Evaporator/calciner
AssigneeAtomic Energy of Canada Limited
InventorsKenneth James Franklin, Andrew Donald Kettner, Bruce Wayne Hildebrandt, Howard Charles Jessup, Jr.
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Disclosed herein is provided an evaporator/calciner in which hazardous materials, such as radioactive liquids, are converted into chemically stable, solid forms by evaporating, drying and calcination within a single vessel, that can then be sealed and used for long term storage.
Claims24
A device for converting liquid material into solid form by evaporation, drying and calcining comprising a containment vessel adapted to be placed in heat exchange transfer relation with an external source of heat;
- said containment vessel comprising a fluid inlet;
- an elongated passageway;
- a collection chamber;
- a scrubber;
- and an exhaust outlet;
- said fluid inlet adapted for connection to a source of liquid material to be converted;
- said elongated passageway in fluid communication at one end with said inlet and at the other end with said collection chamber, and in heat transfer relation with said external source of heat whereby said liquid material flowing in said passageway is converted into a gaseous phase and a concentrated liquid phase;
- means for directing said gaseous phase from said passageway into said collection chamber and for directing said concentrated liquid phase from said passageway onto the walls of said collection chamber;
- said walls of said collection chamber being in heat transfer relation with an external source of heat, whereby said concentrated liquid phase is converted into a gaseous phase and calcined solid material in said collection chamber;
- said exhaust outlet being in fluid communication with said collection chamber for conducting said gaseous phase out of said containment vessel;
- said scrubber being disposed in said containment vessel between said collection chamber and said exhaust outlet for removal of aerosols and particulate matter entrained in said gaseous phase.
A method for converting liquid material into solid form by evaporation, drying and calcining within a single containment vessel comprising:
- providing a containment vessel having an elongated passageway in fluid communication with a collection chamber;
- supplying a stream of said liquid material to said elongated passageway;
- heating said elongated passageway to cause said liquid material to convert in said passageway to a gaseous phase and a concentrated liquid phase;
- separating said gaseous and concentrated liquid phases;
- applying said separated concentrated liquid phase to the walls of a collection chamber;
- heating the walls of said collection chamber to cause said concentrated liquid material to convert to a gaseous phase and a calcined solid phase;
- passing said gaseous phases through a scrubber to remove entrained aerosols and particulate materials;
- venting said scrubbed gaseous phases out of said containment vessel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.