Process and apparatus for fixing, encapsulating, stabilizing and detoxifying heavy metals and the like in metal-containing sludges, soils, ash and similar materials

Claim 1

Apparatus for fixing and stabilizing heavy metals in a metal-containing sludge, soil, or ash feed material and the like, having, in combination, pyrolyzer means operable with a substantially oxygen-free internal environment; means for feeding the metal-containing material containing intimately contacting carbon-containing material to the pyrolyzer means; means for adjusting the pyrolyzer means to heat said metal-containing material in said substantially oxygen-free environment to a temperature sufficient to drive off volatile organics and solvents but below the temperatures for complete volatilization of most heavy metals and while inhibiting the formation of oxides of nitrogen and sulfur; means for continuing said heating for a period of time sufficient to produce a char residue with carbon bonded to the metal, until the weight of the residue expressed as a percentage of the weight of the metal-containing material is a minimum, and until substantially all volatile organics and solvents are driven off; means for cooling the said char residue in the absence of air to a temperature low enough to ensure that the residue will no longer combust if exposed to air; and means for thereafter enabling cooling the residue further to ambient temperature to provide a non-leachable residue.