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EP0330872A2 Expired / Lapsed EP ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Method for continuous agglomeration of heavy metals contained in incinerator ash

Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corp
•
Filing: 1989-02-08
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2009-02-08
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Abstract

Abstract Ashes (10) from municipal solid waste and toxic waste incinerators contain heavy metals harmful to the environment. This invention addresses a process in which the noncohesive ash (10) is agglomerated and/or encapsulat­ed to substantially prevent dispersion of heavy metals to the environment. Ash (10) coming out of the incinerator is heated by means of an auxiliary burner or a plasma torch (14) to a temperature equal to or above its fusion or slagging temperature. In addition, low melting additives or fusion temperature lowering additives (19) may be mixed into the ash (10). A large fraction of the ash (10) will melt and form glass-like agglomerates which substantially reduce the leachate of toxic heavy metals. Thus, the agglomerated ash (10) is safe to be transported and dis­posed in the landfill sites.

Inventors

  • 👤 Suh Yong Lee
  • 👤 George Benjamin Levin

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction EP
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-05 08:08
CPC Classifications
C; C22; C22B; C22B7/00; F; F23; F23J; F23J1/00; F23J1/02; B; B09; B09B; B09B3/00; B09B3/20; B09B3/25; B09B3/29; C03; C03C; C03C14/00; F23G; F23G5/00; F23G5/08; F23G5/14; F23G5/16; F23J9/00; C03C2214/00; C03C2214/14

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim 119 words
A method for continuously agglomerating heavy metals contained in ash (10) produced by a municipal solid waste combustor (11) to prevent dispersion of heavy metals to the environment, characterized by the steps of dropping said ash (10) from said combustor (11) on an inclined refractory-lined surface (12) so inclined that said ash (10) runs down said inclined surface (12) in a thin layer, heating said thin layer of ash (10) throughout the thickness of said layer to approximately its fusion temperature with an auxiliary high temperature gas generating device (14) until the ash is molten runs down said inclined surface (12); dropping said molten ash (10a) into an agglomerater (16) and agglomerating said molten ash into glass-like agglomerates (10b).
Claim 2
Independent Claim 119 words
A method for continuously agglomerating heavy metals contained in ash (10) produced by a municipal solid waste combustor (11) to prevent dispersion of heavy metals to the environment, characterized by the steps of dropping said ash (10) from said combustor (11) on an inclined refractory-lined surface (12) so inclined that said ash (10) runs down said inclined surface (12) in a thin layer, heating said thin layer of ash (10) throughout the thickness of said layer to approximately its fusion temperature with an auxiliary high temperature gas generating device (14) until the ash is molten runs down said inclined surface (12); dropping said molten ash (10a) into an agglomerater (16) and agglomerating said molten ash into glass-like agglomerates (10b).
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 34 words
The method of Claim 1 characterized in that heating said thin layer of ash with an auxiliary high temperature gas generating device (14) comprises heating said thin layer of ash with a plasma torch.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 26 words
The method of Claim 1 characterized in that dropping said molten ash into an agglomerater (16) compris­es dropping said molten ash into a wet deslagger (16).
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 43 words
The method of Claim 1 characterized by adding additives (19) to said ash (10) in said combustor prior to dropping said ash (10) on said inclined surface (12), and mixing the additives and ash to lower the fusion temperature of the ash (10).
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 23 words
The method of Claim 4 characterized in that said additives (19) are selected from the group consisting of said, glass, limestone and dolomite.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 27 words
The method of Claim 1 characterized in that heating said ash (10) comprises heating said ash to a temperature generally in the range of 1150°C - 1250°C.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 38 words
The method of Claim 1 characterized by adding air to said ash (10) to burn unburned carbon in said ash to provide additional heat to assist the auxiliary high temperature gas generating device (14) in melting said ash.

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