Patent ID: 8518340

Claim:
A regulated medical waste steam autoclave, comprising steam autoclave means for sterilizing regulated medical waste, said steam autoclave means including an autoclave chamber, a main drain line mounted on the autoclave, a main drain valve mounted in the main drain line for opening the main drain line when desired to drain the autoclave chamber, an auxiliary condensate drain line through which condensate in the autoclave chamber is drained, and an auxiliary drain valve mounted in the auxiliary condensate drain line for opening the auxiliary condensate drain line when desired to drain condensate from the autoclave chamber, the auxiliary condensate drain line having a conduit extending therethrough defining a path for condensate to move through the auxiliary condensate drain line, and means formed on the auxiliary condensate drain line along at least a portion of the conduit extending therethrough for permitting effective draining of condensate through the conduit while the autoclave chamber is pressurized without substantial loss of steam pressure in the autoclave chamber.