Abstract: A thermal desorption apparatus for the vaporization of volatile organic compounds and other contaminants within solid and liquid materials, such as sand, gravel, soil, clay, and industrial sludge is disclosed. The apparatus includes a generally cylindrical kiln having a bellows seal located at an inlet port, an outlet port, a fire box, an after burner, a quench tube assembly, a water cyclone having a rotary cylinder and a recyclable water tank system and pump. The kiln also includes a sludge and liquid injection port for the processing of contaminated liquid materials, as well as a computer controlled regulating system and program for operation of the apparatus. The apparatus also includes an entry port screw auger and an exit port screw auger, as well as a series of stationary paddles affixed to the inside kiln walls.

Abstract: A device for drying and cleaning footwear comprising a shallow housing on which the user steps to activate heater blowers which provide hot air which is directed upward against the footwear of the user. At the same time the user moves his feet against brushes. The debris and water falls though the device to be collected in shallow drawers at the bottom of the device.

Abstract: An apparatus having a thermal scission reactor with a graphite-lined plasma arc chamber for the pyrolytic disposal of toxic or hazardous waste. The thermal scission reactor includes a vessel with the plasma arc chamber surrounded by a water jacket. A tubular plasma arc electrode is provided for reciprocating movement within the plasma arc chamber. A conduit communicates with the tubular plasma arc electrode for the introduction of waste material through the tubular plasma arc electrode into the plasma arc chamber. The tubular plasma arc and an opposing electrode produce a plasma electric arc within the plasma arc chamber. An entry duct communicates with the plasma arc chamber for introduction of solid waste into the plasma arc chamber. An exit duct communicates with the plasma arc chamber for escape of gases and ash from the plasma arc chamber. Graphite liners are provided in the plasma arc chamber, the entry duct and the exit duct.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for remediating contaminated soil having volatilizable organic pollutants in a heated treatment zone, preferably a rotary drum, in gas/solids contact with superheated steam. Treatment gases from the treatment zone are repressurized and reheated for reuse in the treatment zone. Superheated steam is maintained in a closed loop and is maintained at superheated conditions. Vaporized organic pollutants and superheated steam are removed from the closed loop of superheated steam for cooling and condensation to condense water and condense liquid volatilizable organic pollutants and uncondensed organic pollutant vapors.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for enclosing, controlling and suppressing the detonation of explosives in an explosion chamber is disclosed. The device comprises an elongate double-walled steel explosion chamber anchored to a concrete foundation, and having a double-walled access door for charging new workpieces, and a double-walled vent door for discharging the products of the explosion. The double walls of the chamber, access door and vent door are filled with granular shock damping material such as silica sand, and the floor of the chamber is covered with granular shock-damping bed such as pea gravel. Along the outside of the chamber are steel manifolds from which a linear array of vent pipes penetrates the double walls of the chamber, with each pipe terminating in a hardened steel orifice through which the explosion combustion products pass. Within the chamber, plastic polymer film bags containing water are suspended from steel wires over the explosive material, and at each end of the chamber.

Abstract: A gasifier is disclosed. The gasifier comprises a primary chamber for receiving therein biomass waste material and other related volatile solids to be gasified. A fume transfer vent permits the escape of fumes from the primary chamber. A mixing chamber accepts the fumes from the fume transfer vent. The fumes then flow to an afterburner chamber where a burner member produces a heating flame so as to cause the additional full oxidization of the constituents of the fumes so as to oxidize the constituents. A partitioning wall is disposed between the flame chamber and the primary chamber so as to preclude the heating flame from entering the primary chamber and to also preclude the radiation from the heating flame from directly entering the primary chamber, thereby precluding direct contact and physical disturbance of the waste material. A heat transfer chamber in fluid communication with the afterburner chamber accepts the fully oxidized fumes therefrom.

Abstract: A waste conveyor includes a conveyor channel. A feed shaft is connected to the conveyor channel. A worm is disposed in the longitudinal direction of the conveyor channel. The worm has a shaft with an axis. A first metal cutter is disposed at an edge of a portion of the worm and is curved relative to the axis of the shaft. A second metal cutter is disposed at a portion of the conveyor channel, is curved relative to the axis of the shaft and has a radius of curvature being greater than the radius of curvature of the first metal cutter. The two metal cutters are disposed side by side and approximately concentric to the shaft, at a predetermined rotary position of the worm.

Abstract: A cleaning device is proposed for hot water tanks which each include near a bottom end thereof a drain pipe for allowing water contained in the tank to be flushed out therefrom. The present cleaning device comprises a first conduit adapted to be permanently secured to the drain pipe of the tank, a second conduit, such as a garden hose, connected to a sewer or a drain, and a valve mounted between the first and second conduits for controlling the flow therethrough and thus the flushing of the water and of the impurities and residues contained in the tank. The valve is preferably of the motorized type and is actuated by a programmable timer in order that the tank can be automatically and periodically flushed without intervention from the user.

Abstract: To carry out a process for regulating individual factors or all factors influencing combustion on a furnace grate, a radar device is provided primarily. This radar device serves to detect the three-dimensional distribution of the fuel mass on at least one preferred region of the grate. In addition, an infrared camera is provided for supplying information on the burn-up behavior of the fuel located on the grate. By using the measured quantities obtained from these two devices, control variables may be derived within a regulating unit for influencing the grate speed, the charging device, the amount and composition of supplied primary air, the amount and composition of supplied secondary air, the speed of the ash roller and the temperature of the air preheating device so that the furnace performance can be adapted to the steam output requirement.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and a device for melting down solid combustion residues such as slags, ashes and fine dusts from waste combustion installations (11) with solid, liquid and/or gaseous fossil fuels in a melting device. In order to reduce the necessary energy by combusting fossil fuels, the supply of the combustion residues (12) from the waste combustion installation (11) takes place directly into the filling opening (13) of the melting device. The melting device is designed as a shaft furnace (10) with a furnace space (14, 15) with a refractory lining, the combustion residues (12) being melted down by means of a fuel/oxygen mixture or by means of a fuel/oxygen-air mixture which is introduced into the shaft furnace below the combustion residue fill (21).

Abstract: A control system of coal pulverizer associated with a rotary classifier, applicable to a pulverized coal burning boiler or the like, includes a function generating section, a computing section, and a rotational speed controlling section. The function generating section receives a signal representing a coal feed rate and outputs signals representing a preset proper range of a current to be fed to the motor of the coal pulverizer for such coal feed rate. The computing section is responsive to a signal representing the current motor current and the signals produced by the function generating section to output a command signal which will maintain the speed of the rotary classifier when the motor current represented by the motor current signal is within the proper range, and to output a command signal which will decrease or increase the speed of the rotary classifier, respectively, in the case where the same motor current has increased or decreased beyond the proper range.

Abstract: Disposal of land filled-produced leachate, gas and condensate, comprising combusting a first portion of a land filled-produced gas to produce hot flue gas, contacting the landfill-produced leachate and condensate with a portion of the hot flue gas to vaporize all of the leachate and condensate liquids to form a composite gas stream, and combusting the composite gas stream to convert any noxious components remaining therein to non-polluting compounds. Further, solids entrained in the composite gas stream can be separated from the composite gas stream. Following combustion of the composite gas stream, only non-polluting compounds are discharged to the atmosphere.

Abstract: In the initial region of the dryer section at least one of the dryer groups (23) is developed as a single-felt dryer group in which a single endless felt (F) and the web (9) travel alternately over cylinders (73) and guide suction rolls (73'). In the final region of the dryer section there is present at least one double-felt dryer group (24) in which a web (9) travels alternately over lower (74) and upper (74') cylinders. The single-felt group (23) has an automatic ropeless tail guide device (76, 79) for the threading of the so-called tail. In the double-felt dryer group (24) an automatic ropeless tail guide device (77, 78) is also present.

Abstract: A process is provided for drying raw material that comprises solids and a substantial amount of moisture. The process in its basic form involves the steps of forming the raw material into pellets by extrusion under pressure through a forming die into pellets with the solids compacted into a cohesively secured mass and then drying the pellets thus formed to reduce the moisture to a desired percentage. Raw material that has an excessive amount of moisture such that they cannot be extruded are first mixed with a dry material to reduce the moisture content to the point where they can be extruded.

Abstract: A method of processing the carcasses of animals which die during the course of a grow-out operation. The inventive method comprises the steps of: (a) collecting and freezing the carcasses in a freezing apparatus and (b) transporting the frozen carcasses to a processing facility. It is preferred that (1) the processing facility referred to in step (b) is a rendering facility and (2) the inventive method further comprises the step of (c) rendering the carcasses.

Abstract: The waste burning boiler comprises a cylindrical outer wall, a cylindrical inner wall consisting of a plurality of vertical water pipes having the gaps therebetween closed by plate members. The plate members are provided with a plurality of holes communicating the annular chamber between the inner and outer walls with the combustion chamber defined inside the inner wall. Compressed air is introduced into the annular chamber, and is blown into the combustion chamber from these small holes. The air blown from these holes provide a sufficient amount of oxygen for combustion, and raises the combustion temperature. Additionally, the air flow from the small holes provide a favorable stirring effect which improves the transfer of heat produced by combustion to the water pipes.

Abstract: A low-pollutant system for waste materials treatment includes a process chamber for converting organic components of the waste materials into a flammable gas and a two-stage vortex burning chamber for complete combustion of the flammable gas. The vortex burning chamber includes a first substantially-horizontal combustion chamber and a second substantially-vertical combustion chamber disposed at a right angle to each other and communicating therebetween. The first combustion chamber has an inlet portion for receiving the flammable combustion gas from the gas generator means for injecting primary air into the first combustion chamber, thereby forming a mixture of air and the flammable gas and thereby igniting the mixture for partial oxidation thereof.

Abstract: The invention relates to a drier for printed strips, comprising a housing through which the printed strips are carried, means for supporting the strip, a feed means for feeding heated gas to the housing, a discharge means for discharging gas from the housing, and a recirculation device for recirculating the gas present in the housing during standstill of the strip, wherein the recirculation device has been adapted for maintaining recirculation parallel to the direction of movement of the strip. As a consequence of these features the temperature prevailing in the space in the housing is kept substantially uniform during standstill of the strip. By maintaining the operating temperature there is hardly any need for temperature increase to take place during the start-up procedure, so that this procedure will proceed quickly.

Abstract: Organic contaminants of solid particles, especially oil in drill cuttings, are removed by passing the contaminated particles into a processing chamber, generating a circumferentially directed flow of fluid within the chamber to cause the particles to circulate in the chamber in a turbulent compact band, incinerating the particles and removing them substantially free from organic contaminants from the chamber.

Abstract: A multi-poise furnace that is capable of operating in either a vertical or horizontal orientation and having a primary heat exchanger coupled to a condensing heat exchanger, apparatus for collecting and draining condensate leaving the condensing heat exchanger.