Metallic scrap decontamination process

Abstract

In a process for decontaminating contaminated metallic scrap, an oxygen bearing hot gas stream is passed into the inlet end of a container and is discharged from an exit end of the same container. The decontaminated scrap is loaded in the container at the inlet end. Concurrently the scrap is (a) moved from the inlet end to the exit end, (b) mixed and agitated within the interior of the container, and (c) during the mixing and agitation contacted with the hot gas stream moving through the interior of the container. The contact of the scrap with the hot gas stream is under conditions essentially capable of inhibiting flaming. By virtue of the contact with the hot gas stream, heat from the hot gas stream is transferred to the scrap, which lowers the temperature of the hot gas stream while raising the temperature of the scrap. This heat transfer takes the scrap to a first temperature phase wherein contaminants such as organics are volatilized and/or cracked into volatiles which become dispensed and diluted in the gas stream. Further, water is converted into steam. The volatiles including the steam are rapidly removed from the container by virtue of their disbursement into the gas stream. Further transfer of heat to the scrap raises the scrap to a second temperature phase wherein contaminants which are not volatilable, but which are subject to oxidation below 1200.degree. F., are oxidized by oxygen in the gas stream. The scrap is maintained within the second temperature phase for a time sufficient to ensure complete oxidation and then the scrap is discharged from the container.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.