US4008053A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Process for treating organic wastes
Assignee: Combustion Equipment Associates Inc
•
Filing: 1975-03-11
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Granted: 1977-02-15
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Expires: 1995-03-11
Abstract
Abstract A process for treating the organic fraction of solid waste material with acid at an elevated temperature to form an embrittled material reducible to a powdered fuel having a caloric value and weight (on a dry basis) essentially equivalent to the waste material from which it was formed. The density of the fuel may be materially increased over that of the original waste material without the expenditure of excessive energy such as would be required in the grinding of untreated waste. The resulting fuel can be used alone or in combination with other fuels including fossil fuels in gas, liquid or solid form.
Inventors
- 👤 Richard S. Brenneman
- 👤 John J. Clancy
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 16:13
CPC Classifications
C; C10; C10L; C10L5/00; C10L5/40; C10L5/46; B; B03; B03B; B03B9/00; B03B9/06; Y; Y02; Y02E; Y02E50/00; Y02E50/10; Y02E50/30
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 52
Claim 1
Independent Claim
100 words
A process for embrittling the solid organic waste fraction of a solid waste material characterized by the treating of said organic waste fraction with a total of up to 11% of at least two mineral acids based on the weight of said solid organic waste fraction and at elevated temperature, the quantity of said acid and the time and temperature of said treating being such as to form an embrittled material, readily reducible to a finely divided form, without any substantial carbonization, any substantial pyrolysis, any substantial decomposition or any substantial loss in dry weight of said solid waste fraction.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
100 words
A process for embrittling the solid organic waste fraction of a solid waste material characterized by the treating of said organic waste fraction with a total of up to 11% of at least two mineral acids based on the weight of said solid organic waste fraction and at elevated temperature, the quantity of said acid and the time and temperature of said treating being such as to form an embrittled material, readily reducible to a finely divided form, without any substantial carbonization, any substantial pyrolysis, any substantial decomposition or any substantial loss in dry weight of said solid waste fraction.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
14 words
A process in accordance with claim 1 wherein said waste is solid municipal waste.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
14 words
A process in accordance with claim 1 wherein said solid waste contains wood wastes.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
14 words
A process in accordance with claim 1 wherein said solid waste contains agricultural wastes.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
20 words
A process in accordance with claim 1 wherein said treating is accomplished at a temperature ranging between about 212°-550° F.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
22 words
A process in accordance with claim 5 wherein said treating is accomplished at a temperature ranging between about 250° and 350° F.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
24 words
A process in accordance with claim 1 wherein said treating comprises exposing said waste first to said acids and then to said elevated temperature.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
21 words
A process in accordance with claim 1 wherein said treating comprises exposing said waste to said acids and elevated temperature simultaneously.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
25 words
A process in accordance with claim 1 wherein said treating comprises exposing said waste first to said elevated temperature and then immediately to said acids.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
17 words
A process in accordance with claim 1 wherein said acids are in the form of a gas.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
15 words
A process in accordance with claim 10 wherein one of said acids is HCl gas.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
21 words
A process in accordance with claim 1, wherein at least one of said acids is in the form of a solution.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
23 words
A process in accordance with claim 12 wherein said one acid is H 2 SO 4 and said solution is an aqueous solution.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
22 words
A process in accordance with claim 1 wherein saId treating with said mineral acids is effected with said mineral acids in admixture.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
20 words
A process in accordance with claim 1 wherein said mineral acids are a mixture of hydrochloric acid and sulfuric acid.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
60 words
A process in accordance with claim 15 wherein the quantity of sulfuric acid mixed with hydrochloric acid is such as to effect a substantial reduction in the energy required to reduce embrittled material to a desired size range as compared with that required for hydrochloric acid alone when used at a level equal to the total level of mixed acids.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
31 words
A process in accordance with claim 15 wherein the weight ratio of hydrochloric acid to sulfuric acid is in the range of about 1 to 10 to about 4 to 1.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
28 words
A process in accordance with claim 17 wherein the total amount of acid dosage does not exceed about 5% of the weight of the treated organic waste fraction.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
21 words
A process in accordance with claim 1 wherein said treating at elevated temperature comprises contacting said waste with a hot gas.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
14 words
A process in accordance with claim 19 wherein said hot gas is flue gas.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
13 words
A process in accordance with claim 19 wherein said hot gas is air.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
22 words
A process in accordance with claim 19 wherein said hot gas contains at least one of said mineral acids in vapor form.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
21 words
A process in accordance with claim 1 wherein said treating at elevated temperature comprises contacting said waste with a heated surface.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
15 words
A process in accordance with claim 23 wherein said heated surface is a grinding medium.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
21 words
A process in accordance with claim 1 wherein said treating of said waste is carried out in a liquid fuel medium.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
14 words
A process in accordance with claim 25 wherein said fuel medium is fuel oil.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
103 words
A process for forming a combustible fuel from solid municipal waste containing an organic waste fraction and an inorganic waste fraction, comprising the steps of a. treating the solid organic waste fraction of solid municipal waste with a total of up to 11% of at least two mineral acids based on the weight of said solid organic waste fraction and elevated temperature under conditions to form an embrittled material without effecting any substantial carbonization, any substantial pyrolysis, any substantial decomposition or any substantial loss in dry weight of said waste component; and b. reducing the resulting embrittled material to a finely divided form.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
103 words
A process for forming a combustible fuel from solid municipal waste containing an organic waste fraction and an inorganic waste fraction, comprising the steps of a. treating the solid organic waste fraction of solid municipal waste with a total of up to 11% of at least two mineral acids based on the weight of said solid organic waste fraction and elevated temperature under conditions to form an embrittled material without effecting any substantial carbonization, any substantial pyrolysis, any substantial decomposition or any substantial loss in dry weight of said waste component; and b. reducing the resulting embrittled material to a finely divided form.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
22 words
A process in accordance with claim 27 including the step of reducing the size of the components forming said solid, municipal waste.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
25 words
A process in accordance with claim 27 including the step of separating said organic waste fraction from said municipal waste prior to said treating step.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
25 words
A process in accordance with claim 27 including the step of separating said organic waste fraction from said municipal waste subsequent to said treating step.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
21 words
A process in accordance with claim 27 including the step of predrying said organic waste fraction prior to said treating step.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
45 words
A process in accordance with claim 27 including the step of adjusting the moisture content of said embrittled material to not more than about 10% on a dry weight basis just prior to said step of reducing said embrittled material to a finely divided form.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
43 words
A process in accordance with claim 27 including the step of classifying said embrittled material subsequent to said step of reducing said embrittled material to a finely divided form thereby to separate out particles of said solid organic waste which are not embrittled.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
28 words
A process in accordance with claim 33 including the step of returning at least a portion of said particles which are not embrittled to a second treating step.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
22 words
A process in accordance with claim 27 wherein said step of reducing said embrittled material to a finely divided form comprises grinding.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
18 words
A process in accordance with claim 35 wherein said grinding is effecting by milling with a grinding medium.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
16 words
A process in accordance with claim 36 wherein said grinding medium comprises said inorganic waste fraction.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
15 words
A process in accordance with claim 27 including the step of pelletizing said embrittled material.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
15 words
A process in accordance with claim 27 including the step of compacting said embrittled material.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
23 words
A process in accordance with claim 27 including the step of mixing said embrittled material in finely divided form with a primary fuel.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
15 words
A process in accordance with claim 40 wherein said primary fuel is in fluid form.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
24 words
A process in accordance with claim 41 wherein said primary fuel in fluid form is a liquid and said embrittled material is slurried therein.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
14 words
A process in accordance with claim 42 wherein said primary fuel is fuel oil.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
15 words
A process in accordance with claim 42 wherein said primary fuel is combustible hydrocarbon waste.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
14 words
A process in accordance with claim 42 wherein said primary fuel is sewage sludge.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
24 words
A process in accordance with claim 41 wherein said primary fuel in fluid form is a gas and said embrittled material is entrained therein.
Claim 49
Dependent Claim
15 words
A process in accordance with claim 40 wherein said primary fuel is a solid fuel.
Claim 50
Dependent Claim
14 words
A process in accordance with claim 47 wherein said solid fuel is powdered coal.
Claim 51
Dependent Claim
24 words
A process as defined in claim 1, wherein said treatment with said mineral acids is effected by treating with each of said acids separately.
Claim 52
Dependent Claim
24 words
A process as defined in claim 27, wherein said treatment with said mineral acids is effected by treating with each of said acids separately.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3436312A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1980-02-15 | 1980-08-16 | 1981-02-15 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1984-02-15 | 1984-08-16 | 1985-02-15 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1988-02-15 | 1988-08-16 | 1989-02-15 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |