Medical waste sterilizing apparatus.

摘要

Medical waste suitably accumulated in a bag or bags (21,22) is filled via lid (12) into a chamber (2) defined within perforated walls (2a) closed by a hinged bottom plate (13). Hot air at 180 - 200 DEG is passed through the chamber (2) (at 5), exhausted (at 6), and recirculated until the bags (21,22) melt and the contents are sterilized. Then the heater (3) in the air circuit is turned off but cool air is circulated by a blower (7) until the temperature drops to 150 DEG C. At this point a piston/cylinder (14) opens the bottom plate (13) and the waste falls on a rotary member (15). On rotation blades (16) break up the waste against a stationary blade and a drawer (19) accumulates safe sterile pieces of waste for onward disposal. Advantage is obtained by coating the sterilizing chamber 2 with material which radiates infra-red rays e.g. 4m to 800m at about 180 DEG - 200 DEG C and thereby assists in melting the polymers usually present. Another embodiment permits of continuous processing using a partitioning wheel indexed to provide successive compartments for loading, heating and cooling, and gravity transfer for breakup on the rotary equipment (15,16). This gives a continuous processing facility. If desired it can also be coated to radiate infra-red rays. <IMAGE>