METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR NITROGEN DISINFECTION OF MEDICAL WASTE MATERIAL

Abstract

Example embodiments of the present invention relate generally to medical waste management and more specifically to a method and apparatus for treating waste material using hot nitrogen gas as a better alternative non-burn technology.

Claims

1. A method for disinfecting waste material, the method comprising: heating of nitrogen gas at a pre-determined high temperature until it is converted into superheated nitrogen gas, including any non-combustible gas, gases that are stable at high temperature, and inert gas; allowing said superheated nitrogen gas be in contact with waste material inside a heating chamber; heating the waste material by said heat of the superheated nitrogen gas; and disinfecting the waste material utilizing the superheated nitrogen gas with a temperature from 100 to 350 degrees Celsius and a pressure from 10 psi to 50 psi.

2. The method for disinfecting waste material according to claim 1, wherein the temperature of said heat utilize for this apparatus and method is 150 to 300 degree Celsius.

3. The method for disinfecting waste material according to claim 1, wherein said waste material is agricultural biological waste, biohazard matter, biological matter, medical waste, infectious waste, hospital waste, clinical waste and hazardous waste.

4. The method for disinfecting waste material according to claim 3, wherein the temperature of the superheated nitrogen is 121 to 300 degrees Celsius when the waste material being heated is medical waste to disinfect and eliminate viruses and pathogens.

5. The method for disinfecting waste material according to claim 1, wherein the waste material is directly and indirectly heated by said heat from the superheated nitrogen gas.

6. An apparatus for disinfecting waste material, the apparatus comprising: an insulated structure which is the disinfection chamber having a plurality of heating assemblies being held thereof, each of said heating assemblies being arranged in a manner wherein it is capable of providing heat in said insulated structure, said insulated structure being made such that it is capable of disinfecting and disposing waste materials being heated and disinfected therein, insulated structure includes an insulated hollow cylindrical stationary outer shell member and hollow rotary moving inner shell member that defines a heating chamber disposed there between, a waste heating chamber being defined by said inner rotating shell member on which is also a conveying means provided within the inner shell member being held thereof in a manner wherein it is capable of providing rotary movement and disposal of the heated and/or disinfected waste materials disposed in the inner shell member, each of said heating assemblies consisting of a heat pipe in communication with said heating chamber, a superheated nitrogen producing means in communication with said heating chamber, and a heater heated using a burner or electric source is fixedly held on said superheated nitrogen producing means and being arranged such that it is capable of providing heat in said superheated nitrogen producing means, said superheated nitrogen producing means being capable of transforming cold nitrogen contained therein into superheated nitrogen through utilization of heat generated by said burner or heater.

7. The apparatus for disinfecting waste material according to claim 6, wherein said superheated nitrogen producing means is a heat exchanger or heat transfer medium.

8. The apparatus for disinfecting waste material according to claim 6, wherein said superheated nitrogen line being made of insulated chromium and nickel alloy such that it can serve as best material for effective less resistance flow of hot nitrogen gas.

9. The apparatus for disinfecting waste material according to claim 6 wherein said conveying means is a rotary paddle conveyor, spoke conveyor and screw conveyor.

10. The apparatus for disinfecting waste material according to claim 8, wherein said superheated nitrogen line having insulated section connecting the heating chamber.

11. The apparatus for disinfecting waste material according to claim 6, wherein said insulated structure which is the disinfection chamber being in communication with an identical insulated structure and so on such that further disinfection of waste could be facilitated.

12. The apparatus for disinfecting waste material according to claim 6, wherein a cooling chamber is in communication with one of said insulated structure, which is the disinfection chamber being made such that it is capable of cooling and disposing of the disinfected waste from said insulated structure.

13. The apparatus for disinfecting waste material according to claim 6, wherein said waste material is agricultural biological waste, biohazard matter, biological matter, medical waste, infectious waste, hospital waste, clinical waste and hazardous waste.

14. The apparatus for disinfecting waste material according to claim 6, wherein a gas filtering means is in communication with said insulated structure being made such that it is capable of filtering the gases produced in the said waste chamber during the heating of said waste materials, such as particulate matter, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide and water.

15. An apparatus for disinfecting waste material, the apparatus comprising: an insulated structure having a rotary shell being held therein, said rotary shell having a waste heating chamber, in communication with said rotary shell being arranged such that it is capable of providing heat thru the induction of high temperature nitrogen gas to said rotary shell, said heating assembly being defined by a superheated nitrogen producing means having a burner and/or electric resistance coil or any radiation source and light source.

16. The apparatus for treating waste material according to claim 15, wherein said superheated nitrogen producing means is a heat exchanger heated by burner or electrical energy, solar and radiation heat source.

17. The apparatus for treating waste material according to claim 15, wherein said superheated nitrogen is being introduced into the chamber thru single or multiple ports with flow control system.

18. The apparatus for disinfecting waste material according to claim 15, wherein said rotary shell is capable of rotation by a prime moving means.

19. The apparatus for disinfecting waste material according to claim 15, wherein said prime moving means is a sprocket chain assembly, geared motor or belt drive.

20. The apparatus for disinfecting waste material according to claim 15, wherein said superheated nitrogen line is connected to the heating chamber.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0013] Embodiments are illustrated by way of example and not limitation in the figures of the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0014] FIG. 1 is an illustrative presentation of an example embodiment of the present invention being used in the disinfection treatment of waste materials;

[0015] FIG. 2 is a side view of one of the example embodiments of the present invention;

[0016] FIG. 3 is a presentation of another example embodiment of the present invention; and

[0017] FIG. 4 is the cross section of the example embodiment of FIG. 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0018] Referring to the drawings, FIGS. 1 and 2, there is shown an apparatus for disinfecting waste, such as medical and hazardous waste and garbage waste, the apparatus generally designated as 1 comprising an insulated structure 8 having a plurality of pipe heating assemblies 7 fixedly held on said insulated structure. Said insulated structure being arranged such that it is capable of being held in an elevated manner by suitable conventional support structure (not shown). Insulated structure 8 includes a stationary shell member 2 and rotary inner shell member 3, and a heat chamber being defined by said outer and inner shell members and disposed there between. Said stationary inner shell member 2 defining a waste heating chamber, wherein the waste material is capable of passing or moving in a rotary motion starting from the input chute and directly heated and at the same time while the waste therein is constantly heated such that it can be transformed into disinfected waste material. A conveying means 3 disposed within inner shell member 2 being held thereof in a manner wherein it is capable of providing movement of waste material being heated for disinfection. Conveying means 3 is preferably a rotary conveyor being capable of rotational movement by suitable prime mover, such as electric motor M. A waste material inlet 6 is provided on one side of the inner shell member 2 being in communication with a waste airlock system fixedly held thereof, and a discharge port 5 provided at the bottom end of said inner shell member 2, wherein the disinfected waste material is being discharged by said conveying means 3. Each of said heating pipe assemblies 7 includes a heating chamber in communication with said heat chamber, a superheated nitrogen producing means N2 being connected to said heat chamber, and fixedly held on said superheated nitrogen producing means H. A heater being arranged in a manner wherein it is capable of providing heat in said superheated nitrogen producing means. Said superheated nitrogen producing means is preferably a heat exchanger being made such that it is capable of transforming nitrogen contained therein into superheated nitrogen through utilization of heat generated by the burner flame or electric heater. The superheated nitrogen producing means being defined by a nitrogen containing means mounted on a nitrogen chamber heater, a superheated nitrogen line 7 having a heat exchange section disposed within the nitrogen heat chamber and in communication with said nitrogen containing means. Nitrogen gas flowing in said superheated nitrogen line 7 being capable of transforming into superheated nitrogen upon exposure to high temperatures generated by the heater through the burner flame or electric heater. Superheated nitrogen line 7 is preferably made of insulated chromium and nickel alloy pipe such that it can serve as medium of the superheated nitrogen into the chamber upon contact thereof. Said gases then being introduced to the treatment chamber through a gas discharge port of the superheated nitrogen line 7. The insulated structure 8 may be made to communicate with at least another identical insulated structure such that further disinfection can be facilitated. An air cooling chamber may be provided and made to communicate with one of said insulated structures to facilitate cooling and disposing the carbonized and/or disinfected waste material coming from the said insulated structure. Furthermore, a gas filtering means may be provided and arranged to communicate with said insulated structure connected by the stack 4 such that filtering of exhaust spent nitrogen gas, produced in the waste chamber during the heating of the waste material, may be discharged as room temperature nitrogen gas. In one arrangement, gas filtering means (not shown) includes a draft fan for drawing the gases, and filtered with an activated carbon filter for filtering the fugitive particulate matter from the nitrogen gas.

[0019] In another embodiment of the present invention described in FIGS. 3 and 4, the apparatus for treating waste material comprises an elevated insulated sealed structure 8 having a parallel coupled and sealed rotary shell mounted therein, which is also a waste heating chamber assembly means in communication with said rotary shell. Waste heating chamber being in communication through a plurality of hot nitrogen gas passages 9 provided on the side section. A hot nitrogen producing means connected to the pipe 9 supplies the hot nitrogen gas. The sealed rotary chamber 7 is comprised of angular paddles which are arranged in a vane like position 6. The vane will transport the waste from the shredder and into the shredder repeatedly until the waste is reduce in size thoroughly through the rotary motion of the rotary shell 7. A hopper 4 is connected to the stationary sealed structure 8 such that it can also be utilized as a waste input medium, which is also connected to the waste shredder under the base of the hopper 4. The waste shredder is a two-shaft multiple teeth system connected to the spout with a diverter: going into the waste heating chamber 10 and going into the waste cooler 14. The rotary shell is driven by a shaft 13 connected to the driving medium such as a motor, a geared motor, or a motor connected to a belt or chain. The cooling chamber 1 is a cylindrical member with a conveying member 2 that transports the waste in communication with the diverter 14 driven by a motor M pushing the waste out of the cooler through an output duct 12.

[0020] The method for treating waste material of an example embodiment includes among the following steps or actions. Heat nitrogen at a high temperature until it is transformed into superheated nitrogen. Said heating can be facilitated by suitable burning or heating means, such as a burner or an electric heater. The superheated nitrogen is then allowed to flow within a chromium and nickel pipe connected to the waste treatment chamber means such that heat is generated from said superheated nitrogen. Said high temperature heat inducted/transferred by the hot nitrogen in the heat chamber is then indirectly transferred to the waste heating chamber to facilitate disinfection of the waste being treated. When treating biodegradable and non-biodegradable medical or garbage waste material, such as plastic, wood, paper, cellulose, etc. by means of thermal disinfection, the temperature within the waste heating chamber should be at 120 to 300 degrees Celsius. In case the waste to be treated is infectious medical waste, the heating temperature in the waste heating chamber is regulated at minimum temperature to about 121 degrees Celsius to facilitate disinfection and kill the pathogens in the waste. At this temperature, no pathogens and viruses can survive after disinfection.