Furnace for hazardous materials

Claim 1

In a continuous furnace for thoroughly treating hazardous materials to convert such materials to environmentally acceptable materials, the furnace including a continuous belt adapted to carry hazardous materials through at least one heated zone without release of noxious fumes or noxious solids to the environment, the improved combination comprising: (a) a charging zone located in the open atmosphere adapted to spread the hazardous material charge on the moving belt before introduction into a heated zone, said charging zone being equipped with an exhaust hood ducted to convey to an off-gas handling system any volatile materials emitted while spreading; (b) at least one substantially air-tight heated high temperature zone adapated to drive off volatiles and detoxify solids on the belt without release to the enviornment; (c) an enclosed discharged zone having cooled walls and adapted to: (i) discharge volatiles to an off-gas handling system for conversion of hazardous volatiles to environmentally acceptable materials; (ii) convey solids to a solids collecting zone; (d) means to move the continuous belt outside of the heating zone from the discharge zone to the charging zone; and (e) means positioned between the discharge zone and the charging zone to cool the continuous belt prior to its return to the charging zone.