Process and Equipment for the Treatment of Waste Materials

Abstract

A chamber for treating waste material includes a substantially closed chamber which is horizontally elongate with a conveyor provided within the chamber oriented generally horizontally and defining an upper portion and a lower portion with a series of paddles arranged to move material along the upper portion of the conveyor. A material supporting surface formed of ceramic material is provided between the upper portion and the lower portion of the conveyor. The material supporting surface is generally U-shaped and forms a channel through which the paddles move along the upper portion of the conveyor. The material supporting surface is carried by a plurality of metal horizontal support members which are cooled by a fluid. The paddles are asymmetrically oriented with respect to the conveyor.

1 . A chamber for treatment of waste material, comprising:
 a substantially closed chamber, said substantially closed chamber being horizontally elongate;   an arrangement to substantially prevent oxygen from entering said chamber;   a conveyor provided within said substantially closed chamber, said conveyor being oriented generally horizontally and defining an upper portion and a lower portion, said conveyor having a series of paddles arranged to move material along said upper portion of said conveyor; and,   a material supporting device provided between said upper portion and said lower portion of said conveyor, said material supporting device being arranged beneath said upper portion of said conveyor, said material supporting device being formed of ceramic material.   
   
   
       2 . The chamber of  claim 1  wherein said material supporting device is formed of ceramic cement. 
   
   
       3 . The chamber of  claim 1  wherein said material supporting device is formed of refractory ceramic cement. 
   
   
       4 . The chamber of  claim 1  wherein said material supporting device is generally U-shaped and forms a channel through which the paddles move along the upper portion of the conveyor. 
   
   
       5 . The chamber of  claim 1  wherein said material supporting device is carried by a plurality of horizontal support members which extend transversely across the chamber. 
   
   
       6 . The chamber of  claim 5  wherein said plurality of horizontal support members are made of metal and further comprising passageways for supplying a cooling fluid in thermal contact with at least one of said plurality of horizontal support members. 
   
   
       7 . The chamber of  claim 6  wherein a passageway for supplying said cooling fluid is provided in thermal contact with each of said plurality of horizontal support members. 
   
   
       8 - 9 . (canceled) 
   
   
       10 . The chamber of  claim 1  further comprising an inlet whereby a discrete batch of waste material may be periodically supplied to the conveyor. 
   
   
       11 . (canceled) 
   
   
       12 . The chamber of  claim 10  further comprising:
 an arrangement to heat the interior of the chamber;   piping to collect gases given off by the waste material while being conveyed through the chamber; and,   an arrangement to collect remaining waste material from a downstream end of said conveyor.   
   
   
       13 . The chamber of  claim 12  wherein said arrangement to heat the interior of the chamber comprises a plurality of electrical resistance heating elements. 
   
   
       14 . The chamber of  claim 13  wherein said plurality of electrical resistance heating elements is arranged into individually controlled groups. 
   
   
       15 - 16 . (canceled) 
   
   
       17 . The chamber of  claim 1  wherein said conveyor comprises first and second chains with said paddles provided between said first and second chains, said paddles being oriented perpendicularly with respect to the first and second chains. 
   
   
       18 . The chamber of  claim 17  wherein a relatively large portion of each of said paddles extends perpendicularly from said chains toward said material supporting device. 
   
   
       19 . The chamber of  claim 18  further comprising a second supporting device provided beneath the lower portion of the conveyor, a relatively small portion of each of said paddles extending perpendicularly from said chains toward said second supporting device. 
   
   
       20 - 26 . (canceled) 
   
   
       27 . The chamber of  claim 13 , wherein said electrical resistance heaters heat the chamber to about 525° C. 
   
   
       28 - 33 . (canceled) 
   
   
       34 . A method for operating a chamber for treatment of waste material, comprising the steps of:
 heating a substantially closed chamber, said substantially closed chamber being horizontally elongate;   driving a conveyor provided within said substantially closed chamber, said conveyor being oriented generally horizontally and defining an upper portion and a lower portion, said conveyor having a series of paddles arranged to move material along said upper portion of said conveyor; and,   providing a material supporting surface between said upper portion and said lower portion of said conveyor, said material supporting surface being arranged beneath said upper portion of said conveyor, said material supporting surface being formed of ceramic material.   
   
   
       35 . The method of  claim 34  further comprising the steps of:
 supplying a cooling fluid in thermal contact with a plurality of horizontal support members within said chamber;   periodically supplying a discrete batch of waste material to the conveyor;   substantially preventing oxygen from entering said chamber.   collecting gases given off by the waste material while being conveyed through the chamber; and,   collecting remaining waste material from a downstream end of said conveyor.   
   
   
       36 . The method of  claim 34  further comprising the step of collecting remaining waste material from an upstream end of said conveyor. 
   
   
       37 . The method of  claim 34  wherein a relatively small portion of each of said paddles urges remaining waste material along the second supporting surface and into the arrangement to collect remaining waste material from the upstream end of the conveyor to prevent fouling of the conveyor. 
   
   
       38 . The method of  claim 37  further comprising the step of sliding first and second chains of said conveyor on ceramic bearing surfaces provided longitudinally within said chamber. 
   
   
       39 . The method of  claim 34  further comprising the step of lubricating the chains of the conveyor with carbon formed during heating of the waste material within the chamber. 
   
   
       40 . The method of  claim 34 , further comprising the steps of:
 recovering gases from an upper portion of said chamber;   recovering heat energy from said cooling fluid after said cooling fluid has been in thermal contact with said at least one of a plurality of horizontal support members within said chamber, whereby thermal efficiency of the method for operating a chamber for the treatment of waste material is improved; and,   burning said recovered gases in a combustion chamber.