# US 4,960,380 A · Method and apparatus for the reduction of solid waste material using coherent radiation > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 4,960,380 A - Document ID: US4960380A - Status: Granted - Kind: A - Application number: 07/410,560 - Filed: 1989-09-21 - Granted: 1990-10-02 - Earliest claimed: 1989-09-21 - Assignees: Phoenix Environmental, Ltd. - Inventors: Eric Cheetham - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US4960380A ## CPC - B01J 19/121: {Coherent waves, e.g. laser beams (lasers per se H01S3/00)} - B03C 3/017: Combinations of electrostatic separation with other processes, not otherwise provided for - C03B 5/005: {of glass-forming waste materials (disposal or transformation of solid waste in general B09B; treatment of radioactive waste G21F9/00)} - C03B 5/025: {by arc discharge or plasma heating} - F23G 5/006: {General arrangement of incineration plant, e.g. flow sheets} - F23G 5/085: {High-temperature heating means, e.g. plasma, for partly melting the waste} - F23J 15/04: using washing fluids {(scrubbers for removing solids only F23J15/022)} - F23G 2202/20: to temperatures melting waste - F23G 2204/201: Plasma - F23G 2204/202: Laser - F23G 2209/30: Solid combustion residues, e.g. bottom or flyash - F23L 2900/07007: using specific ranges of oxygen percentage - Y02E 20/34: Indirect CO2mitigation, i.e. by acting on non CO2directly related matters of the process, e.g. pre-heating or heat recovery - B01J: CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROCESSES, e.g. CATALYSIS OR COLLOID CHEMISTRY; THEIR RELEVANT APPARATUS - B03C: MAGNETIC OR ELECTROSTATIC SEPARATION OF SOLID MATERIALS FROM SOLID MATERIALS OR FLUIDS; SEPARATION BY HIGH-VOLTAGE ELECTRIC FIELDS (separating isotopes B01D59/00; combinations of magnetic or electrostatic separation with separation of solids by other means B03B, B07B) - C03B: MANUFACTURE, SHAPING, OR SUPPLEMENTARY PROCESSES - F23G: CREMATION FURNACES; CONSUMING WASTE PRODUCTS BY COMBUSTION - F23J: REMOVAL OR TREATMENT OF COMBUSTION PRODUCTS OR COMBUSTION RESIDUES; FLUES (combustion apparatus for consuming smoke or fumes, e.g. exhaust gases, F23G7/06) - F23L: SUPPLYING AIR OR NON-COMBUSTIBLE LIQUIDS OR GASES TO COMBUSTION APPARATUS IN GENERAL ({air-supply arrangements for fluent fuels F23C;} firebridges with means for feeding air or steam F23M3/04; baffles or shields with air supply passages F23M9/04); VALVES OR DAMPERS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR CONTROLLING AIR SUPPLY OR DRAUGHT IN COMBUSTION APPARATUS {(dampers and throat restrictors for open fire-places F24; air inlet valves for open fire fronts F24)}; INDUCING DRAUGHT IN COMBUSTION APPARATUS; TOPS FOR CHIMNEYS OR VENTILATING SHAFTS; TERMINALS FOR FLUES - Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION ## Abstract Coherent radiation is used to provide the energy, excite and sustain of plasma in which solid waste materials are reduced to a slag-like material from which has been removed the more harmful constituents. The effluvia of the plasma reduction process is scrubbed to remove particulates and the gas is processed by additional heating to eliminate products of incomplete combustion and/or chemically convert harmful constituents. The remaining gas is then safely exhausted into the atmosphere. The solid waste material may be the ash by-product of prior incineration. ## Claims ### Claim 1 Apparatus for removing harmful constituents from the ash by-product of previously incinerated waste material, comprising: a primary reaction chamber, means for delivering said ash by-product to said primary reaction chamber, a source of coherent radiation directed into said primary reaction chamber for heating said ash by-product within said reaction chamber to a molten state, a secondary reaction chamber, said secondary reaction chamber being in open communication with said primary reaction chamber, reaction chamber, means for delivering excitation waste into said secondary reaction chamber, means for heating said excitation waste to a molten state, means for conducting said molten excitation waste to said primary reaction chamber, and means for treating the effluent resulting from converting said ash by-product and excitation waste to a molten state including means for reburning the effluent in said secondary reaction chamber. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said means for treating said effluent includes an electrostatic scrubber for removing particulate matter from the effluent. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) Apparatus in accordance with claim 2 wherein said electrostatic scrubber includes a housing, opposed elongated parallel electrodes within said housing, a set of regularly spaced elongated resistive pins on one of said electrodes, the distal end of each of said resistive pins being uniformly spaced from the surface of the opposing electrode, and openings at spaced positions in the housing for permitting effluent to flow into said housing at one end of said electrode and be removed from said housing at the other end of said housing. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said means for treating said effluent includes a liquid pool and means for bubbling said effluent through said pool of liquid. ### Claim 5 Apparatus for removing certain constituents from the solid product of prior combustion, comprising: a primary reaction chamber, means for continuously delivering said solid product to said reaction chamber, laser means for generating coherent radiation and directing said radiation into said primary reaction chamber for heating said product to a molten state with said primary reaction chamber, a secondary reaction chamber, a conduit for providing open communication between said primary and secondary reaction chamber whereby the effluent resulting from heating said product to a molten state within the primary reaction chamber flow from said primary reaction chamber to said secondary reaction chamber, means for delivering combustible material to said secondary reaction chamber for conversion to a molten state therein and for further heating the effluent therein, said secondary reaction chamber and said conduit being positioned to permit flow of the molten material from said secondary reaction chamber to said primary reaction chamber, a flue for passing effluent from the secondary reaction chamber to means for treating the effluent, said means for treating the effluent including, means for removing particulate matter from the effluent, and means for chemically reacting said effluent, and means to exhaust the treated effluent to the atmosphere. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) Apparatus in accordance with claim 5 wherein said means for removing particulate matter from the effluent comprises an electrostatic scrubber. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) Apparatus in accordance with claim 5 including a laser for heating the material in the secondary reaction chamber. ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) Apparatus in accordance with claim 5 wherein said means for chemically reacting the effluent includes a pool of water and means to bubble said effluent through the pool of water.