Steam sterilization system for sterilizing medical waste

Abstract

An integrated sterilization and materials handling system for sterilizing and handling items such as medical waste, paper, or other things comprises a cart for carrying a removable bin for holding the items to be sterilized, and a sterilization chamber that receives the bin when it is removed from the cart. The various embodiments include a bin that is dumpable with the cart using existing dumping apparatus, a bin that pivots on the cart to permit dumping of the items from the bin by tilting the bin, and a bin used primarily in a dry heat sterilization process of the invention when sterilizing items that are not to be discarded after sterilization to facilitate loading and unloading of the bin. The system has thermal energy booster plates mounted in the sterilization chamber for providing dry radiant heat to the chamber, and the system may vary process times, process pressures, and process temperatures to predetermine settings that correlate to the weight of the items to be sterilized.

1 - 50 . (canceled) 
     
     
         51 . A method of sterilizing regulated medical waste using a steam autoclave that uses high temperature steam greater than 250 degrees Fahrenheit as an agent for sterilization, the autoclave including a pressure vessel, the pressure vessel having a sterilization chamber for steam sterilization, comprising the steps of
 placing the regulated medical waste to be sterilized into the sterilization chamber, and   sterilizing the regulated medical waste to be sterilized with the steam autoclave,   the method including multiple times both drawing vacuum in the sterilization chamber and introducing steam to the sterilization chamber.   
     
     
         52 . The method of  claim 51 , further including the step of providing steam generated dry radiant heat in the sterilization chamber to vaporize fluids present in the sterilization chamber on the medical waste after sterilization. 
     
     
         53 . The method of  claim 51 ,
 the steam generated dry radiant heat being provided from a thermal energy booster plate mounted in the sterilization chamber, the thermal energy booster plate having a conduit formed therein for carrying steam to heat the plate to produce dry radiant heat to radiate from the plate.   
     
     
         54 . A method of sterilizing regulated medical waste using a steam autoclave that uses high temperature steam greater than 250 degrees Fahrenheit as an agent for sterilization, the autoclave including a pressure vessel, the pressure vessel having a sterilization chamber for steam sterilization, comprising the steps of
 placing the regulated medical waste contained in waste containment systems into the sterilization chamber of the steam autoclave,   introducing steam into the sterilization chamber,   heating the sterilization chamber with the steam to an effective temperature for killing all airborne pathogens in the waste containment systems and maintaining the temperature in the sterilization chamber at or above the effective temperature until the airborne pathogens are killed,   drawing a vacuum in the sterilization chamber after the airborne pathogens in the containment systems have been killed,   introducing steam into the sterilization chamber again,   heating the sterilization chamber with the steam to an effective temperature to sterilize the medical waste and maintaining the temperature in the sterilization chamber at or above the effective temperature until the medical waste is sterilized, and   drawing a vacuum in the sterilization chamber again.   
     
     
         55 . The method of  claim 54 , further including the step of providing steam generated dry radiant heat in the sterilization chamber to vaporize fluids present in the sterilization chamber on the medical waste after sterilization. 
     
     
         56 . The method of  claim 55 ,
 the steam generated dry radiant heat being provided from a thermal energy booster plate mounted in the sterilization chamber, the thermal energy booster plate having a conduit formed therein for carrying steam to heat the plate to produce dry radiant heat to radiate from the plate.   
     
     
         57 . A method of sterilizing things using a steam autoclave that uses high temperature steam greater than 250 degrees Fahrenheit as an agent for sterilization, the autoclave including a pressure vessel, the pressure vessel having a sterilization chamber for steam sterilization, comprising the steps of
 placing the things to be sterilized into the sterilization chamber, and   sterilizing the things to be sterilized with the steam autoclave,   the method including multiple times both drawing vacuum in the sterilization chamber and introducing steam to the sterilization chamber.   
     
     
         58 . The method of  claim 57 , further including the step of providing steam generated dry radiant heat in the sterilization chamber to vaporize fluids present in the sterilization chamber after sterilization. 
     
     
         59 . The method of  claim 58 ,
 the steam generated dry radiant heat being provided from a thermal energy booster plate mounted in the sterilization chamber, the thermal energy booster plate having a conduit formed therein for carrying steam to heat the plate to produce dry radiant heat to radiate from the plate.   
     
     
         60 . A method of sterilizing things using an autoclave, comprising the steps of
 placing the things to be sterilized into a sterilization chamber of the autoclave,   introducing steam into the sterilization chamber,   heating the sterilization chamber with the steam to an effective temperature for killing all airborne pathogens among the things to be sterilized and maintaining the temperature in the sterilization chamber at or above the effective temperature until the airborne pathogens are killed,   drawing a vacuum in the sterilization chamber after the airborne pathogens among the things have been killed,   introducing steam into the sterilization chamber again,   heating the sterilization chamber with the steam to an effective temperature to sterilize the things to be sterilized and maintaining the temperature in the sterilization chamber at or above the effective temperature until the things to be sterilized are sterilized, and   drawing a vacuum in the sterilization chamber again.   
     
     
         61 . The method of  claim 60 , further including the step of providing steam generated dry radiant heat in the sterilization chamber to vaporize fluids present in the sterilization chamber after sterilization. 
     
     
         62 . The method of  claim 61 ,
 the steam generated dry radiant heat being provided from a thermal energy booster plate mounted in the sterilization chamber, the thermal energy booster plate having a conduit formed therein for carrying steam to heat the plate to produce dry radiant heat to radiate from the plate.   
     
     
         63 . A sterilization system, comprising
 an autoclave, the autoclave having a sterilization chamber, the chamber having an interior, the chamber having an opening through which access to the interior of the chamber is obtained, and the chamber having the door mounted at the opening for sealingly closing the opening when closed,   a control computer, and   a programmable logic controller controlled by the control computer, the programmable logic controller being configured to manage sequential sterilization process steps including multiple times both drawing a vacuum in the sterilization chamber and introducing steam to the sterilization chamber.   
     
     
         64 . The sterilization of  claim 63 , further including
 a scale integrated with the control computer for weighing the items to be sterilized.   
     
     
         65 . A method of sterilizing regulated medical waste using a steam autoclave that uses high temperature steam greater than 250 degrees Fahrenheit as an agent for sterilization, the autoclave including a pressure vessel, the pressure vessel having a sterilization chamber for steam sterilization, comprising the steps of
 placing the regulated medical waste contained in waste containment systems into the sterilization chamber of the steam autoclave,   introducing steam into the sterilization chamber,   heating the sterilization chamber with the steam to an effective temperature for killing all airborne pathogens in the waste containment systems and maintaining the temperature in the sterilization chamber at or above the effective temperature until the airborne pathogens are killed,   drawing a vacuum in the sterilization chamber after the airborne pathogens in the containment systems have been killed,   introducing steam into the sterilization chamber again, and   heating the sterilization chamber with the steam to an effective temperature to sterilize the medical waste and maintaining the temperature in the sterilization chamber at or above the effective temperature until the medical waste is sterilized.   
     
     
         66 . A method of sterilizing things using an autoclave, comprising the steps of
 placing the things to be sterilized into a sterilization chamber of the autoclave,   introducing steam into the sterilization chamber,   heating the sterilization chamber with the steam to an effective temperature for killing all airborne pathogens among the things to be sterilized and maintaining the temperature in the sterilization chamber at or above the effective temperature until the airborne pathogens are killed,   drawing a vacuum in the sterilization chamber after the airborne pathogens among the things have been killed,   introducing steam into the sterilization chamber again, and   heating the sterilization chamber with the steam to an effective temperature to sterilize the things to be sterilized and maintaining the temperature in the sterilization chamber at or above the effective temperature until the things to be sterilized are sterilized.   
     
     
         67 . A method of sterilizing things using an autoclave, comprising the steps of
 placing the things to be sterilized into a sterilization chamber of the autoclave,   heating the sterilization chamber with steam generated dry radiant heat to an effective temperature to sterilize the things to be sterilized and maintaining the temperature in the sterilization chamber at or above the effective temperature until the things to be sterilized are sterilized.   
     
     
         68 . The method of  claim 67 ,
 the steam generated dry radiant heat being provided from a thermal energy booster plate mounted in the sterilization chamber, the thermal energy booster plate having a conduit formed therein for carrying steam to heat the plate to produce dry radiant heat to radiate from the plate.   
     
     
         69 . The method of  claim 68 , further including the steps of
 weighing the things to be sterilized to measure their weight, and   automatically varying process times, including residence time in the sterilization chamber that the things to be sterilized are exposed to and maintained at an effective temperature or above to sterilize the things to be sterilized, to predetermined settings that correlate to the weight measured during the weighing step.