Fluidized bed system for solid wastes

Claim 1

A fluidized bed system for pyrolysis or incineration of solid waste comprising combustible and non-combustible solids, said system comprising in combination: a. a vertically disposed reactor having a first internal chamber adapted to contain a highly fluidized bed of inert fluidized solids; b. a distributor plate having a multiplicity of fluidizing gas passages therethrough, said plate supporting the bed of inert solids in the first internal chamber and having side walls sloping downwardly from the periphery of the first internal chamber toward an outlet in the center of said first chamber; c. a pipe in communication with the outlet in the distributor plate and extending downwardly therefrom, said pipe forming a second internal chamber directly below and in communiction with the first internal chamber and adapted to contain a moderately fluidized bed of inert fluidized solids, said pipe further having a multiplicity of fluidizing gas passages therethrough that communicate wiht the second internal chamber; d. means for providing fluidzing gas to the gas passages in the distributor plate to effect a highly fluidized bed in the first internal chamber and for providing fluidizing gas to the gas passages in the pipe to effect a moderately fluidized bed in the second internal chamber; e. means for heating the fluidized bed in said first chamber; f. feed means for supplying solid feed waste to the first internal chamber and having seal means for preventing fluidizing gas from escaping through the feed means from the reactor; and g. means within the second internal chamber for permitting removal of unreacted solids from the second internal chamber without interrupting operation of said system.

Claim 9

A method for operating a fluidized bed system for pyrolysis or incineration of solid waste comprising combustible and non-combustible solids, said method comprising: a. feeding the solid wastes to a first internal chamber in a fluidized bed reactor; b. passing fluidizing gas upwardly through a distributor plate in the bottom of the first internal chamber at a velocity sufficient to provide a highly fluidized bed of inert fluidized solids in said first chamber, said distributor plate supporting the bed of inert fluidized solids and having side walls sloping downwardly toward an outlet in the center of the first chamber; c. heating the fluidized bed in said first chamber; d. permitting the heavier non-combustible and unreacted solid residues from the first chamber to fall out through the outlet in the bottom of the distributor plate and into a second internal chamber located directly below and in communication with said first internal chamber; e. passing fluidizing gas into said second chamber at a velocity sufficient to provide only a moderately fluidized bed in the second internal chamber to thereby consolidate and compact the residue while permitting further reaction of unreacted solids in the residue; and f. periodically withdrawing residue from the second internal chamber without interrupting operation of the system.

Claim 10

A method for operating a fluidized bed system for pyrolysis or incineration of solid waste comprising combustible and non-combustible solids, said method comprising: a. feeding the solid wastes to a first internal chamber in a fluidized bed reactor; b. passing fluidizing gas upwardly through a distributor plate in the bottom of the first internal chamber at a velocity sufficient to provide a highly fluidized bed of inert fluidized solids in said first chamber, said distributor plate supporting the bed of inert fluidized solids and having side walls sloping downwardly toward an outlet in the center of the first chamber; c. heating the fluidized bed in said first chamber; d. permitting the heavier non-combustible and unreacted solid residues from the first chamber to fall out through the outlet in the bottom of the distributor plate and into a second internal chamber located directly below and in communication with said first internal chamber; e. passing fluidizing gas into said second chamber at a velocity sufficient to provide only a moderately fluidized bed in the second internal chamber to thereby consolidate and compact the residue while permitting further reaction of unreacted solids in the residue; and f. periodically withdrawing residue from the second internal chamber without interrupting operation of the system.