A continuous microwave disinfection system for medical waste disinfection

Abstract

The application provides a continuous microwave disinfection system for medical waste disinfection, and belongs to the field of medical disinfection.The system comprises a feeding device, a conveying device, an equipment box, a microwave device, a water spraying device, a temperature measuring device and an integrated controller.The microwave device, the water spraying device and the temperature measuring device are arranged in the interior of the equipment box.The microwave device is used for disinfecting medical waste conveyed into the equipment box.The water spraying device is used for spraying water on the medical waste conveyed into the equipment box, so that the medical waste is wetted and the temperature of the medical waste is reduced.The temperature measuring device is used for monitoring the temperature in the equipment box.The integrated controller controls the power of the microwave device and the water spraying amount of the water spraying device according to the temperature in the equipment box.The microwave disinfection and water spraying temperature reduction are combined, so that any kind of medical waste can be disinfected, and harmful substances are not generated due to over-temperature during the disinfection of the medical waste.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of medical disinfection, and in particular to a continuous microwave disinfection system for disinfecting medical waste. Background Technology

[0002] With urbanization, the demand for social medical services has increased significantly. Medical waste generated from the use of medical supplies may carry large amounts of pathogens and other harmful microorganisms, potentially leading to disease transmission and public health issues. To prevent the various pathogens and microorganisms in medical waste from affecting human health, it is necessary to disinfect medical waste.

[0003] Microwave sterilization technology, as a novel sterilization method, features compact equipment, small footprint, simple operation, and high automation. This method can achieve rapid and efficient sterilization of medical waste. While microwave sterilization technology has promising applications, current methods still have drawbacks. It is difficult to sterilize materials that transmit and reflect microwaves, and the types of medical waste it can handle are limited. Therefore, direct microwave sterilization of medical waste is challenging, and the sterilization process can also produce uneven temperatures, potentially leading to localized high temperatures and the generation of harmful substances. Expanding the range of materials suitable for microwave sterilization and ensuring stable temperatures during the sterilization process are key issues for its widespread adoption. To address these issues, further research on microwave sterilization is needed to explore more rational microwave sterilization technologies, thereby better serving the medical industry and meeting societal needs. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to provide a continuous microwave disinfection system for medical waste disinfection, which can disinfect any type of medical waste and monitor the disinfection temperature of the medical waste in real time.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following solution:

[0006] A continuous microwave disinfection system for medical waste disinfection includes: a feeding device, a conveying device, an equipment housing, a microwave device, a water spraying device, a temperature measuring device, and an integrated controller.

[0007] Both the feeding device and the equipment housing are mounted on the transport device; the transport device is used to transport medical waste entering from the feeding device into the equipment housing.

[0008] The microwave device, the water spray device, and the temperature measuring device are all located inside the equipment housing;

[0009] The microwave device is used to disinfect medical waste transported into the equipment housing;

[0010] The water spraying device is used to spray water onto the medical waste transported into the equipment box to wet the medical waste and reduce its temperature.

[0011] The temperature measuring device is used to monitor the temperature inside the equipment enclosure;

[0012] The integrated controller is connected to the microwave device, the water spray device, and the temperature measuring device respectively. The integrated controller is used to control the power of the microwave device and the water spray volume of the water spray device according to the temperature inside the equipment box, and to display the temperature inside the equipment box.

[0013] Optionally, the feeding device is a trapezoidal metal frame with openings at the top and bottom.

[0014] Optionally, the transport device includes a metal plate, a first electric roller, a second electric roller, and a conveyor belt;

[0015] The first electric roller and the second electric roller are respectively disposed at both ends of the metal plate; the conveyor belt is disposed on the surface of the metal plate;

[0016] The first electric roller and the second electric roller are used to drive the conveyor belt to rotate, so that the medical waste on the conveyor belt enters the equipment box.

[0017] Optionally, the continuous microwave disinfection system for medical waste disinfection further includes: a first water tank and a second water tank; the first water tank and the second water tank are respectively disposed on both sides of the transport device; the first water tank and the second water tank are used to contain liquid overflowing from the transport device.

[0018] Optionally, the equipment housing is provided with an inlet door, an outlet door, and a microwave suppressor; the medical waste on the transport device enters the equipment housing through the inlet door, and leaves the equipment housing after passing through the outlet door and the microwave suppressor.

[0019] Optionally, both the feed gate and the discharge gate are sliding metal plates, and the maximum opening of the feed gate and the discharge gate does not exceed the height of the microwave suppressor.

[0020] Optionally, the equipment enclosure is also provided with multiple microwave-isolated viewing windows so that staff can observe the internal condition of the equipment enclosure.

[0021] Optionally, the microwave device includes two rows of microwave sources arranged along the axis of the device housing; each microwave source is located at the top of the device housing; the integrated controller is used to control the power of each microwave source separately.

[0022] Optionally, the water spraying device includes a water pipe, a flow regulator, and multiple nozzles;

[0023] The flow regulator is installed on the water pipe and is used to adjust the water flow rate in the water pipe.

[0024] Multiple nozzles are connected to the water pipes, and multiple nozzles are located on the top of the equipment housing; the multiple nozzles are divided into housing inlet nozzles, housing middle nozzles and housing outlet nozzles;

[0025] Control valves are provided on the nozzle in the middle of the housing and the nozzle at the outlet of the housing; the integrated controller is used to control the valve opening of each control valve in order to control the water spray volume of the water spraying device.

[0026] Optionally, the temperature measuring device includes multiple infrared thermometers; the multiple infrared thermometers are respectively installed in the middle and at the outlet of the equipment housing to monitor the temperature in the middle and at the outlet of the equipment housing.

[0027] According to specific embodiments provided by the present invention, the following technical effects are disclosed: The present invention combines microwave disinfection with water spray cooling. Based on the electromagnetic effect of microwaves and utilizing the strong absorption capacity of water for microwaves, medical waste absorbs microwaves and heats up under water-containing conditions, thus enabling the disinfection of medical waste that does not absorb microwaves, thereby allowing the disinfection of any type of medical waste. Furthermore, by monitoring the temperature inside the equipment chamber in real time, when localized high temperatures occur during the disinfection process, the water spray volume inside the equipment chamber is controlled by an integrated controller to adjust the temperature of the medical waste, ensuring that no harmful substances are generated due to overheating during the disinfection process. Attached Figure Description

[0028] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0029] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the continuous microwave disinfection system for medical waste disinfection provided by the present invention.

[0030] Symbol Explanation: 1-Feeding device, 2-Equipment housing, 3-Feeding door, 4-Discharge door, 5-Viewing window, 6-Metal plate, 7-First electric roller, 8-Second electric roller, 9-Conveyor belt, 10-First water tank, 11-Second water tank, 12-Microwave source, 13-Microwave integrated busbar, 14-Integrated controller, 15-Water pipe, 16-Flow regulator, 17-Housing inlet nozzle, 18-Housing center nozzle, 19-Housing outlet nozzle, 20-Valve integrated busbar, 21-Metal partition, 22-Infrared thermometer, 23-Temperature monitoring integrated circuit, 24-Microwave suppressor. Detailed Implementation

[0031] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0032] The purpose of this invention is to provide a continuous microwave disinfection system for medical waste disinfection, which solves the problems of narrow applicability of raw materials and limited medical waste processing capacity of equipment in microwave disinfection technology.

[0033] To make the above-mentioned objects, features and advantages of the present invention more apparent and understandable, the present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0034] like Figure 1 As shown, the continuous microwave disinfection system for medical waste disinfection provided by the present invention includes: a feeding device 1, a transport device, an equipment housing 2, a microwave device, a water spraying device, a temperature measuring device, and an integrated controller 14.

[0035] Both the feeding device 1 and the equipment housing 2 are mounted on the transport device. The transport device is used to transport medical waste entering from the feeding device 1 into the equipment housing 2.

[0036] In this embodiment, the feeding device 1 is a trapezoidal metal frame with openings at the top and bottom.

[0037] The equipment housing 2 is equipped with an inlet door 3, an outlet door 4, and a microwave suppressor 24. Medical waste from the transport device enters the equipment housing 2 through the inlet door 3 and exits through the outlet door 4 and the microwave suppressor 24. The equipment housing 2 also has multiple viewing windows 5 for personnel to observe the interior of the equipment housing 2. Specifically, the inlet door 3, outlet door 4, and microwave suppressor 24 are located at the front and rear of the equipment housing 2, respectively, and three viewing windows 5 are located on the side of the equipment housing 2.

[0038] Specifically, both the feed door 3 and the discharge door 4 are sliding metal plates, and their opening degrees are adjustable, with the maximum opening not exceeding the height of the microwave suppressor 24 to reduce microwave leakage. The three viewing windows 5 are made of the same metal glass with a metal mesh interlayer, which can isolate microwaves and allow observation of the interior of the enclosure.

[0039] The transport device includes a metal plate 6, a first electric roller 7, a second electric roller 8, and a conveyor belt 9. The first electric roller 7 and the second electric roller 8 are respectively disposed at both ends of the metal plate 6. The conveyor belt 9 is disposed on the surface of the metal plate 6. The first electric roller 7 and the second electric roller 8 drive the conveyor belt 9 to rotate, allowing medical waste on the conveyor belt 9 to enter the equipment housing 2. The bottom opening of the feeding device 1 is close to the conveyor belt 9 and does not exceed the range of the conveyor belt 9 to ensure that medical waste does not overflow during operation.

[0040] Furthermore, the continuous microwave disinfection system for medical waste disinfection also includes a first water tank 10 and a second water tank 11. The first water tank 10 and the second water tank 11 are respectively disposed on both sides of the transport device. The first water tank 10 and the second water tank 11 are used to contain liquids overflowing from the transport device.

[0041] Medical waste falls onto conveyor belt 9 via feeding device 1. When the equipment is running, the first electric roller 7 and the second electric roller 8 drive the conveyor belt 9 to rotate. The medical waste is sent into the equipment box 2 equipped with microwave source 12. The overflowing liquid flows into the first water tank 10 and the second water tank 11 on both sides and leaves the equipment. The liquid is collected separately and microwave disinfected.

[0042] The microwave device, the water spray device, and the temperature measuring device are all located inside the equipment housing 2. In this embodiment, the microwave device, the water spray device, and the temperature measuring device are all located at the top inside the equipment housing 2.

[0043] The microwave device is used to disinfect medical waste transported into the equipment housing 2.

[0044] Specifically, the microwave device includes two rows of microwave sources 12 arranged along the axis of the equipment housing 2. Each microwave source 12 is located on the top of the equipment housing 2. Each microwave source 12 is connected to an integrated controller 14 via a microwave integrated bus 13. The integrated controller 14 is used to control the power of each microwave source 12 individually, making the sterilization process more flexible.

[0045] The water spraying device is used to spray water onto the medical waste transported into the equipment box 2, so as to moisten the medical waste and reduce its temperature.

[0046] Specifically, the water spraying device includes a water pipe 15, a flow regulator 16, and multiple nozzles. The flow regulator 16 is installed on the water pipe 15 and is used to adjust the water flow rate within the water pipe 15. Multiple nozzles are connected to the water pipe 15 and are located on the top of the equipment housing 2.

[0047] In this embodiment, there are two water pipes 15 and two flow regulators 16. The two flow regulators 16 are respectively installed on the two water pipes 15, so that two rows of nozzles are formed inside the equipment housing 2. The water in the two water pipes 15 of the water spraying device enters the nozzles after being regulated by the two flow regulators 16.

[0048] The multiple nozzles are divided into an inlet nozzle 17, a middle nozzle 18, and an outlet nozzle 19. Both the middle nozzle 18 and the outlet nozzle 19 are equipped with control valves. These control valves are connected to an integrated controller 14 via a valve integration busbar 20. The integrated controller 14 controls the valve opening of each control valve to regulate the water flow rate of the spraying device. The inlet nozzle 17 does not have a control valve; its flow rate is regulated by a flow regulator 16 to ensure that all medical waste is fully wetted at the inlet of the equipment housing 2. During disinfection, water can be replenished through the middle nozzle 18. The outlet nozzle 19 is used to reduce the temperature of the medical waste and minimize microwave leakage; its valve opening is adjusted according to actual conditions.

[0049] In this embodiment, there are four inlet nozzles 17, two middle nozzles 18, and two outlet nozzles 19. The microwave source 12 is divided into two regions by the two middle nozzles 18. The front region is used to heat the moist medical waste, while the rear region mainly maintains the temperature required for disinfection. When the temperature of the medical waste is too high, the microwave power in the rear region is reduced to maintain a stable waste temperature.

[0050] In addition, inside the equipment housing 2, two metal partitions 21 separate the housing inlet nozzle 17 and the housing outlet nozzle 19 from the microwave source 12, reducing microwave leakage and minimizing the impact between the water spray device and the microwave device.

[0051] The temperature measuring device is used to monitor the temperature inside the equipment housing 2.

[0052] Specifically, the temperature measuring device includes multiple infrared thermometers 22. These infrared thermometers 22 are respectively located in the middle and at the outlet of the equipment housing 2 to monitor the temperature at these locations. In one specific embodiment, the number of infrared thermometers 22 is four: two are located in the middle of the equipment housing 2, two are located at the outlet of the equipment housing 2, and all four are located at the top of the housing.

[0053] For moving objects, non-contact infrared temperature measurement is less affected by electromagnetic interference and will not affect the operation of conveyor belt 9. Infrared thermometers 22 are installed in the middle of the equipment housing 2 and at the outlet to monitor the temperature and avoid the generation of harmful substances due to localized high temperatures. Each infrared thermometer 22 is connected to the integrated controller 14 through the temperature monitoring integrated circuit 23, and the monitored temperature values ​​are displayed on the integrated controller 14 through the temperature monitoring integrated circuit 23.

[0054] The integrated controller 14 is connected to the microwave device, the water spray device and the temperature measuring device respectively. The integrated controller 14 is used to control the power of the microwave device and the water spray volume of the water spray device according to the temperature inside the equipment box 2, and to display the temperature inside the equipment box 2.

[0055] The specific workflow of the continuous microwave disinfection system for medical waste proposed in this invention is as follows:

[0056] Before microwave sterilization, turn on the water spray device and run the microwave device. Then, open the feed door 3 of the equipment housing 2 and pour the medical waste into the feed device 1 for sterilization. Run the first electric roller 7 and the second electric roller 8 (roller speed adjustable). Use the conveyor belt 9 to feed the medical waste into the equipment housing 2. The medical waste needs to be evenly spread on the conveyor belt 9 and moistened with water spray at the entrance of the equipment housing 2 before microwave sterilization. The integrated controller 14 increases the microwave power in the front area of ​​the equipment housing 2 to rapidly heat the medical waste. When the medical waste passes the infrared thermometer 22, read the temperature at the measuring point to ensure the temperature reaches 95℃ and maintains this temperature. Using the viewing window 5 on the side of the equipment housing 2, observe whether the medical waste has become dry. Based on the sterilization status and the measuring point temperature, decide whether to open the nozzle 18 in the middle of the housing 2. When the medical waste becomes dry or overheats, open the nozzle 18 in the middle of the housing for humidification or cooling; otherwise, do not open it. Based on this, medical waste enters the microwave area at the rear of the equipment housing 2. The condition of the medical waste is observed through the side viewing window 5, and the reading of the infrared thermometer 22 at the outlet of the equipment housing 2 is monitored to ensure a high-temperature environment in this area, thereby achieving efficient disinfection. To ensure that all types of medical waste can be disinfected, the conveying speed of the conveyor belt 9 can be adjusted by adjusting the rotation speed of the rollers to ensure the time required for the disinfection process and to guarantee the disinfection effect.

[0057] When the amount of medical waste requiring disinfection is small, the conveyor belt 9 transports the medical waste into the microwave disinfection area. The first electric roller 7, the second electric roller 8, the inlet door 3, and the outlet door 4 of the equipment housing 2 are closed. At this time, the system operates in static mode. Even with the microwave and water spray devices turned on, disinfection can still be achieved. After disinfection, the first electric roller 7 and the second electric roller 8 are activated, and the medical waste is output via the conveyor belt 9. During the disinfection process, the liquid in the first water tank 10 and the second water tank 11 is recovered and separately sent to the equipment housing 2 for microwave disinfection. Finally, samples of the liquid and solid components in the medical waste are taken for testing to verify the disinfection effect and achieve the harmless treatment of the medical waste.

[0058] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows:

[0059] (1) Expanded the range of medical waste that microwave disinfection technology can treat. Addressing the issue of localized high temperatures or uneven heating of medical waste due to the selective heating characteristic of microwaves, microwaves are combined with water for medical disinfection. During the disinfection process, nozzles at the inlet of the equipment housing 2 spray water evenly onto the medical waste, wetting it. Based on water's strong absorption capacity for microwaves, the medical waste absorbs microwaves and heats up in the presence of water. Furthermore, utilizing the electromagnetic effect of microwaves, even medical waste that does not absorb microwaves can be disinfected. Therefore, based on the even spraying of water, any type of medical waste can be disinfected.

[0060] (2) Temperature control during the disinfection process is achieved. Regardless of the type of items in the medical waste, the temperature of multiple medical wastes inside the equipment chamber 2 is monitored in real time. When local high temperatures occur during the disinfection process, the water spray volume during the disinfection process is adjusted by controlling the opening of the nozzle valves inside the equipment chamber 2, thereby adjusting the temperature of the medical waste and ensuring that no harmful substances are generated due to overheating during the disinfection process.

[0061] (3) It can handle medical waste of different sizes. When the amount of medical waste to be disinfected is large, the electric rollers are operated to maintain a continuous conveying mode, which can handle a large amount of medical waste. When the amount of medical waste to be disinfected is small, the electric rollers are operated to transport the medical waste into the equipment box 2 via the conveyor belt 9, the inlet door 3 and the outlet door 4 are closed, and the outlet door 4 of the equipment box 2 is opened after disinfection to discharge the medical waste. Therefore, the system can handle a wide range of medical waste sizes.

[0062] This document uses specific examples to illustrate the principles and implementation methods of the present invention. The descriptions of the above embodiments are only for the purpose of helping to understand the method and core ideas of the present invention. Furthermore, those skilled in the art will recognize that, based on the ideas of the present invention, there will be changes in the specific implementation methods and application scope. Therefore, the content of this specification should not be construed as a limitation of the present invention.

Claims

1. A continuous microwave disinfection system for medical waste disinfection, characterized in that, The continuous microwave disinfection system for medical waste disinfection includes: a feeding device, a conveying device, an equipment housing, a microwave device, a water spraying device, a temperature measuring device, and an integrated controller. Both the feeding device and the equipment housing are mounted on the transport device; the transport device is used to transport medical waste entering from the feeding device into the equipment housing. The transport device includes a metal plate, a first electric roller, a second electric roller, and a conveyor belt; the first electric roller and the second electric roller are respectively disposed at both ends of the metal plate; the conveyor belt is disposed on the surface of the metal plate; the first electric roller and the second electric roller are used to drive the conveyor belt to rotate, so that the medical waste on the conveyor belt enters the equipment box; The microwave device, the water spray device, and the temperature measuring device are all located inside the equipment housing; The microwave device is used to disinfect medical waste transported into the equipment housing; The water spraying device is used to spray water onto the medical waste transported into the equipment box to wet the medical waste and reduce its temperature. The water spraying device includes a water pipe, a flow regulator, and multiple nozzles. The flow regulator is installed on the water pipe and is used to adjust the water flow rate within the water pipe. Multiple nozzles are connected to the water pipe and are located on the top of the equipment housing. These nozzles are categorized as housing inlet nozzles, housing middle nozzles, and housing outlet nozzles. Control valves are installed on both the housing middle nozzle and the housing outlet nozzle. An integrated controller controls the opening degree of each control valve to control the water spray volume of the water spraying device. The housing inlet nozzle does not have a control valve; its flow regulator ensures that all medical waste is fully wetted at the housing inlet. During disinfection, water is replenished through the housing middle nozzle. The housing outlet nozzle is used to reduce the temperature of the medical waste and minimize microwave leakage; its valve opening is adjusted according to actual conditions. The temperature measuring device is used to monitor the temperature inside the equipment enclosure; The integrated controller is connected to the microwave device, the water spray device, and the temperature measuring device respectively. The integrated controller is used to control the power of the microwave device and the water spray volume of the water spray device according to the temperature inside the equipment box, and to display the temperature inside the equipment box.

2. The continuous microwave disinfection system for medical waste disinfection according to claim 1, characterized in that, The feeding device is a trapezoidal metal frame with openings at the top and bottom.

3. The continuous microwave disinfection system for medical waste disinfection according to claim 1, characterized in that, The continuous microwave disinfection system for medical waste disinfection further includes: a first water tank and a second water tank; the first water tank and the second water tank are respectively disposed on both sides of the transport device; the first water tank and the second water tank are used to contain liquid overflowing from the transport device.

4. The continuous microwave disinfection system for medical waste disinfection according to claim 1, characterized in that, The equipment housing is equipped with an inlet door, an outlet door, and a microwave suppressor; the medical waste on the transport device enters the equipment housing through the inlet door, and leaves the equipment housing after passing through the outlet door and the microwave suppressor.

5. The continuous microwave disinfection system for medical waste disinfection according to claim 4, characterized in that, Both the feed gate and the discharge gate are sliding metal plates, and the maximum opening of the feed gate and the discharge gate does not exceed the height of the microwave suppressor.

6. The continuous microwave disinfection system for medical waste disinfection according to claim 4, characterized in that, The equipment enclosure is also equipped with multiple microwave-isolated viewing windows, allowing staff to observe the internal condition of the equipment enclosure.

7. The continuous microwave disinfection system for medical waste disinfection according to claim 1, characterized in that, The microwave device includes two rows of microwave sources arranged along the axis of the device housing; each microwave source is located on the top of the device housing; the integrated controller is used to control the power of each microwave source respectively.

8. The continuous microwave disinfection system for medical waste disinfection according to claim 1, characterized in that, The temperature measuring device includes multiple infrared thermometers; the multiple infrared thermometers are respectively installed in the middle and at the outlet of the equipment housing to monitor the temperature in the middle and at the outlet of the equipment housing.

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