# US 5,127,347 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 5,127,347 A - Document ID: US5127347A - Status: Granted - Kind: A - Application number: 07/507,347 - Filed: 1990-04-09 - Granted: 1992-07-07 - Earliest claimed: 1989-09-21 - Assignees: Phoenix Environmental, Ltd. - Inventors: Eric Cheetham - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5127347A ## CPC - F23J 15/04: using washing fluids {(scrubbers for removing solids only F23J15/022)} - 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 5/08: having supplementary heating - F23G 5/085: {High-temperature heating means, e.g. plasma, for partly melting the waste} - 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 - F23J: REMOVAL OR TREATMENT OF COMBUSTION PRODUCTS OR COMBUSTION RESIDUES; FLUES (combustion apparatus for consuming smoke or fumes, e.g. exhaust gases, F23G7/06) - 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 - 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 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. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A process in accordance with claim 1 wherein the ash by-product of previously incinerated waste material is fly ash. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) A process in accordance with claim 1 wherein combustible excitation waste is converted to a molten state in the secondary reaction chamber and then conducted to the primary reaction chamber, and said effluent is conducted from the primary reaction chamber to the secondary reaction chamber in contact with the molten excitation material flowing from the secondary reaction chamber to the primary reaction chamber. ### Claim 4 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. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The process in accordance with claim 4 wherein the step of processing the effluent includes removing particulate matter and chemically reacting the effluent in water to convert certain constituents therefrom. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The process in accordance with claim 5 including diluting the effluent with air and releasing it into the atmosphere primarily as a mixture of carbon dioxide and air. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The process in accordance with claim 5 where the particulate matter is removed from the effluent using an electrostatic scrubber. ### Claim 8 (depends on 4) The process in accordance with claim 4 including: heating a combustible material in the secondary reaction chamber to form a molten product, conducting the molten product of the combustion of the combustible material from the secondary reaction chamber to the primary reaction chamber along the same path as 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. ### Claim 9 (depends on 4) The process in accordance with claim 4 wherein said solid product is particulate fly ash. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The process in accordance with claim 9 wherein said solid product is continuously fed into the primary reaction chamber. ### Claim 11 (depends on 4) The process is accordance with claim 4 including forming said molten material into a pebble-like material upon removal form the primary reaction chamber. ### Claim 12 (depends on 4) The process in accordance with claim 4 including heating said effluent in said secondary reaction chamber with coherent radiation. ### Claim 13 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. ### Claim 14 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. ### Claim 15 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. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) A process in accordance with claim 15 including the step of electrostatically scrubbing particulates from the effluent.