Method of disposing of toxic substances
OwnerPaul A. Deardorff, Robert C. Wood +1inventors
InventorsPaul A. Deardorff, Robert C. Wood, Sante M. Cundari
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Abstract
The present invention advantageously uses a composition which includes iron-containing waste materials to dispose of the toxic and troublesome substances, polybrominated biphenyls (PBB). First, waste materials from the conversion of iron ore to pig iron or steel combine with a reducing metal, such as aluminum or magnesium, and a small portion of a mineral acid to form a reaction mixture which gives a heat output superior to many conventional fuels and at a very high temperature. Then, this composition is heated to a reaction temperature with pure PBB or items contaminated with PBB to thereby chemically break down the PBB.
Claims16
A method of disposing of toxic material comprising the steps of:
- placing said material to be disposed of in close proximity with a thermit composition producing heat and capable of reaction at temperatures in excess of 3000.degree. F., said composition comprising
- about 50% to 95% by weight of an iron-containing by-product from the production of steel;
- a mineral acid;
- about 10% to about 25% by weight pulverulent reducing metal selected from the group consisting of aluminum, magnesium, and manganese;
- and water;
- and
- reacting said composition to dispose of said material by heating at least a portion of said composition to about 3000.degree. F. to initiate reaction whereby said composition reacts at temperatures in excess of 3000.degree. F. thereby heating said material so as to decompose said material.
A method of decomposing a toxic material comprising the steps of:
- (a) placing said material in a furnace chamber for decomposition;
- (b) placing also in said chamber, in an amount sufficient to decompose said toxic material, a thermit composition comprising,
- about 50% to 95% by weight of an iron-containing by-product from the production of steel;
- a mineral acid;
- about 10% to about 25% by weight pulverulent reducing metal selected from the group consisting of aluminum, magnesium, and manganese;
- and water;
- and after closing said chamber,
- (c) reacting said thermit composition by heating at least a portion of said composition to about 3000.degree. F. to initiate reaction whereby all of said toxic material is held in said chamber at a sufficient decomposition temperature for a resonance period sufficient to decompose all of said toxic material.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.