Abstract: An improved photocatalytic method for removing organic contaminants from fluid or gas phases and a photoreactor design which allows exposure of photoreactive material to controlled periodic illumination. An improved method for improving the photoefficiency of a photocatalytic process comprising continuous illumination of the photocatalyst at a decreased light intensity.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for injecting liquids into a molten bath. The method includes forming a suitable liquid dispersion of a liquid phase disposed in a gas phase. The liquid phase has a ratio of surface area to volume which is sufficient to cause an accumulated amount of the liquid phase in the molten bath to be significantly less than that which would occur by injection of a continuous stream of the liquid into the molten bath. The liquid dispersion is directed into the molten metal bath, whereby the liquid volatilizes or decomposes. The rate at which the liquid dispersion is injected into the molten bath is sufficient to cause the liquid of the liquid phase to volatilize or decompose at a rate which is sufficient to cause the accumulation of the liquid phase in the bath to be significantly less than that which would occur by injection of a continuous stream of the liquid into the molten bath. The apparatus includes an atomizer which is disposed at a reactor containing the molten bath.

Abstract: A process and processing system are disclosed that provide for the processing of many forms of waste, such as medical and food waste, that both reduces the volume of waste solids and neutralizes the biological activity of such waste, thereby facilitating the disposal of potentially unhealthy or hazardous materials. Biological neutralization is accomplished by chopping the waste material and mixing it with a circulating stream of fluid such as water that is superheated to a temperature which effects disinfection or sterilization in accordance with the needs of the user. The superheated fluid is maintained substantially in a liquid form to facilitate intermixing with the waste material and absorption thereby in instances of the processing of fluid-absorbable materials. The processed waste can be filtered to remove solid particles having a size in excess of a predetermined amount, and the filtrate can be passed into municipal sewer systems.

Abstract: A system for vitrifying all kinds of waste, including toxic, industrial, household and radioactive wastes such as those generated by nuclear power plants, including dry active wastes, ion exchange resins and aqueous wastes wherein the wastes are conditioned, blended, mixed with glass formers and then fed into a heating chamber where organic constituents of the waste are burned and inorganic constituents are melted with the glass formers to form a waste glass. The aqueous waste may be conditioned by concentrating its solids content up to as much as 90% solids. The dry active waste is conditioned, and mixed to some extent by shredders. The conditioned waste may be blended to achieve a uniform heat energy content of the waste being fed into the heating chamber. The heating chamber has a larger combustion zone to handle the greater amount of organic waste than would be expected in conventional melters, and a melting zone having a replaceable crucible and liner.

Abstract: The concentrations of residual heavy metal contaminants in the particulate material in a slurry produced in a particulate material washing process are monitored on-line and can be used to control the washing process. In alternative embodiments of the invention, x-rays, thermal neutrons or laser beams are directed at the slurry as it flows through a flow cell to induce emission of secondary x-rays, gamma rays or light, respectively, characteristic of the heavy metal contaminants and constituents representative of the solids contents of the slurry. These characteristic energies are measured and used to determine the concentration in ppm of the residual heavy metal contaminants in the particulate material within the slurry.

Abstract: A method for treating soil that has become contaminated with hydrocarbons or other organic material includes straining the contaminated material through a rotary air lock into a preheater and pneumatic conveying by primary air into an oxidation chamber. Secondary air is directed into the oxidation chamber through a plurality of perforations in the wall of the oxidation chamber to combine with and sustain the fluidized state of the soil-gas mixture. The primary and secondary air is preferably produced by passing the proceeds of an air blower through a pre-heating assembly to produce hot air. The oxidizer is arranged at an incline so that the gas solid mixture of hot air and contaminated soil flows upwardly. The temperature of the fluidized bed is controlled by the temperature of primary air so that lighter hydrocarbons spontaneously ignite in the oxidation chamber. The exothermic combustion causes the remaining organic material present in the contaminated soil to vaporize and burn.

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: A molten salt process vessel for treatment of hazardous materials such as explosive or propellant waste, employing a tall, thin vessel with sufficient height that salt splash from the molten salt at the bottom of the vessel can be controlled and hard salt deposits are prevented from forming on the walls which restrict the gas outlet. The vessel, e.g. of cylindrical shape, has an increased height to diameter ratio in the range of about 7:1 to about 12:1, to give additional clearance. As an additional feature the vessel diameter can also be adjusted to create a "necked-down" region just below the gas outlet duct adjacent the top of the vessel to increase product gas velocity of the gas containing entrained salt particles, to prevent sticking of such particles to the vessel walls and restricting the gas outlet duct.

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: The present invention relates to an incinerator devised to incinerate various kinds of wastes including medical and food wastes. Up to this time, the waste containing an explosive chemical substance like alcohol or the waste containing water in large quantities has been disposed of unsanitarily, requiring a great deal of labor and cost. The present invention is equipped with a primary combustion chamber, a secondary combustion chamber, a communicating means which introudces gases to the secondary combustion chamber from the primary combustion chamber, an exhaust means which discharges waste gas from the secondary combustion chamber and a microwave generation means. It is an incinerator aimed to solve the above problem by a method wherein waste is incinerated after it is desiccated and pyrolyzed by applying microwaves thereto and explosive gas is disposed of. It is an sanitary incinerator which contains no bad smell, no harmful substance and no smoke in the exhaust gas discharged after incineration.

Abstract: A feed system for feeding solid propellant or explosive energetic materials, e.g. in the form of chunks, into a molten salt furnace for destruction of said materials by oxidation with air, while substantially avoiding the danger of detonation of such materials during feeding. The system comprises a feed hopper separated from the molten salt furnace by a barrier such as a concrete wall. The feed hopper is preferably vibrated to move the chunks of waste to an inclined chute which passes through a penetration in the barrier to the furnace, the chute also being preferably vibrated to facilitate passage of the waste material. The chunks of waste are discharged from the inclined chute either directly into the molten salt bath in the furance, or added incrementally thereto by a lock valve arrangement.

Abstract: A fabric panel clean change-out frame, for use on a containment structure having rigid walls, is formed of a compression frame and a closure panel. The frame is formed of elongated spacers, each carrying a plurality of closely spaced flat springs, and each having a hooked lip extending on the side of the spring facing the spacer. The closure panel is includes a perimeter frame formed of flexible, wedge-shaped frame members that are receivable under the springs to deflect the hooked lips. A groove on the flexible frame members engages the hooked lips and locks the frame members in place under the springs. A flexible fabric panel is connected to the flexible frame members and closes its center.

Abstract: A containment vessel for liquid waste including an inlet for introducing liquid waste into the container, and a coating of a gelling substance adhered to the interior surface of the vessel by an adhesive which dissolves when contacted by the liquid waste to release the gelling substance and thereby transform the liquid waste into a non-pourable gel. A tip indicator indicates if the vessel has been tipped after the vessel has been put into service. Also, an in-service indicator indicates that the vessel has been put into service and that the tip indicator has been released. A full indicator indicates when the contents of the vessel reaches a predetermined level of fullness. A vent for venting the interior of the vessel during filling of the vessel is automatically closed off when the vessel has reached such predetermined level of fullness. The inlet to the vessel may be connected to a drain opening of an embalming table by means of an expandable tube which allows for adjustment of the height of the table.

Abstract: A process for heat treating spent pot linings from Hall-Heroult electrolytic cells which comprise carbon and silico-aluminous materials impregnated with fluorides. The pot linings are ground to a particle size less than 5 mm, and formed into an intimate mixture with calcium sulfate or calcium sulfate dihydrate having a particle size less than 1 mm. The mixture is injected into the center of a vortex formed by a flow of circulating hot gas at the top part of a reactor at a temperature between 700.degree. and 1100.degree. C., and extracted from the bottom part of the reaction at a temperature between 400.degree. and 750.degree. C. after a contact time of less than 2 seconds.

Abstract: Mixed waste containing organic constituents and low level radioactive waste is remediated in a circulating fluidized bed combustor. Three separators are used to filter the flue gas and separate fine radioactive material from coarse non-radioactive material thereby concentrating the radioactive portion. A primary separator separates large material such as sand, lime, flyash or unburned fuel particles from the flue gas leaving the furnace of the combustor. The flue gas is then passed to a secondary separator for the collection of finer particles. In turn, the flue gas is passed to a tertiary separator for the collection of the finest particles of the flue gas containing low level radioactive waste. Solids entrained in the primary separator are recycled back into the bed of the combustor through an L-valve. Solids entrained at the secondary separator are also recycled back into the bed.

Abstract: A halogenated organic compound is introduced into a plasma. In the plasma state, substances are very reactive and chemical substances which are not readily decomposed such as halogenated organic compounds are decomposed in a short time. Specifically, in a high-temperature plasma exceeding 10,000.degree. C., almost all molecules are considered to dissociate into atoms. A reactive substance such as water is introduced into a plasma together with a halogenated organic compound. The decomposed halogenated organic compound is caused to react with the reactive substance, for preventing the decomposed organic compound from returning to its original state.

Abstract: The process for cleaning polluted solids by crushing the solids and removing the pollutants consists of mechanically fluidizing the crushed solids, through-blowing them with air and irradiating them with UV light, the air flow subsequently being subject to dust removal and irradiated with UV light again.

Abstract: An incinerator for the disposal of biohazardous waste has a sealed enclosure defining a combustion chamber with upper, first level intermediate, second level intermediate and lower portions. The upper chamber portion is an inclined chute with a door into which a plurality of cylindrical metal containers of waste are loaded. The bottom run of the chute has a stepped, centrally expanding dimension so different sized containers will be self-centered. A pair of laterally-spaced drums is disposed in the first level intermediate portion, at a constriction which stops further descent down the chute of the leading container. Banks of first level TIG torches are arranged to arc to the drums, providing heat for "cooking" waste in the unopened containers in the upper portion with rising gases and for opening the leading container and incandescently acting on solid materials spilled therefrom.

Abstract: A staged fluidized-bed combustion and filter system for substantially reducing the quantity of waste through the complete combustion into ash-type solids and gaseous products. The device has two fluidized-bed portions, the first primarily as a combustor/pyrolyzer bed, and the second as a combustor/filter bed. The two portions each have internal baffles to define stages so that material moving therein as fluidized beds travel in an extended route through those stages. Fluidization and movement is achieved by the introduction of gases into each stage through a directional nozzle. Gases produced in the combustor/pyrolyzer bed are permitted to travel into corresponding stages of the combustor/filter bed through screen filters that permit gas flow but inhibit solids flow. Any catalyst used in the combustor/filter bed is recycled. The two beds share a common wall to minimize total volume of the system. A slightly modified embodiment can be used for hot gas desulfurization and sorbent regeneration.

Abstract: A melting furnace for treating wastes is provided which has a container equipped with a feed port for a glass raw material and wastes to be treated at the top thereof and a discharge port for molten glass containing said wastes at the bottom thereof, the container having a wall made of a heat resistant alloy and the container wall being in contact with molten glass inside the container; a heating electrode disposed in the container, the container wall acting as a counter electrode for the heating electrode; and a cooling system disposed at the back side of the container wall. By directly supplying electric power to the glass means disposed at the back side of the container wall.By directly supplying electric power to the glass between the container wall and the heating electrode, the molten glass containing the wastes can be formed. By conducting cooling of the container wall by the cooling system, corrosion of the wall due to the atmosphere in the container can be restricted.

Abstract: A process and processing system are disclosed that provide for the processing of many forms of waste, such as medical and food waste, that both reduces the volume of waste solids and neutralizes the biological activity of such waste, thereby facilitating the disposal of potentially unhealthy or hazardous materials. Biological neutralization is accomplished by chopping the waste material and mixing it with a circulating stream of fluid such as water that is superheated to a temperature which effects disinfection or sterilization in accordance with the needs of the user. The superheated fluid is maintained substantially in a liquid form to facilitate intermixing with the waste material and absorption thereby in instances of the processing of fluid-absorbable materials. The processed waste can be filtered to remove solid particles having a size in excess of a predetermined amount, and the filtrate can be passed into municipal sewer systems.

Abstract: A method of and apparatus for decontaminating contaminated soils and similar materials, the method includes (a) drying and comminuting contaminated soil and similar material in a mill through which a flow of hot gases is passed to provide a mixture of solids and gases; (b) introducing the mixture into a cyclone separator where the mixture is separated into gaseous and solid components; (c) thermally treating the solid components in a decontamination zone at a temperature effective to decontaminate at least a portion of the solid components; (d) passing the solid components after thermally treating same in step (c) into a dwell zone configured as a flow-through region; (e) thermally treating the solid components within the dwell zone at a temperature effective to decontaminate at least a portion of the solid components; (f) cooling the solid components after step (e) by transferring same into a cooling region of a cooling line; (g) thermally afterburning gaseous components from at least one of steps (b) and (c

Abstract: The invention relates to a thermal shock treatment in a reactor of ground spent pot linings, constituted both by carbon-containing products and silico-aluminous products impregnated with fluorine-containing mineral compounds, mixed with a pulverulent mineral additive able to combine hot, with or without melting or fusion, with the fluorine-containing impregnating compounds in order to form new stable and insoluble compounds such as CaF.sub.2, binary, ternary or quaternary compounds of NaF, CaF.sub.2, SiO.sub.2, Al.sub.2 O.sub.3, CaSO.sub.4, Na.sub.2 SO.sub.4, of the nephelite, hauynite or similar type.

Abstract: An incinerator for the disposal of biohazardous waste has a sealed enclosure defining a combustion chamber with upper, first level intermediate, second level intermediate and lower portions. The upper chamber portion is an inclined chute with a door into which a plurality of cylindrical metal containers of waste are loaded. The bottom run of the chute has a stepped, centrally expanding dimension so different sized containers will be self-centered. A pair of laterally-spaced drums is disposed in the first level intermediate portion, at a constriction which stops further descent down the chute of the leading container. Banks of first level TIG torches are arranged to arc to the drums, providing heat for "cooking" waste in the unopened containers in the upper portion with rising gases and for opening the leading container and incandescently acting on solid materials spilled therefrom.

Abstract: Medical wastes are placed in a medical waste container which is then placed in a closed apparatus body. The container is heated by a heater so that the medical wastes are sterilized and melted or softened. The container containing the medical wastes is then compressed and molded by a compression device. The compression-molded product containing the medical wastes and the container is then discharged from a door of the apparatus body. Alternatively, medical wastes are heat-sterilized by operating a microwave generator. The microwave generator is controlled by detecting the concentration of the combustible gases contained in the exhaust gases discharged from a closed apparatus body, the concentration of hydrogen chloride gas and/or a ratio of reflected power to incident power by using a power monitor connected to a waveguide of the microwave generator. At the same time, hot air can also be circulated.