Apparatus and methods for incineration of toxic organic compounds

Claim 2

A process for enhancing the destruction of toxic organic materials by incineration, the process comprising the steps of: (a) burning the toxic organic materials in a combustion zone which results in the formation of combustion effluents containing a quantity of unoxidized toxic organic materials, said combustion effluents passing into a combustion chamber downstream of the combustion zone; (b) contacting a quantity of clean fuel with the combustion effluents at a point downstream of the combustion zone, wherein the quantity of clean fuel contacted with the combustion effluents is less than about 0.5 wt % based on the combustion effluents, and wherein the temperature of the combustion effluents at the point the clean fuel is contacted with the combustion effluents is in the range from about 700° C. to about 1200° C., said contacting occurring in the presence of O 2 , the concentration of O 2 being sufficiently high so that some O 2 remains in the combustion effluents after oxidation of the clean fuel; and (c) allowing the clean fuel and the combustion effluents sufficient residence time in the combustion chamber to partially oxidize the clean fuel so as to increase the oxidation of the toxic organic materials.

Claim 3

A process for enhancing the destruction of toxic or organic materials by incineration as defined in claim 1, wherein the clean fuel comprises H 2 .

Claim 4

A process for enhancing the destruction of toxic organic materials by incineration as defined in claim wherein the clean fuel comprises CO.

Claim 5

A process for enhancing the destruction of toxic organic materials by incineration as defined in claim 1, wherein the clean fuel comprises CH 4 .

Claim 6

A process for enhancing the destruction of toxic organic materials by incineration as defined in claim wherein the clean fuel comprises a paraffinic hydrocarbon.

Claim 7

A process for enhancing the destruction of toxic organic materials by incineration as defined in claim 1, wherein the quantity of clean fuel is contacted with the combustion effluents by injecting the clean fuel into the combustion effluents with a carrier gas.

Claim 8

A process for enhancing the destruction of toxic organic materials by incineration as defined in claim 6, wherein the carrier gas comprises air.

Claim 9

A process for enhancing the destruction of toxic organic materials by incineration as defined in claim 6, wherein the carrier gas comprises steam.

Claim 10

A process for enhancing the destruction of toxic organic materials by incineration as defined in claim 6, wherein the carrier gas comprises recycled combustion effluents.

Claim 11

A process for enhancing the destruction of toxic organic materials by incineration as defined in claim 1, wherein the clean fuel is substantially oxidized.

Claim 12

A process for enhancing the destruction of toxic organic materials by incineration as defined in claim 1, wherein the quantity of clean fuel contacted with the combustion effluents is less than about 0.2 wt % based on the combustion effluents.

Claim 13

A process for enhancing the destruction of toxic organic materials by incineration comprising the steps of: (a) burning the toxic organic materials in a combustion zone which results in the formation of combustion effluents containing a quantity of unoxidized toxic organic materials, said combustion effluents passing into a combustion chamber downstream of the combustion zone; (b) contacting a quantity of clean fuel with the combustion effluents at a point downstream of the combustion zone, wherein the quantity clean fuel contacted with the combustion effluents is in the range from about 0.01 wt % to about 0.5 wt % based upon the combustion effluents, and wherein the temperature of the combustion effluents at the point the clean fuel is contacted with the combustion effluents is in the range from about 700° C. to about 1200° C., said contacting occurring in the presence of O 2 , the concentration of O 2 being sufficiently high so that some O 2 remains in the combustion effluents after oxidation of the clean fuel; and (c) allowing the clean fuel and the combustion effluents sufficient residence time in the combustion chamber to partially oxidize the clean fuel so as to increase the oxidation of the toxic organic materials.

Claim 14

A process for enhancing the destruction of toxic organic materials by incineration comprising the steps of: (a) burning the toxic organic materials in a combustion zone which results in the formation of combustion effluents containing a quantity of unoxidized toxic organic materials, said combustion effluents passing into a combustion chamber downstream of the combustion zone; (b) contacting a quantity of clean fuel with the combustion effluents at a point downstream of the combustion zone, wherein the quantity clean fuel contacted with the combustion effluents is in the range from about 0.01 wt % to about 0.5 wt % based upon the combustion effluents, and wherein the temperature of the combustion effluents at the point the clean fuel is contacted with the combustion effluents is in the range from about 700° C. to about 1200° C., said contacting occurring in the presence of O 2 , the concentration of O 2 being sufficiently high so that some O 2 remains in the combustion effluents after oxidation of the clean fuel; and (c) allowing the clean fuel and the combustion effluents sufficient residence time in the combustion chamber to partially oxidize the clean fuel so as to increase the oxidation of the toxic organic materials.

Claim 15

A process for enhancing the destruction of toxic organic materials by incineration as defined in claim 12, wherein the clean fuel comprises H 2 .

Claim 16

A process for enhancing the destruction of toxic organic materials by incineration as defined in claim 12, wherein the clean fuel comprises CO.

Claim 17

A process for enhancing the destruction of toxic organic materials by incineration as defined in claim 12, wherein the clean fuel comprises CH 4 .

Claim 18

A process for enhancing the destruction of toxic organic materials by incineration as defined in claim 12, wherein the clean fuel comprises a paraffinic hydrocarbon.

Claim 19

A process for enhancing the destruction of toxic organic materials by incineration as defined in claim 12, wherein the quantity of clean fuel is contacted with the combustion effluents by injecting the clean fuel into the combustion effluents with a carrier gas.

Claim 20

A process for enhancing the destruction of toxic organic materials by incineration as defined in claim 17, wherein the carrier gas comprises air.

Claim 21

A process for enhancing the destruction of toxic organic materials by incineration as defined in claim 17, wherein the carrier gas comprises steam.

Claim 22

A process for enhancing the destruction of toxic organic materials by incineration as defined in claim 17, wherein the carrier gas comprises recycled combustion effluents.

Claim 23

A process for enhancing the destruction of toxic organic materials by incineration as defined in claim 12, wherein the clean fuel is substantially oxidized.

Claim 24

A process for enhancing the destruction of toxic organic materials by incineration as defined in claim 12, wherein the quantity of clean fuel contacted with the combustion effluents is less than about 0.2 wt % based upon the combustion effluents.

Claim 25

An incinerator for enhancing the destruction of toxic organic materials by incineration comprising: means for burning a quantity of waste in a combustion zone which results in the formation of combustion effluents, said combustion effluents containing a quantity of unoxidized toxic organic materials; a combustion chamber located downstream of the combustion zone such that the combustion effluents pass from the combustion zone into the combustion chamber; means for injecting a quantity of clean fuel into the combustion chamber such that the combustion effluents and the clean fuel are mixed, said quantity of clean fuel being injected with a carrier gas, and said quantity of clean fuel having a concentration in the range from about 0.01 wt % to about 0.5 wt % based upon the combustion effluents, said injecting means being located at a point in the combustion chamber where the temperature of the combustion effluents is in the range from about 700° C. to about 1200° C.; and means for controlling the residence time of the clean fuel and the combustion effluents within the combustion chamber so as to partially oxidize the clean fuel thereby increasing the oxidation of the toxic organic materials.

Claim 26

An incinerator for enhancing the destruction of toxic organic materials by incineration comprising: means for burning a quantity of waste in a combustion zone which results in the formation of combustion effluents, said combustion effluents containing a quantity of unoxidized toxic organic materials; a combustion chamber located downstream of the combustion zone such that the combustion effluents pass from the combustion zone into the combustion chamber; means for injecting a quantity of clean fuel into the combustion chamber such that the combustion effluents and the clean fuel are mixed, said quantity of clean fuel being injected with a carrier gas, and said quantity of clean fuel having a concentration in the range from about 0.01 wt % to about 0.5 wt % based upon the combustion effluents, said injecting means being located at a point in the combustion chamber where the temperature of the combustion effluents is in the range from about 700° C. to about 1200° C.; and means for controlling the residence time of the clean fuel and the combustion effluents within the combustion chamber so as to partially oxidize the clean fuel thereby increasing the oxidation of the toxic organic materials.

Claim 27

An incinerator as defined in claim 23, wherein the quantity of clean fuel comprises H 2 .

Claim 28

An incinerator as defined in claim 23, wherein the quantity of clean fuel comprises CO.

Claim 29

An incinerator as defined in claim 23, wherein the quantity of clean fuel comprises CH 4 .

Claim 30

An incinerator as defined in claim 24, wherein the quantity of clean fuel comprises a paraffinic hydrocarbon.

Claim 31

An incinerator as defined in claim 24, wherein the quantity of clean fuel injected into the combustion chamber is less than about 0.2 wt % based upon the combustion effluents.

Claim 32

An incinerator as defined in claim 24, wherein the carrier gas comprises air.

Claim 33

An incinerator as defined in claim 24, wherein the carrier gas comprises steam.

Claim 34

An incinerator as defined in claim 24, wherein the carrier gas comprises recycled combustion effluents.