US4520741A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Waste disposal
Assignee: Ensco Inc
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Filing: 1984-04-13
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Granted: 1985-06-04
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Expires: 2004-04-13
Abstract
Abstract Burning a waste fuel blend at very high temperatures (typically greater than 4000 deg. F.) for a very short period of time (typically a matter of milliseconds) in a primary combustion zone to break the complex hazardous/toxic hydrocarbons into less complex chemicals (such as CO, CO 2 , H 2 , OH, HCl, and Cl 2 ), passing the products of the primary zone into a secondary zone in which the products are maintained for a longer time (typically about 2 secs.) in turbulent conditions with excess air at lower combustion temperatures (typically 2000 to 2600 deg. F.) to reduce the primary zone products to a mixture of H 2 O, CO 2 and acids such as HCl, and quenching the products of the secondary zone.
Inventors
- 👤 Richard W. Carbeau
- 👤 James F. Martin
- 👤 John H. Lanier
- 👤 William L. Holt
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 16:38
CPC Classifications
F; F23; F23G; F23G7/00; F23G7/001; B; B01; B01D; B01D53/00; B01D53/34; F23G5/00; F23G5/08; F23G5/14; F23G5/16; F23G5/40; F23G7/008; F23J; F23J15/00; F23J15/02; F23J15/04
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 4
Claim 1
Independent Claim
247 words
The method for reducing liquid and slurry hazardous waste to non-hazardous by-products, comprising: blending the waste with a fuel to obtain a blend of liquid fuel and waste having a predetermined minimum fuel value; feeding said blend to a primary combustor; feeding oxygen-enriched air to said primary combustor in an amount such that a fuel rich-atmosphere is provided in said combustor; imparting a rotational swirl in a first direction to said oxygen-enriched air; mixing and burning said blend together with said oxygen-enriched air to obtain a swirling flame in the primary combustor for a relatively short duration at a high temperature; exhausting the products of combustion from said primary combustor to a secondary combustor; feeding secondary air to said secondary combustor in an amount such that an oxygen-rich atmosphere is provided therein, and imparting rotation to said secondary air when entering said secondary combustor in a direction opposite to the rotational direction of the products of combustion entering the secondary combustor; mixing said products of combustion with said secondary air to reduce the rotational swirl thereof while burning said products of combustion with said secondary air for a substantially long duration at a lower temperature than in the primary combustor; controlling the flow rate at which the waste/fuel blend and the oxygen-enriched air are introduced into the primary combustor and the rate at which the air is introduced into the secondary combustor; and quenching the products exiting from the secondary combustor by spraying water into the products.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
247 words
The method for reducing liquid and slurry hazardous waste to non-hazardous by-products, comprising: blending the waste with a fuel to obtain a blend of liquid fuel and waste having a predetermined minimum fuel value; feeding said blend to a primary combustor; feeding oxygen-enriched air to said primary combustor in an amount such that a fuel rich-atmosphere is provided in said combustor; imparting a rotational swirl in a first direction to said oxygen-enriched air; mixing and burning said blend together with said oxygen-enriched air to obtain a swirling flame in the primary combustor for a relatively short duration at a high temperature; exhausting the products of combustion from said primary combustor to a secondary combustor; feeding secondary air to said secondary combustor in an amount such that an oxygen-rich atmosphere is provided therein, and imparting rotation to said secondary air when entering said secondary combustor in a direction opposite to the rotational direction of the products of combustion entering the secondary combustor; mixing said products of combustion with said secondary air to reduce the rotational swirl thereof while burning said products of combustion with said secondary air for a substantially long duration at a lower temperature than in the primary combustor; controlling the flow rate at which the waste/fuel blend and the oxygen-enriched air are introduced into the primary combustor and the rate at which the air is introduced into the secondary combustor; and quenching the products exiting from the secondary combustor by spraying water into the products.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
41 words
The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said waste is a PCB and the temperature in said primary combustor is approximately 4000° F. and the temperature in said secondary combustor is in the range of 2000° F. to 2600° F.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
25 words
In the method as recited in claim 2, wherein said waste/fuel blend has a heat value of not less than about 12,000 BTU per pound.
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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) | 1988-06-03 | 1988-12-03 | 1989-06-04 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1992-06-03 | 1992-12-03 | 1993-06-04 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1996-06-03 | 1996-12-03 | 1997-06-04 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |