Treating waste streams with organic content

#1. Technical Field

#This disclosure relates to devices, systems, and processes suitable for treating waste streams containing organic compounds, and more particularly, for treating waste streams containing hydrocarbons.

#2. Description of the Related Art

#FIG. 1 schematically illustrates an embodiment of a carbon-containing waste abatement system.

#FIG. 2 schematically illustrates an embodiment of a aqueous waste abatement system.

#FIG. 3 schematically illustrates an embodiment of a waste abatement system comprising a carbon-containing waste stream abatement system in combination with an aqueous waste abatement system.

#Disclosed herein are embodiments of a waste stream remediation or abatement devices, methods, and systems designed for remediating solid or aqueous waste streams containing organic contaminants, for example, hydrocarbons. Such waste streams are generated in oil and gas production, as well as in other industries, for example, paper and pulp manufacturing, chemical production, pharmaceutical manufacturing, petroleum refining, plastic and polymer manufacturing, tanneries, fabric dye works, agriculture, breweries, distilleries, rendering plants, electronics manufacturing, explosives manufacturing, and military and military contractor operations. Embodiments of devices, methods, and systems are described with reference to remediating hydrocarbon-containing waste streams, for example, from oil or gas drilling operations. In some embodiments, the solid and/or liquid waste is waste generated by hydrofracturing or fracking in oil or natural gas exploration or production. The disclosed devices, methods, and systems are not is not limited thereto, however, and are suitable for treating any suitable waste stream containing one or more organic components, as well as one or more inorganic components, and optionally, an aqueous component. In some embodiments, the devices, methods, and systems substantially completely remediate or abate an input waste stream containing an organic component by converting the input waste and/or waste stream into one or more outputs comprising, for example, a non-hazardous reusable ash, syngas comprising hydrogen and/or carbon monoxide, and/or water suitable for re-use or discharge without further treatment. Some embodiments include detailed descriptions of one or more components, sub-components, methods, and/or options that are equally applicable to other embodiments, as would be understood by the skilled person. Similar elements have similar reference characters.

#FIG. 1 schematically illustrates an embodiment of a system 100 for treating, remediating, or abating carbon-containing waste and/or waste containing organic compounds 102. In the illustrated embodiment, the system 100 comprises a mixer unit 110 coupled with a gasification unit 130, which is coupled to a system generator 140. In an embodiment of treating carbon-containing waste 102 using the abatement system 100 illustrated in FIG. 1, carbon-containing waste 102 is optionally combined with a carbon-based material 104 in the mixer unit 110, forming a mixture 112. The mixture 112 is fed into the gasification unit 130 where the mixture 112 is converted into syngas 122 and ash 124. In the illustrated embodiment, the syngas 122 fuels the system generator 140, which powers the abatement system 100, and also generates excess power in some embodiments. Optionally, volatile organic compounds 114 outgassed from any combination of the carbon-containing waste 102, mixer unit 110, carbon-based material 104, or mixture 112 are collected, as indicated by the dotted lines in FIG. 1. In the illustrated embodiment, the volatile organic compounds 114 also fuel the generator 140. In other embodiments, the volatile organic compounds 114 are used for another purpose, for example, recycled and/or used as a raw material for higher value products.

#The carbon-containing waste 102 is any suitable carbon-containing feedstock, for example, a hydrocarbon containing solid waste generated by oil and natural gas well drilling known in the industry as “cuttings”, hydrocarbon containing solids resulting from oil spill clean-up, residue from waste water treatment, industrial waste, agricultural waste, another substantially solid feedstock containing organic material, or any combination thereof. Some embodiments of the carbon-containing waste 102 are substantially solid. Some embodiments of the carbon-containing waste 102 are largely solid, but include a semisolid component, tar, sludge, and/or liquid component. Some embodiments of the carbon-containing waste 102 are substantially at least one of liquid, semisolid, or sludge. Some embodiments of the carbon-containing waste comprise hydrocarbons, for example, crude oil, petroleum, and/or refined petroleum products, including gasoline, diesel, kerosene, jet fuel, bunker fuel, white gas, and/or fuel oil. In some embodiments, the hydrocarbons are solid, liquid, and/or gas under ambient conditions. Some embodiments of the carbon-containing waste 102 comprise a low boiling or volatile component, for example, low molecular weight organic compounds, including hydrocarbons, alkanes, alkenes, alcohols, ketones, aldehydes, esters, terpenes, and the like. In some embodiments, the carbon-containing waste 102 is aqueous waste comprising at least one of organic contaminants or inorganic contaminants, for example, oil, hydrocarbons, salts, minerals, or the like. In some embodiments, the carbon-containing waste 102 comprises water. As discussed below, in some embodiments, carbon-containing aqueous waste 102, particularly more dilute carbon-containing aqueous waste, is treated or remediated using a different method, system, and/or apparatus. In some embodiments, the carbon-containing waste 102 comprises at least one of aggregate, particulates, clays, minerals, absorbents (e.g., used for absorbing spills), or disposable petroleum booms (e.g., comprising kenaf). Carbon-containing waste 102 is also referred to as solid waste, non-aqueous waste, bulk waste, organic waste, and concentrated waste.