Abstract: There is needed a process and an apparatus for the pyrolytic decomposition of halogen and/or phosphorus containing organic materials, particularly those which are radioactive, in which no corrosive secondary products, minimal amounts of waste gas, small amounts of dust and conditionable active solid waste form. This is accomplished by mixing the materials in an over stoichiometric ratio with basis compounds and introducing them from above in the form of a suspension into a fixed bed reactor which is charged with mechanically agitated substantially spherical ceramic structures.

Abstract: An incinerator, or furnace, receives low-level radiation waste from a nuclear installation in varying volumes and calorific values. A supplemental, conventional fuel is concomitantly supplied under the control of the exhaust temperature of the products of combustion. The low-level radiation waste and supplemental fuel are mixed with combustion air in a first stage where combustion is initiated, the products of combustion being flowed downward into a second stage where the combustion is complete prior to exhaust.

Abstract: A process and apparatus for treating any fluidizable solid material having an organic contaminant or recoverable material absorbed or adsorbed thereon, particularly a sludge contaminated with polychlorinated biphenyl or other toxic chemicals having a boiling point of at least 110.degree. C. The method and apparatus includes heating the fluidizable solids to a temperature of at least 250.degree. F., using hot turbulent gas at a temperature, for example, in the range of 850.degree. to 2,500.degree. F. to vaporize and thereby separate the organic material, for example, the toxic chemicals from the fluidizable solids and to fluidize at least a portion of the solids. The recoverable or contaminant liquid, for example, the toxic chemicals, are then further treated to recover or dispose of the separated liquid, such as by condensing the liquid and filtering or decanting them from the condensed water.

Abstract: A furnace is disclosed adapted to provide for the complete smokeless combustion of liquid or partially liquid materials. Said furnace can be advantageously used when said materials contain toxic components or compounds. The subject furnace includes a hollow cylindrical body provided at the lower end thereof with a substantially cylindrical body whose opposite end faces carry radially extended projections, of a substantially circular shape. Together with the side surface of said substantially cylindrical body, and with the inner surface of said hollow cylindrical body, said projections enclose an essentially annular combustion chamber.

Abstract: A method of feeding particulate material (17) to a fluidized bed furnace (10) is provided wherein particulate coal, particulate limestone and particulate material withdrawn from the furnace system are fed to the furnace as a mixture in a unified feed system. Raw coal and limestone are independently crushed to the desired size and premixed to yield a desired calcium to sulfur mole ratio. The premized coal and limestone (7) are passed to a dryer/mixer and contacted therein with hot particulate material (9,19) withdrawn from the fluidized bed furnace system for a period of time sufficient to substantially dry the wet coal and hydrate at least a portion of the lime contained in the hot particulate material. The so-conditioned mixture (15) is then entrained in a conveying gas and fed to the fluidized bed (12) in a conventional manner.

Abstract: A method for controlling the combustion and reduction processes in a black liquor (B.L.) boiler of a paper pulp plant by influencing the feeding of black liquor to the B.L. recovery boiler by means of a B.L. gun. Characteristic of the method is that the average thickness of the layer of the B.L. flow, immediately after the black liquor has left the B.L. gun, is controlled to have a desired magnitude. The thickness of the B.L. layer is obtained in the form of an indirect measure which is defined as the droplet index (=DIX) and is constituted by a relationship between the viscosity, the density and the feed rate of the black liquor and by at least the shape and the opening area, of the B.L. gun.

Abstract: Radioactive wastes are treated in a furnace which has electrodes for electric heating. The furnace has at the lower end an outlet for slag material as well as a gas discharge line. Its well is a self-supporting tubular body which is arranged detachably in a metal furnace housing. At the upper end of the well is a line for feeding water. Thereby, carbon-containing waste, possibly also carbon of a carbon bed, is reacted to form water gas (CO+H.sub.2), which is burned after purification in an exhaust gas plant. The outlet of the metal housing has a movable grate.

Abstract: A method and apparatus of treating oil field wastes and particularly spent drilling fluids which contain barite and hydrocarbons which includes placing the drilling fluids into the upper end of a downwardly directed rotating kiln. Fuel and pressurized air are inserted into a furnace connected to the upper end of the kiln for supplying a fire to the drilling fluids in the kiln for igniting and burning the hydrocarbons in the drilling fluids as fuel until the drilling fluid is dry. The high weight impurities are separated from the dried drilling fluid by gravity from the kiln and the light weight fines and more valuable components including the barite are removed from the kiln by suction. The more valuable components are mixed with new components for providing a recycled drilling fluid. The gases separated from the light weight dry drilling fluids are washed to remove any pollutants before exhaustion to the atmosphere. The particulates cleaned from the gases may be recycled to the kiln.

Abstract: The conveying properties of a particulate fuel during pneumatic transportation to a fluidized bed in a combustion plant, are improved by at least surface drying of the fuel. A calcium-containing bed material is withdrawn from the bed under such conditions that the bed material is calcined to form CaO. This withdrawn bed material is crushed and mixed with fuel, whereby the CaO absorbs water from the fuel in an exothermic reaction forming calcium hydroxide, Ca(OH).sub.2, the released heat evaporating moisture from the fuel. The fuel particles will have reduced surface moisture which reduces the risk of clogging during pneumatic feeding of fuel to a combustion chamber. Due to the intimate contact between the fuel particles and the crushed bed material, the tendency towards reaction between sulfer in the fuel and the bed material increases.

Abstract: A process is described for reducing the volume of a liquid waste containing an organic amine chelating agent in which a finely atomized spray of the liquid waste is contacted with a gas stream having a temperature in excess of the thermal decomposition temperature of the chelating agent. The proportions of the hot gas stream and liquid waste are controlled to rapidly evaporate water from the liquid waste and cool the gas to a temperature below the decomposition temperature of the chelating agent in a time of less than about 6 seconds to produce a dry, flowable powder product including the chelating agent.

Abstract: The invention is directed to an arrangement for vitrifying highly radioace waste solutions. The arrangement has a glass melting furnace and a wet scrubber for scrubbing particles of dust out of the offgas from the glass melting furnace. The offgas is passed from the glass melting furnace into the wet scrubber through an offgas conduit. The solids in the offgas are deposited in the offgas conduit. In order to counteract the disadvantageous consequences of such deposits, the offgas conduit includes two conduit lengths. The glass melting furnace is connected to one end of a first one of the conduit lengths via a connecting conduit stub mounted on the melting furnace and the wet scrubber is connected to one end of the second conduit length via a connecting conduit stub on the scrubbers. The two conduit lengths extend upwardly and are inclined toward each other so that they interconnect at their respective other ends.

Abstract: Process for preventing clogging of an atomizing device, which is used to feed a fluid coal-liquid slurry fuel into a combustion chamber in the form of a particulate spray, by continuously passing all of the slurry fuel through a comminuting means positioned upstream of the atomizing device in the slurry fuel passage connected to the atomizer, and apparatus therefor.

Abstract: An incinerator particularly suited for disposal of waste fluids containing undesirable chemicals and hydrocarbons including sodium cyanide. A novel dual fuel combustion system wherein the waste fluid is injected intermediate an inner high temperature flame and an outer somewhat lower temperature flame, provides a "blanket" combustion pattern. The blanket combustion pattern provides increased recirculation in the combustion chamber, thereby increasing residence time and ensuring complete destruction of the undesirable waste hydrocarbon.

Abstract: The present portable incinerator is adapted for the disposal of small amounts of hazardous waste material with a minimum of exhaust combustion gas and includes a boiling chamber for receiving and heating the hazardous waste material to form waste gas thereof. The waste gas is directed through successive primary and secondary combustion chambers which are supplied with pure oxygen and the mixture of waste gas and oxygen is ignited for oxidizing the mixture, and for ionizing the gases to combine with the oxygen. A catalytic converter is positioned at the exit ends of each of the primary and secondary combustion chambers and the oxidized and ionized combustion gas passes through these catalytic converters to insure total oxidation thereof. A vertical wet scrubber chamber is communicatively connected with the exit end of the secondary combustion chamber and the combustion gas is directed to pass upwardly therethrough to prevent harmful combustion gases from escaping through the exhaust.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for reducing the moisture content of a moist sewage sludge having a moisture content of about 50% to 80% and formed of small cellular micro-organism bodies having internally confined water is provided. A hot liquid metal is circulated in a circulation loop and the moist sewage sludge is injected in the circulation loop under conditions of temperature and pressure such that the confined water vaporizes and ruptures the cellular bodies. The vapor produced, the dried sludge, and the liquid metal are then separated. Preferably, the moist sewage sludge is injected into the hot liquid metal adjacent the upstream side of a venturi which serves to thoroughly mix the hot liquid metal and the moist sewage sludge. The venturi and the drying zone after the venturi are preferably vertically oriented. The dried sewage sludge recovered is available as a fuel and is preferably used for heating the hot liquid metal.

Abstract: A solid and liquid waste incinerator system is disclosed which utilizes the heat produced by the furnace to transform water into steam, the steam powering a steam turbine generator to produce electricity. Solid waste is automatically fed by conveyor belts into the opening in the upper portion of a gravity-fed furnace unit which has a rotating shredder unit for chopping and grinding solid waste. A rotating magnet selects the ferrous metals from the other solid waste materials at the entrance to the furnace unit. Adjustable nozzles are rotatably mounted to the furnace unit walls to inject fuel and oxygen which are ignited creating a flame. Burn grills are positioned to catch the falling solid waste and hold it in a position for combustion, and to release it after incineration is completed. Liquid waste, including toxic chemicals, are vaporized in an evaporation cylinder forming an inner chamber within the furnace unit.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of destroying hazardous waste, by means of under-stoichiometric incineration at a temperature of at least 1200.degree. C., the ratio between injected waste material and oxidant being regulated to give a quotient CO.sub.2 /(CO+CO.sub.2) of less than 0.1.

Abstract: The wet method of combusting organic material dispersed in a liquid comprising waste liquor from wood pulping processes in which the organic material is oxidized by contact with air or other oxygenating gases at a temperature ranging between 180.degree. C. and 340.degree. C. and a correspondingly superatmospheric pressure.

Abstract: Toxic chemicals such as polychlorinated biphenyls and other organic wastes are destroyed by injecting them, together with oxygen, into a metal or slag bath such as is utilized in a steelmaking facility. The metal bath may be melted initially by induction or an electric arc; the desired temperature greater than 2500.degree. F. may be maintained thereafter by the reaction of the oxygen and the organic waste. Various by-products may be obtained from the gas.

Abstract: A process for disposal of wet sewage sludge by introducing a particulate material having BTU values, feeding the mixture to a grinding or milling apparatus in which the particulate material acts to prevent the sewage sludge caking in the apparatus during the reduction in the grinding or milling thereof, supplying hot gaseous medium to dry the mixture, with a portion of the hot mixture being recirculated to assist in the drying of the mixture as it is fed into the grinding or milling apparatus, and disposing of the resulting ground or milled mixture by burning with the aid of the BTU content of the particulate material.

Abstract: A system is disclosed for incinerating fluid (liquid and/or gas) and solid waste including a first, second, and third combustion zones of successively larger interior volumes. Liquid wastes are introduced into the first combustion zone and solid wastes are introduced into the third combustion zone, whereby solid wastes are heated from conduction and/or convection by the first and/or the second combustion zone prior to the solid wastes being introduced into the third combustion zone.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for treating sewage to reduce total solids content. Involves separating sewage sludge from sewage liquid, dewatering and compressing the sludge, subjecting the sludge to microwave radiation to reduce sludge to ash-like residue, and adding the residue back to the sewage liquid. Optionally, to sterilize the sludge liquid with chemicals or ultraviolet light.

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: Toxic chemicals such as polychlorinated biphenyls and other organic wastes are destroyed, optionally together with inorganic wastes, by injecting them, together with oxygen, into a molten bath such as is utilized in a steelmaking facility. The bath may be melted initially by induction, an electric arc or otherwise; the desired temperature greater than 2500.degree. F. may be maintained thereafter by the reaction of the oxygen and the organic waste. Various by-products may be obtained from the gas.

Abstract: A method and apparatus of treating oil field wastes and particularly spent drilling fluids which contain barite and hydrocarbons which includes placing the drilling fluids into the upper end of a downwardly directed rotating kiln. Fuel and pressurized air are inserted into a furnace connected to the upper end of the kiln for supplying a fire to the drilling fluids in the kiln for igniting and burning the hydrocarbons in the drilling fluids as fuel until the drilling fluid is dry. The high weight impurities are separated from the dried drilling fluid by gravity from the kiln and the light weight fines and more valuable components including the barite are removed from the kiln by suction. The more valuable components are mixed with new components for providing a recycled drilling fluid. The gases separated from the light weight dry drilling fluids are washed to remove any pollutants before exhaustion to the atmosphere. The particulates cleaned from the gases may be recycled to the kiln.

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: An integrated method of removing alkali metal compounds from sulfur-bearing coal is disclosed. The coal is comminuted (4) and mixed (10) with water (8) to form a slurry (12). In the preferred embodiment, the slurry (12) is comingled with an SO.sub.2 -bearing gas (16) in a transport pipeline (52) to form an acidic slurry which dissolves the alkali compounds out of the coal. The slurry is then separated (22) into a solid portion (24) and a liquid portion (26), the solid portion (24) being combusted (34) to form the SO.sub.2 -bearing gas (16).

Abstract: A high temperature reactor includes a reaction chamber which is symmetrical about a longitudinal axis. Surrounding the reaction chamber are annular spaces to which a gaseous reactant is supplied. A plurality of conduits conduct the gaseous reactant from the annular spaces to the reaction chamber and introduces the gaseous reactant into the latter in the form of a helicoidal flow. A plurality of cooling conduits are disposed between the annular spaces and the reaction chamber for conducting a cooling medium. The cooling medium can also be conducted so as to cool a rear end of the reactor. The reactor can be used in combination with a contacting chamber to supply hot gases thereto.

Abstract: A fluidized bed furnace and boiler for the combustion of flyash with a moisture content of 45% by weight. The flyash is produced as a by-product of a coal gasification process and transported in water to a slime dam. From the slime dam a slurry of flyash and water is initially thickened in a gravity thickener (1) (FIG. 1) and then converted to filter cake in a tubular filter press (4). The filter cake is fed through pressurized hoppers (8) and chutes to the base of the boiler (10) and is distributed across the floor through chutes in the side walls and through chutes surrounded by a tubular array of water tubes and extending into the boiler furnace chamber terminating approximately one quarter of the furnace width from the side walls. A fluidized bed with a depth of about 3 meters is formed by discharging air heated in an associated air heater through nozzles in the floor of the furnace chamber to effect combustion.

Abstract: A method and an ocean-going vessel are disclosed for more effectively incinerating hazardous liquid wastes at sea. Intermodal shipping tank containers are filled at waste generation sites; transported to dockside and loaded above decks on an incinerator ship; taken out to sea and incinerated in horizontal, liquid burning type incinerators so that the effluents emerge horizontally. Wastes flow by gravity from containers into staging sumps located below decks, and then pumped to incinerator. Pollution abatement tanks, also below decks, collect spilled waste from containers, as well as overflow from staging sumps. Material collected in abatement tanks is pumped into staging sump, and pumped to incinerator. Fuel oil may be introduced into sumps for fueling incinerators to maintain incinerator operation when there is insufficient supply of waste. Effluents are sea-water scrubbed for cooling to eliminate thermal lift and carried promptly into sea.

Abstract: A method of simultaneously treating organic wastes and inorganic alkaline wastes is provided. The organic wastes are incinerated to generate an acid gas effluent. The acid gas effluent is reacted in a dryer reactor with a fluidized spray of inorganic alkaline waste which neutralizes the acid gas. The products of the reaction are substantially harmless gases, e.g., carbon dioxide and water vapor which are passed to atmosphere without scrubbing treatment, and fine particulate material which is collected for disposal. The cooling action of the alkaline spray reduces the volume and rate of flow of the combustion gases and permits use of a variety of solids collecting devices.

Abstract: A gas particulate solid system has a chamber capable of containing a bed of particulate solid and a supply of an oxygen containing gas. A line or lines having their outlet or outlets above the slumped bed directs the oxygen containing gas downwardly to impinge on the surface of the bed material so as to form a crater surrounded by circulating bed material. Fuel is supplied to the crater either in the gas stream or from an external source and after ignition combustion occurs in or near the crater.

Abstract: The clean combustion of a combustible material is facilely carried out by (i) in situ generating a dispersing first stream of hot combustion gases by establishing a first downstream axially extending, axially symmetrical helical flowstream of combustion-supporting gases in a first combustion reaction zone and by introduction and combustion of a combustible fluid feedstream therein, (ii) serially directly contacting and intimately admixing the material cleanly combustible hereby with said first stream of hot combustion gases at a zone of reduced pressure thereof defining the inlet end of a second combustion reaction zone and whereat and downstream thereof said first stream of hot combustion gases is also in the configuration of an axially symmetrical helical flowstream, (iii) the amounts of said combustion-supporting gases and said combustible fluid being such as to effect essentially instantaneous dispersion and entrainment of fine particles of said cleanly combustible material at and downstream of said point

Abstract: Burning a waste fuel blend at very high temperatures (typically greater than 4000 deg. F.) for a very short period of time (typically a matter of milliseconds) in a primary combustion zone to break the complex hazardous/toxic hydrocarbons into less complex chemicals (such as CO, CO.sub.2, H.sub.2, OH, HCl, and Cl.sub.2), passing the products of the primary zone into a secondary zone in which the products are maintained for a longer time (typically about 2 secs.) in turbulent conditions with excess air at lower combustion temperatures (typically 2000 to 2600 deg. F.) to reduce the primary zone products to a mixture of H.sub.2 O, CO.sub.2 and acids such as HCl, and quenching the products of the secondary zone.

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: A process is disclosed for the elimination of waste water falling out with the desulfurization of coking oven gas by means of an organic oxygen carrier--containing washing solution with simultaneous recovery of elemental sulfur. The waste water is decomposed in a combustion chamber in a reducing atmosphere at temperatures between about 1000.degree. and 1100.degree. C. under such conditions that the mole ratio of H.sub.2 S:SO.sub.2 in the exhaust gas of the combustion chamber amounts to at least 2:1. Sulfur falling out is separated and the sensible heat of the exhaust gas is utilized for steam generation. The cooled and desulfurized exhaust gas is added to the coking oven gas before the pre-cooling. Sulfur falling out from the washing solution in the oxidizer is separated out and lead into the combustion chamber together with the part of the washing solution discharged as waste water from the washing solution circulation.

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: In an incinerator for sludge, an amount of air, ranging from a half to one times as much as a theoretical amount of air needed to combustion of the sludge, is gently blown from at least one arm to the sludge while the latter is being stirred by the stirring arm, thereby burning the sludge mildly. Reducible exhaust gas produced during the incineration is mixed with added air for a secondary combustion.

Abstract: Wastes, in the form of liquids, solids and slurries, are converted to a mixture of a gas and an inorganic ash 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 drying the waste and calcining and combusting the dried waste. The process is particularly useful with wastes containing hazardous materials such as radioactive substances.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for the environmentally safe disposal of material by combustion using a hot body having a plurality of open pores.

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 method and apparatus for rendering PCB virulence-free is provided. The PCB to be treated is pre-heated with exhaust heat before it is introduced into a combustion furnace to facilitate the reaching of its boiling point, and the pre-heated PCB is caused to ascend through a layer of mineral particles disposed in the furnace, the mineral particles being of a porous multi-element mineral, the furnace interior and particularly the mineral particle layer being pre-heated to a temperature above 1,100.degree. C. from a different heat source. During consecutive reaction processes of gasification, dissociation and combustion of PCB brought about as PCB ascends through the mineral particle layer, the thermal dissociation into benzene ring and chlorine and further combustion of benzene ring are promoted by the catalytic actions of adsorption to mineral particle's large porous surface, catalytic cracking of multi-element oxides present in arranged fashion on the pore surface of mineral particles and surface combustion.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for thermal decomposition of stable substances, preferably chemical hazardous waste. The invention achieves a high decomposition temperature by giving the waste the necessary decomposition temperature through the use of a plasma generated in a plasma burner. The waste itself can be carried through a plasma generator. Alternately, part, or all of the waste can be mixed with the plasma in a reaction chamber where decomposition takes place. The carrier gas of the plasma can be given a temperature of 3000.degree. to 4000.degree. C., or under certain conditions even a higher temperature. The invention also includes additional steps to eliminate toxic gases that might form during the decomposition of the waste or the cooling of the resultant gases.

Abstract: A method and apparatus of converting hazardous waste fluids into non-hazardous effluent gases within a boiler environment.

Abstract: Disclosed is a liquid waste combustion system having a burner comprising a combustion chamber and first, second and third spaced apart injectors positioned outside of the combustion chamber and arranged so as to inject separate unconfined streams of first, second and third waste liquids into the combustion chamber, the axes of the waste streams defining a substantially conical surface converging at an apex within the combustion chamber and the waste streams mixing in the area of this apex. The first waste liquid has a BTU value below that required for combustion, the second waste liquid has a BTU value at least high enough to support combustion, and the third waste liquid has a BTU value significantly greater than that of the second liquid such that the waste mixture is combustible. Means are provided for supplying combustion-supporting gas to the combustion chamber and for igniting the waste mixture within the combustion chamber.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for treating polychlorinated biphenyl contaminated sludge involves heating the sludge, using hot turbulent gas at a temperature in the range of 850.degree. to 2,500.degree. F. with a sludge residence time of about 0.5 to 2 seconds, to separate the polychlorinated biphenyls from the sludge. The particulates are subsequently removed from a PCB entraining gas stream and the PCB's are then burned in a multifuel burner. Pressurized air, fluidized PCB's, and a gaseous fuel are injected into the burning chamber at spaced points along the length of the flame in a direction generally transverse to the direction of the flame to very completely consume the fuel and PCB's.

Abstract: Burning a waste fuel blend at very high temperatures (typically greater than 4000 deg. F.) for a very short period of time (typically a matter of milliseconds) in a primary combustion zone to break the complex hazardous/toxic hydrocarbons into less complex chemicals (such as CO, CO.sub.2, H.sub.2, OH, HCl, and Cl.sub.2), passing the products of the primary zone into a secondary zone in which the products are maintained for a longer time (typically about 2 secs.) in turbulent conditions with excess air at lower combustion temperatures (typically 2000 to 2600 deg. F.) to reduce the primary zone products to a mixture of H.sub.2 O, CO.sub.2 and acids such as HCl, and quenching the products of the secondary zone.

Abstract: Apparatus and method is disclosed for monitoring black liquor recovery boilers to detect the presence of water leakage into the combustion chamber (furnace) of a black liquor recovery boiler, or extinguishing of flame at the black liquor spray nozzles, to release into the furnace at a relatively high rate of speed an absorption agent to collect the water in the furnace and thereby isolate the water from the smelt, and further to provide a medium from which the water may be evaporated to expedite cooling within the furnace without risk of a water/smelt explosive reaction. The apparatus includes propulsion devices for distributing the absorption agent over the furnace smelt, which propulsion devices are controlled by sensors respectively detecting boiler steam pressure, water pressure, and combustion flame. Manual actuation of the propulsion devices is also contemplated by the invention.

Abstract: A heating system comprising the combination of storage vessels (10, 12) for conventional heating oil and waste oil, respectively, and in which the two storage vessels (10, 12) are effectively sealed apart, one from the other. At the initial stage of heating, conventional heating oil generates temperature of a predetermined amount and the waste oil from vessel (12) is thereafter utilized after having been heated either from a feedback of heat (26, 28) developed by the conventional heating oil from vessel (10) or by a separate electrical resistor element (133), such heating making the waste oil effective as a heating medium. The flows from the two storage vessels (10, 12) containing the waste oil and conventional oil, are pressure controlled (64, 84) so that relief pressure feedback (70, 82) is provided in each distribution network (14, 30).

Abstract: Process for the thermal destruction of hazardous organic wastes utilizing high temperatures (2200.degree. -3000.degree. F.), long retention times (1.5-4 seconds), and high pressures (300+psi) in a reactor having a controlled partial oxidation environment to thermally break the bonds of organic molecules into CO, CO.sub.2, H.sub.2, and acid gases (such as H.sub.2 S, HCN, HCL). In the preferred embodiment, pulverized coal, organic waste matter, and slurry water are pumped into the reactor vessel. The coal and waste matter are both broken into simple gases and the slurry water is split into hydrogen and oxygen. Downstream processing equipment removes particulates, acid gases, and CO.sub.2 making a product gas suitable for use as a fuel or chemical feedstock.