Incineration systems and methods

Claim 2

An air pollution control device, said device being intended for use with apparatus which discharges an effluent through an exhaust flue, the pollution control device comprising: afterburner means; conduit means for delivering the effluent to said afterburner means; means for maintaining a draft through said conduit means; by-pass damper means for venting the effluent directly to the atmosphere in case of failure of said draft maintaining means; means for capping the flue under normal operating conditions; and temperature responsive means for opening said capping means upon occurrence of an over-temperature condition in the flue.

Claim 3

An air pollution control device, said device being intended for use with apparatus which discharges an effluent through an exhaust flue, the pollution control device comprising: a centrifugal reactor; means for injecting effluent into said reactor; conduit means for delivering the effluent to said reactor injecting means; means injecting a flame into the path of the effluent in said reactor; temperature responsive means for controlling said flame injecting means whereby a temperature sufficiently high to insure complete combustion of the effluent is maintained in said reactor; means for maintaining a draft through said conduit means; and bypass damper means for venting the effluent directly to the atmosphere in case of a malfunction of said draft maintaining means.

Claim 4

An air pollution control device, said device being intended for use with apparatus which discharges an effluent through an exhaust flue, the pollution control device comprising: a centrifugal reactor; means for injecting effluent into said reactor; conduit means for delivering the effluent to said reactor injecting means; means injecting a flame into the path of the effluent in said reactor; temperature responsive means for controlling said flame injecting means whereby a temperature sufficiently high to insure complete combustion of the effluent is maintained in said reactor; means for maintaining a draft through said conduit means; and bypass damper means for venting the effluent directly to the atmosphere in case of a malfunction of said draft maintaining means.

Claim 5

The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said reactor comprises: a combustion chamber having a generally cylindrical shape; an outlet orifice disposed at the top of sAid combustion chamber; a particulate collection chamber disposed about the exterior of said combustion chamber; and an annular discharge port adjacent the top of said combustion chamber, said annular port providing communication between said combustion chamber and said collection chamber.

Claim 6

The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said effluent injecting means comprises: a convergent nozzle which discharges tangentially to the wall of said combustion chamber.

Claim 7

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said draft maintaining means comprises: blower means disposed in said conduit means; and damper means disposed in said conduit means.

Claim 8

The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said bypass damper means comprises: a bypass flue for providing communication between said conduit means and the atmosphere, said bypass flue being located upstream of said blower means; normally closed damper means disposed in said bypass flue; and control means responsive to the pressure in said conduit means downstream of said blower means and to the control condition of said afterburner means for generating a control signal which normally holds said bypass damper means in the closed position.

Claim 9

The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said draft maintaining means comprises: blower means disposed in said conduit means; and damper means disposed in said conduit means.

Claim 10

The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said bypass damper means comprises: a bypass flue for providing communication between said conduit means and the atmosphere, said bypass flue being located upstream of said blower means; normally closed damper means disposed in said bypass flue; and control means responsive to the pressure in said conduit means downstream of said blower means and to the control condition of said afterburner means for generating a control signal which normally holds said bypass damper means in the closed position.

Claim 11

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said means for maintaining a draft comprises: blower means disposed in said conduit means; a damper disposed in said conduit means; pressure sensitive means for generating a signal commensurate with the exhaust flue pressure; and means responsive to the signal generated by said pressure sensing means for controlling the position of said damper in response to the sensed flue pressure.

Claim 12

The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said means for maintaining a draft comprises: a damper disposed in said conduit means; means for sensing the pressure adjacent the top of the exhaust flue; and means responsive to said pressure sensing means for controlling the position of said damper in response to the sensed flue pressure.

Claim 13

The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said means for maintaining a draft further comprises: pressure sensitive means for generating a signal commensurate with the exhaust flue pressure; and means responsive to the signal generated by said pressure sensing means for controlling the position of said conduit means damper means in response to the sensed flue pressure.

Claim 14

The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising: means responsive to the temperature in the flue for generating an afterburner control signal when said temperature exceeds a predetermined value; and means responsive to said control signal for initiating operation of said afterburner means.

Claim 15

The apparatus of claim 4 further comprising: means responsive to the temperature in the flue for generating an afterburner control signal when said temperature exceeds a predetermined value; and means responsive to said control signal for initiating operation of said afterburner means.

Claim 16

The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said conduit means provides communication between the effluent discharging apparatus exhaust flue and the afterburner means and wherein said apparatus further comprises: duct means positioned in the exhaust flue and communicating at a first end with the inlet enD of said conduit means, the other end of said duct means being normally open and terminating adjacent the discharging apparatus; and normally closed damper means positioned in the exhaust flue in the vicinity of said other end of said duct means, said normally closed damper means directing all of the effluent into said duct means.

Claim 17

The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said conduit means provides communication between the effluent discharging apparatus exhaust flue and the afterburner means and wherein said apparatus further comprises: duct means positioned in the exhaust flue and communicating at a first end with the inlet end of said conduit means, the other end of said duct means being normally open and terminating adjacent the discharging apparatus; and normally closed damper means positioned in the exhaust flue in the vicinity of said other end of said duct means, said normally closed damper means directing all of the effluent into said duct means.

Claim 18

The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said conduit means provides communication between the effluent discharging apparatus and the afterburner means and wherein said apparatus further comprises: means for delivering the afterburner exhaust to the exhaust flue downstream of the effluent discharging apparatus; and normally closed damper means positioned in the exhaust flue upstream of the confluence of the flue and said afterburner exhaust delivering means.

Claim 19

An air pollution control method comprising the steps of: drawing a gaseous effluent from a source; causing said gaseous effluent to swirl at high velocity through a high temperature environment whereby complete combustion of said effluent will occur; centrifugally separating entrained particulates from the swirling effluent; maintaining a proper draft at the effluent source to prevent choking of the source or build up of undesirable back pressure; and venting the effluent directly to the atmosphere when the source is emitting and the effluent is not being drawn off.

Claim 20

An air pollution control method comprising the steps of: drawing a gaseous effluent from a source; causing said gaseous effluent to swirl at high velocity through a high temperature environment whereby complete combustion of said effluent will occur; centrifugally separating entrained particulates from the swirling effluent; maintaining a proper draft at the effluent source to prevent choking of the source or build up of undesirable back pressure; and venting the effluent directly to the atmosphere when the source is emitting and the effluent is not being drawn off.

Claim 21

The method of claim 17 further comprising: turbulently mixing air with the exhaust gases from the swirl-combustion step.

Claim 22

The method of claim 18 further comprising: monitoring the temperature of the exhaust gases from the swirl-combustion step; adjusting the rate of delivery of a combustible fuel to the high temperature environment in accordance with the monitored temperature so as to maintain the environment temperature at the requisite high level.

Claim 23

The method of claim 17 further comprising: monitoring the temperature of the exhaust gases from the swirl-combustion step; adjusting the rate of delivery of a combustible fuel to the high temperature environment in accordance with the monitored temperature so as to maintain the environment temperature at the requisite high level.

Claim 24

The method of claim 20 wherein the step of maintaining proper draft comprises: monitoring a pressure commensurate with the effluent source pressure; and adjusting a damper located between the effluent source and the high temperature environment in accordance with the monitored pressure.

Claim 25

The method of claim 17 wherein the step of maintaining proper draft comprises: monitoring a pressure commensurate with the effluent source pressure; and adjusting a damper located between the effluent source and the high temperature environment in accordance with the monitored pressure.

Claim 26

An air pollution control device, said device being intended for use with a primary burner which discharges a gaseous effluent, the pollution control device comprising: means defining a secondary combustion chamber having a generally cylindrical shape; a convergent nozzle which discharges tangentially to the wall of said combustion chamber; conduit means for delivering the effluent from the primary burner to said nozzle whereby the effluent is injected into said secondary combustion chamber; means injecting A flame into the path of the effluent in said secondary combustion chamber; means for controlling said flame injecting means whereby a temperature sufficiently high to insure complete combustion of the effluent is maintained in said secondary combustion chamber; an outlet orifice disposed at the top of said secondary combustion chamber; a particulate collection chamber disposed about the exterior of said secondary combustion chamber; an annular discharge port adjacent the top of said secondary combustion chamber, said annular port providing communication between said secondary combustion chamber and said collection chamber; and blower means for maintaining a draft through said conduit means.

Claim 27

An air pollution control device, said device being intended for use with a primary burner which discharges a gaseous effluent, the pollution control device comprising: means defining a secondary combustion chamber having a generally cylindrical shape; a convergent nozzle which discharges tangentially to the wall of said combustion chamber; conduit means for delivering the effluent from the primary burner to said nozzle whereby the effluent is injected into said secondary combustion chamber; means injecting A flame into the path of the effluent in said secondary combustion chamber; means for controlling said flame injecting means whereby a temperature sufficiently high to insure complete combustion of the effluent is maintained in said secondary combustion chamber; an outlet orifice disposed at the top of said secondary combustion chamber; a particulate collection chamber disposed about the exterior of said secondary combustion chamber; an annular discharge port adjacent the top of said secondary combustion chamber, said annular port providing communication between said secondary combustion chamber and said collection chamber; and blower means for maintaining a draft through said conduit means.