US 4,026,678 AGranted

Process for treating municipal wastes to produce a fuel

AssigneeGuaranty Performance Co., Inc.

InventorAndrew D. Livingston

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Abstract

A method for converting wastes, particularly municipal solid wastes, into usable low cost fuel is provided which yields discrete, substantially self-sustaining fuel pellets which can be easily shipped and stored in bulk and used by utilities or factories as a replacement for coal or other hydrocarbon fuels. The method includes the steps of pulping and fiberizing collected solid wastes followed by air convection drying and pelletizing thereof within relatively narrow temperature and moisture ranges which have been found to be especially conducive to the production of dense, self-sustaining fuel pellets. Treatment in this manner causes the fibrous organic materials such as paper and cloth in the collected wastes to serve as a type of adhesive binder for holding the pelletized product together and minimizing undesirable high volume, low density fines in the product. In the preferred process, the waste materials are treated continuously and a fraction of the resultant fuel is returned to the process for use in powering the process dryer.

Claims11

Dependent claims

A process for treating wastes to produce a fuel product therefrom, said process comprising the steps of:

collecting a quantity of solid waste material comprising at least about 15% by weight of organic material capable of being fiberized;
treating said waste material to fiberize at least a portion of said organic material and create a substantially homogeneous pulp-like mixture containing the same and having from about 20% to 70% by weight moisture;
producing an air-fluidized stream of said mixture having a temperature of from about 130.degree. to 180.degree. F. and including a solids fraction having said fiberized material therein, said solids fraction having a moisture content sufficient to enhance the adhesive properties of said fiberized material;
collecting said solids fraction while maintaining said moisture content of said solids fraction, the temperature of the solids fraction within the range of from about 130.degree. to 180.degree. F., and the content of fiberized organic materials at a level of at least about 15% by weight;
and
forming said collected solids fraction into self-sustaining bodies.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.