# US 2012/0083542 A1 · Method for treating wastes > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2012/0083542 A1 - Document ID: US20120083542A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/139,053 - Filed: 2009-03-18 - Published: 2012-04-05 - Earliest claimed: 2008-12-11 - Assignees: Patrick Von Hertzberg - Inventors: Thomas Müller - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20120083542A1 ## CPC - C10G 1/002: {in combination with oil conversion- or refining processes} - C10G 1/10: from rubber or rubber waste - C10G 2300/1003: Waste materials - C10G 2300/1011: Biomass - C10G 2300/1014: of vegetal origin - C10G 2300/205: Metal content - C10G 2300/80: Additives - Y02P 30/20: using bio-feedstock - C10G: CRACKING HYDROCARBON OILS; PRODUCTION OF LIQUID HYDROCARBON MIXTURES, e.g. BY DESTRUCTIVE HYDROGENATION, OLIGOMERISATION, POLYMERISATION (cracking to hydrogen or synthesis gas C01B; cracking or pyrolysis of hydrocarbon gases to individual hydrocarbons or mixtures thereof of definite or specified constitution C07C; cracking to cokes C10B); RECOVERY OF HYDROCARBON OILS FROM OIL-SHALE, OIL-SAND, OR GASES; REFINING MIXTURES MAINLY CONSISTING OF HYDROCARBONS; REFORMING OF NAPHTHA; MINERAL WAXES - Y02P: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS ## Abstract The present invention relates to a process for the treatment of waste in a reactor (3) comprising the steps of combining the waste to be processed and an aqueous, alkaline solution to form a reaction mixture, heating the reaction mixture to a temperature range between 140° C. to 250° C. and a pressure between 3 bar and 12 bar to produce at least one aqueous, organic phase, a gas phase and optionally a solid phase, removing the gas phase from the reactor (3), separating the organic and aqueous components of the gas phase, in particular by means of a rectification column and feeding the aqueous components of the gas phase back into the reactor. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A process for the treatment of waste in a reactor (3) comprising the following steps: Combining the waste to be treated and an aqueous, alkaline solution to form a reaction mixture; Heating the reaction mixture to a temperature range between 140° C. to 250° C. and a pressure between 3 bar and 12 bar to produce at least one aqueous, organic phase, a gas phase and optionally a solid phase; Removal of the gas phase from the reactor (3); Separation of the organic and aqueous components of the gas phase, in particular by a rectification column (4); feeding the aqueous components of the gas phase back into the reactor (3). ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A process according to claim 1, characterized by the separation of the solid phase from the reaction mixture. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) A process according to claim 2, characterized by washing the solid phase after separation. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) A process according to claim 1, characterized in that the waste comprises at least one of the following components: solid and liquid biomasses or products produced from them, plastics (polymers), inorganic materials such as minerals, metals and compounds thereof, solid or liquid pollutants and/or hazardous materials, such as heavy metals and compounds thereof, halogen-substituted organic compounds, such as flame retardants, cellulose-containing raw materials and waste, fatty acid, biopolymers, bitumen masses, tar masses, and combinations thereof and the like. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) A process according to claim 1, characterized in that the alkaline solution contains carbonates, particularly potassium carbonate. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) A process according to claim 5, characterized in that said solution is a saturated potassium carbonate solution and/or the density of the solution is 1.5 to 1.6 g/cm3. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) A process according to claim 1, characterized in that a water-insoluble, organic auxiliary (extractant) is added to the reaction mixture. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) A process according to claim 7, characterized in that the organic auxiliaries are lubricating oils, motor oils, aliphatic hydrocarbons or the like. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) A process according to claim 7, characterized by the separation of the aqueous, alkaline phase and organic phase by extraction and/or decantation. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) A process according to claim 7, characterized by the treatment of the aqueous alkaline phase and/or the organic phase hydrogenation and/or Kolbe synthesis. ### Claim 11 (depends on 7) A process according to claim 7, characterized by vacuum distillation of the organic and/or aqueous phase. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) A process according to claim 1, characterized in that the alkaline solution is provided in the reactor (3) and a quasi-continuous feeding of the waste takes place in semi-batch operation, in particular by means of compacting screws and piston presses. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) A process according to claim 1, characterized in that the reactor (3) is a stirrer tank having a mechanical stirrer (12) and/or a circulation reactor. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) A process according to claim 1, characterized by maintaining the pressure and the temperature for a period of 0.5 h to 30 h, preferably from 2 h to 20 h and in particular for more than 10 h. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) A process according to claim 1, characterized by crushing the waste to be treated to a given particle size which, in particular, has at least one edge length of 0.1 to 10 cm. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) A process according to claim 1, characterized in that the feeding of the waste takes place in batch mode by opening the reactor (3) and inputting the waste, and subsequently adding the alkaline solution. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) A process according to claim 1, characterized in that the supply of heat during the process takes place by at least one heat exchanger (5) or by a heat transfer medium used in the process, particularly steam or thermal oil. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) A process according to claim 1, characterized in that the inorganic components are removed continuously or batchwise by at least one discharge device and are washed subsequently by processed, alkaline solution and/or water. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) A process according to claim 1, characterized in that metals are recovered from the inorganic components by means of electric refining and/or galvanic and/or chemical and/or mechanical processes. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) A process according to claim 1, characterized in that the rectification column (4) is a packed column. ### Claim 21 (depends on 1) A process according to claim 1, characterized in that the pressure after the rectification column (4) is held constant using a pressure regulator. ### Claim 22 (depends on 1) A process according to claim 1, characterized in that the organic components are separated from the dragging steam through transfer into a condensing apparatus, and the dragging steam depleted of organic constituents is fed back into the process. ### Claim 23 (depends on 1) A process according to claim 1, characterized in that a partial hydrogenation, in particular using Raney nickel as catalyst, of at least a portion of the organic components occurs at too low a vapor pressure, is lowered by the polarity of said organic components and thus increases the vapor pressure thereof. ### Claim 24 (depends on 1) A process according to claim 1, characterized in that the organic components present in liquid form are subjected to hydrogenation, in particular using Raney nickel as catalyst, for the removal of heteroatoms and/or are subjected to hydrocracking. ### Claim 25 (depends on 1) A plant for carrying out one of the process for the treatment of waste of claim 1 with a reactor (3), means for supplying wastes, means for supplying an alkaline solution, optionally means for supplying an extractant, means (32) for removing of a gas phase from the reactor (3) and means (4) for separating the organic and/or aqueous components from the gas phase and means for feeding the aqueous components back into the reactor (3). ### Claim 26 (depends on 25) A plant according to claim 25 further comprising means for removal of the aqueous solution into a reservoir (6), a reactor for the partial hydrogenation (10). ### Claim 27 (depends on 25) A plant according to claim 25 further comprising a discharge device (13) for the sediment from the reactor (3).