Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 19
Claim 1
Independent Claim
176 words
In a glass making furnace having a melting chamber for melting and heating materials contained therein, a refining chamber connected to said melting chamber via a ventilated throat in a bridge wall and having a glass exit port, a first doghouse for entering materials into said melting chamber, a burner unit for melting said raw materials into a molten mass and for heating said molten mass, a first and second primary checkers chamber connected to said combustion chamber via a respective air port, a divider structure separating said primary checkers chambers and respective air ports corresponding thereto, at least one secondary checkers chamber coupled to said primary checkers chambers and to at least one stack including a flue for causing circulation of air flow in alternate directions through the combustion chamber, the improvement comprising: at least one hazardous gas injection port coupling to each said primary checkers chamber for injecting gaseous hazardous waste thereto; at least one hazardous liquid injection port coupling to said melting chamber for injecting liquid hazardous wastes directly into said melting chamber.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
176 words
In a glass making furnace having a melting chamber for melting and heating materials contained therein, a refining chamber connected to said melting chamber via a ventilated throat in a bridge wall and having a glass exit port, a first doghouse for entering materials into said melting chamber, a burner unit for melting said raw materials into a molten mass and for heating said molten mass, a first and second primary checkers chamber connected to said combustion chamber via a respective air port, a divider structure separating said primary checkers chambers and respective air ports corresponding thereto, at least one secondary checkers chamber coupled to said primary checkers chambers and to at least one stack including a flue for causing circulation of air flow in alternate directions through the combustion chamber, the improvement comprising: at least one hazardous gas injection port coupling to each said primary checkers chamber for injecting gaseous hazardous waste thereto; at least one hazardous liquid injection port coupling to said melting chamber for injecting liquid hazardous wastes directly into said melting chamber.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
67 words
A furnace according to claim 1 further comprising: a second doghouse for entering materials into said melting chamber; said first doghouse being located on one side of an imaginary axis coaxial with said divider structure, and adjacent a side wall of said melting chamber; said second doghouse being located on an opposing side of said imaginary axis, and also adjacent a side wall of said melting chamber.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
96 words
A furnace according to claim 1 or 2 further comprising a combustion chamber directly above a surface of molten mass in the melting chamber; said burner having a first and second fuel injection nozzle respectively located on opposing sides of an imaginary axis coaxial with said divider structure, and pointed at an angle towards said surface and said bridge wall; said first and second nozzles being activated in alternate succession to produce a series of extended flames together with air flow from a corresponding checkers chamber, in opposite directions at least partially around said combustion chamber.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
29 words
A furnace according to claim 1 wherein there is at least one said hazardous liquid injection port on each side of an imaginary axis coaxial with said divider structure.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
147 words
In a regenerator type glass furnace having a melting chamber, a refining chamber, a doghouse, a plurality of checkers chambers and a stack, a process for neutralizing hazardous or toxic waste material comprising the steps of: generating a flame in a combustion chamber immediately above said melting chamber, said flame directly impinging on a surface of molten mass contained in said melting chamber and said molten mass being largely comprised of raw materials for making glass; injecting into said molten mass in said melting chamber solid or sludge type hazardous or toxic waste material through said doghouse; continuing heating said molten mass by said flame while circulating said molten mass in said melting chamber; transferring said molten mass from said melting chamber to said refining chamber upon destruction of certain hazardous or toxic waste material embodied therein; and recovering a resultant glass product from said refining chamber.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
147 words
In a regenerator type glass furnace having a melting chamber, a refining chamber, a doghouse, a plurality of checkers chambers and a stack, a process for neutralizing hazardous or toxic waste material comprising the steps of: generating a flame in a combustion chamber immediately above said melting chamber, said flame directly impinging on a surface of molten mass contained in said melting chamber and said molten mass being largely comprised of raw materials for making glass; injecting into said molten mass in said melting chamber solid or sludge type hazardous or toxic waste material through said doghouse; continuing heating said molten mass by said flame while circulating said molten mass in said melting chamber; transferring said molten mass from said melting chamber to said refining chamber upon destruction of certain hazardous or toxic waste material embodied therein; and recovering a resultant glass product from said refining chamber.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
35 words
A process according to claim 5 wherein said flame has an average temperature of approximately 3000 degrees F. and said molten mass has a temperature of from approximately 2300 degrees F. to 2900 degrees F.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
32 words
A process according to claim 6 and further comprising: injecting liquid hazardous waste material into said molten mass via at least one liquid injection port in said melting chamber of said furnace.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
59 words
A method according to claim 7 further comprising: directing air flow from one of said checkers chamber through said combustion chamber to another of said checkers chamber, by means of said stack; and injecting gaseous hazardous waste material into said one of said checkers chambers for introduction to said combustion chamber through at least one gaseous waste injection port.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
18 words
A process according to claim 8 and further comprising: reversing direction of said air flow at regular intervals.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
18 words
A process according to claim 9 wherein said flame extends in a direction corresponding to current air flow.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
35 words
A process according to claim 5, 7 or 8 and further comprising: mixing combustion fuel with liquid hazardous or toxic waste material; spraying said mixture from at least one fuel nozzle into said combustion chamber.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
33 words
A process according to claim 5 or 8 further comprising the following step: recycling at least a portion of said recovered glass product into said melting chamber via said at least one doghouse.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
28 words
A process according to claim 5 or 8 further comprising the following step: recycling said recovered glass product into said melting chamber via said at least one doghouse.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
26 words
A process according to claim 5 further comprising the following step: ventilating said molten mass as it passes from said melting chamber to said refining chamber.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
56 words
A process according to claim 8 wherein said furnace comprises two doghouses spaced across said melting chamber and whereby said injecting step for solid or sludge type hazardous or toxic waste material comprising the further step of: selectively employing a respective one of said two doghouses depending on which one is upstream of said air flow.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
24 words
A process according to claim 8 whereby the dwell time of said injected gaseous waste material in said furnace is at least 8 seconds.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
16 words
A process according to claim 12 wherein said recovered glass product is cooled prior to recycling.