US3890908A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Method and apparatus for pyrolytically reducing waste
Assignee: Vodafone GmbH
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Filing: 1974-01-25
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Granted: 1975-06-24
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Expires: 1994-01-25
Abstract
Abstract Waste is pyrolytically treated by causing it to drift and float, up and through a bath of molten metal or glass. The reduction products are taken from the surface level and above the bath for subsequent use. A feeder pipe has a flared end submerged in the bath for introducing the waste in a low level, while receiving waste through a lateral port. The waste while dropping in the pipe is dried and heated, and the resulting gas can be fed back and used as drift assist. The molten metal or glass is heated to maintain the molten state. Heavy residue is collected in and extracted from the bottom of the bath containing vessel.
Inventors
- 👤 Klenck Jurgen Von
- 👤 Erich Michel
- 👤 Klaus-Dieter Gerstenacker
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 05:49
CPC Classifications
C; C10; C10B; C10B53/00; C10B49/00; C10B49/14; C10B57/00; C10B57/18; Y; Y02; Y02E; Y02E50/00; Y02E50/30
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 43
Claim 1
Independent Claim
126 words
Method of pyrolytically reducing waste products under exclusion of air comprising the steps of: feeding the waste products to and deep into a bath of molten material for discharge into the bath well below the top thereof, the waste being composed predominantly of components other than the material, the molten material having elevated temperature sufficient to sustain pyrolytic reduction of waste and under conditions causing the waste products to drift freely upwardly in the molten material thereby pyrolytically decomposing and reducing the waste product, through continuing heat transfer from the molten material to the waste product under direct contact therewith; and extracting the products as resulting from the pyrolytic reduction from above the surface of the bath including continuous discharge of gas developing upon waste decompositioning.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
126 words
Method of pyrolytically reducing waste products under exclusion of air comprising the steps of: feeding the waste products to and deep into a bath of molten material for discharge into the bath well below the top thereof, the waste being composed predominantly of components other than the material, the molten material having elevated temperature sufficient to sustain pyrolytic reduction of waste and under conditions causing the waste products to drift freely upwardly in the molten material thereby pyrolytically decomposing and reducing the waste product, through continuing heat transfer from the molten material to the waste product under direct contact therewith; and extracting the products as resulting from the pyrolytic reduction from above the surface of the bath including continuous discharge of gas developing upon waste decompositioning.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
29 words
Method as in claim 1, comprising, in addition, injecting gas as developed by the pyrolytic decomposition into the bath for aiding in the upward drift of the waste products.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
50 words
Method as in claim 1, wherein the extracting step is carried out in different levels above the surface of the bath, liquidous decompositioning products being discharged from a level above the surface level of the molten material, the gas being discharged from above the surface level of said liquidous products.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
38 words
Method as in claim 1, and including the step of maintaining a circulatory flow in the bath for causing a flow of the molten material in upward direction where the waste products tend to drift in that direction.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
37 words
Method as in claim 1, and including the step of separately collecting the gas developed on initial contact of the waste with the molten material and the gas developed above the surface level of the molten material.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
25 words
Method as in claim 5, including the step of recirculating said separately collected gas and feeding it to the molten substance to obtain cracking thereof.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
12 words
Method as in claim 1, wherein the molten substance is an organic.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
14 words
Method as in claim 7, wherein the molten substance includes at least one metal.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
13 words
Method as in claim 8, wherein the molten substance is molten pig iron.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
11 words
Method as in claim 8, wherein the molten substance is lead.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
13 words
Method as in claim 7, wherein the substance is glass or glass like.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
15 words
Method as in claim 1 and including the step of regenerating continuously the molten substance.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
27 words
Method as in claim 12, wherein regenerating step includes the adding of material for scorifying contaminants in the substance as resulting from the decompositioning of the waste.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
33 words
Method as in claim 12, wherein the regenerating step includes the adding of gases tending to chemically combine with the contaminaNts to produce compounds which collect on the surface of the molten substance.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
127 words
Method of pyrolytically reducing waste products under exclusion of air comprising the steps of: continuously introducing and discharging waste products into the interior of a given quantity of molten substance, well below the surface thereof and under exclusion of air, thereby causing the waste products to drift freely through the molten substance in up direction and towards said surface of the molten substance; maintaining the substance in the molten state through application of heat developed without combustion or burning of any fuel in direct contact with the molten substance but outside of a path of the upward drift of the waste products; and continuously withdrawing the reaction products as resulting from the thermal reduction of the waste products from above the surface level of the molten substance.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
127 words
Method of pyrolytically reducing waste products under exclusion of air comprising the steps of: continuously introducing and discharging waste products into the interior of a given quantity of molten substance, well below the surface thereof and under exclusion of air, thereby causing the waste products to drift freely through the molten substance in up direction and towards said surface of the molten substance; maintaining the substance in the molten state through application of heat developed without combustion or burning of any fuel in direct contact with the molten substance but outside of a path of the upward drift of the waste products; and continuously withdrawing the reaction products as resulting from the thermal reduction of the waste products from above the surface level of the molten substance.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
20 words
Method as in claim 15, wherein the withdrawing step includes separate steps respectively for withdrawing gas an non-gaseous reduction products.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
31 words
Method as in claim 16, wherein the withdrawn gas is cleaned and used as fuel in a combustion process for developing the energy for maintaining the molten state of the substance.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
34 words
Method as in claim 15, wherein a circulation of the molten substance is maintained by means of heating the circulating substance and feeding the molten, heated substance for exposing it to the waste material.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
26 words
Method as in claim 15, wherein the maintaining step includes induction heating of the molten substance, the substance being capable of being heated by induction heating.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
28 words
Method as in claim 15, wherein the maintaining step includes utilization of a heat exchanger through which the substance is caused to circulate to pick up thermal energy.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
15 words
Method as in claim 20, wherein the thermal energy is developed in a nuclear reactor.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
11 words
Method as in claim 21, wherein the substance used is lead.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
141 words
Apparatus for pyrolytically reducing waste products comprising: first means constructed for exclusion of air, for holding a bath of molten material at elevated temperatures sufficient to sustain reduction of waste; second means projecting into the first means for feeding the waste products to and discharging them deep into a bath of molten material when in the first means through discharge opening well below the surface of the bath and under conditions causing the waste products to drift freely in upward direction in the molten material thereby pyrolytically reducing the waste products through continuing heat transfer from the molten material to the waste product under direct contact therewith; third means, external to the interior of the first means for continuously heating the bath; and means for extracting the products as resulting from the pyrolytic reduction from above the surface of the bath.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
141 words
Apparatus for pyrolytically reducing waste products comprising: first means constructed for exclusion of air, for holding a bath of molten material at elevated temperatures sufficient to sustain reduction of waste; second means projecting into the first means for feeding the waste products to and discharging them deep into a bath of molten material when in the first means through discharge opening well below the surface of the bath and under conditions causing the waste products to drift freely in upward direction in the molten material thereby pyrolytically reducing the waste products through continuing heat transfer from the molten material to the waste product under direct contact therewith; third means, external to the interior of the first means for continuously heating the bath; and means for extracting the products as resulting from the pyrolytic reduction from above the surface of the bath.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
37 words
Apparatus as in claim 23 and including means for maintaining a circulatory flow in the bath for causing a flow of molten material in upward direction for carrying along the waste material as drifting in that direction.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
21 words
Apparatus as in claim 23, wherein the means for extracting includes exits from the means for holding provided in different levels.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
33 words
Apparatus as in claim 23, wherein the means for holding is a refractory and fire proof vessel, the means for feeding being an upright pipe whose lower end is submerged in the bath.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
63 words
Apparatus as in claim 26, wherein the lower end of the pipe has an outwardly flaring, widened portion, the pipe having a lateral port in its upper portion for feeding waste products in to the pipe, there being means in the port for preventing discharge of gas, the vessel having a lateral outlet with means for extracting the reduction products from the vessel.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
32 words
Apparatus as in claim 27, the pipe having gas discharge openings outside of the vessel, there being a gas collection chamber disposed around the openings and conduit means connected to said cHamber.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
51 words
Apparatus as in claim 28, and including means defining nozzles open towards the interior of the vessel below a surface level of the molten material therein, the conduit means connected to the nozzle defining means for causing gas collected in said chamber to be blown into the vessel through the nozzles.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
40 words
Apparatus as in claim 29, and including an annular gas chamber from which extend said nozzle means and extending around said pipe above the lower end thereof, the nozzles directing their respective gas flow in radially inward and upward direction.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
18 words
Apparatus as in claim 27, there being a movable plunger in the pipe to push waste products down.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
24 words
Apparatus as in claim 27, there being a feed worm adjacent said port and a gas lock between the feed worm and the port.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
38 words
Apparatus as in claim 23, wherein the means for extracting includes a first outlet in the surface level of the molten material in the means for holding, and a second outlet above the first outlet for extracting gas.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
44 words
Apparatus as in claim 23, wherein the means for holding is a vessel with a bottom constructed for accumulation of heavy residue as resulting from pyrolytic treatment of the waste product; there being a discharge port for the latter residue in the said bottom.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
80 words
Apparatus for pyrolytically reducing waste comprising: means defining a bath of molten material; means for introducing waste products and discharging them deep into the bath at a location well below the surface of that bath thereby causing the waste products to drift freely upwardly in the bath; means for externally continuously heating the bath; means for extracting non-gaseous reduction products from the surface level of the bath; and means for removing gas from above the surface level of the bath.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
80 words
Apparatus for pyrolytically reducing waste comprising: means defining a bath of molten material; means for introducing waste products and discharging them deep into the bath at a location well below the surface of that bath thereby causing the waste products to drift freely upwardly in the bath; means for externally continuously heating the bath; means for extracting non-gaseous reduction products from the surface level of the bath; and means for removing gas from above the surface level of the bath.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
11 words
Apparatus as in claim 35, the molten material being molten metal.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
11 words
Apparatus as in claim 35, the molten material being molten glass.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
28 words
Apparatus as in claim 35, wherein the means for introducing is a pipe dipping into the molten material and discharging the waste products below the surface level thereof.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
25 words
Apparatus as in claim 38, wherein the pipe has openings for discharge of gas developed by and in the waste as descending in the pipe.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-06-23 | 1978-12-23 | 1979-06-24 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-06-23 | 1982-12-23 | 1983-06-24 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-06-23 | 1986-12-23 | 1987-06-24 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |