Apparatus and process for recycling absorbent sanitary products

摘要

An apparatus for treating used absorbent sanitary products includes a rotary cylindrical autoclave having a side wall and two ends, at least one of which terminates in a hatch that can be opened to enable access to the autoclave and sealably closed to enable pressurization of the autoclave; a circuit for heating and pressurizing the autoclave for heating the absorbent sanitary products to a sterilization temperature; and a plurality of cutting nozzles supplied by pressurized fluid, which are arranged for directing respective jets of pressurized fluid inside the autoclave.

主权项

1. A process for treating used absorbent sanitary products, comprising the steps of:
providing a rotary cylindrical autoclave having a side wall and two ends; opening a hatch disposed on the autoclave to enable access to the autoclave, wherein the hatch may be sealably closed to enable pressurization of the autoclave; loading the autoclave with absorbent sanitary products; heating and pressurizing the autoclave to a sterilization temperature and at the same time driving the autoclave in rotation about a longitudinal axis thereof; and supplying pressurized fluid to a plurality of cutting nozzles arranged for directing respective jets of pressurized fluid inside the autoclave, wherein the cutting nozzles are grouped into a plurality of arrays, wherein the cutting nozzles of each array are set at a distance from one another in a longitudinal direction, wherein the plurality of arrays are set at a distance from one another in a circumferential direction, wherein the plurality of arrays are connected to a pressurization circuit external to the autoclave by means of a rotary header, and wherein the pressurization circuit comprises a controller configured for feeding the plurality of arrays selectively as a function of signals supplied by a rotational position sensor that detects a rotational position of the autoclave.