Waste processing
AssigneeChinook End-Stage Recycling Limited
InventorsOphneil Henry Perry, Rifat Al Chalabi
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus (100) for processing waste material is provided which comprises a heat proof chamber (102), a hot gas inlet (106, 112) for heating the interior of the heat proof chamber (102), and a rotatable drum (118) for containing waste to be processed. The drum (118) has gaps (120) therein, is located within the heat proof chamber (102), and separated therefrom around its edge by a gap. The apparatus (100) is also provided with a drive (126, 128) for rotating the drum (118) at a speed such that, in use, waste material that is heat softened is centrifugally separated from the remainder of the waste and passes through the gaps (120) in the drum (118).
Claims25
A method of processing waste matter containing heat softening material, the method comprising:
- providing a waste processing apparatus having rotating drum having gaps therein
- placing the waste material in said rotating drum;
- passing hot gasses containing substantially no oxygen through the apparatus so as to heat the material therein to a temperature sufficient to heat soften the heat softening material contained therein but not sufficient to pyrolyse the waste material;
- and
- rotating the drum so as to cause the heat softened material to centrifugally separate from the remainder of the waste by passing through the gaps in the drum.
The method according to any previous claim wherein the hot gas is passed from an interior of the drum to an exterior of the drum through the waste material.
The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5 further comprising solidifying the material collected in the collection pan.
The method according to any preceding claim wherein said apparatus has an inlet, a first outlet coaxial to the drum and located at one end thereof, and a second outlet in the side of said apparatus, the method further comprising:
- opening a flow path through said inlet and said second outlet for the passage of hot gas to clean said material therein;
- closing the flow path through said inlet and said second outlet and opening a flow path through said inlet and said first outlet to process said waste.
The method according to any preceding claim wherein said apparatus has an inlet, a first outlet coaxial to the drum and located at one end thereof, and a second outlet in the side of said apparatus, the method further comprising:
- passing said hot gasses through a flow path between the inlet and the first outlet to heat said heat softening material;
- after said heat softening material has been substantially separated from the remainder of said waste, closing said flow path between said inlet and said first outlet;
- opening a flow path between said inlet and said second outlet;
- and increasing the temperature within said apparatus by passing hot gasses substantially devoid of oxygen through said flow path between said inlet and said second outlet so as to pyrolyse any organic matter within the remaining waste.
The method according to any proceeding claim further comprising:
- providing an apparatus for pyrolysing material containing organic matter said apparatus having a heated chamber in which said waste is heated and a treatment chamber connected to said heated chamber by feed and return conduits;
- pyrolysing material within said heated chamber to produce syngas, circulating said syngas through said treatment chamber;
- treating said circulated gas in said treatment chamber by heating it in a substantially oxygen free environment;
- recycling at least part of said syngas through the heated chamber;
- and
- passing at least some of said syngas through said waste processing apparatus to heat said heat softening material therein.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.