Apparatus and method for controlled combustion of gaseous pollutants

An abatement system for treating gaseous pollutants in a gaseous waste stream, the system comprising:

• an upper thermal reaction chamber comprising:
• an outer exterior wall;
• an interior porous wall, wherein the interior porous wall defines a central chamber and wherein the interior porous wall is positioned from the outer exterior wall a sufficient distance to define an interior annular space;
• means for introducing a fluid to the interior annular space;
• thermal means for forming reaction products from the gaseous waste stream;
• at least one waste gas inlet for conducting the gaseous waste stream into the upper thermal reactor;
• at least one fuel inlet adapted to introduce a fuel into the central chamber, where the fuel inlet is positioned to introduce fuel through a path that does not pass through pores of the porous wall;
• and
• at least one oxidant inlet adapted to introduce an oxidant into the central chamber, where the oxidant inlet is positioned to introduce oxidant through a path that does not pass through pores of the porous wall;
• and
• a lower reaction chamber comprising:
• a gas flow chamber in fluid communication with the central chamber;
• and
• least one oxidant inlet positioned to introduce an oxidant to the gas stream flow chamber;
• wherein the lower reaction chamber includes a liquid vortex positioned between the central chamber and the gas flow chamber, wherein the liquid vortex comprises:
• an outer shell having a top plate, a central opening in fluid communication with the central chamber;
• a conical-shaped baffle within the outer shell having an inner surface and a central opening which is generally aligned with the interior surface of the gas stream flow chamber, the conical-shaped baffle generally concentrically aligned with the inner surface of the outer shell to form a concentric chamber;
• and
• a liquid inlet arranged to tangentially introduce liquid into the concentric chamber, thereby filling the concentric chamber with liquid to create a swirling motion, causing the liquid to rise and overflow the conical-shaped baffle into the gas stream flow chamber to form a sheet of fluid on the inner surface of the conical-shaped baffle that flows downwardly onto the interior surface of the gas stream flow chamber.