Patent ID: 8268133
Filing Date: 2012-09-18
Classification: A62D,B01J,B03B,B09B,C08J,C10B,C10G,H05B,Y02E,Y02P,Y02W

Abstract:
1. A process for reducing an organic-containing material into lower molecular weight gaseous hydrocarbons, liquid hydrocarbons and solid carbon constituents, said process comprising the steps of: feeding a sample of said organic-containing material into an infeed system, wherein said infeed system contains a non-flammable blanketing purge gas, said infeed system selected from the group consisting of a purged sliding shutter assembly and a multiple chamber rotary airlock system; transferring said material into at least one microwave applicator containing said purge gas in a pressurized state above local atmospheric pressure to insure that no air migrates into said microwave applicator which might cause a fire or explosion hazard; exposing said material in said microwave applicator to at least two sources of microwaves from a bifurcated waveguide for a period of time sufficient to volumetrically reduce said material into said constituents, a frequency of said microwaves between approximately 894 MHz and approximately 1000 MHz and without an external heat source, transporting said purge gas to pressurized quartz window assemblies at an end of each waveguide leading into said at least one microwave applicator; monitoring said microwaves by use of a directional coupler system; collecting gaseous byproduct constituents from said volumetrically reduced sample in said microwave applicator; purging an outfeed system for said organic-containing material with said non-flammable blanketing purge gas, said outfeed system selected from the group consisting of a purged sliding shutter assembly and a multiple chamber rotary airlock system; removing said volumetrically reduced organic-containing material from said transporting means after passage from said outfeed system; cooling said collected gaseous byproduct constituents for a sufficient time to allow condensables in said gaseous byproduct constituents to form a liquid; and feeding said collected gaseous byproduct constituents into a gas turbine coupled to an electrical generator to provide electricity to at least an external electrical grid.