Combined gasification and vitrification system
AssigneeInEnTec Inc.
InventorsJeffrey E. Surma, James A. Batdorf
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An optimized gasification/vitrification processing system having a gasification unit which converts organic materials to a hydrogen rich gas and ash in communication with a joule heated vitrification unit which converts the ash formed in the gasification unit into glass, and a plasma which converts elemental carbon and products of incomplete combustion formed in the gasification unit into a hydrogen rich gas.
Claims15
A method for processing a feedstock including a mixture of organic and inorganic materials, the method comprising:
- gasifying the feedstock including the mixture of organic and inorganic materials in a downdraft gasifier to produce a gasified feedstock having a gas portion and a solid portion, the solid portion including at least some of the organic materials and at least some of the inorganic materials;
- moving at least some of the solid portion into a vitrification unit by controlling a transport mechanism to move the at least some of the solid portion, wherein the transport mechanism includes one or more of a rake, an agitating grate, or one or more rotating drums;
- controlling the downdraft gasifier with a feedback control device responsive to an amount of the at least some of the solid portion moved into the vitrification unit;
- converting, at the vitrification unit, the at least some of the solid portion into glass;
- and
- at least one of pyrolizing or gasifying the at least some of the solid portion in the vitrification unit by exposing the at least some of the solid portion to plasma.
A method for processing a feedstock including a mixture of organic and inorganic materials, the method comprising:
- gasifying the feedstock including the mixture of organic and inorganic materials in a downdraft gasifier to produce a gasified feedstock having a gas portion and a solid portion, the solid portion including at least some of the organic materials and at least some of the inorganic materials;
- moving at least some of the solid portion into a vitrification unit by controlling a transport mechanism to move the at least some of the solid portion, wherein the transport mechanism includes one or more of a rake, an agitating grate, or one or more rotating drums;
- controlling the downdraft gasifier with a feedback control device responsive to an amount of the at least some of the solid portion moved into the vitrification unit;
- converting, at the vitrification unit. the at least some of the solid portion into glass;
- and
- at least one of pyrolizing or gasifying the at least some of the solid portion in the vitrification unit by exposing the at least some of the solid portion to plasma while heating the solid portion in the vitrification unit.
A method for processing a feedstock including a mixture of organic and inorganic materials, the method comprising:
- oxidizing the feedstock including the mixture of organic and inorganic materials in a downdraft gasifier to produce an oxidized feedstock including a gas portion and a solid portion, the solid portion including at least some of the organic materials and at least some of the inorganic materials;
- moving at least some of the solid portion into a vitrification unit by controlling a transport mechanism to move the at least some of the solid portion, wherein the transport mechanism includes one or more of a rake, an agitating grate, or one or more rotating drums, the vitrification unit having a molten glass bath and a heat source to maintain the molten glass bath in a molten state:
- controlling the downdraft gasifier with a feedback control device responsive to an amount of the at least sonic of the solid portion moved into the vitrification unit;
- heating the solid portion with the heat source;
- converting, at the vitrification unit, the at least some of the solid portion into glass;
- and
- at least one of pyrolizing or gasifying the at least some of the solid portion in the vitrification unit by exposing the at least some of the oxidized feedstock to plasma.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.