Patent ID: 7421959
Filing Date: 2008-09-09
Classification: F23G

Abstract:
1. A heterogeneous waste processing system, comprising: a feed hopper configured to receive the heterogeneous waste, the feed hopper further being configured to output the received heterogeneous waste at a predetermined rate; a first chamber configured to receive the heterogeneous waste, the first chamber having a first thermal screw, the first thermal screw operating at a first temperature, the first thermal screw being configured to heat the received heterogeneous waste, the first thermal screw further being configured to advance the heterogeneous waste through the first chamber, the heating of the heterogeneous waste resulting in a release of lower-boiling point vapors, the heating of the heterogeneous waste further resulting in remaining waste material; an airlock interposed between the feed hopper and the first chamber, the airlock being configured to substantially seal the first chamber from the atmosphere, the airlock further being configured to receive an inerting gas, the inerting gas being configured to substantially displace air to reduce air entering the first chamber; a set of Venturi scrubbers positioned in parallel, the set of Venturi scrubbers being configured to evacuate the lower-boiling point vapors from the first chamber, the set of Venturi scrubbers further being configured to scrub the lower-boiling point vapors; a second chamber configured to receive the remaining waste material, the second chamber having a second thermal screw, the second thermal screw operating at a second temperature, the second temperature being higher than the first temperature, the second thermal screw being configured to heat the received remaining waste material, the second thermal screw further being configured to advance the remaining waste material through the second chamber, the heating of the remaining waste material resulting in the release of higher-boiling point vapors, the heating of the remaining waste material further resulting in residual waste material; a first Venturi scrubber configured to evacuate the higher-boiling point vapors from the second chamber, the first Venturi scrubber further being configured to scrub the higher-boiling point vapors; a cooling chamber configured to receive the residual waste material, the cooling chamber operating at a third temperature, the third temperature being lower than the first temperature, the cooling chamber being configured to cool the received residual waste material, the cooling of the residual waste material resulting in the release of steam and scrubbed hydrocarbons, the cooling of the residual waste material further resulting in metals and char; a second Venturi scrubber configured to evacuate the steam and scrubbed hydrocarbons from the cooling chamber, the second Venturi scrubber further being configured to scrub the evacuated steam and scrubbed hydrocarbons; a liquid handling system operatively connected to the set of Venturi scrubbers, the first Venturi scrubber, and the second Venturi scrubber, the liquid handling system being configured to receive any liquid output from the set of Venturi scrubbers, the first Venturi scrubber, and the second Venturi scrubber, the liquid handling system further being configured to process the received liquids; a second-stage Venturi scrubber operatively connected to the set of Venturi scrubbers, the first Venturi scrubber, and the second Venturi scrubber, the liquid handling system being configured to receive any vapor output from the set of Venturi scrubbers, the first Venturi scrubber, and the second Venturi scrubber, the second-stage Venturi scrubber being configured to further scrub the received vapors; an exhauster operatively connected to the second-stage Venturi scrubber, the exhauster being configured to exhaust residual non-condensables that are output from the second-stage Venturi scrubber; and a thermal oxidizer operatively coupled to the exhauster, the thermal oxidizer being configured to substantially sanitize the residual non-condensables.