Patent Publication Number: US-10317074-B1

Title: Hand-held medication and electronic waste incinerator

Description:
TECHNOLOGICAL FIELD 
     The technological field relates to incinerators, and to incineration of items such as unwanted medications and electronic devices in particular. 
     BACKGROUND 
     For a variety of reasons, a quantity of medications otherwise intended for personal use may no longer be needed and should therefore be properly disposed of. Often, these left-over medications are just thrown away or flushed down a toilet. Not all medications break down quickly into harmless elements or compounds, and may environmentally persist long enough in soil or water to present a hazard to plants, animals or humans. Safe disposal occurs when the compounds in the medication are reduced to simpler chemical forms so that they present no biological hazard. 
     Similarly, the growing use of electronic devices which are physically small but capable of massive data storage, such as thumb drives, data cards, smart phones and hard disk drives, poses a problem for information security. If such a device falls into the wrong hands, it could disclose personal data allowing identity theft or other harm to its former owner. “Safe disposal” in this case would occur if a discarded device were treated in such a way as to render any data within it impossible to recover. 
     Because the quantities of these unwanted medications and devices may be small, the cost and inconvenience of collecting them for safe disposal often becomes excessive, creating a significant disincentive to such disposal. A device that incinerates a medication or electronic waste to a harmless state and that can be recycled would be an advantage. 
     SUMMARY 
     Disclosed herein is a disposable, hand-held or readily portable incinerator for destroying by incineration a quantity of medications, such as leftover, over-the-counter pharmaceuticals, prescription drugs, controlled drugs, and illegal drugs; data-containing electronic waste (“e-waste”) such as thumb drives, smart phones, data cards and computer hard drives; or virtually any other substance or item which can be broken down or rendered unusable by heat. 
     The incinerator comprises a body having an interior, a lid attachable to the body, insulation surrounding the interior of the body, an igniter proximate to the interior of the body, and a composition capable of generating both heat and free oxygen (the “burn agent”) to thermally denature the material to be destroyed and to facilitate combustion of combustible materials. 
     A feature of the disclosure is that its components cooperate to provide convenient destruction of a quantity of medication or e-waste for safe disposal. 
     Another feature of the disclosure is that combustion of the burn agent creates an atmosphere of very hot, substantially pure oxygen within the burn chamber to facilitate the combustion of any organic materials present. 
     Another feature of the disclosure is that it includes a filter system with two filtration stages for the off-gases to prevent or reduce air pollution: the first filtration stage employing a noncombustible filtering agent such as silica gel, while the second stage employs a higher-efficiency particulate filter, such as activated charcoal. 
     Further disclosed is a method for disposing of medication, e-waste or similar unwanted material comprising the steps of opening the lid to present the interior of the incinerator body; placing the unwanted material in the interior of the body; adding a burn agent from an external source, if not already present; re-closing the incinerator; activating the igniter to ignite the burn agent; filtering the hot escaping gases to minimize air pollution; and then, once combustion is complete, disposing of the incinerator or the inner portion thereof holding the spent burn agent and any remains of the unwanted material. 
     A feature of the disclosure is insulation surrounding the interior of the body to minimize the temperature rise at its exterior surface and to ensure more complete combustion of its contents. 
     Another feature of the disclosure is that the insulation may be a foamed anhydrite, able to be cast in place as a gypsum foamed by catalytic action and then freed of chemically-bound water by heating. This insulation has the advantages of low material cost, low weight, good heat resistance, lack of any known toxicity or other biological hazard, and convenient recycling. 
     Another feature of the disclosure is that the insulation is surrounded and mechanically protected by an outer envelope, the insulation and the envelope able to be handled as a unit before, during, and after use, and then discarded or recycled as a unit. 
     Another feature of the disclosure is that the body, the lid, or both have plural air holes or a continuous air channel, permitting the interior of the body to communicate with the exterior of the body and vent off-gases from combustion. 
     Another feature of the disclosure is that the off-gases leaving the interior of the body pass through one or more filtration zones before escaping to the outside. Filtration zones may contain activated charcoal, silica gel, porous zeolite materials, molecular sieves or other high-surface-area materials capable of absorbing or adsorbing contaminants. In each of the aspects, the off-gases pass through a first zone containing a noncombustible filter agent such as silica gel, followed by a second zone preferably containing activated charcoal. 
     Another feature of the disclosure is that the lid may be locked to the body of the incinerator prior to combustion. The body may have locking tabs and the lid, a locking groove for receiving the locking tabs thereby locking the lid to the body during incineration. Alternatively, the lid may have the locking tabs and the body, the locking groove. As another alternative, a lever-operated locking mechanism, similar to that on a conventional ammunition box, may be provided. 
     Another feature of the disclosure is that the igniter has a first portion interior to the body, in contact with the burn agent, and an external portion that is operable to cause ignition. The external portion may be, for example, a pull-tab having a rest position and a pulled position. When the pull-tab is moved from the rest position to the pulled position, the igniter is activated. 
     For instance, the pull-tab might have a surface coated in a first chemical mixture and sliding against a surface coated with a second mixture, these mixtures being similar to those used in a safety match. Pulling the tab would cause these mixtures to rub together and ignite. The internal portion of the igniter would then serve as a pyrotechnic delay element yielding a 15- to 20-second delay so the person activating the device could withdraw to a safe distance before burn agent ignition. 
     Alternatively, the igniter could be electric with a Nichrome or other resistive element contacting either the burn agent or another combustible material, such as a short length of safety fuse (also called “cannon” or “visco” fuse) attached thereto. Completing an electric circuit, desirably via wireless remote control, would then ignite the burn agent. 
     As another alternative, the igniter could simply be a length of safety fuse extending from the burn agent to the exterior of the device, its length inherently providing the needed safety delay. 
     A feature of the disclosed method is allowing the incinerator or its non-reusable inner portion to cool before disposing of it. 
     Those skilled in waste disposal requirements will recognize other features and their advantages from a careful reading of the following Detailed Description, accompanied by the drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       In the figures, 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective, partially cut-away view of the inner, non-reusable and desirably recyclable portion of an incinerator device, according to a first aspect of the disclosure; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective, partially cut-away view of the inner portion of the incinerator device according to the first aspect of the disclosure, and using a different burn agent configuration. 
         FIG. 3  is a flow chart illustrating the manufacture of a body of a lightweight, low-cost and easily recyclable insulation for use in lining the incinerator device; 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective, partially cut-away view of the inner portion of the incinerator device during casting of the insulation; 
         FIG. 5 a    is a perspective, partially cut-away view of the complete incinerator device according to the first aspect of the disclosure, including both its reusable and non-reusable portions except for the igniter, and  FIG. 5 b    is a simplified version of  FIG. 5 a    with arrows showing the paths taken by combustion gases; 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective, partially cut-away view of the complete incinerator device according to a second aspect of the disclosure except for the igniter; 
         FIG. 7 a    is a perspective, partially cut-away view of the body and closure means of the complete incinerator device according to a third aspect of the disclosure except for the igniter and for removable modules containing the burn agent and filtering materials, while  FIG. 7 b    is a simplified cross-section of the same device shown in  FIG. 7 a    with arrows showing the paths taken by combustion gases; 
         FIG. 8  is a perspective, partially cut-away view of the complete incinerator device according to the first aspect of the disclosure, showing a first burn-agent igniter; 
         FIG. 9  is a closeup, partially cut-away view of a second burn-agent igniter, usable with the second or third aspects of the disclosure; 
         FIG. 10 a    is a partially cut-away view of a third burn-agent igniter, also usable with the second or third aspects of the disclosure, while  FIG. 10 b    shows the same device in simplified electronic schematic form; 
         FIG. 11  is a flow chart illustrating the manufacture of a burn agent for use in the incinerator device; and, 
         FIG. 12  is an Arrhenius plot of data retention time in solid-state drives, which use the same data-storage principle as flash drives, as it varies with temperature. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 1 through 12 , there is illustrated a hand-held or readily portable incinerator for quantities of medications, e-waste or similar unwanted material. 
       FIG. 1  shows a perspective, partially cut-away view of the inner, non-reusable and desirably recyclable portion of an incinerator device according to a first aspect of the disclosure, optimized for low cost and recyclability, hereafter called the “low cost” version. 
     Container  1  is preferably made of metal, more preferably of aluminum, and most preferably the size of a standard aluminum beverage can in any of the standard sizes from eight to forty ounces, with the top removed. 
     Inside container  1  is cast or otherwise installed an insulating layer  2  of low-density, porous and heat-resisting insulation. Insulating layer  2  may be formed from any known insulating material, such as fiberglass or porous firebrick, and is preferably cast in place from a porous gypsum composition thereafter converted to heat-resisting anhydrite, as detailed later in this disclosure and shown in  FIG. 3  and the accompanying text. 
     Within insulating layer  2  is a burn agent  3 . Burn agent  3 , also formed as a layer, contains solid materials which, upon ignition, will react thereby releasing heat and free oxygen while leaving behind the remaining reaction products as a solid residue, much as do the “oxygen candles” used to provide emergency breathing oxygen on aircraft. 
     Burn agent  3  may, for example, comprise a powdered metal chlorate, a “smoothing” catalyst to ease the chlorate&#39;s decomposition, and a powdered reactive metal as the fuel. See for example William Schlechter, U.S. Pat. No. 2,469,414, “Chlorate candles as oxygen-yielding compositions”; and Yunchang Zhang et al., both U.S. Pat. No. 6,264,896, “Oxygen generating compositions” and U.S. Pat. No. 6,007,736, “Oxygen generating compositions catalyzed by copper and nickel oxides,” which are hereby incorporated in their entirety by reference. To simplify safe disposal, the toxicity of the catalyst must be low. Preparation and performance of a suitable burn agents for the present purpose are summarized in EXAMPLE 2 described below in this disclosure. 
     After formation of insulating layer  2  the burn agent  3 , moistened for molding, is formed by gentle compression into a layer leaving a central cavity  4  as shown, then dried. Burn agent  3  must be as nearly free of perchlorates as possible since these are very hygroscopic and, if present, will retard or prevent drying. 
     Once layers  2  and  3  are dry, container  1  is sealed with a water-impermeable lid  5  to protect layers  2  and  3  mechanically and to prevent re-absorption of water, which could interfere with burn-agent combustion. 
     In use, lid  5  is removed and burn items  6  to be destroyed, here represented by a thumb drive and prescription medicine bottle shown in simplified outline, are dropped into cavity  4 . The incinerator device is then re-assembled and burn agent  3  is ignited, surrounding the burn items with an atmosphere of very hot, substantially pure oxygen that destroys or degrades pharmaceutical substances and renders data on any electronic devices unrecoverable. 
       FIG. 2  shows a perspective, partially cut-away view of the inner portion of the incinerator device according to the first aspect of the disclosure using a different configuration for burn agent  3 . 
     Container  1  and insulating layer  2  are as described above in the first aspect of the disclosure. Instead of forming a continuous pre-placed burn agent  3 , burn agent  3  is provided in powder form and is poured by the user into central cavity  4  just before use. Burn agent  3  is pre-measured so the user need only open a water-impermeable bag and pour in the agent in. Burn agent  3  may be divided between two such bags, with the contents of a first bag  10   a  poured in, the burn items  6  added, then contents of a second bag  10   b  poured over burn items  6  to partially surround them with burn agent  3 , as shown in  FIG. 2 . 
     For safety in transportation, and especially to prevent accidental ignition, the bag or bags of burn agent are preferably placed in cavity  4  by the manufacturer and protected by attaching lid  5  prior to use. 
     After placement of the burn items  6  and burn agent  3 , the incinerator device is then assembled, burn agent  3  ignited, and burn items  6  destroyed in the manner previously described. 
       FIG. 3  is a flow chart illustrating the manufacture of a body of a lightweight, low-cost and easily recyclable insulation for use in lining the incinerator device. The chart is self-explanatory in light of EXAMPLE 1 given below. Its early steps, apart from the shape and construction of the molds, are those disclosed by Friedrich Hinsche et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 4,072,786, “Production of Floor Toppings by Flowing Inorganic Binder Suspensions Over Porous Open-Cell Underlays,” which is hereby incorporated in its entirety by reference. The final step shown below, of converting porous gypsum material to anhydrite to form a heat-resistant thermal insulation, is not taught by Hinshce et al. 
     As is well known in the art of making plaster of Paris, calcium sulfate dihydrate (Gypsum, CaSO 4 .2H 2 O; MW 172.17) transforms to hemihydrate (Plaster of Paris, CaSO 4 .½H 2 O, MW 145.15) at 100-150° C., then to gamma-anhydrite (CaSO 4 , “soluble” anhydrite, MW 136.14) at 180° C., and then to beta-anhydrite (“insoluble anhydrite,” same M.W.) above 250° C. Beta-anhydrite melts and begins to decompose at 1302° C. For comparison, pure aluminum melts at 660.32° C. while type “E” fiberglass, used in making fiberglass cloth, softens at 846° C. 
     Conversion of one gram of calcium sulfate hemihydrate stoichiometrically back to the dihydrate requires 186 milligrams of water. For workability a larger amount of mix water, typically one-half the volume of the hemihydrate, is usually used. 
     Example 1 
       FIG. 4  shows a perspective, partially cut-away view of the inner portion of the incinerator device during casting of the insulation. 
     Container  1  shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , was a common 12-ounce (354 milliliter), 66 millimeter O.D. aluminum beverage can  1 ′. Can  1 ′ was cut off roughly halfway up the region in which it tapered from its maximum diameter to the diameter of the top, leaving a rim  20  open with a diameter slightly less than the maximum diameter of the can  1 ′. 
     A tapered inner mold  22  was made of high-density polyethylene. The narrow end of inner mold  22  was inserted into can  1 ′ so that the narrow end just filled the diameter of can  1 ′ at top. A last section was then cut away leaving roughly one-quarter inch of clearance between the slightly domed bottom  24  of can  1 ′ and the plane  30  of cut end of mold  22 . The cut end of can  1 ′ was then sealed with two layers of heavy-duty duct tape. 
     Before inner mold  22  was used, a 9-inch square of 5.4-ounce Type “E” fiberglass cloth was slit  3 ″ inward from the center of each straight side toward the center, creating four 4.5″ squares joined by a center hub. This hub was placed over the duct-tape-covered end of the inner mold, and the corners of the square were gently stretched lengthwise on the inner mold and fastened to it with tape  32  forming a fiberglass layer  34  surrounding the inner mold and extending above the rim  20  of container  1 . 
     Plaster of Paris, taken straight from the package, was found to have a density of 0.929 gram per cubic centimeter. 96.0 grams were weighed out and mixed with a dilute solution of hydrogen peroxide plus a surfactant, namely, 20 milliliters of 3% commercial hydrogen peroxide in 30 milliliters of distilled water plus about 380 milligrams of sodium laureth sulfate dissolved in 3.2 milliliters of water. The resulting mix liquid contained about 1.1% hydrogen peroxide plus about 0.7% sodium laureth sulfate, the balance being water. 
     A stock solution of potassium permanganate (KMnO 4 ) was prepared by placing 500 milligrams of KMnO 4  in a 50-milliliter volumetric flask, dissolving it in about 20 milliliters of distilled water, then filling to the 50-milliliter mark to yielding a 1.0% KMnO 4  solution. 
     This solution was then mixed in a cup (not shown). The dry plaster of Paris was placed in the cup, the mix liquid added, and its contents blended for 60 seconds. One milliliter of the stock 1% KMnO 4  solution was gently dispensed onto the surface of the wet mix using a syringe. 
     As quickly as possible the mixture was blended for a further ten seconds, which started the peroxide decomposition releasing oxygen as a foaming agent. Still working quickly, the mix  36 , foamy and warm from reaction heat and visibly rising, was spooned into the outer mold, and the inner mold was pushed into place. A small amount of foam  38  oozed out around the edges while additional foam was forced into the pores of fiberglass cloth  34 , locking it in place. Progress of setting was monitored by testing excess foam  38 . Complete setting took about one hour. 
     When foam  36  had set, fiberglass layer  34  was untaped from inner mold  22 , which was then carefully removed with a twisting motion leaving fiberglass layer  34  behind as a lining for central cavity  4 , protecting the inner surface of insulating layer  2 , as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . Excess foam  38  was cleaned away and the excess fiberglass layer  34  cut off flush with can top rim  20 . 
     Container  1 , including insulating layer  2  and fiberglass layer  34 , was dried overnight at 60° C. to remove unreacted water. Can  1 ′ was then fired for one hour at 500° C. to drive off chemically-bound water, and to convert the foamed gypsum to gamma-anhydrite without melting the aluminum or the fiberglass. 
     Tests on a piece of the broken-off foam  38  showed that it withstands blowtorch heat, glowing yellow-white without melting or any other apparent change. A yellow-white glow represents roughly 1200° C. 
       FIG. 5 a    shows a perspective, partially cut-away view of the complete incinerator device according to the first aspect of the disclosure, the low-cost version, including both its reusable and non-reusable portions, and except for the igniter. 
     Container  1  and its contents are as shown and described in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . Placed under container  1  is a pad  50  of porous, heat-resisting material, preferably fiberglass cloth, containing channels through which hot combustion gases may pass. 
     Surrounding container  1  and its contents is a second container  52 , placed with its opening downward and rim resting on pad  50 , and covering container  1 . The height of container  52  is chosen to provide open clearance between its solid bottom (now turned upward) and rim  20  of container  1 , again allowing the passage of hot gases. 
     Surrounding second container  52  in turn is a third container  54 , which may be straight-sided and preferably is a tapered pail as shown in the drawing. Container  1 , second container  52  and third container  54  are chosen to have successively wider outside diameters, leaving a clear channel between the outer surface of container  1  and the inner surface of second container  52  and again between the outer surface of second container  52  and the inner surface of third container  54 . Both second container  52  and third container  54  are made of heat-resistant material such as steel, and are intended for reuse. For example, if container  1  is a US standard 12-ounce beverage can prepared as previously set forth (2⅝″ wide by 4½″ tall), second container  52  is conveniently a standard 1-quart steel paint can (4″ wide×6″ tall), and third container  54  is conveniently a two-quart steel pail (4⅞″ wide at bottom, 6″ wide at top and 5¼″ tall). 
     The assembly of container  1 , second container  52  and third container  54  may be locked together by some mechanical means, for example by a heat-resistant tie-down strap  56  as shown in  FIG. 5 a   . This permits some slight upward motion of second container  52 , nominally about one-quarter inch, upon ignition of burn agent  3  to allow combustion gases to escape more readily under the rim of second container  52 . Alternatively, to keep costs down, the assembly may simply be held together by gravity. In the latter case, second container  52  normally rises an inch or more due to the increased gas pressure upon burn agent ignition. Tests suggest such motion does not significantly impact the device&#39;s performance. 
     Placed in the space between the outer surface of second container  52  and the inner surface of third container  54  are successively a volume of a noncombustible first filtering agent  60  such as dry silica gel, expanded perlite or molecular sieves, and a volume of a second and more efficient, and optionally combustible, second filtering agent  62  such as activated charcoal. Both of these act as filters for combustion gases leaving container  1 , removing both particulate matter and some harmful chemical species. 
     First filtering agent  60  is placed so that the hot gases will pass through it first, serving as a thermal buffer and preventing actual flame from the combustion in container  1  from reaching second filtering agent  62 , which may be combustible. A smaller volume of first agent  60  is needed than of second agent  62 . For example, in tests of this aspect of the disclosure, 40 grams of silica gel were followed in each case by 150 grams of charcoal. 
     Filtering agents  60  and  62  are preferably separated by a loosely-packed ring of fiberglass cloth  64  to aid in gas distribution and in separation of the two filter materials, if desired, for reuse after combustion. Alternatively, second agent  62  may be enclosed in a ring-shaped fiberglass cloth bag simply laid on top of the layer of gel, or both agents may be enclosed in such bags. 
     Like can  52  and pail  54 , filtering agents  60  and  62  are intended for reuse and depending on the nature of the burn items, can probably be used about ten times before requiring disposal. 
       FIG. 5 b    is a simplified version of  FIG. 5 a   , with arrows showing the paths taken by combustion gases. Since the device is cylindrically symmetrical, one-half of it is shown in the  FIG. 5   b.    
     Hot oxygen released from the ignited burn agent passes into the central combustion area  70  as indicated by arrows  72 . The heat breaks down organic materials in combustion area  70 , including plastics and pharmaceutical materials, which then combust in the oxygen. A mixture of oxygen, gaseous decomposition products released from the burn items, and combustion products passes over rim  20  of container  1  and downward through the space between container  1  and can  52  as indicated by arrow  74 , then returns upward through first filtering agent  60  and second filtering agent  62  (not shown in  FIG. 5 b   ) between second container  52  and third container  54  as indicated by arrow  76 . By then, the expanding gases have reacted and cooled enough for filtration to be effective. 
     The mixture of gases, holding some unreacted oxygen and combustible decomposition products, then exits upward from third container  54  as indicated by arrow  78 . The hot gases typically then burst into flame again, this flame having the transparent appearance of one containing enough, or nearly enough, oxygen for complete and final combustion of the decomposition products. 
       FIG. 6  shows a perspective, partially cut-away view of the complete incinerator  100  according to a second aspect of the disclosure, except for the igniter. Optimized for compactness, incinerator  100  will hereafter be referred to as the “pocket” version. It is intended for one-time use, and thus has no reusable portions. 
     Incinerator  100  is made of heat-resistant material, preferably in the form of a flattened and partly squared-off cylinder measuring about one and one-half by three by six inches and generally indicated by  100 , which is divided into two parts, a burn housing  102  and a filter housing  104 . 
     Burn housing  102  is lined, except at its open top, with thermally insulating material  2  as previously disclosed. Insulating material  2  is thicker near the narrow ends  106  and  106   b , thinner toward the adjacent wider sides, leaving more space for burn item or items  6  (here represented by a prescription vial) in center cavity  4 . Burn agent  3  is placed near narrow ends  106   a  and  106   b  by the same method explained in the text accompanying  FIG. 2 , again thinning toward the wider sides or absent there to leave more space for the burn items. 
     Filter housing  104  is divided by porous partitions  110 ,  112  and  114  of heat-resistant material, such as fiberglass, into compartments  120  and  122 . Compartment  120 , which in use is set adjacent to burn housing  102 , holds first, (noncombustible) filtering agent  60 , while compartment  122  holds second (more efficient) filtering agent  62 , as previously disclosed. Hot gases from combustion pass successively through partition  114 , compartment  120  with filtering agent  60 , partition  112 , compartment  122  with filtering agent  62 , and partition  110  before exiting to the open air. 
     Burn housing  102  and filter housing  104  are removably or openably fastened together by means such as a hinge and latch or a pair of latches of any conventional type. To forestall the opening of incinerator  100  during combustion, the fastening means must be made of heat-resistant material. As one example, a simple bayonet-style twist-lock mechanism, similar to that in a BNC electrical connector, comprising two slotted metal lugs  130   a  and  130   b  and two fixed metal studs  132   a  and  132   b  (the former not visible in  FIG. 6 ), may be used to secure burn housing  102  to filter housing  104 . 
     A hole  134  passing through the wall of burn housing  102  and insulation  2  exposing burn agent  3  at its bottom, permits the igniter (not shown in  FIG. 6 ), normally kept separate from burn housing  102  and its contents for safety, to be attached temporarily conveying heat through the hole to ignite burn agent  3 . Hole  134  is preferably kept covered by tape or plugged by a stopper until use. 
     To use incinerator  100  the burn item(s) are placed in cavity  4 , the two housings are placed together with a slight angular offset, then twisted into alignment causing metal lugs  130   a  and  130   b  to engage studs  132   a  and  132   b  locking the housings together. The burn agent is then ignited. 
       FIG. 7 a    is a perspective, partially cut-away view of the body and closure means of incinerator  100  according to a third aspect of the disclosure, except for the igniter, to be described presently, and removable modules containing burn agent  3 , first filtering agent  60  and second filtering agent  62 . 
     A reusable housing  140  is made of a heat-resistant material, preferably heavy-gauge steel, taking the general form of a rectangular solid with one face openable or removable. For example, housing  140  may be a steel ammunition box as shown, with lid  142  being the openable face. Such boxes are available in a variety of sizes suitable for the present device. For simplicity in the following discussion, it will be assumed that such a box is used. Of course housing  140  could equally well take any of numerous other configurations. 
     For use, lid  142  must be held firmly against the rest of the housing to prevent unfiltered combustion gases from escaping. In a standard steel ammunition box this is accomplished through hinge  144  and latching lever  146  engaging ledge or ledges  148  on the stationary part of the box. 
     Housing  140 , including most of lid  142 , is lined with panels of heat-resistant and thermally insulating material such as  150   a ,  150   b  and  150   c . These panels are preferably rigid, removable, and replaceable as needed. More preferably, they may be made from a nontoxic material such as calcium silicate. An example of a suitable material is Grainger #19NE44, ½ inch-thick calcium silicate insulating board. The stock number represents a 24″×48″ piece from which several lining panels could be cut. Alternatively, panels could be made from fiberglass cloth dipped in conventionally mixed (non-foaming) plaster of Paris, allowed to harden in suitable molds, and then fired, thereby converting the resulting gypsum to anhydrite as previously discussed. 
     Two interior baffles, namely, first baffle  152  and second baffle  154 , are placed inside housing  140 , dividing it roughly into three chambers  160 ,  162  and  164  respectively holding burn agent  3  and burn items  6 , first filtering agent  60 , and second filtering agent  62  when the device is used. First baffle  152  and second baffle  154  are rigid, heat-resistant and thermally insulating, may be of the same material as the lining panels, and may, for example, slide into shallow slots pre-formed in these panels to receive them. First baffle  152  is placed so as to leave a gap at the top, thereby forcing combustion gases from chamber  160  to flow over its top. Second baffle  154  is positioned to leave a similar gap at the bottom so gases leaving chamber  162  must flow under it into chamber  164 . A heat-resistant mesh or grating  170  (best seen in  FIG. 7 b   ) is set in lid  142 , above chamber  164  and a gap left in the insulation of lid  142 , to permit gas exit. 
       FIG. 7 b    shows the resulting gas flow. For easy comparison with  FIG. 5 b   , the same reference characters are used when appropriate. 
     Hot oxygen released from the ignited burn agent passes into the central combustion area  70  within chamber  160  as indicated by arrows  72 . The heat breaks down organic materials in the combustion zone, including plastics and pharmaceutical materials, which then combust in the oxygen. A mixture of oxygen, gaseous decomposition products released from the burn items, and combustion products passes over the upper edge of first baffle  152 , then downward through chamber  162  and first filtering agent  60  as indicated by arrow  74 . Passing next below the bottom edge of second baffle  154  the gases rise again through chamber  164  and second filtering agent  62 , as indicated by arrow  76 , before exiting the device through mesh or grating  170 , as indicated by arrow  78 . 
     For user convenience, burn agent  3 , first filtering agent  60 , and second filtering agent  62  are preferably pre-packaged in blocks or modules: burn module  172 , first filter module  174  and second filter module  176 , respectively. Burn agent module  172  has central cavity  4  pre-formed in it to receive burn items  6 . For clarity, these modules are shown above, rather than inside, housing  140 , with dashed lines such as  178  indicating they are to be inserted before use. Spent modules,  172 ,  174 ,  176 , are removed and replaced as needed. Burn agent module  172  is removed and replaced after every use. The other components are replaced as they become saturated with combustion products or degraded by heat. 
     To prevent undesired absorption of materials from the environment before use, all modules are wrapped in a film  180  ( FIG. 7 a   ). Film  180  may be relatively impermeable to water vapor and other gases, and as thin as possible since film  180  itself will use a portion of the oxygen released from the burn agent  3 . The same type of metallized polycarbonate (e.g., Mylar®) film commonly used to package snack foods is suitable. 
     A hole  182  passing through lid  142  and insulating panel  150   a  permits the igniter (not shown), normally kept separate from housing  140  and its contents for safety, to be attached temporarily in order to convey heat through hole  182  to ignite burn agent  3 . 
       FIG. 8  shows a perspective, partially cut-away view of the complete incinerator  100  according to the first aspect of the disclosure, showing a burn-agent igniter  200 . For simplicity and ease of comparison,  FIG. 8  replicates  FIG. 5 a    and adds several identifying reference numbers. 
     Igniter  200  may simply be a length of safety fuse  206  (also commonly called “cannon” or “visco” fuse) with a controlled burn rate of about one-half inch per second. Fuse  206  is widely available in bulk from fireworks suppliers. Container  1  is preferably supplied with fuse  206  already in place, one end of fuse  206  entering the can through a hole pierced through the metal wall and the insulation inside it, just above the top level of the insulation covering the can floor. 
     Fuse  206  preferably has its inner end  202  anchored to insulation  2  near or against the wall opposite its point of entry. If burn agent  3  is pre-formed into a solid block, the connection with fuse  206  may be done simply by forming burn agent with fuse  206  already in place. For further stability, fuse  206  is preferably also anchored to container  1  at the point  204  where it passes through its wall. A small amount of flexible cement, such as “Eclectic Goop,” has been found suitable for this purpose. 
     Before use, length  206  of fuse  206  outside the can is conveniently coiled around the can itself and its end secured, for example, with a piece of tape. Prior to use, fuse  206  is uncoiled and, as the device is assembled, guided under the rim of upturned can  52 , fiberglass  50  acting as padding; up through the space between can  52  and pail  54 , passing through filter media  60  and  62 ; and thus to the outside. Using the specific can and pail previously identified, the total length for fuse  206  is ten inches with roughly the last inch in contact with the burn agent. 
     Fuse  206  is then lighted in any conventional manner, for example with a match. At a burn rate of one-half inch per second this provides a delay of about eighteen seconds, allowing the person lighting it to withdraw to a safe distance before burn agent  3  ignites. 
       FIG. 9  is a closeup, partially cut-away view of a second igniter  200 , usable with the second or third aspects of the disclosure described above. 
     An ignition module generally indicated by  220 , intended for one-time use, has an extension  222  designed to pass through and tightly engage hole  134  in the second aspect of the disclosure or hole  182  in the third aspect of the disclosure. For example, the exterior of extension  222  may be equipped with coarse self-tapping threads  224 . A soft, heat-resistant gasket  226 , made, for example, of silicone rubber, prevents hot gases from escaping around the lip of extension  222  during combustion. 
     For safety, ignition module  220  is kept separate from the remainder of the device until the device is otherwise fully loaded and ready to use. Module  220  is then connected and activated. After a delay allowing the user to retreat to safety, heat or fire is produced at the end of extension  222  igniting the burn agent to destroy the burn items. 
     Ignition module  220  comprises an outer housing  230 , a pull-tab  232  pivoting on a stationary rivet  234  affixed to outer housing  230 , a movable striking surface  236 , a stationary ignitable surface  238 , and a slow-burning fuse  240  extending through extension  222  to its end. 
     Pull-tab  232  is constructed similar to the pull-tab on a soft-drink can, and is held immobile during normal handling. On application of force, the tab “pops” free causing movable striking surface  236  to rub across stationary ignitable surface  238 . 
     Movable striking surface  236  has a coating  236   a  with one-half of an incendiary formula, while stationary striking surface  238  has a coating  238   a  with the other half of the incendiary formula so that upon friction, the mixture on it bursts into flame in the manner of a match head. 
     For example, coating  236   a  may comprise red phosphorus, ground glass, a binder and a neutralizer while coating  238   a  comprises potassium chlorate, antimony sulfide, a binder and a neutralizer. Other usable combinations are well-known in the art of making safety matches and “strike-anywhere” matches. 
     Desirably, movable striking surface  236  is partly or completely folded around stationary striking surface  238  to increase the contact area. Stationary striking surface  238  may then have coating  238   a  on both sides, or the mixture may form a cylinder or bulb surrounding it, much like a conventional match head. 
     For added safety, the geometry of movable striking surface  236  and stationary striking surface  238  is preferably such that until pull-tab  232  is pulled, a space remains between coating  236   a  and coating  238   a  preventing accidental ignition by impact, vibration or rough handling. 
     Ignition of coatings  236   a  and  238   a  starts in turn the combustion of slow-burning fuse  240 , requiring about fifteen to twenty seconds to burn to its opposite end and thus comprising a pyrotechnic delay permitting the user to retire to a safe distance prior to burn agent ignition. For example, slow burning fuse  240  may comprise chiefly potassium chlorate plus an aromatic reductant as is disclosed in Andre Espagnacq, U.S. Pat. No. 6,723,191, “Slow combustion pyrotechnic composition,” which is hereby incorporated by reference. This composition, enclosed in a suitable metallic tube, is said to burn at a rate of about one millimeter per second thus providing the needed delay in a length of about three-quarters of an inch. Other delay compositions and configurations, well-known in the art of pyrotechnics, could also be used. 
     Slow-burning fuse  240  extends through the length of extension  222 , and at its further end  242  when fully inserted into the main body of the device is pressed against the surface of burn agent  3 . After burning through its length, the fire initiated by the pulling of pull-tab  232  thus ignites the burn agent. An amount of a faster-burning composition, which for manufacturing convenience may be the same as coating  238   a , may be set in further end  242  providing a burst of flame to ensure ignition in case a slight gap remains between the end of slow burning fuse  240  and the burn agent. 
       FIG. 10 a    shows a partially cut-away view of a third burn-agent igniter, also usable with the second or third aspect of the disclosure, while  FIG. 10 b    shows the same device in simplified electronic schematic form. 
     Igniter, generally indicated by  260 , comprises a remote transmitter  262  and a receiver  264  able to be connected to the incinerator device and there to ignite burn agent  3  upon receiving a command from transmitter  262 . The principle of radio remote control is well-known and widely used in commercial products. Common examples are remote doorbells and automobile remote keyless entry systems. A similar product, the wireless remote fireworks firing system available from Ziyan Fireworks in China, may be adaptable for use in this invention. 
     Transmitter  262  generates a short-range radio signal  266  which, to prevent accidental operation of receiver  264  (whether it is connected to the incinerator device or not), is desirably encrypted. Rotating codes may be used for further security. To minimize cost, a fixed code may be used. 
     Receiver  264  is held in a housing  270  generally similar to that of the previously-described ignition module  220 , and like it, has an extension  272  designed to pass through and tightly engage hole  134 , in the second aspect of the disclosure, or engage hole  182 , in the third aspect of the disclosure, so its tip  268  is present against burn agent  3  when ready for use. For example, the exterior of extension  272  may be equipped with coarse self-tapping threads  274 . A soft, heat-resistant gasket  276 , made for example of silicone rubber, prevents hot gases from escaping around extension  272  during combustion. 
     Inside housing  270  are a coiled-wire or antenna  280 , an amplifier-demodulator  282 , a decoding circuit  284 , a battery  286  (which may be made up, for example, of four AA or AAA cells), a relay or transistor  290  (here shown as an NPN transistor), and a heat-producing resistive element  292  located in or near extension  272 . While not strictly necessary, an arming switch  294  is also desirable both for added safety and so that amplifier-demodulator  282  and decoding circuit  284  do not run continuously and drain the battery. Amplifier-demodulator  282 , decoding circuit  284 , transistor or relay  290  and arming switch  294  are preferably mounted on a circuit board  296 , with arming switch  294  accessible from the outside through an opening in housing  270  (not visible in  FIG. 10 a   ), while battery  286  is mounted below. 
     Whenever receiver  264  is switched on, incoming radio signals received through antenna  280  are amplified and analyzed by amplifier-demodulator  282  and decoding circuit  284 , respectively. Upon receiving a correctly-coded signal from transmitter  262  the decoding circuit closes or turns on relay or transistor  290 , allowing a relatively strong current to flow from battery  286  to resistive element  292  thus generating a temperature high enough to ignite a pyrotechnic composition. 
     If desired, resistive element  292  may be located at tip  268  of extension  272  and contact and ignite burn agent  3  directly. Alternatively, a degree of protection for the resistive element, and likely better reliability as well, may be achieved by setting resistive element  292  back slightly within the hollow center of extension  272 , and extending from circuit board  296  for easy connection to the other electronics components, and inserting a short, pre-cut length of safety fuse  298  into the space between it and the tip as shown in  FIG. 10 b   . Resistive element  292  is thus partly isolated from the burn agent and its decomposition products, which will include sodium chloride known to be corrosive to some electric resistance materials. Instead, resistive element  292  ignites safety fuse  298  which, after roughly one second of delay, creates a burst of flame at the surface of burn agent  3  causing it to ignite. 
       FIG. 11  is a flow chart illustrating the manufacture of a burn agent for use in the incinerator device. Only the major steps are shown. The chart is meant to be self-explanatory in light of EXAMPLE 2 given below. 
     The burn agent is comprised of a solid oxidizing agent, a smoothing catalyst to ease the oxidizer&#39;s decomposition, a reactive metal as the fuel, and optionally a diluent to help reduce or control the burn rate. 
     The oxidizer may be chosen from the group consisting of ammonium, alkali metal or alkali earth metal nitrates, chlorates, perchlorates, percarbonates, peroxides, perborates and persulfates (preferably anhydrous), or it may be a mixture of two or more such materials. More preferably it is an alkali metal chlorate, and most preferably it is pure sodium chlorate. For effective blending with the other burn agent components, the oxidizer must be ground to a fine powder. 
     The smoothing catalyst functions to ease the oxidizer&#39;s decomposition when heated, providing a smooth release of oxygen and not the sudden explosion which could result from thermal runaway. In a conventional oxygen candle, the catalyst is usually barium peroxide. Since all known compounds of barium are toxic except its highly insoluble sulfate, and since the intent of the present disclosure is recyclability with minimal impact on the environment, barium peroxide is deemed unusable in the present device. 
     The catalyst may therefore be chosen from the group of all oxygen-bearing compounds of transition metals and alkali earth metals of low inherent toxicity, or it may be a mixture of two or more such compounds. Preferably the metal, or at least one metal if a plurality are present, can exist in more than one oxidation state, and does exist in a higher one of such states. More preferably, the compound is also physically soft so it may easily be ground to a fine powder. An example of such a compound is potassium permanganate. 
     The oxidizer and catalyst may be mixed intimately by grinding them together to a fine powder, for instance in a ball mill. Since some oxidizers, especially the chlorates and perchlorates, are friction-sensitive, care must be taken to exclude all organic and other easily-oxidized materials from the grinding process. Sulfur and chlorates, for example, are likely to burst into flame when ground together: a phenomenon well-known in the art of pyrotechnics. 
     The reactive metal may be any solid metallic element of low toxicity whose reaction with oxygen releases energy and whose oxide is also a solid at ordinary temperatures, or it may be a mixture or alloy of two or more such elements. Preferably, the metal is easily converted to a powdered form by processes such as filing, grinding or melting followed by atomization and cooling. More preferably the resulting powdered metal is stable in dry or moist air at ordinary temperatures, either unreactive or forming a thin resistant surface film preventing further reaction. 
     As reactive metals, aluminum, magnesium, zirconium, iron, zinc, manganese and titanium, along with their alloys, are all suitable for use in the device. Pure iron, reduced to powder by atomization, seems to have the best balance of properties overall as witnessed by its long history of use in oxygen candles. 
     With certain combinations of metal, oxidizer and catalyst, it may be desirable to introduce some other, unreactive or nearly unreactive substance as a diluent to reduce or help control the reaction rate. Such materials are powdered glass, glass microspheres or microballoons, fly ash, and powdered or fumed silica. In an aspect of the present disclosure, using a mixture of powdered iron, sodium chlorate and potassium permanganate as catalyst, a diluent was found unnecessary. 
     The burn agent and process for preparing it were developed through a series of experimental “burns,” first in open crucibles and later in aluminum cans insulated with foamed anhydrite as described above, in a series of experiments. EXAMPLE 2 proved to be the most satisfactory burn agent. EXAMPLE 3 records the performance of this same agent in destroying representative burn items in one of the insulated cans. 
     The weights shown in square brackets in EXAMPLE 2 are calculated targets; those following outside the brackets are the actual weights used. All weights are in grams. The resulting burn agent contains about 62.5% sodium chlorate, 0.625% potassium permanganate, and 36.9% powdered iron. 
     Example 2 
     Sodium chlorate, industrial grade (&gt;99%), coarsely granular: [125.0 g] 125.012 g. 
     Potassium permanganate, industrial grade (&gt;99%), granular “free pouring”: [1.250 g] 1.246 g. 
     Iron powder, “Atomet 67” (&gt;99%; with particle size 100-200 mesh): [73.775 g] 73.765 g. 
     The sodium chlorate, potassium permanganate, and iron powder were added, in that order, to the rubber drum of a Lortone #3a, three-pound-capacity rock tumbler also containing about 200 grams of ½″ flattened glass beads, thus acting as a simple ball mill. No liquid was added. 
     The tumbler was placed well away from structures which could be damaged or materials which could be set on fire by accidental ignition. The tumbler was then started remotely by plugging in the far end of an extension cord. No ignition occurred. 
     The tumbler contents were checked periodically, at several-hour intervals through the first day and daily thereafter. Each time the mixture was checked for homogeneity and especially for remaining visible chlorate grains, some of which took a long time to disappear. Milling was deemed complete when the mixture passed easily through a 20-mesh sieve. With the equipment used, this phase took about five days. 
     The mixture in the drum by then appeared to be homogeneous, uniformly light brown, and powdery. It was stored in a sealed jar pending use. 
     Since the powdered iron was already atomized, the procedure above could be made safer by waiting to add the iron until the chlorate and permanganate had been milled and blended. This would avoid having a fuel present during most of the milling, and especially when the largest chlorate grains were being broken up and the greatest potential for ignition might be expected.  FIG. 11  reflects this change. 
     It may be noted that while this particular mixing method was time-intensive, requiring days for thorough conversion of the drum contents to powder, other methods such as crushing the chlorate and permanganate grains between rotating cylinders or vibrating angled plates before mixing with the iron powder could achieve similar results in a matter of minutes. 
     Example 3 
     One of the insulated cans previously described was modified by having a type “K” thermocouple, held in a stainless-steel probe, inserted horizontally through the can wall with its tip roughly centered inside the can. A three-inch length of cannon fuse was inserted halfway through a second hole just above the top of the insulation and fiberglass layer at the bottom of the can, and secured with a small amount of “Eclectic Goop.” To the exposed end of the fuse was attached a twelve-volt electric igniter of a type commercially sold by fireworks suppliers. 
     The can was set outdoors on concrete blocks, and the thermocouple was connected to a Delta DTB-48 temperature controller set in shade a few feet away. The igniter was attached to a length of two-wire speaker cable, run to an elevated deck about fifty feet away, having a clear view of the can, so the burn agent could be remotely ignited and the results video recorded for later analysis. 
     Burn items were an unopened one-ounce plastic box of candy mints, simulating unwanted medications in a plastic prescription vial; a ferrite ring magnet, simulating magnetized iron-oxide recording material holding data in a computer disk drive; and an actual thumb drive. To avoid loss and further simulate operating conditions the magnet was placed on a piece of sheet steel, itself cut from a scrap electronic chassis, and held there by its own attraction. 
     The mixture was tested by first placing 25 grams of burn agent in the bottom of the can and covering the fuse, placing the burn items on top of it, then pouring a second 25 grams of burn agent over the top, as was shown in  FIG. 2 . A “tent” formed from one square foot of 3.6-ounce fiberglass cloth was then fastened over the can mouth, simulating an early (and ultimately discarded) design for the filter. 
     The weather being hot and the can exposed to full sunlight, the starting temperature measured by the thermocouple was 41° C. 
     The electric igniter was triggered by touching the far ends of the speaker wire to a battery. The burn agent ignited four seconds later. A cloud of smoke appeared, followed by visible flame within the fiberglass “tent.” Six seconds after ignition the flame burned through the fiberglass and rose higher. Burn agent combustion lasted a total of about 21 seconds. 
     Once visible flame appeared, the amount of visible smoke being emitted sharply decreased, suggesting this smoke comprised material destructively distilled from the burn items that are not quite consumed by the generated oxygen. The nearly transparent nature of the flame showed little carbon or other solid material generated in combustion, nearly all the combustion products thus exiting the flame zone in gaseous form and presumably as nearly pure water and carbon dioxide. 
     As soon as it was certain the burn agent combustion was over, the thermocouple temperature was read as 678° C. Because the temperature reading was rapidly declining when read and several seconds had elapsed since the burn&#39;s end the peak temperature was likely much higher, around 750° C. 
     Of the burn items, the following observations were made: 
     Candy mints box and its contents were unrecognizable, and had become a foamy black charred mass. Any medications exposed to like conditions, therefore, would surely have been rendered as mostly carbon. 
     The aluminum housing of the thumb drive was melted, the metal surface very uneven and in part missing, and through the gaps it was evident that all organic material inside it had been destroyed. Only a web of bare fiberglass remained where the circuit board had been. 
     The ceramic magnet was found shattered by the heat, but its fragments were easily collected with another magnet. Bringing them into proximity with unmagnetized steel showed no attraction remained. In other words, the material had not only been physically broken but its stored magnetism had also been wiped away. 
     All burn items were therefore deemed to have been successfully destroyed. 
     Regarding the destruction of data-holding devices, as opposed to their mere erasure, it may be noted that aluminum melts around 660° C., while the melting points of even the highest-fusing solders used on electronic circuit boards fall below 300° C. Manufacturers of integrated circuits do not normally approve storage, let alone operation, above 150° C. These facts, together with the circuit board&#39;s reduction to bare fiberglass, show that even were the silicon data-storage chip itself undamaged, after even brief exposure to melting-aluminum temperatures the electronics supporting it would have been rendered nonfunctional. 
     Magnetic materials, meaning those capable of holding permanent magnetic fields and thereby storing data, are each characterized by a “Curie temperature” above which the material changes to a different, nonmagnetic crystal or electronic form. On cooling, the material may once again become magnetic, but all traces of its former magnetic field have disappeared. 
     A modern hard disk drive uses a cobalt-chromium-platinum alloy, deposited in a very thin film on an aluminum platter (the “disk”). Although it is possible that higher Curie temperatures for such alloys have been achieved and are held as trade or Government secrets, the highest Curie temperature openly published is 400° C. for the alloy of 64% cobalt, 14% platinum and 22% chromium. Hence, even if the interior of a drive does not reach aluminum&#39;s melting point, achievement of this much more modest temperature will suffice for erasing any information it held. 
     There remains the slight possibility that an adversary with sufficient resources might be able to recover the silicon data-storage chip from a thumb drive or other solid-state memory device destroyed by the present invention, and restore enough of its external connections to access data that might remain. 
     Information is stored on a solid-state drive as patterns of electric charge trapped on “floating gates” isolated from the remainder of the circuitry by thin layers of silicon dioxide. Essentially, a floating gate is a tiny capacitor doubling as the control device for a miniaturized transistor. Trapping negative charge on the gate turns off the transistor, representing a binary “0,” while trapping positive charge turns it on, representing a “1.” A thumb drive may contain several billion of these capacitor-transistor combinations, each holding one bit of information. 
     The same principle is used in the solid-state drives (SSD&#39;s) which are becoming increasingly common as main drives in portable computers, including smart phones, since solid-state memory has no moving parts and this is less subject to wear or mechanical damage than a hard disk drive with spinning platters. 
     At higher temperatures, reliable data retention time on a solid-state drive rapidly decreases. JEDEC Standards JES47 and JEP122 specify a physics-based acceleration model for charge detrapping, yielding retention times for a lightly used (“client,” as opposed to “enterprise”) SSD dropping sharply with temperature from 404 weeks at 25° C. power-off temperature (i.e., with the drive not in use) to only eight weeks at 55° C. For more information see “JEDEC SSD Specifications Explained,” Alvin Cox, Seagate, a PowerPoint presentation available on-line as of October 2017, which is hereby incorporated by reference. 
     Arrhenius plots are widely used to evaluate the dependences of physical phenomena on temperature. Specifically, an Arrhenius plot shows the logarithm of the dependent variable (log(k) or ln(k)) as a function of the reciprocal Kelvin temperature (1/T(K), or more commonly 1000/T(K)). For ease of interpretation, the corresponding Celsius (Centigrade) temperatures are often shown along the top of the plot. 
     If the phenomenon indeed proceeds by a thermally-activated mechanism, the resulting plot will be a straight line whose slope corresponds to an activation energy provided by the heat. Charge detrapping is generally agreed to follow this rule. 
       FIG. 12  shows an Arrhenius plot  300  of the relevant data from a table on slide  27  of the Cox presentation, where the dependent variable is taken as the retention time in weeks. These figures indeed yield a straight line from a first endpoint  302  at 25° C. to a second endpoint  304  at 55° C., marked by open circles. (For simplicity, the data points corresponding to intermediate table data are shown by smaller solid dots and not individually labeled.) 
     While the validity of extrapolating such a plot cannot be taken for granted, since additional processes may well appear or become significant as temperatures rise, such extrapolation can predict at least a phenomenon&#39;s general behavior. Plot  300  has therefore been extended up through 660° C., the melting point of aluminum, using dashed straight line  306 . Solid dots  308   a  through  308   f  mark the passage of straight line  306  through temperatures of 100° C., 200° C. and so forth up to 600° C., while open circle  310  marks its high-temperature endpoint at 660° C. 
     Back-solving to find the reliable data retention time at 660° yields 8×10 −11  weeks, or 48 microseconds. 
     These time estimates are for “reliable data retention,” and not “complete data destruction.” In engineering, it is common practice to allow generous safety factors. At room temperature, for instance, charge de-trapping is slow enough that thumb drive data may remain readable for many decades and not the limited 7.7 years (404 weeks) given in the JEDEC specification. Additionally, this is the expected time before the first few bits in an SSD made with current technology become unreadable. Technological advances will likely bring greater reliability and longer retention times. For complete data destruction, despite technological advances a large number of bits would need to be lost to prevent any possible reconstruction of the original data. 
     Even if the JEDEC estimate is low by an unlikely factor of 100,000, requiring five whole seconds at 660° C. for complete data destruction, the present disclosure will suffice for the task since high temperatures last roughly as long as the burn agent combustion, which with the composition of EXAMPLE 2 and in the geometry tested in EXAMPLE 3 is about twenty seconds. 
     These calculations and test results verify that data-storage devices using presently popular technologies, including thumb drives and both magnetic and solid-state computer main drives, through incineration using the disclosed incinerator will reliably be rendered unusable and their formerly contained data impossible to recover.