Method and apparatus for thermal processing

Abstract

A method and apparatus for thermal processing of contaminated liquids is disclosed. The system employs an efficient and robust pulse jet burner as its basic energy source. This energy is then used to generate steam which may subsequently be used for a variety of processing and purification steps. A multiple-chamber approach is used: a burner chamber contains the pulse jet burner, a neighboring heat exchanger chamber uses this heat energy to initiate the purification process which started in a third neighboring coagulator chamber into which the contaminated fluids are initially introduced to the system. Combustible liquids which are separated from the contaminated fluids may be used to power the pulse jet for self-contained operation. High temperature flue gases from the pulse jet pass through a supercharger box and then into a vortex dryer which may have a secondary vortex dryer for initial drying of wet solid fuels.

We claim as follows: 
     
         1 . A thermal processing apparatus for processing contaminated liquids and solid wastes, comprising:
 a first chamber, comprising:
 a water-filled burner chamber, comprising:
 a burner, fully immersed in the water and having an inlet and an outlet; and 
 a first steam outlet; and 
 
 an air-filled supercharger box configured to provide air to the inlet and outlet of the burner; 
   a second chamber, comprising an array of heat exchanger tubes having a first steam inlet and a second steam outlet, wherein the first steam inlet is configured to receive steam from the first steam outlet; and   a third chamber, comprising an array of coagulator tubes or plates having a second steam inlet, wherein the second steam inlet is configured to receive steam from the second steam outlet.   
     
     
         2 . The thermal processing apparatus of  claim 1 , the supercharger box further comprising a fan configured to raise the air pressure within the supercharger box up to 3 atmospheres pressure to enhance the combustion efficiency of the burner. 
     
     
         3 . The thermal processing apparatus of  claim 1 , the burner comprising a combustion chamber having inner and outer walls, wherein the inner wall is thermally insulated from the outer wall and is comprised of high temperature metal, and wherein the outer wall is in contact with the water. 
     
     
         4 . The thermal processing apparatus of  claim 3 , the combustion chamber further comprising an injector for injecting fuel between the inner and outer walls for pre-heating, and wherein the inner wall is configured with a multiplicity of openings to enable the pre-heated fuel to enter the combustion chamber. 
     
     
         4 . (canceled) 
     
     
         5 . The thermal processing apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first, second, and third chambers are open at the bottom into a common volume. 
     
     
         6 . The thermal processing apparatus of  claim 5 , further comprising an array of electrically-biased plates configured in the common volume to remove dissolved metals from the liquid in the common volume, to magnetically remove iron, and to hydrolyze water. 
     
     
         7 . The thermal processing apparatus of  claim 5 , further comprising an auger for removal of solid waste accumulated within the common volume. 
     
     
         8 . The thermal processing apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a gas outlet at the top of the third chamber for venting of “light ends”. 
     
     
         9 . The thermal processing apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a fourth chamber, configured as a dryer for wet solid wastes and comprising:
 an inner chamber;   an outer chamber surrounding the inner chamber;   a first inlet configured to receive a first portion of hot flue gas from the supercharger box and to inject the first portion into the inner chamber tangentially, thereby inducing vortex motion of gases within the inner chamber;   a steam generating coil configured in the space outside the inner chamber and inside the outer chamber; and   a second inlet configured to receive a second portion of hot flue gas from the supercharger box and to inject the second portion into the space outside the inner chamber and inside the outer chamber, thereby heating the steam generating coil to produce steam.   
     
     
         10 . The thermal processing apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the fourth chamber further comprises an auger for removal of solid waste accumulated at the bottom of the inner chamber. 
     
     
         11 . The thermal processing apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the fourth chamber further comprises a secondary dryer for partially drying wet solid waste, wherein the secondary dryer is configured to inject the partially dried solid wastes into the inner chamber. 
     
     
         12 . The thermal processing apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the secondary dryer is configured with an auger for feeding wet solid waste into the secondary dryer. 
     
     
         13 . The thermal processing apparatus of  claim 1 , in which the burner comprises a pulse jet burner and further comprising tuning cones for controlling the pulse frequency of the pulse jet burner, independently of the power output from the pulse jet burner. 
     
     
         14 . (canceled) 
     
     
         15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . (canceled) 
     
     
         17 . (canceled) 
     
     
         18 . (canceled) 
     
     
         19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . A thermal processing apparatus for processing contaminated liquids and solid wastes, comprising:
 a first chamber, comprising:
 a water-filled burner chamber, comprising:
 a forced draft burner, fully immersed in the water and comprising:
 a first outlet; 
 a second outlet; and 
 a combustion chamber; and 
 
 a first steam outlet; and 
 
 an air-filled supercharger box configured to provide pressurized air to the first and second outlets; 
   a second chamber, comprising an array of heat exchanger tubes having a first steam inlet and a second steam outlet, wherein the first steam inlet is configured to receive steam from the first steam outlet;   a third chamber, comprising an array of coagulator tubes or plates having a second steam inlet, wherein the second steam inlet is configured to receive steam from the second steam outlet; and   a fourth chamber, configured as a dryer for wet solid wastes and comprising:
 an inner chamber; 
 an outer chamber surrounding the inner chamber; 
 a first inlet configured to receive a first portion of hot flue gas from the supercharger box and to inject the first portion into the inner chamber tangentially, thereby inducing vortex motion of gases within the inner chamber; 
 a steam generating coil configured in the space outside the inner chamber and inside the outer chamber; 
 a second inlet configured to receive a second portion of hot flue gas from the supercharger box and to inject the second portion into the space outside the inner chamber and inside the outer chamber, thereby heating the steam generating coil to produce steam; and 
 a secondary dryer for partially drying wet solid waste, wherein the secondary dryer is configured to inject the partially dried solid wastes into the inner chamber, and wherein the secondary dryer comprises an auger configured to inject wet solid waste into the secondary dryer. 
   
     
     
         21 . The thermal processing apparatus of  claim 20 , the supercharger box further comprising a fan configured to raise the air pressure within the supercharger box up to 3 atmospheres pressure to enhance the combustion efficiency of the forced draft burner. 
     
     
         22 . The thermal processing apparatus of  claim 20 , wherein the first, second, and third chambers are open at the bottom into a common volume, and wherein an array of electrically-biased plates is configured in the common volume to remove dissolved metals from the liquid in the common volume. 
     
     
         23 . The thermal processing apparatus of  claim 22 , further comprising:
 an auger for removal of solid waste accumulated within the common volume; and   a gas outlet at the top of the third chamber for venting of “light ends”.   
     
     
         24 . The thermal processing apparatus of  claim 20 , wherein the fourth chamber further comprises:
 an auger for removal of solid waste accumulated at the bottom of the inner chamber; and   a secondary dryer for drying wet solid waste, and configured to inject the dried solid wastes into the inner chamber.   
     
     
         25 . (canceled) 
     
     
         26 . (canceled) 
     
     
         27 . The thermal processing apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the second chamber further comprises a demister at the top of the chamber for removing carry-over liquid droplets from the gas flow exiting from the second chamber through the demister.