Abstract: An improved process and apparatus for reducing NO.sub.x content of flue gas effluent from a furnace, the improvement comprising a burner assembly having a burner and flue gas recirculating system for collecting and passing internally recirculating flue gas into a combustion zone for reaction with a combustion flame. The burner preferably has a plurality of fuel dispensing nozzles peripherally disposed about the combustion zone to aspirate collected internally recirculating flue gas into the combustion zone, and has a plurality of fluid driven eductors to drive further amounts of collected internally recirculating flue gas into the combustion zone.

Abstract: A process for the thermal destruction of waste materials of unknown volatility disposed within a container, the process comprising the steps of (a) placing the open container in a combustion chamber of a pyrolysis furnace; (b) providing the pyrolysis furnace with a reducing atmosphere and raising the temperature in the pyrolysis furnace to remove volatile components of the material until a preselected temperature is reached; (c) maintaining the temperature in the pyrolysis furnace while controllably adding air until all the combustible materials are pyrolyzed; (d) continuing to add air during a final oxidation period to achieve combustion of all nonvolatile combustible materials; and (e) processing all volatilized materials in a secondary combustor fluidly communicating with the pyrolysis furnace.