US 6,168,688 AGranted

Method and plant for treating solid waste products by thermolysis

AssigneeSociete Francaise De Thermolyse

InventorsGuy Clot, Jean Roure

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Abstract

A method and apparatus is provided for the thermolysis of solid waste within an enclosed thermolysis chamber in the absence of free oxygen which produces a thermolysis off-gas. The thermolysis off-gas is removed from the thermolysis chamber and injected into a cyclone where it is washed with water and cooled. The washed and cooled thermolysis off-gas is divided into two portions. One portion of the washed thermolysis off-gas is further cooled in a heat exchanger and then injected into a burner and combusted, while the remaining portion of the washed thermolysis off-gas is passed into indirect heat exchange with the hot off-gas resulting from the combustion of the other portion of the thermolysis off-gas in the burner and recycled back into the enclosed thermolysis chamber. This in-situ recycling of hot thermolysis off-gas helps prevent the creation of hot spots in the thermolysis chamber and the possibility of an explosive reaction between oxygen and hydrogen. The catalytic radiant panels and burners can be replaced with the injection of hot thermolysis gas back into the thermolysis area.

Claims27

Dependent claims

A plant facility apparatus for treatment of solid waste products whose disposal is harmful to the environment, said apparatus comprising:

an enclosure for thermolysis of said solid waste products by direct contact with hot gases;
at least one container means for receiving waste products, for moving said waste products into said thermolysis enclosure, and for treating said solid waste products by batch thermolysis within said thermolysis enclosure;
a recycling line for feeding a flow of hot gases into said thermolysis enclosure;
an extraction line for extracting gases from said thermolysis enclosure;
means for cooling at least a portion of the gases extracted from said thermolysis enclosure to a temperature less than approximately 80° C. so as to form condensed products and remaining gases and for separating said condensed products from said remaining gases, said cooling and separating means being disposed along said extraction line;
pump means connected to said extraction line for aspirating said gases extracted from said thermolysis enclosure;
a boiler adapted to burn at least a portion of said remaining gases and communicating via an incoming line with said cooling and separating means;
and
a line for recycling a portion of the gases extracted from said thermolysis enclosure, said recycling line being fluidically connected to said extraction line and to said feed line, said recycling line further passing through said boiler so as to heat said gases flowing in the recycling line.

6 more elements

A method of treating solid waste products whose disposal is harmful to the environment, said method comprising the steps of:

placing said waste products in at least one container means and moving said waste products into a thermolysis enclosure;
treating said waste products in said thermolysis enclosure to a batch thermolysis process thus forming thermolysis gases;
aspirating said thermolysis gases produced by said batch thermolysis process from said thermolysis enclosure thus forming aspirated gases;
cooling at least a first portion of said aspirated gases to a temperature less than 80° C. thereby creating condensed products and remaining gases;
separating said condensed products from said remaining gases;
burning at least a first portion of said remaining gases thus forming combustion gases;
heating a second portion of said aspirated gases or a second portion of said remaining gases by indirect heat exchange with said combustion gases thus forming a heated portion;
recycling said heated portion by feeding said heated portion back into said thermolysis enclosure;
and
directing said heated portion so as to come into direct contact with said waste products.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.