Abstract: Stalks of crop material, especially straw, are incinerated by comminuting them to pieces having a length of substantially 8 to 10 cm, pneumatically transporting the stalks to a separator in which the air is separated from the stalks and the stalks are then compacted and advanced in a rising bed into a furnace. Within the furnace, a low temperature distillation is initially effected and combustion is promoted along the free surface of the bed, in part sustained by the gases produced by the distillation. Ash as it is formed on the surface is entrained away with the hot gases. The ash is separated from the hot gases and advantageously collected in a water basin while the hot gases can be used for agricultural drying purposes and the ash for fertilizer.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the preparation and burning of biomass-derived fuels such as wood waste or peat. Wood waste or "hog fuel" from the forest industries is of particular interest. Normally the entire stream of this material must be finely ground if it is to be successfully burned in an air suspension burner without any fossil fuel support. It has now been discovered that a bimodally sized fuel can be used. Only about 10-20% of the total heat energy is provided from a portion ground to a size less than about 100 .mu.m. This serves as an ignition component for a principal fuel which may be of much larger size. The usual hog fuel pile contains both bark and wood. Of these two materials, bark is much more friable and easily ground to fine particle size than wood. A major reduction in grinding energy is achieved by selecting the more friable material to be ground to fine size as the ignition fuel. The more resistant material is used as the principal fuel.

Abstract: A system for recovering resources from sludge in which sludge containing water in the amount of 90 to 70 percent is first supplied to a sludge concentrator through a forced supply equipment where the sludge is concentrated to contain a water content of a maximum of about 60 percent; then is sent to a drying furnace having a fluidized sand bed. The product obtained in the drying furnace is separated to gas and solid. After the separated gas is pressurized by a fan and is heated by a heat exchanger through a circulator passage, a portion thereof is supplied to the drying furnace as gas for drying and the remainder is sent to the sludge concentrator. The water content is then removed from the concentrated gas and the gas obtained from the sludge concentrator is used in the system as gaseous fuel.

Abstract: A system for recovering resources from sludge in which sludge containing water in the amount of 90 to 70 percent is first supplied to a sludge concentrator through a forced supply equipment where the sludge is concentrated to contain a water content of a maximum of about 60 percent; then is sent to a drying furnace having a fluidized sand bed. The product obtained in the drying furnace is separated to gas and solid. After the separated gas is pressurized by a fan and is heated by a heat exchanger through a circulator passage, a portion thereof is supplied to the drying furnace as gas for drying and the remainder is sent to the sludge concentrator. The water content is then removed from the concentrated gas and the gas obtained from the sludge concentrator is used in the system as gaseous fuel.

Abstract: The volume of low-level radioactive wastes containing free water is reduced by introducing the waste as a finely atomized spray into a zone heated by means of a hot gas. Contact of the spray particles with the hot gas results in the production of a dry, flowable radioactive solid product and a gaseous non-radioactive product which contains substantially no NO.sub.x or SO.sub.x and no volatile radionuclides, which are retained in the solid product.

Abstract: A system and method of delivering dried fine fuel. Moist coal is extracted from a source and initially dried to a moisture content of five percent by a gas fired dryer plant. The initially dried fuel is then transported to a central processing site whereat the coal is pulverized and further dried and fed to a storage silo. Tractor-trailers receive the dried fine coal from the storage silo and transport same to the end user's site. The trailer is disconnected from the tractor and is utilized as a storage tank as the coal is withdrawn therefrom on an as-needed basis. A fuel injector coupled to a variable rate feeder is utilized in one embodiment to convey the dried fine fuel from the trailer to the burner.

Abstract: A method of disposing of aqueous waste in which the aqueous waste is mixed with cement raw materials to form a slurry for the preparation of Portland cement or the like, for example in a rotary kiln. Prior to forming the slurry, the aqueous waste is treated to remove volatiles and other pollutants which vaporize when heated to a temperature below the boiling point of water. Such volatile materials are removed by contacting the aqueous waste with the effluent exhaust gases from the kiln itself and with the effluent air from the clinker cooler with suitable controls to avoid loss of the water component of the aqueous waste through boiling. The treated aqueous waste is then embodied in the slurry fed to the kiln and the pollutants in the water which can be combusted by the high temperature in the kiln are destroyed. The gaseous effluent which is cooled by contact with the aqueous waste may be discharged or further treated to recover the volatiles and other components which may be salvaged.

Abstract: A pyrolysis unit in which feed materials containing cellulose or oil are subjected to destructive heating to drive off gases and liquid vapors while leaving solid residue in the form of nearly pure carbon. The feed materials are conveyed in succession through horizontal reaction cylinders located at different elevations. Heat is applied by the burning of solid fuel in a firebox of the unit and also by injecting into each cylinder the process gas driven off in the immediately succeeding cylinder. A feeder which delivers both the fuel and feed materials includes drying zones in which combustion gases are directed through the fuel and feed materials to preheat and dry them and to filter the combustion gases.

Abstract: The invention comprises an unfired fluidized bed dryer and sorter. Pressurized fluidizing air is preheated passing through steam heat exchangers. Bed outlet air/vapor temperature is held in a range of 100 F. to 150 F. Smaller/low density solids are removed from the top of the bed and larger/heavier solids are removed from the bottom of the bed after some retention in the bed. Feedstock is fed continuously to the bed. The exhaust air/water vapor from the bed is postheated at least 20 F. before passage through a bag house by addition of steam heated air to the air/vapor stream exhausting from the bed. Moisture content of the effluent solid materials from the bed is controlled by mass flow rate of the fluidizing air and rate of steam flow to the bed air heater.

Abstract: Refuse derived fuel is produced by taking raw refuse, pulverizing it and n screening it to remove fines and oversize material, the screened residue being passed to an air classifier where the light fraction, rich in paper and plastics, is separated. This light combustible refuse fraction is then passed to a densifying machine, either directly or via a secondary shredder, to produce partially compacted material which is then dried in a rotary dryer. The dried material can be passed to a second densifying machine which produces pellets in the form of small dense cylinders or blocks having a calorific value equal to about half that of coal. Coal dust or other combustible particulate material can be added to and mixed with the combustible fraction between the two densifying machines.

Abstract: The invention includes the apparatus and method for cleaning gases such as flue gases. In the apparatus form of the invention a biomass combustion system includes apparatus for holding, at least temporarily, a quantity of biomass fuel, apparatus for directing combustion products from the associated combustion process intermediate a plurality of biomass fuel particles or through a plurality of biomass flue particles, and apparatus for directing flue gas from the apparatus for holding the biomass fuel back to the combustion chamber of the associated biomass combustion system.

Abstract: A method is described for preparing hog fuel, other biomass, or peat for efficient burning and heat recovery in a water-wall boiler. The process requires drying the fuel to less that a 30% moisture content. The fuel is then pulverized to an upper particle size such that there are substantially no particles which will not burn in air suspension within the confines of the combustion zone and the boiler can meet emission requirements. Additionally, the pulverizing step is adjusted such that a fines portion of fuel is created of such size and in such amount that the fines portion readily self-ignites upon flame initiation. The fines provide sufficient ignition energy so that the entire flow of fuel burns without the necessity of the conventional fossil fuel support or pilot. The fuel is sized to burn in air suspension by injection into the boiler through a swirl stabilized-type burner.

Abstract: Biomass is prepared for use as a fuel or chemical feed stock either by processing biomass to provide particles or by utilizing such particles that have been independently produced, in either case at a location remote from consuming sites. At a thus situated location, particles are delivered to at least one gas producing section and to a drying section with hot producer gas utilized in the drying section in a manner to so reduce the moisture content of the particles as to render the particles a more efficient fuel or chemical feed stock.

Abstract: Disclosed is a device for firing waste sludge in a coal-gasifying process by means of two separate dust fireboxes connected respectively to a fume gas drier and to a heat energy generator in the form of a steam boiler. To prevent caking of the ashes, fume gases in the second firebox are cooled down by the admixture of waste gases fed back from the heat energy generator. In this manner, the amount of the exhausted waste gas is reduced and steam production is increased.

Abstract: In an improved refuse incineration system, wet refuse is heated in a dryer (4) to remove most moisture therefrom while converting such moisture into steam for use in order to save energy consumption in a steam generating plant. The dried refuse is then fed into a boiler (23) for combustion where, because it has been dried, the combustion gas temperature within the boiler is greatly increased and thus the thermal efficiency improved.The preferred form of the system includes additional devices (27, 38) for preheating air used to support combustion of refuse enhancing the extent of combustion of combustible matter in the refuse. The preferred system also including devices (34, 29) for increasing the recovery of residual heat content from the waste stack gas.

Abstract: Fluid waste material is completely atomized and decomposed in a burner wherein the material to be decomposed and an oxidizing agent are maintained at a suitable relative ratio at every point in the burner so that waste transforms into a stable combustion product. Catalysts or other subsidiary materials are not required. The oxidizing agent may be air, air enriched with oxygen, or oxygen, and plasma is produced from the air or from the waste material itself. Water may be introduced into the plasma to promote the formation of hydrogen halogenides if the waste material itself contains halogens. The atomized gases may be deacidified and washed.

Abstract: This invention is a system for recovering resources from sludge in which sludge including water of 90 to 70 percent is first supplied to a sludge concentrator invented by the inventor through a forced supply equipment where the sludge is concentrated to have water content up to about 60 percent; then is sent to a drying furnace having a fluidized sand bed.A product yielded in the said drying furnace is separated to gas and solid. After the separated gas is pressurized by a fan and is heated by a heat exchanger through a circulation passage, a required part thereof is supplied to the drying furnace as gas for drying and the remainder is sent to the said sludge concentrator. After the water content is removed from the gas concentrated and the gas yielded by the said sludge concentrator is used in the system as gaseous fuel.

Abstract: Method for drying aqueous solid fuels, in which method the fuel is heated indirectly in a dryer by means of a heating medium heated in a boiler plant or the like and in which the steam formed in the dryer serves as a heating and transport medium. Oil or some other liquid having a boiling point higher than water is used as the indirect heating medium. Preferably oil is heated in the boiler plant up to the temperature of 300.degree. to 400.degree. C. at a 1 bar pressure. Heat surfaces of a lamella heat exchanger suitably serves as the heat transfer surfaces of the dryer.

Abstract: An economic process for thermally dewatering a solid carbonaceous material containing substantial amounts of chemically attached water is disclosed. The process is capable of economically removing up to 95% of the chemically attached water in the disclosed process.

Abstract: A steam generating furnace which burns high moisture content fuel has a panel of heat absorbing tubes dividing it into two vertical interconnecting passageways: (a) a combustion chamber for burning the predried fuel and (b) a drying shaft for extracting moisture from the fuel. Wet fuel is introduced near the top of the drying shaft. As it falls it is dried by some of the hot gases diverted from the top of the combustion chamber into the top of the drying shaft. The cooling of the hot combustion gases due to evaporation of moisture from the wet fuel causes a difference in density between the gases in the two passageways, creates a natural, unidirectional circulation of part of the combustion gases from the top of the combustion chamber to the drying shaft. Predrying the wet fuel causes the fuel to burn faster and hotter thereby producing a stable and efficient combustion of the wet fuel at higher specific combustion rates.

Abstract: An upwardly inclined, auger motivated stoker tube moves bio-mass pellets from a reservoir to a depending stoker nozzle through which the pellets drop onto a burning head carried in a traditional fire chamber. A relatively small orifice in the stoker nozzle aids in preventing backfire into the stoker tube. The burning head provides a convex top with peripheral rim structure to maintain bio-mass pellets in a coherent array for burning and is provided with a plurality of holes to distribute a forced air supply beneath the pellet array to aid combustion and ash removal.

Abstract: Material is comletely atomized, and converted into a plasma state by directing the feeding of the burner so that the material to be decomposed and an oxidizing agent (oxygen, air, etc.,) are in a suitable ratio at every point of the equipment so that the waste transforms in stable combustion products. There is no need for a catalyst or for any other subsidiary materials. The recovery of certain end products as chemical basic materials is also effected. The oxidizing agent may be air, air enriched with oxygen or oxygen. Plasma can be produced from air, or from the waste, itself. With waste materials containing halogens, it is advisable to introduce water into the plasma to promote the formation of hydrogen halogenids. A MHD generators or conventional heat exchangers may be used and the final gases are to be desacidified before letting them outdoors by treatng them with a weak alkaline washing solution.

Abstract: An improvement in a method of pyrolysis wherein an organic material, such as city waste, is pyrolyzed using a two-bed type pyrolysis system including a fluidized bed type pyrolysis reactor and a combustion reactor and wherein energy is recovered from burning the pyrolysis gases produced is disclosed. The improvement comprises recovering the heat of a combustion exhaust gas which is generated when the energy of the pyrolysis gas is recovered, heating a fluid medium with the recovered heat, and heating the organic material to be pyrolyzed with the heated fluid heat medium to dry the organic material before it is pyrolyzed.

Abstract: The invention relates to a burner unit for shavings or chips. It is particularly intended for firing with raw shavings or raw chips in a boiler (1). It is provided with a stoker apparatus (2) for feeding the shavings or chips to the boiler. It has further a predesiccation chamber (11, 21, 23, 27, 28) which is built up in the combustion chamber (12) of the boiler (1).

Abstract: Sludge is dried in a dryer and burned in a furnace, the dryer being heated by heat from the furnace using a heat exchanger so that contaminants from furnace hot gas do not pass into the dryer. Gas given off from the dryer is in part mixed with fresh air and circulated back to the dryer, and is in part delivered to the furnace for combustion, being first cooled to reduce its moisture content. Gas from the furnace is also treated to remove solids, and is cooled. Water used as coolant is heated by the gases and used for anaerobic digestion of sludge, producing gas for combustion in the furnace. Dry sludge from the dryer is broken up and mixed with wet sludge entering the dryer to obtain desired sludge grain sizes.

Abstract: The oil-shale is burned in a combustion chamber (24) having a chimney, and the method comprises:providing a drying gas by mixing hot gas taken from the combustion chamber via a duct (4) with relatively cool gas taken from the chimney via a duct (5), the proportions of said gasses being adjusted as a function quantity of water in said damp shale;crushing lumps of said shale in a crusher (6) and in the presence said drying gas;injecting the resulting grains of crushed shale together with the hot gas into an expansion chamber (8) in which the major portion of the grains falls out from the drying gas, while the lightest portion of grains is entrained by the gas;passing the drying gas together with said lightest portion of grains entrained thereby via a duct (9) through filter means (10) to separate said lightest portion of grains from the drying gas;riddling said major portion of the grains (at 17A, 17B) to provide a larger grain fraction and a smaller grain fraction;recycling said larger grain fraction via a duc

Abstract: The invention relates to the method and equipment for treatment of fuel for fluidized bed combustion, which includes drying, classification and crushing of the fuel. The method for treatment of fuel comprises mixing the fuel with hot ash removed from the fluidized bed combustor and drying said mixture in a fluidized bed dryer in which the velocity of the fluidization fluid equals or is lower than the minimum fluidization velocity of particles in the fluidized bed combustor. The equipment for treatment of fuel comprises a bunker, crusher and dryer, comprising a fluidized bed dryer provided with appropriate piping for interconnection of the fluidized bed dryer, fluidized bed combustor, fuel bunker and crusher.

Abstract: An incinerator for combusting sludge or the like is supplied with combustion air which is mixed with 5-40% by weight of a high-humidity, low-oxygen-concentration gas for adjustment of the excess ratio of combustion air and control over burning of nitrogen oxides in the incinerator. The gas is supplied from a predrier for drying the sludge or comprises a gas discharged from the incinerator.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for burning green wood chips in which the hot combustion gases generated by the burning of the chips in a furnace are passed through chips in a storage silo from which the chips are subsequently fed to the furnace. A column of chips of substantial height is maintained in a top vented silo. Chips are fed from the lower portion of the column to the furnace and usually mixed with other fuel such as particulate coal or coal dust, and the hot combustion gases from this combustion are fed into the silo at a location substantially below the top of the column of chips so that the gases permeate and pass upwardly through the column of chips to dry them. The chips also act as a filter to remove environmental contaminants from the gases.

Abstract: An evaporative concentrator for sewage sludge installed between hopper A and drying furnace C; the one set consisting of heating chamber B.sub.1 and evaporation chamber B.sub.2 having a construction so that the said one set or several sets are provided in series.Sewage sludge in the hopper-type bottom of evaporating chamber B.sub.2 is pressurized and sent into sewage sludge pass-way 42 in heating chamber B.sub.1 by compulsory supply means 48, the sewage sludge is heated in heating chamber B.sub.1, the pressurized and heated sewage sludge is led to the upper space of evaporating chamber B.sub.2, a part of the water content is vaporized by allowing the said sewage sludge to be sprayed into the said upper space in which the pressure is lowered, the steam is taken out of the system through exhaust gas pipe 46 having condenser 47 at the end, the sewage sludge somewhat cooled by evaporative latent heat removed is recovered in the hopper of evaporating chamber B.sub.

Abstract: Pieces of shredded tires are fed into the top of a vertical pyrolyzing furnace in a measured amount using a weighing hopper feed mechanism. Heated gas is introduced through inlet and pyrolyzing the tire pieces on a countercurrent flow principle to produce useful hydrocarbon volatiles and residues. The pyrolyzed residue including tire reinforcing wires are efficiently removed from the furnace by a plurality of downwardly inclined screw conveyors disposed in troughs. Each screw conveyor extends into an inclined conduit and discharges into a vertical branch conduit disposed at least partially within the cross-section of the furnace so that even discharge of the pyrolyzed residue is ensured by the combined action of gravity and the screw conveyors.

Abstract: An outer cylindrical drum has an inner drum concentrically mounted therein in spaced relationship, to form coextensive outer and inner drying chambers that are connected to a common source of hot exhaust gases from a sugar factory boiler. Raw bagasse is first passed through the outer annular chamber to effect primary drying thereof, and then a portion of the primary dried bagasse is divided from the remainder and is passed through the inner chamber to produce secondary dried bagasse. The conveyance path between the point where the primary bagasse is divided and the inlet of the inner chamber is short in both time and distance to preserve heat in the divided portion, and an entrainment unit is utilized to preheat the divided portion before it enters the inner chamber.

Abstract: In an asphalt mixing plant, a portion of the heat used to vaporize water in the process of drying aggregate is recovered by conducting dryer exhaust gases through parallel ducts which extend serially through the aggregate cold feed bins. These parallel ducts are vertically elongated for optimum heat transfer and to avoid impeding aggregated flow. The ducts have vertically extending external fins for greater contact with the aggregate in the bins. They also have horizontally extending internal fins for improved heat transfer between the exhaust gases and the ducts. The ducts are peaked, and conforming protective caps are provided to prevent damage to the ducts during loading of the bins. Water injection is used to initiate condensation of water vapor in the exhaust gases.

Abstract: Wet waste (1) is dried in a drier (3) by a blowing through of the flue gas (7) from the combustion of already dried waste and an appropriately amount of auxiliary air, and the heat from the combustion is generated by means of a scrubber (10) also cleaning the air for fume and dust particles, as well as certain nitrogen and sulphur and unpleasantly smelling compounds. Subsequently, the wash water releases the heat to a heat consumer through a heat exchanger (12), and impurities are precipitated in the clearing tank (15), while condensed water from the waste is carried away through a vent pipe (14).

Abstract: A method and apparatus for drying coal in which the coal is dried by a hot gas and then quickly cooled with ambient air to reduce the oxidation rate and in which the air heated in the cooler is supplied to support the combustion that generates the hot gas. The drying gas exhausted from the dryer is utilized to extract coal product, to produce the fuel necessary to generate the hot drying gas and to provide a tempering gas to help maintain the combustor within a desired temperature range. Condensation of the exhaust drying gas is prevented by utilizing the hot gas discharged from the combustor, bypassing the dryer, and supplying it to the exhaust gas at a plurality of different points.

Abstract: The invention objective a Individual Bagasse Drier that realizes a system of utilization of the chimney gases, to decrease the moisture of the bagasse left from the mill in 10 or 15 points, increasing the steam production between 13.5% to 15.45% respectively.It consists of a drier for each furnace, and consumes 54% of the power installed per ton of dry bagasse, in relation to the existing systems in the market.

Abstract: Stalks of crop material, especially straw, are incinerated by comminuting them to pieces having a length of substantially 8 to 10 cm, pneumatically transporting the stalks to a separator in which the air is separated from the stalks and the stalks are then compacted and advanced in a bed into a furnace. Within the furnace, a low temperature distillation is initially effected and combustion is promoted along the free surface of the bed, in part sustained by the gases produced by the distillation. Ash as it is formed on the surface is entrained away with the hot gases. The ash is separated from the hot gases and advantageously collected in a water basin while the hot gases can be used for agricultural drying purposes and the ash for fertilizer.

Abstract: An apparatus and method are provided for removing deposits from material such as drill pipe by subjecting such material to extremely high temperatures in a flame fired furnace. Heated air passing over the material carries with it the volatized deposits and is recirculated within the furnace. As the deposit laden air is recirculated to the burner, the deposits are burned in the flame, thus substantially eliminating the exhaust of contaminants into the surrounding atmosphere.

Abstract: The incineration system consists of a sludge dryer, a cyclone separator unit, an incomplete combustion incinerator, a complete combustion incinerator with a heat exchanger, a heat exchanger and so forth and comprises gas circulation passage involving the units above in order to burn sewage sludge economically without any additional fuel except for starting up thereof, with stable heat balancing in spite of change in fed sludge rate and with reduced NOx in the exhaust gas from the incineration system.

Abstract: Fuel and additional material are dried prior to entering the combustion chamber of a thermal power plant using drying chambers having fluidized beds. The heat required for drying is extracted from the hot ashes from the power plant by means of an oxygen-poor gas which circulates through heating chambers containing the ashes and drying chambers containing the fuel in a substantially closed loop. The loop may include a condenser for dehumidification of the circulating gas.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for drying and processing moisture-containing solids comprising organic and/or mineral inorganic components, wherein a maximum utilization of energy is attained by providing for an energetic cross-linkage between the drying and subsequent processing stages. With energetic cross-linkage between a pair of the component units of a system at least some of the energy generated in a first component unit is fed for utilization in a second component unit and at least some of the energy from the second component unit is fed to the first component unit so as to serve as at least a partial energy input for that first component unit.

Abstract: A method for drying sludge which may contain combustible vapors in a manner to positively prevent fires and explosions within the sludge dryer and the associated sludge-drying piping. The method provides for a substantial reduction of the oxygen content of the sludge-drying vapors by deviating a part of the sludge-drying vapor stream from the principal vapor circuit and passing it as secondary combustion air into the combustion chamber which generates hot gases for drying the sludge. Furthermore, a portion of the hot effluents from the combustion chamber is deviated from the sludge-drying circuit and is used to heat the sludge-drying vapors whereafter it is vented to the atmosphere. In a variant of the invention, an acid scrubber is provided to remove hydrochloric acid. A number of embodiments is presented.

Abstract: An integrated fuel preparation and incinerator system and method for utilizing organic solid and semi-solid waste materials as a primary boiler fuel is provided. The organic waste fuel materials are refined to allow for improved combustion efficiency. Combinations of the organic fuel wastes with inorganic wastes are first dried to attain maximum thermal potential; and thereafter, special dry precombustion processing allows for the removal of undesirable inorganics, thereby reducing the adverse physical and chemical effects upon the process hardware.The organic waste fuels are further refined during drying to a constant moisture which enhances combustion flame stability and organic fuel burnout efficiency.

Abstract: A system for disposing of sewage sludge by treating the sludge in apparatus which processes the sludge through relatively inert gas drying and grinding stages and utilized as much of the dried and ground sludge as is needed to produce heat for maintaining the drying process in the system once the system has become substantially self sufficient on use of the sludge as the drying heat source. The remaining excess sludge is then in a form either granular or fine suitable for direct sale.

Abstract: Moist combustible matter is burned in a combustion zone following a drying treatment in which the combustible matter is brought into contact with hot, inert particulates circulated from the combustion zone. The water in the combustible matter is evaporated at a relatively low temperature in the drying zone, thereby conserving heat in the system. The exhaust gas stream from the drying zone is handled separately from the reactor exhaust gases to condense the water vapor therein, the water is removed from the process and the remaining gas is subjected to odor-destroying high temperature.

Abstract: A process for disposing of sewage sludge resulting from municipal type sewage plants, including the production of dry solid fuel which is used in the flash drying and in the deodorizing system. Supplemental fuels are not required. The system is capable of producing a sludge derived fuel (SDF).

Abstract: A system for the combustion of moist ligneous and other wastes, such as sawdust and compacted household rubbish in order to generate heat. The system includes a crusher-extractor to divide the waste matter entrained in an air stream to produce a fuel mixture that is fed into one input of an exchanger-separator whose output supplies a pyrolytic burner coupled to a boiler. The hot fumes from the boiler are fed back into the other input of the exchanger-separator which serves to mix fresh divided waste with residue or unburned waste extracted from the fumes, and to separate the waste material to be consumed in the burner from the hot gas and moisture.

Abstract: A process for drying organic waste, such as sewage sludge, by contacting the organic waste with hot vapors. In the preferred embodiment, adsorption of hydrocarbons vaporized during the drying step is achieved by mixing recycled dried solids into the drying zone effluent stream. The drying zone effluent stream is then separated into vapor and solids streams, with a portion of the solid stream being recycled as the adsorbent. The unrecycled portion of dry solids is preferably extruded in a separate operation to form compacted granules having good flow characteristics and suitable for application by commercial fertilizer spreaders. In another embodiment, a vapor stream derived from the drying zone effluent stream is contacted with the dry solids downstream of the solids-vapor separation zone to effect the adsorption of hydrocarbon vapors.

Abstract: Any bundles in household refuse are broken up and this refuse is then coarsely comminuted with the broken up bundles, only the hard components of the refuse being comminuted with the light components merely being temporarily deformed between a pair of rollers having surface formations. Thereafter the coarsely comminuted refuse is separated by means of a drum-type sieve into a heavy fraction and a light fraction. The light fraction is finely comminuted into granules which are blown into a burning chamber in which they are suspended on a gas. The granules are combusted in this chamber to form a hot gas that is recirculated to sterilize and dry the heavy fraction and to dry the finely comminuted light fraction before its burning.

Abstract: A process for drying organic waste, such as sewage sludge, by contacting the organic waste with hot vapors wherein the dried material is plasticized and extruded to form compacted granules having good flow characteristics and suitable for application by commercial fertilizer spreaders. A plasticizer and an extrusion aid are added to the dried material prior to extrusion.