Method and apparatus for the reduction of solid waste material using coherent radiation
AssigneePhoenix Environmental, Ltd.
InventorEric Cheetham
Life of this patent
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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.
Claims16
A process for removing harmful constituents from the ash by-product of previously incinerated waste material, comprising the steps of:
- raising the temperature of the ash to form a molten slag in a primary reaction chamber using coherent radiation directed upon the ash,
- permitting the molten slag to flow from the primary reaction chamber and collecting the removed slag,
- directing the gas and particulate effluent generated by the formation of the molten slag into a second reaction chamber and reburning the effluent in said secondary reaction chamber to reduce remaining products of incomplete combustion,
- electrostatically scrubbing particulates from the effluent,
- treating the gaseous part of the effluent to remove harmful chemicals therefrom, and releasing the treated gaseous portion of the effluent to the atmosphere.
A process for removing certain constituents from the solid product of prior combustion, comprising the steps of:
- heating said solid product to a molten state in a primary reaction chamber using coherent radiation,
- conducting the molten material from the primary reaction chamber,
- conducting the gaseous and particulate effluent resulting from heating said solid product to a secondary reaction chamber, further heating said effluent in said secondary reaction chamber to substantially complete the combustion of products of incomplete combustion in said effluent, and processing said effluent to make it acceptable for release into the atmosphere.
A process for removing harmful constituents from incombustible waste material, comprising the steps of:
- raising the temperature of the waste material to form a molten slag in a primary reaction chamber,
- permitting excess slag to flow from the primary reaction chamber,
- directing the gas and particulate effluent generated by formation of the molten slag into a second reaction chamber and reburning the effluent in said second reaction chamber to reduce the remaining products of incomplete combustion,
- removing particulates from the effluent,
- treating the gaseous part of the effluent to remove harmful chemicals therefrom,
- and releasing the treated gaseous portion of the effluent to the atmosphere.
A process for removing harmful constituents from waste materials, comprising the steps of:
- heating the waste material in a primary reaction chamber until it reaches a molten state,
- conducting excess molten waste material from the primary reaction chamber and collecting the removed material,
- reburning the effluent resulting from the conversion of the waste material in a secondary reaction chamber,
- hearing a combustible material in the secondary reaction chamber to form a molten product,
- conducting said molten product from the secondary reaction chamber to the primary reaction chamber along the same path taken by the effluent flowing from the primary reaction chamber to the secondary reaction chamber, thereby heating the effluent as it flows to the secondary reaction chamber.
A process for removing harmful constituents from fly ash, comprising the steps of:
- providing a primary reaction chamber and a secondary reaction chamber,
- converting excitation waste to a molten state in the secondary reaction chamber and conducting the molten excitation waste from the secondary reaction chamber to the primary reaction chamber,
- heating fly ash and excitation waste in the primary reaction until it reaches a molten state sin coherent radiation,
- conducting the resultant molten waste material from the primary reaction chamber and collecting the removed material,
- and reburning the effluent resulting from the conversion of the fly ash to a molten state in the secondary reaction chamber.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.