Abstract: There is provided a system for reactivating wet, spent carbon including a drying device to heat the carbon to drive moisture from the carbon as steam. A multiple-hearth furnace receives the carbon from the drying device, and the carbon is baked and reactivated therein. Reactivation is accomplished in the presence of steam, at least part of which is the steam which had been driven from the wet, spent carbon.

Abstract: A system for drying and burning wet waste materials includes a multiple hearth furnace having an upper, drying zone and a lower, burning zone. Wet waste material is introduced into the upper, drying zone and dried with a stream of hot air, and the stream of air is then conveyed to a condenser to remove water. The stream of air from the condenser is then conveyed to the center column of the furnace wherein it is heated, and the hot air is then introduced into the lower, burning zone of the furnace to aid combustion. Hot gaseous products of combustion are conveyed from the burning zone to an afterburner, and the gases leaving the afterburner are transferred to a heat exchanger and then discharged. In the heat exchanger a stream of ambient air is heated, and the heated air is then conveyed to the upper, drying zone.

Abstract: The following disclosure teaches ways and means for incinerating organic materials in a multiple hearth furnace equipped with an afterburner. In the furnace, the wastes are pyrolyzed in an oxygen deficient atmosphere which is regulated to only partially complete the oxidation of the organic substances which are pyrolyzed from the wastes. In the lower part of the furnace fixed carbon is substantially burned. In the afterburner, air is introduced to complete the oxidation of the partially oxidized substances carried by gases and vapors from the furnace. The air supply to the afterburner is controlled so that, at temperatures above a predetermined temperature, the quantity of air introduced is increased with increasing temperatures and is decreased with decreasing temperatures.

Abstract: The following disclosure teaches ways and means for incinerating organic wastes in a multiple hearth furnace equipped with an afterburner. In the furnace, the wastes are pyrolyzed in an oxygen deficient atmosphere which is regulated to only partially complete the oxidation of the organic substances which are pyrolyzed from the wastes. In the afterburner, air is introduced to complete the oxidation of the partially oxidized substances carried by gases and vapors from the furnace. The air supply to the afterburner is controlled so that, at temperatures above a predetermined temperature, the quantity of air introduced is increased with increasing temperatures and is decreased with decreasing temperatures. In other words, the pyrolyzing furnace is caused to operate with a deficiency of air over its operating range, while the afterburner is caused to operate with excess air and the amount of excess air supplied is used to control the operating temperature by quenching.

Abstract: The following disclosure teaches ways and means for incinerating organic wastes in a multiple hearth furnace equipped with an afterburner. In the furnace, the wastes are pyrolyzed in an oxygen deficient atmosphere which is regulated to only partially complete the oxidation of the organic substances which are pyrolyzed from the wastes. In the afterburner, air is introduced to complete the oxidation of the partially oxidized substances carried by gases and vapors from the furnace. The air supply to the afterburner is controlled so that, at temperatures above a predetermined temperature, the quantity of air introduced is increased with increasing temperatures and is decreased with decreasing temperatures. In other words, the pyrolyzing furnace is caused to operate with a deficiency of air over its operating range, while the afterburner is caused to operate with excess air and the amount of excess air supplied is used to control the operating temperature by quenching.