Abstract: A drum is introduced into an interlock chamber and the interlock chamber is sealed. A door leading to a transition chamber is opened and the drum is moved into the transition chamber. The transition chamber is contained within a spool valve which includes a pair of drum grips. The drum grips are actuated to grasp the drum. The drum grips are rotatably coupled to an inner element of the spool valve. The inner element is rotated with respect to a housing and a drum manipulator grasps an end of the drum. The drum is displaced from the transition chamber toward a treatment chamber. The drum is cut into a desired shape and/or number of pieces with the drum and the material contained therein being deposited into the treatment chamber.

Abstract: An installation for the destruction of solid fuel rocket engines. The installation comprises a pressure and temperature resistant vessel having a neck portion and a gas chamber portion with heat dissipating means. In operation the rocket engine is gripped in the neck portion and upon ignition of the solid fuel combustion gases are discharged into the gas chamber. Means are provided for the controlled discharge of combustion gases into a gas disposal device.

Abstract: This abstract describes a process for the complete oxidation of municipal refuse and certain hazardous materials. The facility to accommodate the process consists of a completely enclosed, rotating, cylindrical kiln wherein solids, liquids, and gaseous compounds are simultaneously oxidized. To supplement the burning process, natural gas will be injected into the kiln chamber through a regulatory apparatus. Within the oxidation chamber, temperatures of 3200 degrees F., plus, will be maintained by injecting a regulated flow of pure oxygen, as an oxidant, to ensure the complete oxidation of all materials. After suitable preparation, solids and liquids will be introduced into the kiln chamber through an enclosed, sealed, apparatus i.e., screw conveyor, to control refuse volumes. During the oxidation process, the refuse materials will be kept in suspension for an adequate dwell time by the tilted orientation and rotating operation of the kiln apparatus.

Abstract: The present invention is a method and apparatus for in-can waste reduction. The method is mixing waste with combustible material prior to placing the waste into a waste reduction vessel. The combustible portion is ignited, thereby reducing combustible material to ash and non-combustible material to a slag. Further combustion or heating may be used to sinter or melt the ash. The apparatus is a waste reduction vessel having receiving canister connection means on a first end, and a waste/combustible mixture inlet on a second end. An oxygen supply is provided to support combustion of the combustible mixture.

Abstract: A drum is introduced into an interlock chamber and the interlock chamber is sealed. A door leading to a transition chamber is opened and the drum is moved into the transition chamber. The transition chamber is contained within a spool valve which includes a pair of drum grips. The drum grips are actuated to grasp the drum. The drum grips are rotatably coupled to an inner element of the spool valve. The inner element is rotated with respect to a housing and a drum manipulator grasps an end of the drum. The drum is displaced from the transition chamber toward a treatment chamber. The drum is cut into a desired shape and/or number of pieces with the drum and the material contained therein being deposited into the treatment chamber.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for the melting and subsequent solidification of fine particulate material by use of a plasma torch. The fine particulate material is introduced into a furnace having a plasma torch to a depth sufficient to cover the plasma flame produced by the torch. When operative, the torch generates a heat at low gas flow, which both allows the fine particulate material to rest with little disturbance and to transfer large amounts of heat energy to the fine particulate, effectively preheating the fine particulate material for more efficient melting. The melt may, for example, be solidified into a block for building use, into fibers by way of pressurized air passed through a venturi nozzle or into other useful forms.

Abstract: A plasma cell for destroying hazardous gases. An electric-discharge cell having an electrically conducting electrode onto which an alternating high-voltage waveform is impressed and a dielectric barrier adjacent thereto, together forming a high-voltage electrode, generates self-terminating discharges throughout a volume formed between this electrode and a grounded conducting liquid electrode. The gas to be transformed is passed through this volume. The liquid may be flowed, generating thereby a renewable surface. Moreover, since hydrochloric and hydrofluoric acids may be formed from destruction of various chlorofluorocarbons in the presence of water, a conducting liquid may be selected which will neutralize these corrosive compounds. The gases exiting the discharge region may be further scrubbed if additional purification is required.

Abstract: The system (10) for collecting and disposing of contaminated waste products such as medical sharps and other medical wastes includes a housing (11) and its telescopic cover (9) which are fabricated of biodegradable and combustible material such as natural cellulose and non-natural cellulose. An absorbent biodegradable and combustible absorption package (30) or insert (35) can be placed in the bottom of the holding chamber (12) for absorbing any liquids emitted from the sharps and other wastes, and for enhancing the combustion of the medical sharps and other wastes when the housing is placed in a furnace. When the housing is burned it evolves no more than trace levels of sulfur or chlorine and yields substantially only biodegradable ash.

Abstract: Waste is treated in a furnace (6) which is pressurized by injecting thereinto either air which is strongly enriched with oxygen (even up to 100%), so that the temperature of oxidation of said waste, after a starting step wherein external fuel and said combustion supported are used, reaches so high values as to cause a substantial sublimation of said waste and its complete molecular cracking. The vapors resulting from the hyperbaric sublimation process are then submitted to a rapid adiabatic expansion or semi-adiabatic expansion in a suitable volume (23) to cause a first strong cooling of said gases, down to values which may be then abated by usual heat-dissipating systems (25-26).

Abstract: A technique for decontaminating material, including disposing a grid network of perforated pipes on a base, and covering the same with contaminated soil. A barrier layer is laid on the contaminated material and provided with a vent port coupled to a vapor disposal unit via a suction system. A source of heated gas is coupled to the grid system to force heated air through the contaminated soil and vaporize the contaminants. A mobile decontamination system includes an insulated container having a top lid for loading contaminated material in the container, and an insulated back door for removing decontaminated material. Apertured pipes on the container floor convey a high temperature gas to the contaminated material to vaporize the contaminants. A suction system is coupled to a vapor outlet of the container to remove vaporized contaminants.

Abstract: For disposal of waste material including water, volatile components and vitrifiable components, the waste material is heated in a dehydrator to remove the water, heated in a high-temperature dryer to vaporize hydrocarbon liquids, and then fed to the focus point of a primary plasma reactor where plasma arc jets are focused on the surface of a pool of the vitrifiable components. At the focus point the vitrifiable components are melted, and the volatile components are volatized. The melted vitrifiable components are received in a quench chamber where they solidify on a quench roller and are broken into chips and delivered to a receiving area. Heat from the quench chamber is transferred to the dehydrator and high-temperature dryer. The hydrocarbon liquids and volatized components are fed to a secondary plasma reactor where they are disassociated into their elemental components.

Abstract: A dry distillation gas generator generates a dry distillation gas for burning in a separate combustion gas burner unit. Air is supplied in a gentle decelerated flow to the bottom of the dry distillation generator in a quantity sufficient to support combustion of a solid fuel in the vicinity of the air supply, but at a low enough volume to prevent the combustion proceeding to other parts of the generator, thus thermally decomposing the remainder of the solid fuel to generate the dry distillate gas. An air chamber surrounds the generator to reduce the temperature to which the solid fuel is exposed. Similarly, an air chamber is disposed below the bottom of the generator to supply air to the generator, and to moderate the temperature therein. An impurity separation tank in a conduit between the generator and the gas burner unit helps prevent particulates from entering the generator. A preheat burner in the combustion gas burner unit includes a pilot to ignite and preheat the gas.

Abstract: A system and method are provided for the non-thermal destruction of hazardous waste material using an electrodeless inductively coupled RF plasma torch. The waste material is combined with a controllable source of free electrons, and the RF plasma torch is used to excite the free electrons, raising their temperature to 3000.degree. C. or more. The electrons are maintained at this temperature for a sufficient time to enable the free electrons to dissociate the waste material as a result of collisions and ultraviolet radiation generated in situ by electron-molecule collisions. The source of free electrons is preferably an inert gas such as argon, which may be used as both the waste material carrier gas and the torch gas.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for the pyrolytic destruction or synthesis of gases via a highly tunable combination of radio frequency heating and electron beam irradiation is disclosed. The method is appropriate for destroying toxic gases emanating from hazardous wastes and for synthesizing new molecules from the molecules of a gas. The method is also appropriate for creating scavenger gases and hot gases with large enthalpy for use in sterilization procedures, for example. Embodiments are disclosed employing inductive or direct waveguide/cavity coupling of radio frequency power to the gas. In embodiments of the invention, magnetic fields are used to modify the paths of the electrons in the beam to facilitate tuning and improve the energy efficiency of the system. In a two-stage system, solid and/or liquid wastes are first heated in order to vaporize the toxic materials.

Abstract: The present invention includes a chamber for containing refuse, a porous membrane at least partially enclosing the chamber, and a housing enclosing the porous membrane and the chamber. Combustion fuel is supplied to the porous membrane so that surface combustion taken place at the surface of the porous membrane facing the chamber for burning the refuse contained in the chamber. Electrical means may also be employed to provide combustion of the refuse. Safety features include pressure feed-back means for monitoring and regulating the pressure within the apparatus and temperature feed-back means for monitoring and regulating the temperature within the apparatus. A particle bin is positioned below the chamber for receiving burned particles from the chamber.

Abstract: The system (10) for collecting and disposing of medical sharps and other medical wastes includes a housing (11) and its telescopic cover (9) which are fabricated of biodegradable and combustible material such as natural cellulose, non-natural cellulose, and other materials and an absorbent biodegradable and combustible absorption package (30) or insert (35) can be placed in the bottom of the holding chamber (12) for absorbing any liquids emitted from the sharps and other medical wastes, and for enhancing the combustion of the medical sharps and other medical wastes when the housing is placed in a furnace. The system for collecting and disposing of medical wastes when burned, evolves no more than trace levels of sulfur or chlorine and yields substantially only biodegradable ash.

Abstract: A system for disposing of materials such as vehicular tires and similar substantially organic matter and generating useful heat therefrom includes a first chamber, referred to as a gassification chamber, capable of holding a plurality of tires. The gassification chamber has an access way allowing for insertion of whole tires therein where they will be burned at a relatively low temperature resulting in incomplete combustion and the generation of combustible gases. A first air inlet is positioned substantially at the bottom of the gassification chamber with a first blower connected thereto. A gas outlet is positioned a first distance above the bottom of the gassification chamber confining the burning to the lower end of the gassification chamber. The combustible gas is removed and is conveyed to the lower end of a second chamber, referred to as a combustion chamber.

Abstract: The described refuse-treating unit (1) comprises a treatment chamber (2) adapted to hold a predetermined amount of refuse (6), a sterilization apparatus acting on the treatment chamber and adapted to administer heat to the refuse amount (6) until said amount is at least partly converted to a sterilized mass in a pasty state, and a compacting device (7, 8, 9) adapted to press the refuse amount (6) at least partly in a pasty state together, and convert it to a compact block (10).

Abstract: A process for the destruction of waste including the steps of passing an organic waste into a chamber, pumping an inert gas into the chamber until the pressure within the chamber is at least 10,000 p.s.i., heating the chamber to a temperature in excess of 300.degree. F., dissociating the organic waste into its gaseous constituents, and passing the gaseous constituents from the chamber. The chamber is filled with an inert gas so as to displace oxygen from the chamber. The pressurized gaseous constituents are delivered to a turbine so as to actuate the turbine and to generate electricity therefrom. The gaseous constituents pass from the turbine into a boiler. An oxygen-containing gas is mixed with the gaseous constituents within the boiler so as to produce pressurized steam. This pressurized steam is passed to a turbine so as to produce electricity. The inert gas is argon.

Abstract: A hazardous waste incinerator is provided herein. The incinerator includes a sealed, inner incineration chamber which is either made from, or which is lined with a non-porous, impervious corrosion-resistant lining, the inner incineration chamber including a means for supporting hazardous waste to be incinerated, and a recirculating blower. An insulated outer combustion chamber is provided in sealed, spaced-apart relationship to the inner incineration chamber. The heat produced in the outer combustion chamber induces incineration of hazardous waste in the incinerator chamber, the products of incineration of the hazardous waste being separate and distinct from the products of combustion in the combustion chamber.

Abstract: A pyrolyzer-kiln system for generating combustible fume from waste material and supplementing the fuel used to provide heat energy to a clinker kiln. The system includes a pyrolyzer for generating a combustible pyrolytic fume, a kiln for burning the fume as part of a cement-forming process, a conduit for conveying the fume from the pyrolyzer to the kiln, and a closed-loop feedback component for monitoring the heating value of the fume and varying the operational parameters of the pyrolyzer to maintain the heating value of the fume generated within a predetermined range. The closed-loop feedback component includes a calorimeter which continuously samples and burns fume from the conduit. The heating value of the fume is determined by measuring the amount of auxiliary fuel and air required to be mixed with the fume to maintain a predetermined temperature when the combustion is burned within the calorimeter.

Abstract: A process for the disposal of waste comprising the steps of passing a waste into a sealed container, purging the sealed container of oxygen, mixing pressurized oxygen and hydrocarbons so as to produce heat directed to the sealed container, and heating the interior of the sealed container to a temperature of greater than 2700.degree. F. An inert gas is introduced to the interior of the sealed container so as to displace oxygen. Water is dissociated so as to separate hydrogen and oxygen components. The separated oxygen is pressurized to greater than 1000 p.s.i. The water is heated to a temperature of greater than 2000.degree. F. in an oxygen-free environment.

Abstract: A method for thermal treatment of human waste has the steps of feeding a predetermined small quantity of human waste into an indirectly heated flash chamber, instantaneously evaporating the human waste with a large capacity of heat in the flash chamber, and decomposing the human waste into a small gaseous water vapor and a residue of human waste.

Abstract: An in situ system for thermally cleansing hazardous and toxic waste disposal sites is disclosed. The system includes a perimeter wall extending into the site which is sealed to a roof structure surrounding the site to encapsulate the site. A plurality of tubes are sunk into the encapsulated site in a geometric pattern and are directly heated to indirectly heat the site. In time, the temperature of the entire site is raised to a level where the waste is volatilized and the volatiles are collected in the roof and subsequently incinerated.

Abstract: Virtually complete bonding of salt-forming agents to solids during the combustion of fossil fuels, waste or the like by adding basic solids, in particular CaCO.sub.3 or MgCO.sub.3, can be achieved by the following process steps:the moisture content of the fossil fuels, the waste or the like is adjusted to 10 to 35% by weight;the basic substances are added to the fossil fuels, the waste or the like in the most uniform distribution possible, the stoichiometric ratio of basic substances to salt-forming agents being less than 5:1;after the basic substances have been added, the fossil fuels, waste or the like remain in an essentially sealed container, so that a state of water vapor saturation is obtained;the mixture is then burnt at a fuel bed temperature below the thermal dissociation temperature of the compounds resulting from the basic substances and the halogens.

Abstract: The invention is a method and apparatus for burning combustibles, particularly garbage and coal, in such a manner as to prevent the venting of unwanted pollutants into the atmosphere and for recovering valuable resources. The combustibles are burned in a rotating inclined furnace; solids and molten metals are extracted at the discharge end of the furnace; the discharged gases are passed through a boiler for extracting heat therefrom and generating steam; the discharged gases are liquified by sequential cooling and the so-liquified products removed while preventing discharge of gases into the atmosphere; the remaining gases are passed through a second boiler for further extraction of heat and steam generation and further extraction of liquified products; and the effluent gases are passed into subsequent apparatus for removing any remaining pollutants and for the recovering of resources in accordance with Nielson U.S. Pat. No. 4,728,341.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for use in processing waste materials of various kinds and for reclaiming useable by-product materials from the pyrolized waste materials. The waste materials to be pyrolized are efficiently dehydrated prior to their introduction into the pyrolysis retort using microwaves generated by a large microwave generator. After the waste material is dried, initial ignition is accomplished using a very high intensity laser beam. Laser ignition is continued until sufficient methane and other volatile gases are produced for burning in a burner unit to sustain the pyrolysis reaction.

Abstract: This invention relates to an apparatus and process for the pyrolysis of used vehicular tires. The apparatus includes a reaction chamber supported internally of an insulated casing and heated by heating means interposed between the chamber and the casing. Tire fragments are introduced into and removed from the reaction chamber through airlock mechanisms to prevent the ingress of ambient air as the fragments are conveyed through the chamber by a chain and flight conveyor scraping any accumulated solids from the chamber and the conveyor. All portions of the apparatus contacting the pyrolysis reaction products are clad with a layer of aluminum oxide to prevent corrosion. The process includes shredding the used tires, preheating the tire fragments if desired, passing the fragments through the reaction chamber, separating solid and gaseous products, recycling a portion of the gaseous product to the heating means, and recoving salable gas, oil and carbon products.

Abstract: The incinerator is made up of an inner housing located within an outer housing and which have spaced apart walls forming an interior space therebetween. The inner and outer housings have aligned upper openings with insulated closure members. A central chamber extends from the upper opening of the inner housing to a lower position for receiving material to be burned. An upper chamber holding a heat activated odor reducing catalyst surrounds the upper portion of the central chamber. A gas collection chamber surrounds the upper chamber and an exhaust blower is provided for drawing gas from the central chamber to the interior space by way of the heat activated odor reducing catalyst and the collection chamber. A heater is provided for preheating the heat activated odor reducing catalyst. A second exhaust blower is provided for drawing gas from the interior space to the atmosphere. A main heater is located within the lower portion of the central chamber for burning the material deposited therein.

Abstract: A sawdust-burning furnace comprising an inner shell, an outer shell disposed approximately 1 inch from the inner shell, a bottom member and a cover member, an air intake from the base thereof, an exhaust aperture, means to place sawdust therein with a primary channel and inverted cone-shaped burning area, and a flame deflector having legs adapted to rest upon the sawdust while burning is taking place.

Abstract: A flueless primary combustion chamber forms a part of a pollution control incineration system having an elongated duct having one or more inlets positioned at or near grade level. An upright standpipe removably covers an inlet opening to provide a polluted gas inlet to the duct from a location elevated above grade. The primary combustion chamber is constructed with a closed top and an open bottom which removably overfits the standpipe in a manner to allow combustible material to be burned within the shell and to direct the gases of combustion downwardly into the duct through the top of the standpipe.

Abstract: A method of and an apparatus for the thermal treatment of organic materials, especially organic wastes, makes use of a horizontally elongated tank in which the waste is agitated in contact with a thermally conductive wall externally heated by the circulation of a hot gas thereover. The hot gas is generated by injecting, into the space between this wall and an insulated wall, a combustion gas from a burner into which vapors released from the organic material are fed so that the vapors are fully burned within the burner.

Abstract: Organic refuse is pyrolyzed to form disposable solids and gas. The gas is washed at a temperature well above 100.degree. C. with wash oil, which is recirculated. Spent wash oil is pyrolyzed with contaminants and further organic refuse. The washed gas is filtered through sorption means to remove acid and or other noxious gases therefrom before being cooled well below 100.degree. C. to condense water vapor and other constituents having boiling points within the range of from, e.g., 75.degree. to 150.degree. C. After separating the resulting condensate, thus-purified combustion gas is used, e.g., as a fuel source for the organic-refuse pyrolysis.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for the pyrolysis of waste material such as old tyres in which cuttings of the waste material are fed to a reactor vessel and heated under sub-atmospheric pressure by an outside heat source, the decomposition products being given off mainly in the form of gases. Some of the gas is burnt to provide the heat.

Abstract: Method and installation (apparatus) for continuous combustion of combustibles effecting combustion in a closed room into which a controlled quantity of substantially pure oxygen is introduced. The gases emitted by the combustible combined with oxygen to produce a semi-continuous explosion as a first effect; also produce as a side effect, an atomization of any water present (in the form of steam) and of any gaseous combustion products within the closed room as a second effect. Energy is provided not only in the form of calorific energy from combustion, but is released as radiation, and other forms produced by the atomization of the water and gaseous combustion products, including the kinetic energy of the gaseous molecules within the closed room.