Process to refine flyash captured from pulverized coal fired boilers and auxiliary equipment

Claim 2

A separating and refining process for particulate that has been removed from the exhaust gasses of an organic fuel combustion process which comprises: determining relative sizes of carbon rich and carbon lean particles that are found in the exhaust gasses of the combustion process; supplying the particulate matter from the exhaust of the combustion process; providing a means for conveying said particulate matter between the following steps; separating, by size, coarse and fine particles in the exhaust particulate so as to yield carbon rich and carbon lean fractions; separating, by density, any particles from previous separating steps so as to further separate carbon rich and carbon lean fractions; collecting the carbon rich particles for one of reinjection, storage and subsequent density or size separation; collecting the carbon lean particles for one of disposal and subsequent density or size separation; testing samples of carbon lean particles collected during said collecting step for carbon content; and repeating the foregoing separating operations until desired carbon content is achieved so as to allow recycling of flyash.

Claim 3

A separating and refining process for particulate that has been removed from exhaust gasses of an organic fuel combustion process in which a sorbent material has been added to the exhaust gasses which comprises: determining relative sizes of sorbent and ash particles that are found in the exhaust gasses of the combustion process; determining relative densities of reacted and unreacted sorbent particles that are found in the exhaust gasses of the combustion process; supplying the particulate matter from the exhaust of the combustion process; providing a means for conveying said particulate between the following steps; separating, by size, coarse and fine particles in the exhaust particulate; collecting the sorbent particles for density separation; collecting the flyash particles for one of disposal, reinjection and subsequent separation; testing the flyash collected during the previous collecting step for pH level determination; separating, by density, of said collected sorbent to yield reacted and unreacted sorbent; collecting unreacted sorbent for reinjection; collecting reacted sorbent for disposal; and repeating the foregoing separating operation performed on fine flyash particles until desired pH level of flyash is achieved so as to minimize volume of hazardous waste disposal.

Claim 4

A separating and refining process for particulate that has been removed from exhaust gasses of an organic fuel combustion process in which a sorbent material has been added to the exhaust gasses which comprises: determining relative sizes of sorbent and ash particles that are found in the exhaust gasses of the combustion process; determining relative densities of reacted and unreacted sorbent particles that are found in the exhaust gasses of the combustion process; supplying the particulate matter from the exhaust of the combustion process; providing a means for conveying said particulate between the following steps; separating, by size, coarse and fine particles in the exhaust particulate; collecting the sorbent particles for density separation; collecting the flyash particles for one of disposal, reinjection and subsequent separation; testing the flyash collected during the previous collecting step for pH level determination; separating, by density, of said collected sorbent to yield reacted and unreacted sorbent; collecting unreacted sorbent for reinjection; collecting reacted sorbent for disposal; and repeating the foregoing separating operation performed on fine flyash particles until desired pH level of flyash is achieved so as to minimize volume of hazardous waste disposal.

Claim 5

A process as defined in claim 1 further comprising the step of: providing pneumatic conveyors as the conveying means between steps.

Claim 6

A process as defined in claim 1 further comprising the step of: providing vibratory conveyors as the conveying means between steps.

Claim 7

A process as defined in claim 1 further comprising: the step of providing screw type conveyors as the conveying means between steps.

Claim 8

A process as defined in claim 1 further comprising: the step of providing drag chain conveyors as the conveying means between steps.

Claim 9

A process as defined in claim 1 further comprising: the step of providing cascading conveyors as the conveying means between steps.

Claim 10

A process as defined in claim 1 further comprising the step of: supplying the exhaust particulate into the system directly from an existing ash removal line.

Claim 11

A process as defined in claim 1 further comprising the step of: supplying the exhaust particulate into the system from one or more ash storage areas.

Claim 12

A process as defined in claim 2 further comprising the step of: providing pneumatic conveyors as the conveying means between steps.

Claim 13

A process as defined in claim 2 further comprising the step of: providing vibratory conveyors as the conveying means between steps.

Claim 14

A process as defined in claim 2 further comprising: the step of providing screw type conveyors as the conveying means between steps.

Claim 15

A process as defined in claim 2 further comprising: the step of providing drag chain conveyors as the conveying means between steps.

Claim 16

A process as defined in claim 2 further comprising: the step of providing cascading conveyors as the conveying means between steps.

Claim 17

A process as defined in claim 2 further comprising the step of: supplying the exhaust particulate into the system directly from an existing ash removal line.

Claim 18

A process as defined in claim 2 further comprising the step of: supplying the exhaust particulate into the system from one or more ash storage areas.

Claim 19

A separating and refining apparatus for particulate that has been removed from exhaust gasses of an organic fuel combustion process which comprises: sizing means for determining relative sizes of carbon rich and carbon lean particles that are found in the exhaust gasses of the combustion process; means for supplying the particulate matter from the exhaust of the combustion process; means for conveying said particulate matter between the following; first separating means for separating, by size, coarse and fine particles in the exhaust particulate so as to yield carbon rich and carbon lean fractions; second separating means for separating, by density, particles from said first separating means so as to further separate carbon rich and carbon lean fractions; first collecting means for collecting the carbon rich particles, yielded by the first and second separating means for one of reinjection, storage and subsequent separation; second collecting means for collecting the carbon lean particles, yielded by the first and second separating means for one of disposal and subsequent separation; testing means for testing samples of carbon lean particles collected during said collecting step for carbon content; and means for repeating the foregoing separating operations until desired carbon content is achieved so as to allow recycling of flyash.

Claim 20

A separating and refining apparatus for particulate that has been removed from exhaust gasses of an organic fuel combustion process which comprises: sizing means for determining relative sizes of carbon rich and carbon lean particles that are found in the exhaust gasses of the combustion process; means for supplying the particulate matter from the exhaust of the combustion process; means for conveying said particulate matter between the following; first separating means for separating, by size, coarse and fine particles in the exhaust particulate so as to yield carbon rich and carbon lean fractions; second separating means for separating, by density, particles from said first separating means so as to further separate carbon rich and carbon lean fractions; first collecting means for collecting the carbon rich particles, yielded by the first and second separating means for one of reinjection, storage and subsequent separation; second collecting means for collecting the carbon lean particles, yielded by the first and second separating means for one of disposal and subsequent separation; testing means for testing samples of carbon lean particles collected during said collecting step for carbon content; and means for repeating the foregoing separating operations until desired carbon content is achieved so as to allow recycling of flyash.

Claim 21

A separating and refining apparatus for particulate that has been removed from exhaust gasses of an organic fuel combustion process in which a sorbent material has been added to the exhaust gasses which comprises: sizing means for determining relative sizes of sorbent and ash particles that are found in the exhaust gasses of the combustion process; means for determining the relative densities of reacted and unreacted sorbent particles that are found in the exhaust gasses of the combustion process; means for supplying the particulate matter from the exhaust of the combustion process; means for conveying said particulate between the following steps; first separating means for separating, by size, coarse and fine particles in the exhaust particulate; first collecting means for collecting the sorbent particles for density separation; second collecting means for collecting the flyash particles for one of disposal, reinjection and subsequent separation; means for testing the flyash collected by the second collecting means for pH level determination; second separating means for separating, by density, of said collected sorbent to yield reacted and unreacted sorbent; third collecting means for collecting unreacted sorbent for reinjection; fourth collecting means for collecting reacted sorbent for disposal; and means for repeating the foregoing separating operation performed on fine flyash particles until desired pH level of flyash is achieved so as to minimize volume of hazardous waste disposal.

Claim 22

A separating and refining apparatus for particulate that has been removed from exhaust gasses of an organic fuel combustion process in which a sorbent material has been added to the exhaust gasses which comprises: sizing means for determining relative sizes of sorbent and ash particles that are found in the exhaust gasses of the combustion process; means for determining the relative densities of reacted and unreacted sorbent particles that are found in the exhaust gasses of the combustion process; means for supplying the particulate matter from the exhaust of the combustion process; means for conveying said particulate between the following steps; first separating means for separating, by size, coarse and fine particles in the exhaust particulate; first collecting means for collecting the sorbent particles for density separation; second collecting means for collecting the flyash particles for one of disposal, reinjection and subsequent separation; means for testing the flyash collected by the second collecting means for pH level determination; second separating means for separating, by density, of said collected sorbent to yield reacted and unreacted sorbent; third collecting means for collecting unreacted sorbent for reinjection; fourth collecting means for collecting reacted sorbent for disposal; and means for repeating the foregoing separating operation performed on fine flyash particles until desired pH level of flyash is achieved so as to minimize volume of hazardous waste disposal.

Claim 23

An apparatus as defined in claim 17 further comprising: said conveying means being of a pneumatic type.

Claim 24

An apparatus as defined in claim 17 further comprising: said conveying means being of a vibratory type.

Claim 25

An apparatus as defined in claim 17 further comprising: said conveying means being of a screw type.

Claim 26

An apparatus as defined in claim 17 further comprising: said conveying means being of a drag chain type.

Claim 27

An apparatus as defined in claim 17 further comprising: said conveying means being of a cascading type.

Claim 28

An apparatus as defined in claim 17 further comprising: supply means for supplying said exhaust particulate being an existing ash removal line.

Claim 29

An apparatus as defined in claim 17 further comprising: supplying means for supplying said exhaust particulate being one or more ash storage areas.

Claim 30

An apparatus as defined in claim 18 further comprising: said conveying means being of a pneumatic type.

Claim 31

An apparatus as defined in claim 18 further comprising: said conveying means being of a vibratory type.

Claim 32

An apparatus as defined in claim 18 further comprising: said conveying means being of a screw type.

Claim 33

An apparatus as defined in claim 18 further comprising: said conveying means being of a drag chain type.

Claim 34

An apparatus as defined in claim 18 further comprising: said conveying means being of a cascading type.

Claim 35

An apparatus as defined in claim 18 further comprising: supplying means for supplying said exhaust particulate being an existing ash removal line.

Claim 36

An apparatus as defined in claim 18 further comprising: supply means for supplying said exhaust particulate being one or more ash storage areas.

Claim 37

A process as defined in claim 2 further comprising the step of: grinding the sorbent to a desirable size for reaction with the gasses.

Claim 38

An apparatus as defined in claim 18 further comprising: means for grinding the sorbent to a desirable size for reaction with the gasses.

Claim 39

A process as defined in claim 2 further comprising the step to: grinding the sorbent to a predetermined size that will facilitate separation from the flyash.

Claim 40

An apparatus as defined in claim 18 further comprising: means for grinding the sorbent to a predetermining size that will facilitate separation from the flyash.