Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
~ 92/04~S8 P(~/U~i91~5735
209~75
Filling Slu1ce For Ireatin8 Infectious ~aste
The invention relates to a ~illing sluice for the treatment o~
infectious waste.
A filling sluicQ of the type mentioned is known ~rom German Patent
Specification 39 12 751. Arranged centrally in an essentially cylindrical
hollow body having a funnel-shaped outl~t portion at its bottom is a sluice
wheel with three sluicQ vanes extending outwards at a respective angle o;
120. The sluice vanes subdivide the interior o the hollow body into threa
chambers separated from OnQ another, which revolve during the rotation o~
the slulc~ wheel and which successively form an infeed station, transfQr
station and a disinfection station. This is intended to ensure that the
infeed portion to be filled repeatedly in an appliance ~or the treatment o;
in;ectious waste does not release any infectious germs.
An essential disadvantage o~ the known Cilling sluice is that only
small auantities of inrectious waste can be sYuic~d. A multiDl~cl~y o-
sluice oDerations ror ;illing a thermal treatment porlion arQ thera;or
necessary. Another disadvantagQ is that the ~ravel o the chambers in th~
sluice housing requires an independent disinfection station to be interposad
this involving a high outlay in terms of construc~lon and atlQndance~
An object Or th~ invention is, thersforc, to provide a ~ ng
sluice which allows rapid and reliable sluicing o~ infectious wasle withou,
a release of infectious germs.
This obJec~ is achieved accordlng to claim 1.
This provides a filling sluicD which is designQd wlth s~alionar~
slulcQ chambers and which allows a reliablQ and economical siuiclng c
in;ectious waste merely by means o~ a ro~atable varslon c a Dar-; lon wal:
common ~o thD chambDrs in con~unction with a spDcial seallng QlQ~Qn~. h~ ~n.
same tlme.;thQ part:tlon will DarrormS nol onlv a s~allns ~un.~;on DetwaQr
axiallv adJacen-- chambQr reglons, but 21'0 a Iransporlins tunc.lcn c
convQyln~ the :n;ectlous hasle c one cn2mDer In~o Ine o~nar cnamDer.
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Prefe1ably, a rotary vane Is arranged between two chambers which
define a filling section and a delivery secl:ion of a compact disinfection or
sterilisation unit. The filling section can be formed by a chamber o~
semicylindrical shape, the content of which is emptied into the chambar 0c
the delivery section during a forward and/or backward movement of the rotary
vane through at least approximately 180. Tllis design of the filling sluice
allows large dimensions of the sluice housing, with the result tha~ high
throughput quantities can be moved during one sluice operation. Furthermore,
a disinfection of the sluice chambers consisting of only a few parts can be
carried out reliably by means of steam, water and/or other solutions. A
repeated opening of the ~illing sluice for the introduction of infectious
waste, with subsequent treatment, for example in a disinfection or sterili-
sation unit, therefore takes place without the risk that infectious germs
willbe raleased.
An inflatable sealing element guarantees a wear resistant sealing
closure by the rotary vane, the sealing function being achieved even without
an exact adjustment of the position of the rot2ry vane. A desirable expand-
ability of the sealing element can be obtained by designing the sealing
element with a tubular extension. Because the sluice chambers are subjected
to steam, the sealing element preferably consists of a heat-resistan~
plastic.
A simple constructive design o~ the rotary vane can be obtained by
mounting this on a vertical mid-axis. The rotary vane can then consist o;
two vane blades of symmetrical design. The assembly and maintenance can be
simplified by the use of a two-part drive shaft consisting of an uppar and a
lower shaft.
Further embodiments of the inven~ion are to be taken ;rom the
~ollowing description and the appended claims.
The invention is ~xplained in mora detail below by maans o ~e
pre;erred embodiment illustrated in the accompanying ;igures.
Figure 1 shows a longitudinal section through a ~illing slulc-;
Figure 2 shows a cutout ~rom Figure 1 enlargad and in detail;
Figura 3 shows a top view 0c tha ;illing sluice accoralng ~o
Flgura l;
Figure 4 shows a cross-sectlon through the fillins sluic- accorci-
ing to F!gure 1.
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Figure 1 shows a filling sluice w1th a sluice housing 1, In wnlcn
are arranged two laterally adjacent chamber sections separable from one
another via a sealingly closing partition wall. In the preferred embodiment
illustrated. the two chamber sections are ~ormed by a filling chamber 2 and
a delivery chamber 3. The two chambers 2, :3 are trough-shaped and are each
sealingly closable relative to the outside via a cover 4, 5. The sealingly
closing partition wall is formed by a rotary vane 6 which i5 mounted
rotatably about a vertical mid-axis. The rotary vane 6 comprises two vane
blades 7, 8 (see Figure 4) spanning a separation surface, the outer circum-
ferential line of which exLends as far as the inner wall 9 o~ the sluice
housing 1 in the area of the parting plane between the filling chamber 2 and
delivery chamber 3.
As can be seen especially from Figure 2, the rotary vane 6 carries
a continuous sealing element lO which is inflatable in order to ensure a
temporary sealingly closing bearing of the rotary vane 6 against the inner
wall 9. To receive the sealing element 10, the rotary vane 6 has a conti-
nuous edge slot 11, into which the sealing element 10 is laid. The sealing
element 10 comprises an outwardly directed tubular extension 12 which expe-
riences a change of shape during inflation, with the result that the sealing
element 10 is pressed against the inner wall 9. The change of shape is il-
lus,trated by anextension 12 shown in broken lines in Figure 2. Heal-resi-
stant plastic is preferably provided as the material for the sealing element
10.
In addition to the closing position of the rotary vane 6 shown in
Figures 1 and 3, the latter can be rotated forwards and/or backwards through
at least approximately 180. The sluice housing 1 is made semi-cylindrical
for the filling chamber 2, specifically with a size and curvature matched tc
the pivoting circle 13 o~ the rotary vane 6. The rotary vane 6 can conse-
quently move through the filling chamber 2 and empty the waste introducer
there into the delivery chamber 3.
To execute the rotational movemen;, the rotary vane 6 is couplec
to an upper sha~t 14 and a lower sha~t 15. The sha~t stem a~;orns th-
possibility of mounting manual, electrical. hydraulic or pneumatic ~riv^
elements 16. For simple assembly and maintenance, the rotary van^ 6 lS
~aslened to the sha~ts 14, 15 with aouble eccentricily in tne axial direc;-
ion and is equipped with slightly angled vane- blades 7, 8 ~see Fiaure 3,.
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Each chamber has nozzles 17, 18 for flushing out the chambers 2,
3 with water and/or for admitting them to steam. If appropriate, solutions
assisting disinfection can al50 be sprayed in. The nozzles 18 for the jets
of water or solution are preferably designed as flat jet nozzles and are
directed to the rotary vane 6 in the delivery chamber 2. Both chambers 2,
3 are connected to a condensate outflow 19 for discharging the steam and
water introduced by the no~zles.
The shape of the delivery chamber 3 need be matched to the
rotary vane 6 only to the extent that it is possible for the rotary vane 6
to swing between the closing positions. The delivery chamber 3 serves as a
store for collecting the sluiced-in waste in order to transfer it to a
treatment portion of a following appliance. For this, the delivery chamber
is made funnel-shaped at the bottom and is equipped with a reciprocating
feeder 2û. The filling sluice can form the infeed portion of a compact
disinfection or sterilisation unit, in which the infectious waste is
treated thermally along a conveyor zone. If a prior comminution of the
waste is necessary for this treatment, a comminuting device 21 can be
connected directly to the bottom of the delivery chamber 3. Furthermore,
the delivery chamber 3 can be connected to the atmosphere via a mem-
brane-fiIter element.
The sluice housing 1 preferably consists of high-grade steel and
can be made heatable.
The sluice operation with the filling sluic2 described above can
be carried out as follows;
The rotary vane 6 is brought into the closing position, and a
sealed-off separation between the filling chamber 2 and delivery chamber 3
is obtained by inflating the sealing element 10. The filling chamber 2 is
cleaned and disinfected via the injection points 17, 18. The cover 4 of
the filling chamber 2 Is thereafter opened and the infectious waste
introduced. After this infeed has ended, the cover 4 is closed and th? air
bled fro~ the sealing element 10, with the resul~ tha: the sealingly
closing engagement of the rotary vane 6 with the inner wdl 1 9 of th^
sluice housing 1 com--s loose. The rotary van? 6 is then rotated forwaras
or backwards, during which the vane blade 7, 8 rotaling into the fillino
chamber 2 pushes the introduced waste in front of it and throws it into
tns delivery chamDer 3 opened as a result Gf the rota~ional moveme m G'
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the rotary vane 6. After a rotation of approximately 180, the rotary vane
6 is in the closing position on the opposite side. The sealing element lO
is thereupon inflated, in order once again to obtain a sealingly closing
separation of the emptied filling chamber 2 from the delivery chamber 3.
The filling chamber 2 is then cleaned and disinfected again. Before every
sluicing operation, the side of the rotary vane 6 facing the delivery
chamber 3 is cleaned. The filling chamber 2 can then be filled again and
further sluice operations carried out accordingly.
The actuation of the filling sluice is independent of the
further treatment of the waste. Only the sluiced-in quantities need be
matched to the receiving capacity of the intermediate store formed by the
delivery chamber 3.
Although the invention has been described in connection with
what is presently considered to be the most practical and preferred
embodiment, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to
the disclosed embodiments, but rather, is intended to cover various
modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and
scope of the appended claims.
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