Abstract: Apparatus for pyrolysing or gasifying the organic content of material, including organically coated waste, biomass, industrial waste, municipal solid waste and sludge, having organic content; the apparatus comprising: an oven having a rotatable portion comprising a treatment chamber adapted to receive material for treatment; a plurality of gas inlets in at least one wall (5) of the treatment chamber through which hot gases are introduced to the treatment chamber to heat the material therein so as to cause the organic components thereof to pyrolyse or gasify; and a plurality of pockets (8) having open faces turned inwardly towards the inside of the treatment chamber on at least one wall of the rotatable portion such that, in use, material being pyrolysed or gasified can be received from the treatment chamber into the plurality of pockets (8) via said open faces, and be substantially retained therein through an initial rotation of the oven of less than 90 degrees.

Abstract: An apparatus (100) for processing waste material is provided which comprises a heat proof chamber (102), a hot gas inlet (106, 112) for heating the interior of the heat proof chamber (102), and a rotatable drum (118) for containing waste to be processed. The drum (118) has gaps (120) therein, is located within the heat proof chamber (102), and separated therefrom around its edge by a gap. The apparatus (100) is also provided with a drive (126, 128) for rotating the drum (118) at a speed such that, in use, waste material that is heat softened is centrifugally separated from the remainder of the waste and passes through the gaps (120) in the drum (118).

Abstract: Invention presents a method of increasing the CO to H2 ratio of syngas. The method comprises passing syngas over a first rector (10) containing Cu at a first temperature effective for the reaction of CO2 within the syngas with the Cu to form copper oxide and CO. The temperature of the syngas is then reduces to a second temperature effective for the for the reaction of hydrogen within the syngas with copper oxide to form Cu and H2O. The syngas is then passed over a second rector (12) containing copper oxide so that the H2 within the syngas reacts with the copper oxide.

Abstract: This invention proposes a method of removing pollutants from high temperature gasses prior to their introduction in to a heat exchanger of a steam generating boiler within a power generation system. The method comprises placing a filter system (100) in a hot gas flow path upstream of a waste-heat boiler. The filter system comprising at least two banks of substantially hollow elongate filters (110), each of which filters particles from the gas flow as it flows from an external surface thereof to an internal surface thereof. Valves (104, 106) enable each bank of filters to be isolated from the hot gas flow path. The method included periodically isolating at least one bank of filters while passing hot gasses through at least another of the banks of filters, and cleaning the isolated bank of filters. After cleaning the filters (110) lime is injected into the flow path so that it coats the outer surface of the filters (110) to produce a loose lime coating thereon.

Abstract: A VOC treatment apparatus is provided for treating substantially opaque VOCs and comprises a processing chamber (24) in which VOCs are treated; and a solar energy introducing device (8). The solar energy introducing device (8) comprises a tubular structure having a first end located external to the processing chamber (24) and having a first inlet (14) through which concentrated sunlight is received and a second inlet (16) through which a flow of substantially optically transmittant gas is received. The solar energy introducing device (8) has a second end (18) that opens into the processing chamber (24) and terminates in a nozzle providing an outlet for the substantially optically transmittant gas and the concentrated sunlight. In use the optically transmittant gas exits the second end of the device in a jet to create an optically transmittant zone in the substantially opaque VOCs within the processing chamber (24), in which zone the sunlight can travel.

Abstract: A metal reclaiming system and method for reclaiming metal from scrap material is provided. The system has a furnace (12) and a controller (106) for controlling operation of the system. The controller (106) operates the metal reclaiming system in a first operating mode in which the furnace (12) is operated at a first temperature in the range of 350° C. to 550° C. to incinerate pollutants and drive off volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from the scrap material without melting the metal. The controller (106) is operates the metal reclaiming system in a subsequent operating mode in which the furnace (12) is operated at a further, higher temperature to melt metal in the said scrap for reclaiming.

Abstract: A VOC treatment apparatus is provided for treating substantially opaque VOCs and comprises a processing chamber (24) in which VOCs are treated; and a solar energy introducing device (8). The solar energy introducing device (8) comprises a tubular structure having a first end located external to the processing chamber (24) and having a first inlet (14) through which concentrated sunlight is received and a second inlet (16) through which a flow of substantially optically transmittant gas is received. The solar energy introducing device (8) has a second end (18) that opens into the processing chamber (24) and terminates in a nozzle providing an outlet for the substantially optically transmittant gas and the concentrated sunlight. In use the optically transmittant gas exits the second end of the device in a jet to create an optically transmittant zone in the substantially opaque VOCs within the processing chamber (24), in which zone the sunlight can travel.

Abstract: The invention provides an apparatus for processing material such as organically coated waste and organic materials including biomass, industrial waste, municipal solid waste and sludge, comprising a processing chamber (2) for processing said material at an elevated temperature to produce syngas and a combustion chamber (4) having at least one burner therein for combusting syngas released by processing of said material. A conduit means (18) is provided between said combustion chamber and said processing chamber for carrying hot exhaust gasses from the combustion chamber (4) to said processing chamber (2) and at last one mirror (24) is arranged to reflect and concentrate sunlight thereby to cause the temperature within said processing chamber (2) to be raised. The apparatus also includes a syngas reservoir (66). A storage conduit (62) is provided for carrying syngas into said syngas reservoir (66) and a syngas feed line (68) is provided for feeding syngas from said reservoir to said combustion chamber (4).

Abstract: A processing container (100) is provided for processing waste material. The processing container has a housing (150) and a processing zone (152) in said housing for containing waste material to be processed. The housing (150) has a portion (154) directed inwardly of said container to form an opening (160) for the charging and discharging of said processing container. The processing container is rotatable about its axis in a first direction to enable charging of said container through said opening and in a second opposite direction to enable discharging of said container through said opening. The processing chamber is used in an apparatus (10) for processing waste material. The apparatus also includes an oven (12) that contains the processing chamber (14); a gas inlet (200) for introducing said hot gasses into the oven; and a gas outlet (202) for extracting gas from said oven. The processing container (100) is mounted for rotation in said oven.

Abstract: An apparatus for thermally de-coating and/or drying coated and/or contaminated materials comprises a support and an oven pivotally mounted to the support. The oven has charging portion for receiving material to be treated and a changeover portion. Incorporated within the changeover portion is a heat treatment chamber through which a stream of hot gases can be passed. The oven is pivotally moveable between a first position in which the changeover portion is higher than the charging portion and a second position in which the charging portion is higher than the changeover portion. The arrangement is such that the oven can be repeatedly moved between the first and second positions so that material within the oven falls from one portion to the other portion, passing through the stream of hot gasses in the heat treatment chamber. A method of using the apparatus is also disclosed.

Abstract: A refractory well (16) for melting scrap metal pieces into a molten metal bath, comprises an inlet (18) for introducing metal into said well, the inlet being located so as to cause a circular flow of molten metal in said well, an outlet (19) for the flow of metal from said well and an electromagnetic pump (22) located beneath the refractory well for pumping said molten metal from said well through said outlet.

Abstract: A seal for sealing together first and second tubular members (12,14) rotatable relative to one another is provided. The seal comprises first and second sealing portions (18, 20) securable respectively to said first and tubular members (12,14) and having respective first and second abutment surfaces (40, 26) slidingly engageable with one another. In response to the application of axial pressure to the first abutment surface (40) through the second abutment surface (26), the abutment surface of the first sealing portion (18) is deflectable axially of the second sealing portion (20) in the direction of the axial pressure to retain the abutment surfaces in sealing contact.

Abstract: An apparatus for thermally de-coating and/or drying coated and/or contaminated materials comprises a support and an oven pivotally mounted to the support. The oven has charging portion for receiving material to be treated and a changeover portion. Incorporated within the changeover portion is a heat treatment chamber through which a stream of hot gases can be passed. The oven is pivotally moveable between a first position in which the changeover portion is higher than the charging portion and a second position in which the charging portion is higher than the changeover portion. The arrangement is such that the oven can be repeatedly moved between the first and second positions so that material within the oven falls from one portion to the other portion, passing through the stream of hot gasses in the heat treatment chamber. A method of using the apparatus is also disclosed.

Abstract: An apparatus for thermally de-coating and/or drying coated and/or contaminated materials comprises a support and an oven pivotally mounted to the support. The oven has charging portion for receiving material to be treated and a changeover portion. Incorporated within the changeover portion is a heat treatment chamber through which a stream of hot gasses can be passed. The oven is pivotally moveable between a first position in which the changeover portion is higher than the charging portion and a second position in which the charging portion is higher than the changeover portion. The arrangement is such that the oven can be repeatedly moved between the first and second positions so that material within the oven falls from one portion to the other portion, passing through the stream of hot gasses in the heat treatment chamber. A method of using the apparatus is also disclosed.

Abstract: An oven (10) has a rotatable portion (12, 14) comprising an outer chamber (20) and an inner treatment chamber (22) within the outer chamber. The inner treatment chamber is adapted to receive material for treatment and the oven has means (28, 32, 34, 36, 38, 42) to heat the inner treatment chamber externally. Preferably, the inner treatment chamber is heated by means of a flow of hot gases through the outer chamber, which passes over the external surfaces of the walls of the inner treatment chamber. The oven may also include means (44, 48) for introducing a flow of hot gasses through the inner treatment chamber. The flow rate of the hot gasses passing through the inner and outer chambers can be varied according to the nature of the material being treated. The oven is particularly suited to thermally de-coating scrap materials.

Abstract: An apparatus for thermally de-coating and/or drying coated and/or contaminated materials comprises a support and an oven (10) pivotally mounted to the support. The oven has charging portion (12) for receiving material to be treated and a changeover portion (14). Incorporated within the changeover portion is a heat treatment chamber (16) through which a stream of hot gasses (15) can be passed. The oven is pivotally moveable between a first position in which the changeover portion is higher than the charging portion and a second position in which the charging portion is higher than the changeover portion. The arrangement is such that the oven can be repeatedly moved between the first and second positions so that material within the oven falls from one portion to the other portion, passing through the stream of hot gasses in the heat treatment chamber. A method of using the apparatus is also disclosed.