Waste and toxic gas combustion reactor

Abstract

A waste and toxic gas reactor for completely combusting produced gases with low NO x emissions is provided. The reactor includes a plurality of staged air orifices that create a vortex in the combustion chamber. The vortex increases the residence time of the introduced gas molecules and thus facilitates complete combustion at lower temperatures.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A reactor comprising: 
 an outer casing with first and second ends;    an inner casing with first and second ends, said inner casing forming a reaction chamber with a centerline;    an annulus formed between the outer and inner casings;    an air inlet assembly within the annulus comprising a plurality of non-radial orifices formed in the inner casing;    a back plate enclosing the first end of the outer casing;    an orifice plate spaced from the back plate at the first end of the inner casing; and    a gas header being formed within the outer casing between the back plate and the orifice plate.    
     
     
         2 . The reactor of  claim 1  further comprising tubular extensions attached to each of the plurality of non-radial orifices.  
     
     
         3 . The reactor of  claim 2  wherein the tubular extensions are located in the annulus between the inner and outer casings.  
     
     
         4 . The reactor of  claim 1  wherein the plurality of orifices are spaced equidistant from one another in a plurality of circular rows.  
     
     
         5 . The reactor of  claim 1  further comprising a plurality of orifices in the orifice plate, each orifice having a centerline substantially parallel to the reaction chamber centerline.  
     
     
         6 . The reactor of  claim 5  further comprising a tubular extension attached to each of the plurality of orifices.  
     
     
         7 . The reactor of  claim 1  further comprising a pilot burner extending through the back plate and the orifice plate into the reaction chamber.  
     
     
         8 . The reactor of  claim 1  wherein the inner casing further comprises a first cylindrical portion, a second cylindrical portion of smaller diameter than the first cylindrical portion, and a conical portion connecting first and second cylindrical portions.  
     
     
         9 . The reactor of  claim 8  further comprising a plurality of small holes in the second cylindrical portion.  
     
     
         10 . The reactor of  claim 1  wherein a centerline of each of the non-radial orifices creates a chord across the inner casing forming an acute angle with a radius extending to each orifice.  
     
     
         11 . The reactor of  claim 5  wherein the centerlines of the orifices in the orifice plate intersect chords formed by the centerlines of the non-radial orifices.  
     
     
         12 . The reactor of  claim 5  wherein the centerlines of the non-radial orifices are perpendicular to the centerlines of the orifices in the orifice plate.  
     
     
         13 . A combustion reactor comprising: 
 an outer casing with first and second ends;    a back plate enclosing the first end of the outer casing;    an inner casing with first and second ends, said inner casing forming a reaction chamber with a centerline;    an orifice plate spaced from the back plate and connected to the first end of the inner casing, said plate having a plurality of orifices;    an annulus formed between the inner and outer casings;    an air inlet assembly comprising a plurality of non-radial orifices formed in the inner casing;    a gas header being formed within the outer casing between the back plate and the orifice plate;    wherein the centerlines of the orifices in the orifice plate intersect chords formed by the centerlines of the non-radial orifices.    
     
     
         14 . The reactor of  claim 13  further comprising tubular extensions attached to each of the non-radial orifices within the annulus formed between the inner and outer casings.  
     
     
         15 . The reactor of  claim 13  further comprising a pilot burner extending through the back plate and the orifice plate into the reaction chamber.  
     
     
         16 . A method of combusting waste or toxic gases comprising the steps of: 
 introducing a waste or toxic gas into a reaction chamber through orifices having centerlines parallel to the centerline of the reaction chamber;    introducing an oxygen containing gas into the reaction chamber through a plurality of non-radial orifices formed in the walls of the reaction chamber, the chords of said non-radial orifices forming chords in the reaction chamber that form an acute angle with a radius of the reaction chamber;    creating a vortex within the reaction chamber; and    completely combusting the waste or toxic gas with the oxygen-containing gas in the reaction chamber.    
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16  wherein the step of completely combusting the waste or toxic gas further comprises staged combustion created by a plurality of rows of non-radial orifices.