Co-combustion of waste sludge in municipal waste combustors and other furnaces

A method for co-combusting sludge within a combustor, comprising the steps of:

• controlling the moisture content of a diluted sludge utilizing a solids controller;
• agitating said diluted sludge thereby reducing the size of the particles within said sludge;
• mixing said diluted sludge to a desired homogeneous consistency suitable for pumping
• injecting said diluted sludge into a combustion zone of a combustor having a primary solid fuel burning therein;
• and
• burning said diluted sludge in suspension within said combustion zone of said combustor.

A system for co-combusting sludge within a combustor, comprising:

• a sludge receiving and treatment module for receiving and diluting sludge with a liquid selected from the group consisting of water, aqueous based solutions, plant wastewater, industrial process liquid waste, pollution control slurries and mixtures thereof, thereby increasing the moisture content of said sludge;
• a solids controller for monitoring and varying said moisture content of said sludge;
• and
• a sludge injection and combustion module for injecting said diluted sludge into a combustion zone of a combustor having a primary solid fuel burning therein, wherein said diluted sludge is burned in suspension within said combustion zone of said combustor.

A system for co-combusting sludge within a municipal solid waste combustor, comprising:

• a sludge receiving and treatment module for receiving and diluting sludge with a liquid selected from the group consisting of water, aqueous based solutions, plant wastewater, industrial process liquid waste, pollution control slurries and mixtures thereof, thereby increasing the moisture content of said sludge;
• a solids controller for monitoring and varying said moisture content of said sludge;
• and
• a sludge injection nozzle for atomizing said diluted sludge with steam and spraying said atomized diluted sludge into a combustion zone of a combustor having municipal solid waste burning therein, wherein said atomized diluted sludge is burned in suspension above said municipal solid waste.

A system for co-combusting sludge within a combustor, comprising:

• a sludge receiving and treatment module for receiving and diluting sludge with a liquid thereby increasing the moisture content of said sludge;
• and
• a sludge injection and combustion module for injecting said diluted sludge into a combustion zone of a combustor having a primary solid fuel burning therein, wherein said diluted sludge is burned in suspension within said combustion zone of said combustor,
• wherein said sludge receiving and treatment module comprises:
• a hopper for receiving and storing said sludge;
• a mixer for receiving said sludge from said hopper and for receiving said liquid from a liquid source, said mixer mixing said sludge with said liquid thereby diluting said sludge;
• and
• a solids controller for monitoring the solids content of the diluted sludge within said mixer and for varying the amount of sludge received from said hopper and the amount of liquid received from said liquid source.

A system for co-combusting sludge within a municipal solid waste combustor, comprising:

• a sludge receiving and treatment module for receiving and diluting sludge with a liquid thereby increasing the moisture content of said sludge;
• and
• a sludge injection nozzle for atomizing said diluted sludge with steam and spraying said atomized diluted sludge into a combustion zone of a combustor having municipal solid waste burning therein, wherein said atomized diluted sludge is burned in suspension above said municipal solid waste,
• wherein said sludge receiving and treatment module comprises:
• a hopper for receiving and storing said sludge;
• a mixer for receiving said sludge from said hopper and for receiving said liquid from a liquid source, said mixer mixing said sludge with said liquid thereby diluting said sludge;
• and
• a solids controller for monitoring the solids content of the diluted sludge within said mixer and for varying the amount of sludge received from said hopper and the amount of liquid received from said liquid source.