Method and system for the destruction of hetero-atom organics using transition-alkaline-rare earth metal alloys
AssigneeMainstream Engineering Corporation
InventorsDwight Douglas Back, Charlie Ramos, John A. Meyer
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method and system decomposes or immobilizes organic wastes using a metal alloy agent comprised of at least two metals selected from transition metals, alkaline metal and/or and rare earth metals. The method first uses hydrogen and oxygen, with and without mechanical agitation, to decrepitate and activate the metal alloy powders. The organic waste compounds are then introduced to the activated metal alloys. This method of decomposing organic materials effectively destroys organic compounds which contain halogens, sulfur, phosphorous, oxygen, and higher order bonds.
Claims32
A method of decomposing or immobilizing an organic compound containing at least one hetero-atom, comprising the steps of preparing a powdered compound comprised of at least two alloyed metals selected from the group consisting of transition metals, alkaline metals and rare earth metals, and contacting the organic compound with the powdered compound.
A method of preparing a powdered compound comprised of at least two alloyed metals selected from the group consisting of transition metals, alkaline metals and rare earth metals, comprising the steps of alternately exposing the alloyed metal to hydrogen and then to oxygen or air, subjecting the exposed alloyed metal to vacuum evacuation between the exposures, and repeating the alternate exposure steps as necessary with the vacuum evacuation subjecting step therebetween.
A method for activating metal alloy compounds, comprised of at least two alloyed metals selected from the group consisting of transition metals, alkaline metals and rare earth metals, comprising the steps of preparing a powdered metal alloy, one of hydriding and dehydriding the powdered metal alloy and selectively further decrepitating the powdered metal alloy during hydriding or dehydriding so as to accelerate activation.
A method for decrepitating metal alloy compounds, comprised of at least two alloyed metals selected from the group consisting of transition metals, alkaline metals and rare earth metals, comprising the steps of alternately exposing the metal compounds to hydrogen and to oxygen or air;
- and selectively further decrepitating the metal alloy compounds by one of mechanical milling and ultrasonic agitation.
A system for decomposing or immobilizing an organic compound comprised of at least one hetero-atom, comprising means for providing an activated metal alloy powder comprised of at least two metals selected from the group consisting of transition metals, alkaline metals and rare earth metals, and means for contacting the organic compound with the activated metal alloy powder.
A metal alloy powder consisting essentially of at least two alloyed metals selected from the group consisting of transition metals and alkaline metals and prepared by the process of subjecting the metal alloy to alternating hydriding and dehydriding cycles.
A method of preparing a powdered compound comprised of at least two alloyed metals selected from the group consisting of transition metals, alkaline metals and rare earth metals, comprising the steps of exposing the alloyed metal to hydrogen and to oxygen in a predetermined order and in a predetermined number of exposures, subjecting the exposed alloyed metal to vacuum evacuation between the exposures, and repeating the exposure steps as necessary with the vacuum evacuation step therebetween.
A metal alloy powder comprising Mg and at least two alloyed metals selected from the group consisting of transition metals and rare earth metals, and prepared by the process of subjecting the metal alloy to alternating hydriding and dehydriding cycles.
A metal alloy powder comprising Mn and at least two alloyed metals selected from the group consisting of alkaline metal and rare earth metals, and prepared by the process of subjecting the metal alloy to alternating hydriding and dehydriding cycles.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.