Drummed waste incineration

A method for disposing of waster material kept in a metal container, said method comprising the steps of:

• feeding the metal container holding the waste material into a shredder;
• producing a mixture of waste material and metal shreds;
• transporting the mixture of waste material and metal shreds to a primary combustion chamber;
• burning said mixture of waste material and metal shreds in said primary combustion chamber, wherein ash, decontaminated metal shreds, and primary combustion gases containing combustible residue material, are produced in said primary combustion chamber;
• withdrawing ash and decontaminated metal shreds from said primary combustion chamber;
• withdrawing the primary combustion gases from said primary combustion chamber;
• introducing the primary combustion gases into a secondary combustion chamber;
• burning the combustible residue, contained in the primary combustion gases, in said secondary combustion chamber, wherein hot secondary combustion gases containing entrained ash and particulates are produced in said secondary combustion chamber;
• and
• introducing liquid waste material into said secondary combustion chamber.

An apparatus for the disposal of waste material contained within a metal container comprising:

• a shredder, capable of shredding a metal container into metal shreds, wherein said waste material and said metal container are shredded to form a mixture of waste material and metal shreds;
• means for introducing said metal container containing said waste material into said shredder;
• a combustion chamber, wherein said mixture of waste material and metal shreds is combusted, thereby producing ash decontaminated metal shreds and combustion gases;
• means for feeding said mixture of waste material and metal shreds from said shredder into said combustion chamber;
• means for introducing air into said combustion chamber;
• burner means for igniting the contents within said combustion chamber;
• means for supplying air and auxiliary fuel to said burner means;
• means for withdrawing said ash and said decontaminated metal shreds from said combustion chamber;
• a secondary combustion chamber, wherein any combustible materials remaining in said combustion gases are combusted, thereby producing hot gases containing entrained ash and particulates;
• first conduit means in fluid flow communication between said combustion chamber and said secondary combustion chamber, for defining a flow path for said combustion gases from said combustion chamber to said secondary combustion chamber;
• quenching means for contacting said hot gases with water, thereby producing saturated gases and effluent water;
• second conduit means in fluid flow communication between said secondary combustion chamber and said quenching means, for defining a flow path for said hot gases from said secondary combustion chamber to said quench tower;
• scrubber means for removing said ash and particulates from said saturated gases, thereby producing effluent water containing ash and particulates and saturated gasses;
• third conduit means in fluid flow communication between said quench tower and said scrubber means, for defining a flow path for said saturated gases from said quench tower to said scrubbing means;
• separator means for separating said saturated gases from said effluent water containing ash and particulates;
• fourth conduit means in fluid flow communication between said scrubber means and said separator means, for defining a flow path for said effluent water containing ash and particulates and said saturated gases from said scrubber means to said separator means;
• a recycle water reservoir;
• fifth conduit means in fluid flow communication between said separator means and said quench tower and said recycle water reservoir, for defining a flow path for the effluent water from said separator means and said quench tower to said recycle water reservoir;
• means for introducing fresh water to said recycle water reservoir;
• and,
• sixth conduit means in fluid flow communication between said recycle water reservoir and said quench tower and said scrubber means, for defining a flow path for recycle water from said recycle water reservoir to said quench tower and said scrubber means.
• an acid absorber column, said column having a stack which is open on one end to the atmosphere such that deacidified gas may pass from the column, throught the stack, into the atmosphere;
• means for introducing water and caustic to said acid absorber column;
• an induced draft fan, wherein said induced draft fan is located between said scrubber means and said acid absorber tower;
• seventh conduit means in fluid flow communication between said separator means and said induced draft fan and between said induced draft fan and said acid absorber column, for defining a flow path for said saturated gases from said separator means, through said induced draft fan, into said acid absorber column;
• a gas analyzer;
• and,
• eighth conduit means in fluid flow communication between said gas analyzer and said absorber column, for defining a flow path for a portion of said deacidified gas from said acid absorber column to said gas analyzer.

A method for disposing of waste material contained within a metal container comprising the steps of:

• feeding said metal container containing said waste material into a shredder, wherein said waste material and said metal container are shredded to form a mixture of waste material and metal shreds;
• transporting said mixture of waste material and metal shreds to a combustion chamber, wherein said mixture is combusted, thereby producing ash, decontaminated metal shreds, and combustion gases;
• introducing a sufficient amount of air into said combustion chamber to insure the complete combustion of said mixture;
• withdrawing said ash and said decontaminated metal shreds from said combustion chamber;
• withdrawing said combustion gases from said combustion chamber and feeding said combustion gases into a second combustion chamber wherein any combustible materials remaining in said combustion gases are combusted, thereby producing hot gases containing entrained ash and particulates;
• withdrawing said hot gases from said second combustion chamber and feeding said hot gases into a quench tower, wherein said hot gases are contacted with water to produce saturated gases and effluent water;
• transporting said saturated gases from said quench tower to a scrubber, wherein said saturated gases are intimately contacted with water to remove the entrained ash and particulates from said saturated gases, thereby producing effluent water and saturated gasses;
• transporting said effluent water and said saturated gases from said scrubber to a separator, wherein said effluent water is seperated from said saturated gases;
• transporting said saturated gases from said separator, through an induced draft fan, into an acid absorber column, wherein said saturated gases are counter-currently contacted with caustic and water to remove all remaining acid from the saturated gases, thereby producing deacidified gases;
• withdrawing effluent water from said separator and said quench tower and feeding said effluent water to a recycle water reservoir;
• withdrawing water from said recycle water reservoir and feeding said water to said quench tower and said scrubber;
• contacting the deacidified gases with a gas analyzer;
• and,
• passing said deacidified gases from said acid absorber column to the atmosphere.