US3747542A — Method and device for the treatment of refuse

Claim 1

Independent Claim 156 words

A method for the combustion of refuse comprising the steps of: burning the refuse in the presence of heated air as it falls freely under the influence of gravity through a combustion chamber at a temperature sufficiently high to reduce to a molten state the metal and glass constituents which may be present in the refuse, maintaining a molten pool of the metal and glass constituents of the refuse, collecting at the bottom of the combustion chamber at a location remote from the molten pool any unburned portions of the refuse, conveying the combustion products of the burning step and also any unburned portions of the refuse to the surface of a molten pool so as to incorporate within said pool the ash and soot resulting from the burning step and as well the unburned portions of refuse, and maintaining said pool in a molten state by the combustion gases which flow above the molten pool.

Claim 2

Independent Claim 156 words

A method for the combustion of refuse comprising the steps of: burning the refuse in the presence of heated air as it falls freely under the influence of gravity through a combustion chamber at a temperature sufficiently high to reduce to a molten state the metal and glass constituents which may be present in the refuse, maintaining a molten pool of the metal and glass constituents of the refuse, collecting at the bottom of the combustion chamber at a location remote from the molten pool any unburned portions of the refuse, conveying the combustion products of the burning step and also any unburned portions of the refuse to the surface of a molten pool so as to incorporate within said pool the ash and soot resulting from the burning step and as well the unburned portions of refuse, and maintaining said pool in a molten state by the combustion gases which flow above the molten pool.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 23 words

The method of claim 1 in which the sole source of heat for the method is provided by the burning of the refuse.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 14 words

The method of claim 1 wherein additional air is introduced over the molten bath.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 40 words

The method of claim 3 wherein both the additional air introduced over the molten bath and also the heated air introduced in the burning Step are heated by the combustion gases which in turn are heated by the molten bath.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 19 words

The method of claim 1 wherein the combustion products are conveyed laterally across the surface of the molten pool.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 24 words

The method of claim 1 wherein during the burning step the temperature within the furnace is maintained at about a minimum of 1,400* C.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 150 words

Apparatus for the burning of refuse comprising in combination, a vertical combustion chamber having means for the introduction of refuse into a top portion thereof and constructed to permit the refuse to fall freely vertically therethrough, means for containing a molten pool of refuse and of the combustion byproducts from said combustion chamber, said containing means being laterally offset from said combustion chamber and communicating with the bottom of said combustion chamber via means including a sill portion disposed below the bottom of said combustion chamber, and extending substantially across the bottom of said combustion chamber, said sill portion providing a surface onto which can fall any refuse not fully burnt in said combustion chamber and being effective to slow the passage of both unburned refuse and the combustion byproducts of the refuse burned in said combustion chamber prior to passing into and over the surface of said molten pool.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 150 words

Apparatus for the burning of refuse comprising in combination, a vertical combustion chamber having means for the introduction of refuse into a top portion thereof and constructed to permit the refuse to fall freely vertically therethrough, means for containing a molten pool of refuse and of the combustion byproducts from said combustion chamber, said containing means being laterally offset from said combustion chamber and communicating with the bottom of said combustion chamber via means including a sill portion disposed below the bottom of said combustion chamber, and extending substantially across the bottom of said combustion chamber, said sill portion providing a surface onto which can fall any refuse not fully burnt in said combustion chamber and being effective to slow the passage of both unburned refuse and the combustion byproducts of the refuse burned in said combustion chamber prior to passing into and over the surface of said molten pool.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 44 words

The apparatus of claim 7 which further includes means for conducting the gases resulting from the burning in said chamber in a substantially horizontal direction across said molten bath, and means at least partially surrounding said molten bath to reduce radiation heat losses therefrom.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 28 words

The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said communicating means controls the flow of gases and combustion byproducts so as to impinge upon the surface of said molten bath.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 13 words

The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said containing means comprises a trough-like member.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 28 words

The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said trough-like member is hinged about a horizontal axis to at times permit the dumping of said molten bath from said trough.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 60 words

The apparatus of claim 7 which includes an after-combustion chamber through which are conveyed the gases which have been heated by said molten bath, heat exchanger means for heating air by the heat contained in the gases passing through said after-combustion chamber, and means for conveying at least part of the heated air to the space above said molten bath.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 56 words

The apparatus of claim 7 which includes an after-combustion chamber the lower portion of which is in communication with the surface of the molten bath, means for introducing air tangentially into the upper portion of said after-combustion chamber, and means for conducting flue gases from the upper part of the burning chamber to said after-combustion chamber.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 58 words

The apparatus of claim 7 which includes an after-combustion chamber through which are conveyed the gases which have been heated by said molten bath, heat exchanger means connected with the upper end of said after-combustion chamber for heating combustion air, and means for conveying the heated combustion air both to said burning chamber and to said molten bath.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1976-07-23	1977-01-22	1977-07-24	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1980-07-23	1981-01-22	1981-07-24	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1984-07-23	1985-01-22	1985-07-24	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Method and device for the treatment of refuse

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