Patent ID: 6293277
Filing Date: 2001-09-25
Classification: F24H

Abstract:
A sludge treatment apparatus including a two-stage submerged combustion heating system comprising:(a) a sludge inlet line;(b) a heat exchanger through which the sludge inlet line passes;(c) a first liquid holding vessel constructed to contain a liquid sludge, said first holding vessel having a liquid inlet from the heat exchanger and a liquid sludge outlet connected to the heat exchanger, and an exhaust gas outlet;(d) a combustion chamber having an open bottom, an interior and interior walls, said combustion chamber positioned in an interior of the first vessel, at least a bottom portion of the combustion chamber being located below a top elevation of the vessel and in the liquid sludge in the first vessel;(e) fuel and air conveyors associated With the combustion chamber for conveying fuel and air into the interior of the combustion chamber, said fuel and air being ignited to create a combustion flame inside the combustion chamber, said flame not touching the interior walls of the combustion chamber or the liquid sludge, said flame generating a hot combustion gas;(f) a plurality of openings located in the combustion chamber for enabling the hot combustion gas to be exhausted from the interior of the combustion chamber into liquid sludge in the first vessel below a level of liquid sludge in the first vessel and heating the liquid sludge in the first vessel;(g) a second liquid sludge holding vessel having an interior, said second vessel connected to the first vessel and holding liquid sludge;(h) a hot air chamber positioned in the interior of the second liquid sludge vessel and connected with the first vessel, said hot air chamber being connected to and receiving hot combustion gas from the first vessel and exhausting the hot combustion gas through the liquid sludge in the second liquid sludge holding vessel and heating the liquid in the second vessel; and(i) an outlet line connecting an outlet of the heat exchanger to a process downstream.