Waste treatment method and waste treatment apparatus

• US 6,178,899 B1
• Filed: 04/07/1999
• Issued: 01/30/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Kaneko, Masaki, Yoshimori, Masashi
• Primary Examiner(s): Ferensic, Denise L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): RINEHART, KENNETH
• Application Number:
  US09/287,659
• Time in Patent Office: 664 Days
• Field of Search: 110/203, 110/204, 110/218, 110/219, 110/220, 110/223, 110/235, 110/255, 110/293, 110/327, 110/341, 110/342, 110/345, 110/346, 110/233, 606/43, 422/168, 422/169, 422/170, 422/172
• US Class Current: 110/346
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/34 Chemical or biological purification of waste gases
• CPC Class Codes: C03B 19/1045 by bringing hot glass in contact with a liquid, e.g. shattering
• CPC Class Codes: C03B 3/00 Charging the melting furnaces
• CPC Class Codes: C03B 5/005 of glass-forming waste materials disposal or transformation of solid waste in general B09B; treatment of radioactive waste G21F9/00
• CPC Class Codes: C03B 5/14 in revolving cylindrical furnaces C03B5/02 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C10B 1/10 Rotary retorts
• CPC Class Codes: C10B 47/30 in rotary ovens or retorts
• CPC Class Codes: C10B 53/00 Destructive distillation, specially adapted for particular solid raw materials or solid raw materials in special form wet carbonising of peat C10F
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 1/002 in combination with oil conversion- or refining processes
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2200/158 Screws
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2300/0906 Physical processes, e.g. shredding, comminuting, chopping, sorting
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2300/0946 Waste, e.g. MSW, tires, glass, tar sand, peat, paper, lignite, oil shale
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2300/0956 Air or oxygen enriched air
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2300/0959 Oxygen
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2300/1621 Compression of synthesis gas
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2300/1631 Ash recycling
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2300/1671 with the production of electricity
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2300/1693 with storage facilities for intermediate, feed and/or product
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 3/62 with separate withdrawal of the distillation products
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 3/64 with decomposition of the distillation products
• CPC Class Codes: C10K 1/003 : of acid contaminants, e.g. acid gas removal
• CPC Class Codes: C10K 1/004 : Sulfur containing contaminants, e.g. hydrogen sulfide
• CPC Class Codes: C10K 1/08 : by washing with liquids; Reviving the used wash liquors gas washers B01D
• CPC Class Codes: C10K 1/32 : with selectively adsorptive solids, e.g. active carbon
• CPC Class Codes: C10K 3/008 : by cracking
• CPC Class Codes: F23G 2201/304 : Burning pyrosolids
• CPC Class Codes: F23G 2201/40 : Gasification
• CPC Class Codes: F23G 2206/10 : reintroducing the heat in the same process, e.g. for predrying
• CPC Class Codes: F23G 2900/50209 : Compacting waste before burning
• CPC Class Codes: F23G 5/006 : General arrangement of incineration plant, e.g. flow sheets
• CPC Class Codes: F23G 5/027 : pyrolising or gasifying stage pyrolisation of sludge C02F11/00; destructive distillation of carbonaceous materials C10B53/00
• CPC Class Codes: F23G 5/20 : having rotating or oscillating drums
• CPC Class Codes: F23J 2900/01002 : Cooling of ashes from the combustion chamber by indirect heat exchangers
• CPC Class Codes: F23J 2900/01003 : Ash crushing means associated with ash removal means
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 50/30 : Fuel from waste, e.g. synthetic alcohol or diesel
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 40/57 : Improving the yield, e-g- reduction of reject rates

Abstract

An industrial waste and household waste is treated by a pyrolysis step for carbonizing waste containing organic substance in a condition sealed from an air so as to separate to a pyrolysis gas and a pyrolysis residue; a gas cracking step for introducing the pyrolysis gas after the pyrolysis step so as to react an oxide component in the pyrolysis gas through an oxidization reaction and thermally decompose high molecular hydrocarbon in the pyrolysis gas with a heat generated by the oxidization reaction so as to obtain a cracked gas containing low molecular hydrocarbon; a residue cooling step for cooling the pyrolysis residue generated in the pyrolysis step for solidification; a mechanical processing step for crushing and sorting the pyrolysis residue solidified in the residue cooling step so as to obtain a pyrolysis char essentially consisting of pyrolysed organic substance and inorganic components; and a smelting and gasifying step for burning the pyrolysis char obtained in the mechanical processing step at a high temperature by being mixed with fuel and oxygen or air so as to melt the inorganic component of the pyrolysis char and gasify the carbon component to obtain a gasified gas containing low molecular hydrocarbon.

Claims

1. A waste treatment method comprising:

a pyrolysis step for pyrolysing waste containing organic substance in a condition sealed from an air so as to separate to a pyrolysis gas and a pyrolysis residue;

a gas cracking step for introducing the pyrolysis gas after the pyrolysis step so as to react an oxide component in the pyrolysis gas through an oxidization reaction and pyrolysing high molecular hydrocarbon in the pyrolysis gas with a heat generated by the oxidization reaction so as to obtain a cracked gas containing low molecular hydrocarbon;

a residue cooling step for cooling the pyrolysis residue generated in the pyrolysis step for solidification;

a mechanical processing step for crushing and sorting the pyrolysis residue solidified in the residue cooling step so as to obtain a pyrolysis char essentially consisting or pyrolysed organic substance and inorganic components; and

a smelting and gasifying step for burning the pyrolysis char obtained in the mechanical processing step at a high temperature by being mixed with fuel and oxygen or air so as to melt the inorganic component of the pyrolysis char and gasify the carbon component to obtain a gasified gas containing low molecular hydrocarbon.

2. A waste treatment method according to claim 1, wherein the pyrolysis gas is kept at 1000-1200°

C. for at least one second time in the gas cracking step.

3. A waste treatment method according to claim 1, wherein a pyrolysis residue material obtained by crushing the pyrolysis residue to fine particles in the mechanical processing step is sorted to metallic substance, pyrolysed organic organic substance and inorganic components so as to obtain the pyrolysis char essentially consisting of the pyrolysis organic substance and the inorganic component.

4. A waste treatment method according to claim 1, wherein the pyrolysed organic substance is heated at 1200-1600°

C. in the smelting and gasifying step while the inorganic component is converted to slag.

5. A waste treatment method according to claim 1, further comprising:

a gas cooling step for introducing the cracked gas obtained in the gas cracking step and a gasified gas obtained in the smelting and gasifying step; and

a gas cleaning step, for obtaining a cleaned gas, including a washing treatment for washing the gas, a desulfurization treatment for removing the hydrogen sulfide and a residual organic gas removal treatment for absorbing residual organic gas with an activated charcoal filter after the gas cooling step for cooling the cracked gas and the gasified gas.

6. A waste treatment method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of compressing a cleaned gas obtained from the gas cleaning step and then temporarily storing the cleaned gas, the stored gas being then supplied to a gas utilization equipment such as a gas engine and a boiler.

7. A waste treamtent method according to claim 1, further comprising either one set of the steps of recovering a heat from a combustion gas in the pyrolysis step, heating the air by the recovered combustion gas, and supplying the heated air as the combustion air for the pyrolysis step, and the steps of providing a heat insulating material around a smeltor/gasifier unit in the smelting and gasification step and supplying a heat energy of a hot water generated through a water cooling process to a treating equipment.

8. A waste treatment method according to claim 1, wherein a gas generated through a waste treatment is stored and supplied as a heating source for the pyrolysis unit of a heating source for the smeltor/gasifier unit at the smelting and gasifying step.

9. A waste treatment method according to claim 1, wherein a gas generated through a waste treatment is stored and supplied to a treatment equipment as thermal energy source of electric energy source.

10. A waste treatment apparatus for treating a waste containing organic substance comprising:

a pyrolysis unit for introducing and pyrolysing the waste in a condition sealed from air so as to separate to a pyrolysis gas and a pyrolysis residue;

a gas cracking unit for introducing the pyrolysis gas generated in the pyrolysis unit and reacting an oxide component in the pyrolysis gas through an oxidization reaction so as to pyrolyse high molecular hydrocarbon component in the pyrolysis gas with a heat generated by the oxidization reaction so as to obtain a cracked gas containing low molecular hydrocarbon;

a residue cooling unit for introducing the pyrolysis residue generated in the pyrolysis unit and cooling the residue for solidification thereof;

a mechanical processing unit for crushing and sorting the solidified pyrolysis residue to obtain a pyrolysis char essentially consisting of pyrolysed organic substance and inorganic component;

a smelting and gasification unit for burning the pyrolysis char at a high temperature sorted by the mechanical processing unit by being mixed with fuel and oxygen or air so as to melt the inorganic component of the pyrolysis char and for gasifying the carbon component to obtain gasified gas containing low molecular hydrocarbon;

a gas cooling unit for the cracked gas obtained in the gas cracking unit and the gasified gas obtained in the smelting and gasification unit;

a gas cleaning unit for removing impurity contained in the gas to obtain a cleaned gas;

a gas compressor for compressing the cleaned gas obtained by the gas cleaning unit; and

a gas holder for storing the compressed cleaned gas.

11. A waste treatment apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the mechanical processing unit comprises a crusher for crushing pyrolysis residue and a sorter for sorting metal, pyrolysed organic substance and inorganic component.

12. A waste treatment apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising a gasified gas cooling unit for rapidly cooling gasified gas provided at an outlet of the smelting and gasification unit.

13. A waste treatment apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the gas cooling unit is a boiler or other heat exchanger for recovering heat energy possessed by gas and cooling the gas.

14. A waste treatment apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the gas cleaning unit comprises a gas washing means for washing gas, a desulfurization means for removing hydrogen sulfide, and an activated charcoal filter means for absorbing residual organic gas.

15. A waste treatment apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the pyrolysis unit has a double cylindrical structure comprising an inner cylinder to which waste is introduced and an outer cylinder disposed outside the inner cylinder for heating the inner cylinder, said inner cylinder has a length longer than that of the outer cylinder so that both ends of the inner cylinder project over both ends of the outer cylinder, said projecting portion being supported by a roller to be rollable and at least said inner cylinder being inclined at a downward gradient of less than 5°

from a waste intake side to an outlet side.

16. A waste treatment apparatus according to claim 15, further comprising a combustion chamber in which a space is defined between the inner cylinder and outer cylinder of the pyrolysis unit, said space being divided into a plurality of sections in an axial direction of the outer cylinder, and said inner cylinder being heated by passing combustion gas through the space sections.

17. A waste treatment apparatus according to claim 15, wherein a press means for compression on a loading side is provided at a waste loading portion of the pyrolysis unit and an end resistant plate for compressing the waste is provided at an outlet of the press means.

18. A waste treatment apparatus according to claim 17, further comprising a scraper for scraping compressed waste provided outside the end resistant plate.

19. A waste treatment apparatus according to claim 15, further comprising a press means, for compression on the discharging side, provided at a pyrolysis residue discharging portion of the pyrolysis unit and an end resistant plate, for compressing the waste, provided at an outlet of the press means.