Mobile material decontamination apparatus

A container for use in decontaminating material, comprising:

• an enclosure having insulated sidewalls, and an opening for transfer of material with respect to an interior portion of the enclosure;
• an insulated cover for covering the container opening;
• a seal disposed between the enclosure and the cover to prevent the passage of air or gas therebetween;
• a perforated structure for carrying a hot gas and for distributing the hot gas to the interior of the enclosure;
• a liquid drain located in a bottom portion of said enclosure;
• an injection inlet coupled to the perforated structure, said injection inlet being adapted for connection to a source of heated gas;
• and
• said enclosure including a vapor outlet adapted for connection to a vapor disposal unit for transferring vapors from the interior of the enclosure to the vapor disposal unit.

A method of decontaminating material, comprising the steps of:

• loading a container through an opening therein with contaminated material;
• closing the container so as to prevent undesired escape of contaminants therefrom;
• heating air with a burner to produce hot air;
• forcing the hot air into an interior of the container so that the hot air circulates through the contaminated material and vaporizes the contaminants;
• mixing the vaporized contaminants with fresh air to form a mixture and circulating the mixture to the burner to facilitate combustion;
• recirculating the hot air resulting from the combustion of the mixture back through the contaminated material;
• and
• removing decontaminated material by opening a door on the container and removing the decontaminated material.

A container for use in decontaminating material, comprising:

• an enclosure having insulated sidewalls, and an opening for transfer of material with respect to an interior portion of the enclosure;
• an insulated lid for covering the container opening and being removable from said opening;
• a seal disposed between the enclosure and the lid to prevent the passage of air or gas therebetween;
• a perforated structure for carrying a hot gas and for distributing the hot gas to the interior of the enclosure;
• an injection inlet coupled to the perforated structure, said injection inlet being adapted for connection to a source of heated gas;
• and
• said enclosure including a vapor outlet formed integral with said lid, said vapor outlet being adapted for connection to a vapor disposal unit for transferring vapors from the interior of the enclosure to the vapor disposal unit.

A container for use in decontaminating material, comprising:

• an enclosure having insulated sidewalls, and an opening for transfer of material with respect to an interior portion of the enclosure;
• an insulated cover for covering the container opening;
• a seal disposed between the enclosure and the cover to prevent the passage of air or gas therebetween;
• a perforated structure located in said enclosure for carrying a hot gas and for distributing the hot gas to the interior of the enclosure;
• an injection inlet coupled to the perforated structure, said injection inlet being adapted for connection to a source of heated gas;
• said enclosure including a vapor outlet adapted for connection to a vapor disposal unit for transferring vapors from the interior of the enclosure to the vapor disposal unit;
• and
• a skid for mounting said container thereon.

A method of decontaminating material, comprising the steps of:

• loading a container through an opening therein with contaminated material;
• opening an outlet at a bottom of the container to drain liquid therefrom;
• closing the container so as to be sealed to prevent undesired escape of contaminants therefrom;
• forcing hot air into an interior of the container so that the hot air circulates through the contaminated material and is collected in a space between the top of the container and a top surface of the contaminated material;
• removing vaporized contaminants from the space at the top of the container and disposing of the contaminants;
• and
• removing decontaminated material by opening a door on the container and removing the decontaminated material.

A method decontaminating material, comprising the steps of:

• loading a container through an opening therein with contaminated material;
• closing the container so as to be sealed to prevent undesired escape of contaminants therefrom;
• forcing hot air of a temperature of at least 1200.degree. F. into an interior of the container so that the hot air circulates through the contaminated material and volatizes contaminants therein, the volatized contaminants collecting in a space between the top of the container and a top surface of the contaminated material;
• removing the volatized contaminants from the space at the top of the container and disposing of the contaminants;
• and
• removing decontaminated material by opening a door on the container and removing the decontaminated material.

A method of decontaminating material, comprising the steps of:

• loading a container through an opening therein with contaminated material;
• closing the container so as to be sealed to prevent undesired escape of contaminants therefrom;
• forcing hot air into an interior of the container so that the hot air circulates through the contaminated material and is collected in a space between the top of the container and a top surface of the contaminated material;
• monitoring sensors disposed in sidewalls of the container to obtain desired parameters of the contaminated material during removal of the contaminants;
• removing vaporized contaminants from the space at the top of the container and disposing of the contaminants;
• and
• removing decontaminated material by opening a door on the container and removing the decontaminated material.

Apparatus for decontaminating material, comprising:

• a container having a top opening in which contaminated material can be dumped into the container, and a side opening through which decontaminated material can be removed for the container;
• a movable lid for covering the top opening of the container;
• a door hinged to the container for covering the side opening of the container;
• a drain located at a bottom portion of the container, and a valve for closing the drain;
• a hot air injection inlet system located at a bottom portion of the container, including a perforated structure for allowing hot air to be distributed into the container and rise through contaminated material dumped therein;
• a vapor outlet located near a top portion of the container to allow contaminated vapors to be removed from the container;
• a burner/blower arrangement, including a blower having an inlet coupled to the vapor outlet of the container, a blower outlet coupled to a burner for heating and incinerating vaporized contaminants, said burner having an outlet coupled to the hot air injection inlet system for providing a source of hot air to the container;
• a fresh air inlet for admitting fresh air for combustion of the vaporized contaminants by said burner;
• and
• an exhaust outlet for allowing removal from said apparatus of a portion of incinerated vaporized contaminants, and a remaining portion thereof being recirculated through the contaminated material and for reheating by said burner before being removed via said exhaust outlet.