Patent ID: 7347391

Claim:
An apparatus for processing solid waste products, said apparatus comprising: a rotatably mounted cylindrical vessel having a first end, a second end and an interior surface, at least one end terminating in a hatch that may be opened to allow access to the interior of said vessel and sealably closed to allow pressurization of said vessel; a steam inlet for injecting steam into at least one of said ends; a plurality of substantially straight blades protruding from said interior surface of said vessel, and each said blade extending substantially the entire length of said vessel while leaving free space within said vessel and about its longitudinal axis, so as to be capable of transporting waste material from the bottom of said vessel toward the top of said vessel, and releasing the waste material to fall toward the bottom of said vessel; and at least one actuator for moving said vessel between a position wherein said first end is higher than said second end and a position wherein said second end is higher than said first end during rotation of said vessel.