Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
241 words
In a method for disposing of and converting solid waste material, the steps comprising: A. providing a substantially vertical pyrolysis chamber; B. charging solid waste material having organic and inorganic components into the upper region of said pyrolysis chamber, said solid waste material containing as minimum weight values, about 2.0 percent of glass and ceramics, 18.0 percent of paper products, 3.0 percent of metals and 6.0 percent of food waste and other organic materials; C. charging under pressure an oxygen-rich gas into said chamber at a plurality of vertically spaced points along the length thereof so as to produce combustion of said organic components and generate heat while controlling the charging of said oxygen-rich gas at said plurality of points to maintain a plurality of different and downwardly increasing temperature zones adjacent said plurality of vertically spaced points along the length of said chamber so as to effect incomplete combustion of said organic component and form a conbustible gas in the upper zones and to melt and oxidize the inorganic components of said waste material into an organic-free molten refractory material in the lowermost zone, the temperature of said molten refractory material at the lower region of said pyrolysis chamber being at least about 1075° Centrigrade; D. removing said combustible gas from said upper region of said pyrolysis chamber and said molten refractory material from said lower region thereof; and E. prilling said removed molten refractory material to form ceramic prills.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
241 words
In a method for disposing of and converting solid waste material, the steps comprising: A. providing a substantially vertical pyrolysis chamber; B. charging solid waste material having organic and inorganic components into the upper region of said pyrolysis chamber, said solid waste material containing as minimum weight values, about 2.0 percent of glass and ceramics, 18.0 percent of paper products, 3.0 percent of metals and 6.0 percent of food waste and other organic materials; C. charging under pressure an oxygen-rich gas into said chamber at a plurality of vertically spaced points along the length thereof so as to produce combustion of said organic components and generate heat while controlling the charging of said oxygen-rich gas at said plurality of points to maintain a plurality of different and downwardly increasing temperature zones adjacent said plurality of vertically spaced points along the length of said chamber so as to effect incomplete combustion of said organic component and form a conbustible gas in the upper zones and to melt and oxidize the inorganic components of said waste material into an organic-free molten refractory material in the lowermost zone, the temperature of said molten refractory material at the lower region of said pyrolysis chamber being at least about 1075° Centrigrade; D. removing said combustible gas from said upper region of said pyrolysis chamber and said molten refractory material from said lower region thereof; and E. prilling said removed molten refractory material to form ceramic prills.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said oxygen-rich gas is introduced into said chamber about the vertical axis thereof and discharged outwardly into said chamber at said points.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
42 words
The method of claim 1 additionally including the step of sensing the temperatures prevailing in said zones and modifying the discharge of said oxygen-rich gas at said plurality of points in response thereto to control the combustion of said organic components therein.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said oxygen-rich gas is preheated and the temperature thereof is controlled.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 1 additionally including the step of combining said removed combustible gas with oxygen-rich gas and causing substantially complete combustion thereof to heat a fluid medium.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 5 wherein said fluid medium heated by said combustion is at least in part said oxygen-rich gas prior to the discharge thereof into said chamber.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said molten refractory material is prilled by discharging droplets of said molten refractory material downwardly through a counter current stream of gas onto a relatively cool bed of flowing liquid.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
69 words
The method of claim 1 including the additional start-up steps of: a. charging said lower region of said chamber with refractory material and said upper region of said chamber with said solid waste material, b. suspending said removal of said molten refractory material, and c. externally heating lower region of said chamber to melt said charged refractory material therein and to effect initial combustion of said solid waste material.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
52 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said discharge of oxygen-rich gas is controlled to maintain an upper zone having a temperature of about 375° to 760° Centigrade, a middle zone having a temperature of about 550° to 1075° Centigrade, and a lower zone having a temperature of about 1075° to 1650° Centigrade.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said combustible gas is removed at a temperature of 275° to 425° Centigrade and said molten refractory material is removed at a temperature of 1075° to 1650° Centigrade.