherein the roll-off container comprises a chamber and a steam inlet for inserting steam into the chamber; and (b) a steam unit, wherein the steam unit comprises a steam outlet for delivering steam to the inlet of the container. In another embodiment, the method includes a method for steam treating waste comprising (a) sealing

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Atty. Ref. No.: 25792.2.9001 waste in a chamber of a roll-off container; and (b) inserting steam into the chamber to steam treat the waste.

[0006] Additional embodiments and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The embodiments and advantages of the invention will be realized and attained by means of the elements and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims. It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the invention, as claimed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0007] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate several embodiments of the invention and together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

[0008] FIG. 1 is an illustration depicting a front perspective view of a roll-off container for a waste treatment system.

[0009] FIG. 2 is an illustration depicting a side view of a roll-off container for a waste treatment system.

[0010] FIG. 3 is an illustration depicting an interior view of a roll-off container for a waste treatment system.

[0011] FIG. 4 is an illustration depicting a rear perspective view of a roll-off container for a waste treatment system.

[0012] FIG. 5 is an illustration depicting a front view of a door for a waste treatment system.

[0013] FIG. 6 is a front view of a hopper for a waste treatment system.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0014] The present invention may be understood more readily by reference to the following definitions and detailed description of preferred embodiments of the invention. As used in this specification and in the claims which follow, the singular forms "a," "an" and "the" include

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Atty. Ref. No.: 25792.2.9001 plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Thus, for example, reference to "a side steam tube" includes more than one side steam tube, and the like.

[0015] Throughout the description and claims of this specification, the word "comprise" and variations of the word, such as "comprising" and "comprises," means "including but not limited to," and is not intended to exclude, for example, other parts, components, or steps.

[0016] As used herein, the term "waste" refers to international waste, domestic waste, household waste, medical waste, putrescible waste, organic waste, and inorganic waste. The waste can be in a loose form, or alternatively can be in containers such as bags or boxes.

[0017] As used herein, the term "roll-off container" refers to a container with wheels, rollers, runners and/or rails that is suitable for transport on a roll-off truck.

System for Steam Treating Waste

[0018] The present invention is premised on the finding that waste can be steam treated in a roll-off container, which allows waste to be treated and then transported to a landfill without the need to transfer the trash from an autoclave to a trash container. Based on these findings, a system for steam treating waste has been developed that is both economic and easy to operate.

[0019] In a preferred embodiment, the system for steam treating waste comprises (a) a roll- off container, wherein the roll-off container comprises a chamber and a steam inlet for inserting steam into the chamber; (b) a steam unit, wherein the steam unit comprises a steam outlet for delivering steam to the inlet of the container; and (c) a roll-off truck, wherein the truck comprises a lift for transferring the roll-off container onto the truck.

[0020] The roll-off container can have a generally rectangular footprint, and can have virtually any three dimensional shape. Suitable three dimensional shapes for the roll-off container include cylindrical shapes and box shapes. In a preferred embodiment, the roll-off container has an octagonal shape. The roll-off container can have any size suitable for transport on a truck. For example, widths for the roll-off container can include 90 inches, 84 inches, 72 inches, 60 inches, and 48 inches; heights for the roll-off container can include 90 inches, 84 inches, 72 inches, 60 inches, 48 inches, and 36 inches; and lengths for the roll-off container can include 6 feet, 10 feet, 12 feet, 16 feet, 20 feet, 24 feet, and 30 feet. In a preferred embodiment,

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Atty. Ref. No.: 25792.2.9001 the roll-off container has width of 90 inches, a height of 90 inches, and a length of 21 feet and 8 inches.

[0021] The roll-off container is preferably equipped with a vent. The vent can be located at any location in the chamber, and is preferably located near the top of the chamber. The vent can have a cap so as to prevent steam from exiting the chamber during sterilization. After sterilization, the vent can be removed to allow the steam to exit the chamber.

[0022] In a particular embodiment, the roll-off container is classified as a low pressure vessel. Because the container is low pressure, it can cost significantly less than vessels that operate under higher pressures. To maintain the low pressure classification, the roll-off container is equipped with a pressure gauge and a vent. The gauge can be located at any location in the chamber, and is preferably located near the top of the chamber. The vent can allow excess pressure to escape so as to keep the pressure under 15 psi.

[0023] The roll-off container is also preferably equipped with a drain. The drain can have a plate located on the inside of the container to prevent solid waste from entering the drain. The drain can also have a valve so as to prevent liquid from exiting the chamber during sterilization. After sterilization, the valve can be opened to allow the liquid to exit the chamber. It is also preferable that the roll-off container be equipped with wheels, rollers, rails, runners, and/or other suitable mechanisms for allowing the roll-off container to be moved both along the ground and on and off trucks. In a particular embodiment, the roll-off container can be equipped with both wheels and rollers. The roll-off container can also be equipped with a hitch, hook, or other means that allows a vehicle to move the container.

[0024] The roll-off container further comprises an opening in the chamber and a cover for covering the opening. The opening can be located at any location on the roll-off container. Suitable locations for the opening include the top, bottom, sides, and ends of the roll-off container. In one embodiment, the opening is located at the top of the chamber so that waste can be loaded vertically into the chamber. In another embodiment, the opening is located at the end of the chamber so that waste can be loaded horizontally into the chamber. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the roll-off container comprises a door opening in the end of the container, and two top openings in the top of the container. The top opening can be covered with a lid during sterilization, and the door opening can be covered with a door.

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Atty. Ref. No.: 25792.2.9001

[0025] The top openings can be separated by a top brace that maintains rigidity in the container. In a particular embodiment, the roll-off container has a level of rigidity that is sufficient to maintain a seal during steaming that prevents steam leakage.

[0026] In a preferred embodiment, the opening is surrounded by a seal to prevent steam from escaping the chamber. The cover for covering the opening can also include a seal. The cover and/or container can also include locks to prevent the cover from moving off the opening during sterilization. In a particular embodiment, the locks can include turnbuckles for manually tightening the cover, bolts for additional tightening, and/or hooks. In a particular embodiment, the covers and locks of the roll-off container create a seal that is significantly tighter than in roll- off containers that are merely used for trash collection and transportation. This level of tightness can allow the container to maintain a tight seal during steaming.

[0027] The steam inlet for inserting steam into the chamber can be located at virtually any location on the roll-off container. Suitable locations for the steam inlet include the top, bottom, sides, and ends of the roll-off container. In a preferred embodiment, the steam inlet is located on the end of the container. The steam inlet can include a steam unit connector for connecting the steam inlet to the steam unit. The steam unit connector can connect to the steam unit through any suitable means, including a hose, pipe, or duct. The steam inlet can also include a steam input for transferring the steam from the steam unit connector to the chamber. The steam input can comprise a central steam input for transferring steam to a central steam tube, and can also comprise a side steam input for transferring steam to a side steam tube. The steam inputs can connect to the steam unit connector through any suitable means, including a hose, pipe, or duct. In a particular embodiment, the steam input that applies steam to the container has significantly more steam tubes than in chambers that are traditionally used for sterilization. These additional tubes can allow the container to maintain a distribution of steam throughout the container despite its large size, even at pressures that are lower than in traditional sterilization, wherein the distribution of steam reaches at least 60%, 65%, 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, 98%, 99%, or 99.5% of the chamber.

[0028] The steam unit for delivering steam to the container can comprise any suitable apparatus for delivering hot steam. In a particular embodiment, the steam unit can comprise a boiler for creating steam from water. The boiler can be powered by electricity or a combustible

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Atty. Ref. No.: 25792.2.9001 fuel. In another embodiment, the steam unit can comprise a steam line that delivers steam from a separate location.

[0029] In particular embodiments, the system for steam treating waste can include a collection container for collecting waste that is capable of being emptied into the opening of the chamber. The collection container can be in any suitable size or shape, and can include rollers or wheels. In a particular embodiment, the collection container has a size of between 1 cubic yard and 10 cubic yards. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the collection container has a size of about 6 cubic yards.

[0030] The system for steam treating waste can further include a hopper for directing waste from the collection container into the opening of the chamber. The hopper can be in any suitable size or shape that is capable of being placed over the opening of the chamber. The system can further include a spout for directing waste from the collection container into the hopper. The spout can be of any suitable size or shape that is capable of being placed over an opening in the collection container.

[0031] The system for steam treating waste can be further understood with reference to the non-limiting embodiments illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 6, which illustrate an exemplary embodiment of a roll-off container 100.

[0032] The roll-off container 100 includes one or more wheels 102, one or more rollers 104, and a hook 106. The roll-off container 100 also includes a vent 108, a gauge/probe 109, and a steam inlet 110 comprising a steam unit connector 112, a central steam input 114, and a side steam input 116. As illustrated in FIG. 2, the roll-off container 100 further includes a drain valve 118, and a door 120 held in place by door locks 122, turnbuckle 124, and door bolts 126.

[0033] As illustrated in FIG. 3, the central steam input 114 connects to a central steam tube and plate 128, the side steam input 116 connects to a side steam tube 130, and the drain valves 118 connect to drain plates 132. The roll-off container 100 also includes a top opening 134 and at a top brace 136. The top opening 134 can be covered with a lid (not shown). The top opening 134 can be surrounded by a top seal (not shown).

[0034] Now referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, the roll-off container 100 includes a door opening 138 surrounded by a door seal 140. The door 120 includes the door bolt 126 that seals the door against the seal 140.

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Atty. Ref. No.: 25792.2.9001

[0035] Now referring to FIG. 6, a hopper 142 can be positioned over the top opening 134 to allow waste to be loaded into the roll-off container 100.

Method for Steam Treating Waste

[0036] As discussed above, the invention further provides a method for steam treating waste. In a particular embodiment, the method comprises (a) sealing waste in a chamber of a roll-off container; (b) inserting steam into the chamber to steam treat the waste; and (c) transferring the container onto a roll-off truck. The method can further include (e) delivering the container with the roll- off truck to a landfill; and (f) emptying the waste from the chamber into the landfill.

[0037] The step of sealing waste can include emptying waste from a collection container into an opening in the chamber, and covering the opening in the chamber with a cover. The waste can be emptied into the container by removing the lids on the top opening of the chamber, placing a hopper over the opening in the chamber, and directing waste from the collection container into the hopper. The step of removing the lids can include removing lid bolts securing the lid over the top opening, and removing the lids with a fork lift. The step of placing the hopper over the opening can include lifting the hopper onto the container with a fork lift. In a particular embodiment, a lifting brace can be used to lift the hopper with the fork lift.

[0038] The step of directing waste can include placing a spout over a opening in the collection container with a forklift, lifting the collection container with the forklift, and pouring waste from the collection container through the spout and into the hopper.

[0039] The step inserting the steam can include generating steam with a steam unit; transferring steam from a steam outlet of the steam unit to a steam inlet of the roll-off container; and transferring steam from the steam inlet of the roll-off container to the chamber of the roll-off container. The steam can be applied so as to maintain the pressure in the container at a level that is above atmospheric pressure. Suitable pressures include 5 psi, 6 psi, 7 psi, 8 psi, 9 psi, and 10 psi. In a preferred embodiment, the steam is applied to maintain the pressure at about 10 psi. Alternatively, the steam can be applied so as to maintain a higher level of pressure. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the step inserting the steam comprises inserting a quantity of steam sufficient to heat the chamber to a temperature of greater than 212°F for a period of at least 30 minutes.

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Atty. Ref. No.: 25792.2.9001

[0040] The step of transferring steam from the steam inlet to the chamber includes transferring steam from a steam unit connector of the steam inlet to a side steam input of the steam inlet and a central steam input of the steam inlet, and transferring steam from the side steam input and the central steam input to the chamber. The step of transferring steam from the side steam input and the central steam input to the chamber can include transferring steam from the side steam input to a side steam tube of the chamber, transferring steam from the central steam input to a central steam tube of the chamber, transferring steam from the side steam tube to the chamber, and transferring steam from the central steam tube to the chamber.

[0041] The method of steam treating can further include placing a temperature probe into the chamber; and recording the temperature of the chamber during the steaming period. The method can further include placing drip collectors under a drain in the chamber before the step of inserting steam, and collecting liquid from the chamber in the drip collectors during the step of inserting steam.

Parts List

[0042] The following list provides a cross-reference between the numerals used herein to identify various elements of the example system for steam treating waste described herein and the elements themselves.

100 roll-off container

102 wheel

104 roller

106 hook

108 vent

109 gauge/probe

110 steam inlet

112 steam unit connector

114 central steam input

116 side steam input

118 drain valve

120 door

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Atty. Ref. No.: 25792.2.9001

122 door lock

124 turnbuckle

126 door bolt

128 central steam tube and plate

130 side steam tube

132 drain plates

134 top opening

136 top brace

138 door opening

140 door seal

142 hopper

[0043] Throughout this application, various publications are referenced. The disclosures of these publications in their entireties are hereby incorporated by reference into this application in order to more fully describe the state of the art to which this invention pertains. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the present invention without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention. Other embodiments of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from consideration of the specification and practice of the invention disclosed herein. It is intended that the specification and examples be considered as exemplary only, with a true scope and spirit of the invention being indicated by the following claims.

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Claims

Patent Atty. Ref. No.: 25792.2.9001 CLAIMS What is claimed is:

1. A system for steam treating waste, comprising:

a roll-off container, wherein the roll-off container comprises a chamber and a steam inlet for inserting steam into the chamber; and

a steam unit, wherein the steam unit comprises a steam outlet for delivering steam to the inlet of the container.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a roll-off truck, wherein the truck comprises a lift for transferring the roll-off container onto the truck.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the roll-off container further comprises an opening in the chamber and a cover for covering the opening.

4. The system of claim 2, further comprising:

a collection container for collecting waste, wherein the collection container is capable of being emptied into the opening of the chamber.

5. The system of claim 4, further comprising:

a hopper for directing waste from the collection container into the opening of the chamber, wherein the hopper is capable of being placed over the opening of the chamber.

6. The system of claim 5, further comprising:

a spout for directing waste from the collection container into the hopper, wherein the spout is capable of being placed over a opening in the collection container.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the roll-off container further comprises a vent.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the roll-off container further comprises a drain.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the inlet comprises a steam unit connector, a central steam input, and a side steam input, wherein the steam unit connector is in fluid connection with the central steam input and the side steam input.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the chamber comprises a central steam tube and a side steam tube, wherein the central steam tube is in fluid connection with the central steam input, and wherein the side steam tube is in fluid connection with the side steam input.

11. A method of steam treating waste, comprising:

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Atty. Ref. No.: 25792.2.9001 sealing waste in a chamber of a roll-off container; and inserting steam into the chamber to steam treat the waste.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

transferring the container onto a roll-off truck.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

delivering the container with the roll-off truck to a landfill; and emptying the waste from the chamber into the landfill.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the step of sealing waste comprises: emptying waste from a collection container into an opening in the chamber, and covering the opening in the chamber with a cover.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the step of emptying waste comprises: placing a hopper over the opening in the chamber, and directing waste from the collection container into the hopper.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the step of directing waste comprises: placing a spout over a opening in the collection container, and pouring waste from the collection container through the spout and into the hopper.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the step inserting the steam comprises: generating steam with a steam unit; transferring steam from a steam outlet of the steam unit to a steam inlet of the roll-off container; and transferring steam from the steam inlet of the roll-off container to the chamber of the roll-off container.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the step of transferring steam from the steam inlet to the chamber comprises: transferring steam from a steam unit connector of the steam inlet to a side steam input of the steam inlet and a central steam input of the steam inlet, and transferring steam from the side steam input and the central steam input to the chamber.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the step of transferring steam from the side steam input and the central steam input to the chamber comprises: transferring steam from the side steam input to a side steam tube of the chamber, transferring steam from the central steam input to a central steam tube of the chamber, transferring steam from the side steam tube to the chamber, and transferring steam from the central steam tube to the chamber.

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Atty. Ref. No.: 25792.2.9001

20. The method of claim 11, wherein the step inserting the steam comprises inserting a quantity of steam sufficient to heat the chamber to a temperature of greater than 212°F for a period of at least 30 minutes.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising: placing a temperature probe into the chamber; and recording the temperature of the chamber during the steaming period.

22. The method of claim 11, further comprising: placing drip collectors under a drain in the chamber before the step of inserting steam; and collecting liquid from the chamber in the drip collectors during the step of inserting steam.

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