Low pollution incineration of solid waste

In a solid waste combustion vessel, the improvement comprising a fluidized bed and air circulation assemblage comprising:

• a fine granular material;
• grid plate means contiguously beneath the fine granular material having a distribution of air holes therein;
• an air influent chamber beneath the grid plate means feeding air under pressure through the holes in the grid plate means into the fluidized bed to enhance combustion of solid waste;
• a hollow stand pipe contiguous with the grid plate means and disposed over and in communication with each of a plurality of said air holes, each stand pipe having a height above the grid plate on the order of the height to form a stagnation zone, and with at least one air discharge port located at or adjacent the top of each stand pipe in communication with the hollow of said pipe;
• a plurality of vortex air nozzles disposed at diverse sites within the vessel, at least some of said air nozzles being at elevated sites substantially above the top of the fluidized bed, at least some of said air nozzles being oriented to direct effluent air away from the granular material and along the vessel wall;
• whereby non-combustible material may be continuously removed from the active fluidized bed into the region below the discharge ports to maintain good quality bed properties and air is vortically circulated along substantially all of the vessel wall above the fluidized bed.

An incineration system comprising:

• a vessel;
• means for introducing fuel into the vessel;
• means for introducing air into the vessel adequate to support combustion;
• the improvement comprising a fluidized bed within the vessel initially containing and maintaining olivine sand in an unreacted state to enhance the physical properties of the bed and means establishing and maintaining the operating temperature of the olivine at a level on the order of 700.degree. F - 1200.degree. F.

An incineration system comprising:

• a vessel;
• means for introducing fuel into the vessel;
• a fluidized bed of non-agglomerated sand particles disposed within the vessel;
• means for elevating the temperature of the bed to on the order of about 700.degree. F - 1200.degree. F.
• means for introducing air into the fluidized bed comprising source means of air under pressure, an air distribution system disposed beneath the fluidized bed and comprising a plurality of ducts, a manifold interposed between the source means and the ducts and a plurality of nozzles located within the fluidized bed, the nozzles being mounted to and receiving air from the ducts, said ducts being spaced one from the next;
• generally vertical passageways of substantial width between said spaced ducts defining regions through which contaminated sand particles migrate downwardly from the fluidized bed.