Method and apparatus for the treatment and recovery of mineral fiber or glass waste
AssigneeIsover Saint-Gobain
InventorsRoger Deblock, Petrus J. H. D. Bakx
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention relates to an apparatus treating waste comprising introducing a glass or mineral fiber substrate (7) contaminated with organic materials into a chamber (1) of a furnace by means of a conveyor belt (4), subjecting it to a gas consisting of a neutral gas and between 0 and 10% by volume of oxygen, heated to a temperature below the melting temperature of the waste substrate in order to pyrolyze the organic materials, and recovering the waste substrate. This apparatus has particular application to the recovery of the vitreous material forming the waste substrate, in order to recycle it for use in a glass melting furnace.
Claims6
A pyrolysis furnace for the treatment of a mineral fiber substrate contaminated with at least one organic substance, comprising:
- (1) an elongate chamber having a top and a bottom,
- (2) an inlet hopper at the top of said chamber provided with an air lock system for regulating the inlet delivery of mineral fiber substrate and for controlling the atmosphere of the furnace,
- (3) an outlet hopper at the bottom of said chamber provided with an air lock system for regulating the outlet delivery of mineral fiber substrate and for controlling the atmosphere of the furnace,
- (4) a conveyor belt for conveying said substrate from below said inlet hopper to above said outlet hopper, said belt provided with perforations and having a plurality of adjustable flaps on the inside thereof in order to allow gas to flow through said substrate and said conveyor belt and to control the pressure of said gas,
- (5) a pipe at the top of said chamber for the introduction of a gaseous mixture heated to a temperature less than the melting temperature of said substrate, said gaseous mixture comprising a neutral gas and from 0 to 10% by volume of oxygen,
- (6) a deflector disposed opposite to the aperture of the pipe at the top of said chamber for distribution of the gaseous mixture entering the chamber, and
- (7) a pipe at the bottom of said chamber for the removal of gas passed through said substrate and said conveyor belt.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.