Solid waste disposal method and apparatus

Claim 2

The waste disposal apparatus of claim 2 including means for generating power connected to and driven by said gas turbine.

Claim 5

A waste disposal apparatus of the type for consuming solid waste refuse in a burner with minimal residue characterized by shredder means for shredding solid waste material, dryer means for drying the shredded waste, means for combusting portions of said shredded refuse at elevated pressure and temperature, means for removal of particulate matter from the hot high pressure gas which would be injurious to a turbine or cause air pollution, means for conveying solid waste from said shredder means to said dryer means and shredded dried waste from said dryer means to said combustion means, a compressor-turbine assembly for compressing intake gases and directing the compressed gases to said combustion means, means for directing gases heated by said combustion means to said compressor-turbine assembly to drive said turbine, and means for drawing into said compressor-turbine assembly malodorous air from said shredder means, said dryer means, and said storage means as intake gases for compression.

Claim 6

A waste disposal apparatus of the type for consuming solid waste refuse in a burner with minimal residue characterized by shredder means for shredding solid waste material, dryer means for drying the shredded waste, means for combusting portions of said shredded refuse at elevated pressure and temperature, means for removal of particulate matter from the hot high pressure gas which would be injurious to a turbine or cause air pollution, means for conveying solid waste from said shredder means to said dryer means and shredded dried waste from said dryer means to said combustion means, a compressor-turbine assembly for compressing intake gases and directing the compressed gases to said combustion means, means for directing gases heated by said combustion means to said compressor-turbine assembly to drive said turbine, and means for directing hot exhaust gases from said turbine to said dryer means for drying said waste.

Claim 7

A waste disposal apparatus of the type for consuming solid waste refuse in a burner with minimal residue characterized by shredder means for shredding solid waste material, dryer means for drying the shredded waste, means for combusting portions of said shredded refuse at elevated pressure and temperature, means for removal of particular matter from the hot high pressure gas which would be injurious to a turbine or cause air pollution means for conveying solid waste from said shredder meAns to said dryer means and shredded dried waste from said dryer means to said combustion means, a compressor-turbine assembly for compressing intake gases and directing the compressed gases to said combustion means, and means for directing gases heated by said combustion means to said compressor-turbine assembly to drive said turbine, said combustion means including means for volatilizing at least portions of said shredded dried waste and removing particulate matter from fuel gas and including means for burning material volatilized in said volatilizing means.

Claim 8

The waste disposal apparatus of claim 8 including a char combustion chamber, means for feeding compressor-turbine assembly compressed air into said char combustion chamber, means for conveying char produced in said volatilizing means into said char combustion chamber and for directing inert gaseous products from said char combustion chamber to said volatilizing means.

Claim 9

A waste disposal apparatus of the type for consuming solid waste refuse in a burner with minimal residue characterized by shredder means for shredding solid waste material, dryer means for drying the shredded waste, means for combusting portions of said shredded refuse at elevated pressure and temperature, means for removal of particulate matter from the hot high pressure gas which would be injurious to a turbine or cause air pollution, means for conveying solid waste from said shredder means to said dryer means and shredded dried waste from said dryer means to said combustion means, a compressor-turbine assembly for compressing intake gases and directing the compressed gases to said combustion means, and means for directing gases heated by said combustion means to said compressor-turbine assembly to drive said turbine, said combustion means including a char combustor chamber, means connected to said compressor-turbine assembly and said char combustor chamber for conducting compressed air from said compressor-turbine assembly to said char combustor chamber, a pyrolyzer connected to said dryer means via said conveying means for receiving said dried shredded waste and connected to said char combustor chamber for combustion and passing inert gaseous products from said char combustor chamber to said pyrolyzer to volatilize dried shredded waste, and a gas combustion chamber means connected to said pyrolyzer to receive and burn volatilization materials produced in said pyrolyzer.

Claim 10

A waste disposal apparatus of the type for consuming solid waste refuse in a burner with minimal residue characterized by shredder means for shredding solid waste material, dryer means for drying the shredded waste, means for combusting portions of said shredded refuse at elevated pressure and temperature, means for removal of particulate matter from the hot high pressure gas which would be injurious to a turbine or cause air pollution, means for conveying solid waste from said shredder means to said dryer means and shredded dried waste from said dryer means to said combustion means, a compressor-turbine assembly for compressing intake gases and directing the compressed gases to said combustion means, means for directing gases heated by said combustion means for directing gases heated by said combustion means to said compressor-turbine assembly to drive said turbine, and means connected to said compressor-turbine assembly for establishing a partial vacuum and refuse collection vacuum pipe means connected to said vacuum means for conveying refuse to said storage and shredder means.

Claim 11

A waste disposal apparatus of the type for consuming solid waste refuse in a burner with minimal residue characterized by shredder means for shredding solid waste material, dryer means for drying the shredded waste, means for combusting portions of said shredded refuse at elevated pressure and temperature, means for removal of particulate matter from the hot high pressure gas which would be injurious to a turbine or cause air pollution, means for conveying solid waste from said shredder meAns to said dryer means and shredded dried waste from said dryer means to said combustion means, a compressor-turbine assembly for compressing intake gases and directing the compressed gases to said combustion means, means for directing gases heated by said combustion means to said compressor-turbine assembly to drive said turbine, and means connected to the exhaust of said compressor-turbine assembly for generating steam.

Claim 12

A waste disposal apparatus of the type for consuming solid waste refuse in a burner with minimal residue characterized by shredder means for shredding solid waste material, dryer means for drying the shredded waste, means for combusting portions of said shredded refuse at elevated pressure and temperature, means for removal of particulate matter from the hot high pressure gas which would be injurious to a turbine or cause air pollution, means for conveying solid waste from said shredder means to said dryer means and shredded dried waste from said dryer means to said combustion means, a compressor-turbine assembly for compressing intake gases and directing the compressed gases to said combustion means, means for directing gases heated by said combustion means to said compressor-turbine assembly to drive said turbine, and means for directing sewage sludge into said combustion chamber assembly.

Claim 13

Waste disposal apparatus of the type for consuming solid waste refuse in a burner with minimal residue and substantially pollution-free gaseous output characterized by: a compressor-turbine assembly including means receiving hot gases produced in the combustion of such waste; means for shredding solid waste material, combustion means for consuming most of the shredded waste under elevated pressure and temperature including a bed of incombustible inert particles, means for feeding compressor-turbine assembly compressed air into said combustion chamber beneath said particle bed, and means for feeding shredded waste from said shredding means into said particle bed without additional fuel whereby substantial portions of said waste are combusted in said particle bed; means for removal of particulate matter from the hot gases produced in said combustion means at substantially the consuming elevated pressure and temperature; and means for directing compressed and heated air from said compressor-turbine assembly to said combustion means and hot gases from said combustion and particle removal means to said compressor-turbine assembly to drive said turbine; and means for directing at least certain of the combustion gases from said turbine to atmosphere.

Claim 14

Waste disposal apparatus of the type for consuming solid waste refuse in a burner with minimal residue characterized by: a compressor-turbine assembly including means for compressing air for combusting waste material and means receiving hot gases produced in the combustion of such waste; combustion means for consuming most of the waste under elevated pressure and temperature including means for volatilizing at least portions of said waste and means for combusting material volatilized in said volatilizing means; means for removal of particulate matter from the hot gases produced in said combustion means at substantially the consuming elevated pressure and temperature; means for directing compressed and heated air from said compressor-turbine assembly to said combustion means and hot gases from said combustion and particle removal means to said compressor-turbine assembly to drive said turbine; and means for directing waste into said combustion means.

Claim 15

The waste disposal apparatus of claim 15 including a char combustion chamber to receive compressor-turbine assembly compressed air and means for conveying char produced in said volatilizing means into said char combustion chamber and for directing inert gaseous products from said char combustion chamber to said volatilizing means.

Claim 16

A waste disposal apparatus of the type for consuming solid waste refuse in a burner with minimal residue and substantially polluTion-free gaseous output characterized by shredder means for shredding solid waste material; dryer means for drying the shredded waste; means for combusting portions of said shredded refuse at elevated pressure and temperature including a combustion chamber and a bed of inert particles positioned within said combustion chamber, said particles being incombustible at the combustion temperature of said shredded dried waste; means for removal of particulate matter at substantially said elevated pressure and temperature from the hot high pressure gas which would be injurious to a turbine or cause air pollution; means for conveying solid waste from said shredder means to said dryer means and shredded dried waste from said dryer means to said particle bed without additional fuel; a compressor-turbine assembly for compressing intake gases and directing the compressed gases to said combustion chamber beneath said particle bed; means for directing high pressure exhaust gases heated by said combustion means to said compressor-turbine assembly for expansion and drive of said turbine; and means for exhausting at least certain of the combustion gases from said turbine to atmosphere.