Abstract: A method for sterilizing and decontaminating post-consumer absorbent sanitary products contaminated by organic compounds deriving from human metabolism and comprising drug residue, said post-consumer absorbent sanitary products comprising fractions of plastic, super-absorbent polymers (SAPs), and optionally cellulose, the method comprising at least the steps of: i) sterilizing (SR) said post-consumer absorbent sanitary products by heating to a temperature equal to or lower than 140° C. and at a pressure comprised between 1 bar and 3.6 bar to obtain sterilized post-consumer absorbent sanitary products; and ii) decontaminating (DC) from organic compounds said sterilized post-consumer absorbent sanitary products by means of an oxidizing treatment. The oxidizing treatment is carried out by putting the sterilized post-consumer absorbent sanitary products in contact with a gas containing ozone preferably at a temperature equal to or higher than 60° C., more preferably comprised between 60° C. and 80° C.

Abstract: A method for sterilizing and decontaminating post-consumer absorbent products polluted with organic compounds derived from human metabolism including drug residues, the post-consumer absorbent sanitary products comprising fractions of plastic, super-absorbent polymers (SAP), and optionally cellulose, the method including at least the steps of: sterilizing (SR) the absorbent sanitary post-consumer products by heating to a temperature equal to or less than 140° C., and to a pressure lower than 4 bar, decontaminating (DC) the post-consumer absorbent sanitary products of organic compounds by treating with an oxidizing composition comprising at least one compound selected from the group consisting of hydrogen peroxide, sodium percarbonate, potassium percarbonate, sodium perborate, potassium perborate, potassium monopersulfate, ammonium persulfate, sodium persulfate, potassium persulfate, and ozone.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for separating plastic and cellulose from post-consumer absorbent sanitary products. The method includes sterilizing successive batches of post-consumer absorbent sanitary products in at least one rotary autoclave. The method further includes shredding the sterilized absorbent sanitary products and obtaining sterilized and shredded material containing plastic and cellulose. The method further includes drying the sterilized and shredded material containing plastic and cellulose, and separating cellulose from plastic from said sterilized, shredded and dried material in at least one centrifugal separator.

Abstract: An apparatus for sterilizing post-consumer absorbent sanitary products, comprising: a container rotatable about a longitudinal axis, having a closed first end and a second end provided with an opening for loading/unloading, closed by a removable door, wherein the container has a hollow wall including an inner wall, an outer wall, and a hollow space, which extends from said first end to said second end, a rotary joint located at said first end of the container and having a steam inlet chamber and a condensate discharge chamber, at least one hollow helical blade, which extends between said first end and said second end of the container and protrudes inwardly from said inner wall of the container.

Abstract: A sterilizing apparatus, in particular for sterilizing post-consumer absorbent sanitary products, comprising: a container rotatable about a horizontal axis and having a hollow wall including an inner wall, an outer wall, and a gap defined between the inner wall and the outer wall, a rotary joint coaxial to said horizontal axis and having a steam inlet chamber and a condensate discharge chamber, wherein the steam inlet chamber and the condensate discharge chamber of said rotary joint are in communication with respective zones of said gap via a steam supply tube and a condensate collection tube.

Abstract: A method for separating plastic and cellulose from post-consumer absorbent sanitary products, comprising: sterilizing successive batches of post-consumer absorbent sanitary products in at least one rotary autoclave, shredding the sterilized absorbent sanitary products and obtaining sterilized and shredded material containing plastic and cellulose, drying the sterilized and shredded material containing plastic and cellulose, and separating cellulose from plastic from said sterilized, shredded and dried material in at least one centrifugal separator.

Abstract: A sterilizing apparatus, in particular for sterilizing post-consumer absorbent sanitary products, comprising: a container rotatable about a horizontal axis and having a hollow wall including an inner wall, an outer wall, and a gap defined between the inner wall and the outer wall, a rotary joint coaxial to said horizontal axis and having a steam inlet chamber and a condensate discharge chamber, wherein the steam inlet chamber and the condensate discharge chamber of said rotary joint are in communication with respective zones of said gap via a steam supply tube and a condensate collection tube.

Abstract: A process for treating used absorbent sanitary products, comprising the steps of providing a rotary cylindrical autoclave having an inner surface and two ends, at least one of which terminates in a hatch that can be opened to enable access to said autoclave and sealably closed to enable pressurization of said autoclave; loading said autoclave with closed absorbent sanitary products; heating and pressurizing the autoclave to a sterilization temperature and at the same time driving the autoclave in rotation about a longitudinal axis thereof, wherein said step of heating and pressurizing the autoclave envisages a first temperature regime for the products contained in the autoclave and a second temperature regime, higher than the first temperature regime, for said inner surface.

Abstract: An apparatus for treating used absorbent sanitary products includes a rotary cylindrical autoclave having a side wall and two ends, at least one of which terminates in a hatch that can be opened to enable access to the autoclave and sealably closed to enable pressurization of the autoclave; a circuit for heating and pressurizing the autoclave for heating the absorbent sanitary products to a sterilization temperature; and a plurality of cutting nozzles supplied by pressurized fluid, which are arranged for directing respective jets of pressurized fluid inside the autoclave.

Abstract: A process for treating used absorbent sanitary products by providing a rotary cylindrical autoclave having an inner surface and two ends, at least one of which terminates in a hatch that can be opened to enable access to the autoclave and sealably closed to enable pressurization of the autoclave; loading the autoclave with closed absorbent sanitary products; heating to a sterilization temperature and pressurizing the autoclave and at the same time driving the autoclave in rotation about a longitudinal axis thereof; and providing inside the autoclave a load of high-density tearing elements designed to facilitate thermal and physical destructuring of the absorbent sanitary products.

Abstract: An apparatus for treating used absorbent sanitary products, comprising, a rotary cylindrical autoclave having an inner surface and two ends, at least one of which terminates in a hatch that can be opened to enable access to said autoclave and sealably closed to enable pressurization of said autoclave; and a circuit for heating and pressurizing the autoclave for heating the absorbent sanitary products to a sterilization temperature, wherein said autoclave comprises a sealing layer on said inner surface, designed to prevent adhesion on said inner surface of material coming from destructuring of said absorbent sanitary products.

Abstract: An accelerator pack, specifically for linear accelerator modules cascade-connected to a proton-emitting cyclotron, specially adapted for use in cancer therapies. Such a technique is named PT. The pack displays an accelerating cavity of improved efficiency in virtue of its shape, which provides for making a portion of accelerating cavity on both faces of the pack. Furthermore, the pack also contains a coupling cavity portion. In such a manner, the volume of the accelerating cavity is increased as compared to that of the packs of the known accelerator modules.

Abstract: An accelerator pack, specifically for linear accelerator modules cascade-connected to a proton-emitting cyclotron, specially adapted for use in cancer therapies. Such a technique is named PT. The pack displays an accelerating cavity of improved efficiency in virtue of its shape, which provides for making a portion of accelerating cavity on both faces of the pack. Furthermore, the pack also contains a coupling cavity portion. In such a manner, the volume of the accelerating cavity is increased as compared to that of the packs of the known accelerator modules.