Patent ID: 6660900
Filing Date: 2003-12-09
Classification: A62D

Abstract:
A process for the low temperature, non-incineration decontamination of contaminated metal components containing small amounts of hazardous agents, the process comprising:(a) mixing the contaminated metal components with organic solid materials to form a feed mixture containing metallic material and non-metallic material; (b) contacting the feed mixture with steam at substantially ambient. pressure in a substantially dry first heated vessel for a period of at least about 15 minutes, the steam being at a temperature of at least about 560Â° C., whereby essentially all of the hazardous agents are removed from the contaminated metal components, and whereby all of the non-metallic material within the feed mixture is volatilized; (c) removing a first gaseous discharge stream containing hazardous agents from the first heated vessel, the first gaseous discharge stream comprising a condensible moiety and a non-condensible moiety; (d) heating the first gaseous discharge stream at substantially ambient pressure in a substantially dry second vessel to at least about 500Â° C. and maintaining the first gaseous discharge stream in the second vessel above at least about 500Â° C. for a period of at least about one second in an atmosphere containing steam, whereby at least about 99 wt. % of the hazardous agents within the first gaseous discharge stream are converted to non-hazardous agents; (e) removing a second gaseous discharge stream containing a reduced concentration of hazardous agents from the second vessel, the second gaseous discharge stream comprising a condensible moiety and a non-condensible moiety; (f) having a concentration of hazardous agents less than about 100 mg/l; (g) increasing the pH of the condensate to at least about 8.0 so as to reduce the concentration of hazardous agents within the condensate to less than about 1.0 mg/l; and (h) catalytically treating the non-condensible moiety of the second gaseous discharge stream in the presence of oxygen so that the concentration of hazardous agents within the non-condensible moiety of the second gaseous discharge stream is reduced to less than about 1.0 mg/m3 at standard temperature and pressure.