Method and apparatus for the treatment of waste material

An apparatus for treating comminuted waste material, the apparatus comprising:

• a heating chamber for generating a combustible gas from comminuted waste material, the heating chamber comprising an inlet for the introduction of comminuted waste material into the heating chamber, an outlet for the egress of a generated combustible gas from the heating chamber, and comprising a first, second and third zones;
• plural combustion heaters configured or configurable to heat, in use, the contents of the heating chamber;
• a controller configured or configurable to adjust or alter the amount of heat generated by said plural combustion heaters to the first, second, and third zones of the heating chamber, wherein the controller is configured to alter the ratio of two or more fuel components of a fuel mixture arranged or arrangeable to supply fuel to said plural combustion heaters, such that the controller is configured to adjust or alter the heat generated by said plural combustion heaters by adjusting the amount of combustible gas in the fuel mixture, and wherein the first zone is heated to a first temperature T1 and the second zone is heated to a second temperature T2 and wherein the second temperature T2 is higher than the first temperature T1, and wherein the third zone is heated to a third temperature T3 which is greater than the first temperature T1;
• and a supply system configured or configurable to supply to said plural combustion heaters at least a portion of a combustible gas generated, in use, in the first, second and third zones of the heating chamber, wherein the apparatus comprises a wall surrounding an outer surface of the heating chamber and a heating space defined between the wall and the outer surface of the heating chamber, wherein said plural combustion heaters are located, in use, outside of the heating chamber and are configured to heat the heating space to thereby heat the comminuted waste material within the heating chamber.

An apparatus for treating comminuted waste material, the apparatus comprising:

• a heating chamber for generating a combustible gas from comminuted waste material, the heating chamber comprising an inlet for the introduction of comminuted waste material into the heating chamber, an outlet for the egress of a generated combustible gas from the heating chamber, and comprising a first and second zone;
• plural combustion heaters configured or configurable to heat, in use, the contents of the heating chamber;
• a controller configured to adjust or alter the amount of heat generated by said plural combustion heaters to the first and second zone of the heating chamber, wherein the controller is configured to alter the ratio of two or more fuel components of a fuel mixture arranged or arrangeable to supply fuel to the said combustion heaters, and wherein the first zone is heated to a first temperature T1 and the second zone is heated to a second temperature T2 and wherein the second temperature T2 is higher than the first temperature T1;
• and a supply system configured or configurable to supply to the said plural combustion heaters at least a portion of a combustible gas generated, in use, in the first and second zone of the heating chamber, wherein the said plural combustion heaters is configured or configurable to heat a third zone in the heating chamber to a third temperature T3, where the third temperature T3 is greater than the first temperature T1.