Abstract: A system and method of cleaning a gas of undesired particulate, aromas, and gases is disclosed. The invention uses a centrifugal scrubbing space to liquid wet a gas and includes a container for containing a liquid with a pump to circulate the liquid. The gas is pumped from outside the container, through an inlet cylinder, a fan wheel, a scrubbing space, over a surface of the liquid, through a cyclone space, and out a top outlet. The liquid may be pumped with a standard pump, a cone-shaped rotatable case attached to the fan wheel, or a pump with a non-case rotatable case and an impeller attached to a same shaft as the fan wheel. The gas inlet may be positioned below or above the apparatus, and the fan motor may be positioned inside or outside the apparatus.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for the processing of a material in a sealed rotating drum by exposing the material to an electromagnetic field, and more particularly to a source of microwave energy, while the material is moving through the drum. The material is moved through the drum by fixed specially shaped fins on the inside of the drum, a freely rotating spiral on the inside of the drum, or placing the drum on a slope to move the material by gravity. Special carriers are placed in the drum to recirculate in the drum and mull and grind the material and keep the drum wall clean. If the material is to be processed by a microwave and the material being processed is microwave absorptive, the carriers can be made of a microwave reflective material such as stainless steel. If the material is to be processed by a microwave and the material being processed is microwave transparent, the carriers can be made of an absorptive material such as magnetic steel.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for the separation and chemical and physical alteration of organic solid material in which the materials are placed in a sealed rotating drum and exposed to hot products of combustion produced by a flame in the drum. The temperature, oxygen content, material flow rate and dwell time within the drum are controlled so that a substantial portion of the organic molecules is cracked and reformed. Many of these cracked molecules revert to a gas or liquid, and the gas, liquid, and remaining solids from the initial material are separately collected and processed further. The inside of the drum is kept clean by recirculating carriers. The drum wall is cooled by exposure to the ambient temperature and selectively insulating the inside of the drum. The flame is produced with a stoichiometric mixture of oxygen and fuel to produce a temperature to avoid combustion of the solid material.

Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed for the separation and extraction of a waste material into a solid, a liquid, and a gas phase utilizing a rotating drum that is sealed from the atmosphere. The exterior of the drum is heated and the waste material flows through the interior of the drum where the liquid components are vaporized and the solids are dried. The drum includes a oxidizing section where the hot dried solids, after the majority of the liquids have been vaporized, are mixed with gas containing oxygen for oxidizing the remaining particles of oxidizable material in the solids. Hot exhaust gases flow through the interior of the drum in a counter current direction of the flow of the solids to maintain an inert atmosphere in the heating section where the vaporization takes place and to prevent the condensables from flowing back over the solids and condensing. The vapors flow through a chamber that contains a hot oil spray for removing solids from the vapors, and then flow to a condenser.

Abstract: A heat exchanger including one or more rotating drums with a freely rotating helix inside the drum to move material to be heated or cooled longitudinally through the drum, as well as to help clean the surface of the drum, together with carriers to assist in heat transfer and cleaning of the drum surface, and scoops to recycle the carriers through an inner coaxial drum. The drum has a sealed inlet and outlet disposed so that the seals are not exposed to excessive temperatures. Cooling chambers are coaxially mounted on each end of the rotating drums for cooling and condensing vapors and cooling solid particles treated in the drum. An inner drum conveys the carriers back to the starting point by means of a freely rotating helix.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method are disclosed for the thermal treatment of feed material containing solids and liquids such as solid waste or the like. The apparatus includes one or more coaxial rotatable drums and one or more free rotating spirals advancing the material in the drums. The material flowing through the drums is heated to form solids and vapors. In one or more embodiments of the apparatus, the hot solids and vapors exchange heat with the cold feed material. An extruder for preparing the solids being produced from the apparatus for disposal and a means for rotating the drums are also disclosed.

Abstract: An apparatus and method are disclosed for the separation and extraction of a waste material into a solid, a liquid, and a gas phase utilizing a rotating drum that is heated by a fluid medium circulating over the exterior surface of the drum in a chamber. The interior of the drum is sealed from the atmosphere and from the chamber. The waste material flows to the interior of the drum where the liquid components are vaporized and the solids are dried. The drum vapor effluent is cooled and the condensable components are condensed and separated. The noncondensable components are used as fuel for heating the heating medium. The dry solids flow from the retort to disposal facilities.