Microwave rotating apparatus for continuously processing material

An apparatus for heat processing of material, comprising:

• a drum rotatable about its longitudinal axis having an inlet end and an outlet end;
• a non-rotatable first bulkhead, attached to and closing the inlet end of said drum, said first bulkhead including an opening therethrough for flowing the material to be processed to the inside of said drum;
• means for moving said material from the inlet end of said drum to the outlet end of said drum;
• a source of electromagnetic microwave energy extending into said drum capable of imparting energy to said material while said material is moving through said drum;
• a non-rotatable second bulkhead, attached to the outlet end of said drum, said second bulkhead including an opening therethrough for removing the processed material from the outlet end of said drum;
• and
• carriers that flow with the material from the inlet end to the outlet end of said drum, said carriers being made of a catalytic material for reforming said first named material, and said drum including means for separating said carriers from said material at the outlet end of said drum and returning said carriers to the inlet end of said drum.

An apparatus for heat processing of material, comprising:

• a drum rotatable about its longitudinal axis having an inlet end and an outlet end;
• a non-rotatable first bulkhead, attached to and closing the inlet end of said drum, said first bulkhead including an opening therethrough for flowing the material to be processed to the inside of said drum;
• means for moving said material from the inlet end of said drum to the outlet end of said drum;
• a source of electromagnetic microwave energy extending into said drum capable of imparting energy to said material while said material is moving through said drum;
• a non-rotatable second bulkhead, attached to the outlet end of said drum, said second bulkhead including an opening therethrough for removing the processed material from the outlet end of said drum;
• and
• said source of microwave energy comprising a shielded electrical cable extending through said first bulkhead with the inlet end of said cable attached to a microwave generator to receive microwave energy generated by said microwave generator, the cable having an unshielded section inside the drum, whereby microwave energy is conveyed through said first bulkhead to a selected section inside of said drum inlet.

An apparatus for heat processing of a subject material, comprising:

• a drum rotatable about its longitudinal axis having an inlet end and an outlet end;
• a non-rotatable first bulkhead, attached to and closing the inlet end of said drum, said first bulkhead including an opening therethrough for flowing the subject material to be processed to the inside of said drum;
• means for moving the material from the inlet end of said drum to the outlet end of said drum;
• a source of electromagnetic microwave energy extending into said drum capable of imparting energy to the subject material while said material is moving through said drum, thereby transforming the subject material into a processed material;
• and
• a non-rotatable second bulkhead, attached to and closing the outlet end of said drum, said second bulkhead including an opening therethrough for removing the processed material from the outlet end of said drum;
• and
• at least one microwave reflective plate positioned between the inlet end and the outlet end of said drum, said reflectors being spaced inwardly from the cylindrical wall of said drum so as to allow the passage of material being processed between the reflectors and the drum wall positioned to minimize the intensity of the microwave energy traveling from the inlet end to the outlet end of said drum.