# US 6,155,182 A · Plant for gasification of waste > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 6,155,182 A - Document ID: US6155182A - Status: Granted - Kind: A - Application number: 09/287,772 - Filed: 1999-04-07 - Granted: 2000-12-05 - Earliest claimed: 1997-09-04 - Inventors: Andreas Tsangaris; George W. Carter - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US6155182A ## CPC - F23G 5/448: {in which the waste is fed in containers or the like} - F23G 5/008: {adapted for burning two or more kinds, e.g. liquid and solid, of waste being fed through separate inlets} - F23G 5/085: {High-temperature heating means, e.g. plasma, for partly melting the waste} - F23G 2204/201: Plasma - F23G 2205/10: using ram or pusher - F23G 2205/121: Screw conveyor - F23G 2205/14: using hopper or bin - F23G 2209/10: Liquid waste - F23G 2900/54401: Feeding waste in containers, bags or barrels - F23G 2900/54402: Injecting fluid waste into incinerator - F23G: CREMATION FURNACES; CONSUMING WASTE PRODUCTS BY COMBUSTION ## Abstract A waste disposal system for gasification and melting of various waste materials such as solid waste, waste in a solid container, granular waste, and liquid waste, and mixtures thereof. The system includes a reactor vessel which is closed to the atmosphere, and also includes a bottom portion capable of serving as a slag pool. An active feed mechanism eliminates the entry of air from the atmosphere into the vessel and also blocks the expulsion of by product gases into the atmosphere. The feed mechanism includes mechanisms to feed solid waste, waste in a solid container, granular waste and liquid waste into the reactor vessel. A plasma arc torch is located for plasma arc activity within said reactor vessel to produce a high temperature processing zone to gasify or melt solid waste, waste in a solid container, granular waste, and liquid waste and mixtures thereof as such waste is actively fed into the reactor vessel. In preferred embodiments a waste receiving reservoir is located within the vessel and positioned to initially receive and retain waste from the active feed mechanism for thermal decomposition and melting of the waste by the arc torch. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A waste disposal system for gasification and melting of waste materials, said waste disposal system nominally in contact with the ambient atmosphere and comprising: a single oxygen-starved closed reactor vessel contained within said waste disposal system, said reactor vessel substantially closed to the ambient atmosphere, said reactor vessel including a bottom portion capable of serving as a slag pool; an active feed mechanism operatively connected to said reactor vessel, said feed mechanism including barrier means for substantially eliminating the inflow of air from the ambient atmosphere into said reactor vessel and for blocking the expulsion of reactor vessel byproduct gases into the ambient atmosphere, said active feed mechanism including at least one feed component selected from the group consisting of feed components adapted to actively feed solid waste into said reactor vessel, feed components adapted to actively feed waste in a solid container into said reactor vessel, feed components adapted to actively feed granular waste into said reactor vessel, and feed components adapted to actively feed liquid waste into said reactor vessel; a plasma arc torch operatively connected to said reactor vessel, said plasma arc torch located for plasma arc activity within said reactor vessel to produce a high temperature processing zone to gasify or melt any waste which is actively fed into said zone; and at least one waste-receiving reservoir located within said reactor vessel, each said waste-receiving reservoir being positioned to initially receive and retain any waste which is actively fed to said reservoir for thermal decomposition and melting of such waste by said plasma arc torch, said waste receiving reservoir comprising a substantially flat receiving platform and a dam at least partially surrounding said substantially flat-platform. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The waste disposal system of claim 1 wherein there is an opening in said dam and an inclined path through said opening in said dam to permit any melted waste components or byproducts to move to the bottom of said reactor vessel to form a slag pool. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The waste disposal system of claim 2 wherein said inclined path through said opening in said dam has a slope of two degrees or less. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The waste disposal system of claim 1 wherein said reactor vessel is lined with refractory material. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The waste disposal system of claim 1 wherein said active feed mechanism includes an elongated fluid-tight chute having a first end outboard to and remote from said reactor vessel and a second end opening into said reactor vessel, and wherein further said active feed mechanism includes means for both substantially eliminating inflow of air from the ambient atmosphere into said reactor vessel and for blocking the expulsion of reactor vessel byproducts into the ambient atmosphere. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The waste disposal system of claim 5 wherein said barrier means for both substantially eliminating the ingestion of air from the ambient atmosphere into said reactor vessel and for blocking the expulsion of reactor vessel byproducts into the ambient atmosphere includes a first fluid-tight barrier and a second fluid-tight barrier within said chute, said first fluid-tight barrier being located adjacent to said first end outboard to and remote from said reactor vessel, and said second fluid-tight barrier being located within said chute intermediate said first fluid-tight barrier and said second end chute opening into said reactor vessel to thereby provide a gas lock whereby ambient atmospheric air and hazardous gases can be trapped between said first fluid-tight barrier and said second fluid-tight barrier. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The waste disposal system of claim 6 wherein means are provided for evacuating any ambient atmospheric air and hazardous gases trapped between said first and second fluid-tight barriers. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The waste disposal system of claim 6 wherein means are provided for purging ambient atmospheric air and any hazardous gases produced within the reactor vessel and then trapped between said first and second fluid-tight barriers. ### Claim 9 (depends on 5) The waste disposal system of claim 5 wherein said active feed mechanism for solid waste and waste in solid containers includes a ram mechanism for forcing solid waste along the chute and into the reactor vessel. ### Claim 10 (depends on 5) The waste disposal system of claim 5 wherein said active feed mechanism for granular waste includes a screw feed for forcing granular waste along the chute and into the reactor vessel. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The waste disposal system of claim 10 wherein said screw feed forces granular waste onto said substantially flat receiving platform. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The waste disposal of claim 10 wherein said screw feed includes a spiral blade in a housing, said screw feed being operably connected with a feed hopper, said spiral blade being sized to provide sufficient clearance within said housing for the largest particle size which may be encountered to prevent jamming. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The waste disposal system of claim 12 wherein said screw feed housing and said feed hopper have a first end outboard of and remote from said reactor vessel and a second end opening into said reactor vessel, and wherein further said screw feed housing and said feed hopper include a gas-tight door and a gas-fight and heat resistant gate to form a gas-lock chamber, said gastight door being disposed on said outboard end of said feed hopper, and said gas-tight, heat resistant gate being located adjacent to said second end opening into said reactor vessel. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The waste disposal system of claim 12 wherein means are provided for purging said screw feed housing and said feed hopper gas-lock chamber with nitrogen. ### Claim 15 (depends on 5) The waste disposal system of claim 5 wherein said active feed mechanism for liquid waste includes a port located within the reactor vessel which permits the insertion of a liquid waste feeder including a spray head for injecting liquid waste by spraying or atomization into the reactor vessel. ### Claim 16 (depends on 5) The waste disposal system of claim 5 wherein said elongated gas-tight chute includes means for piercing solid containers to break any containers of liquid within the solid containers prior to the containers of liquid being inserted into said reactor vessel.