APPARATUS FOR THE THERMAL TREATMENT OF ORGANICS MATERIALS AND METHOD THEREFOR

• US 20090060779A1
• Filed: 12/22/2006
• Published: 03/05/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/03/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Anne-Sophie Delong, Eric Chambe, Maurice Chambe, Pierre Chambe
• Original Assignee: Anne-Sophie Delong, Eric Chambe, Maurice Chambe, Pierre Chambe
• Inventors: Chambe, Eric, Delong, Anne-Sophie, Chambe, Pierre, Chambe, Maurice
• Granted Patent: US 8,043,558 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 422/4
• CPC Class Codes: B09B 3/00 Destroying solid waste or transforming solid waste into something useful or harmless
• CPC Class Codes: B09B 3/40 involving thermal treatment, e.g. evaporation processes using mineral binders involving a melting or softening step B09B3/29; involving radiation B09B3/50
• CPC Class Codes: F23G 2207/101 for temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F23G 2209/20 Medical materials
• CPC Class Codes: F23G 2209/26 Biowaste
• CPC Class Codes: F23G 5/0273 using indirect heating
• CPC Class Codes: F23G 5/28 having raking arms
• CPC Class Codes: F23G 7/065 using gaseous or liquid fuel
• CPC Class Codes: F23G 7/10 of field or garden waste or biomasses
• CPC Class Codes: F23L 15/04 Arrangements of recuperators
• CPC Class Codes: F23M 9/06 in fire-boxes
• CPC Class Codes: F26B 11/16 the stirring device moving in a vertical or steeply-inclined plane
• CPC Class Codes: F26B 23/002 recovered from dryer exhaust gases F26B23/022 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F26B 23/022 incinerating volatiles in the dryer exhaust gases, the produced hot gases being wholly, partly or not recycled into the drying enclosure
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 20/34 Indirect CO2mitigation, i.e. by acting on non CO2directly related matters of the process, e.g. pre-heating or heat recovery
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 70/10 Greenhouse gas [GHG] capture, material saving, heat recovery or other energy efficient measures, e.g. motor control, characterised by manufacturing processes, e.g. for rolling metal or metal working
• CPC Class Codes: Y02W 30/40 Bio-organic fraction processing; Production of fertilisers from the organic fraction of waste or refuse

Abstract

Organic materials being indirectly heated via hot air having the temperature required for their treatment, the process consists in the recycling of the vapours and gases evolving from the organic materials into a hot air circuit by forcing them into contact with the flame of a burner in order to bum the organic gases contained therein. The apparatus for executing the process comprises a double wall sealed tank; the outer wall being insulating and the inner wall being heat-conducting, the space, created by the walls, defines the hot air circuit.

Claims

1. An apparatus for the thermal treatment of organic materials, said apparatus comprising:

a. a tank having a bottom portion and comprising a inner wall made of heat conductive material and an outer wall made of insulating material, said inner wall and said outer wall defining a passage;

b. a roof closing said tank and forming, with said inner wall, a treatment chamber adapted to receive organic materials;

c. at least one access opening in communication with said chamber through which said organic materials can be introduced into said chamber;

d. a burner opening into said passage and sustaining a flame adapted to generate combustion gases, said gases circulating through said passage for heating said organic material via said inner wall;

e. a first conduit extending between said chamber and said burner for carrying gases evolving from said organic materials to said flame;

f. a second conduit extending between said chamber and the exterior of said apparatus for introducing fresh air into said chamber;

g. a mixer located inside said chamber;

h. a heat exchanger connected to said passage and to said second conduit, said heat exchanger being located inside said chamber.

2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising at least one temperature sensor.

3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said tank further comprises a discharge opening adapted to be hermetically closed.

4. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said heat exchanger further comprises a third and a fourth conduits, said third conduit being connected to said passage for carrying said combustion gases and said fourth conduit being connected to said second conduit for carrying said fresh air, said third and fourth conduits being adjacent for transmitting a portion of the heat of said combustion gases to said fresh air.

5. An apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein said third conduit is further connected to a chimney for carrying said combustion gases outside said apparatus and wherein said fourth conduit is further connected to said chamber for carrying said heated fresh air inside said chamber.

6. A process for the thermal treatment of biologically contaminated organic materials, said process comprising the steps of:

a. providing an apparatus adapted for the thermal treatment of organic materials, said apparatus comprising at least a tank, heating means and a temperature sensor;

b. introducing a liquid inside said tank;

c. preheating said apparatus with said heating means;

d. waiting until the inside of said tank reaches a biocidal temperature;

e. introducing biologically contaminated organic materials inside said tank;

f. thermally treating said biologically contaminated organic materials located inside said tank with said heating means.

7. A process as claimed in claim 6, wherein said liquid is a substantially neutral liquid.

8. A process as claimed in claim 7, wherein said substantially neutral liquid is water.

9. A process as claimed in claim 6, wherein said heating means are a burner and wherein said process further comprises the steps of:

a. recuperating gases and vapours evolving from said biologically contaminated organic materials under treatment;

b. carrying said gases and said vapours to said burner for burning said gases and said vapours.

10. A process as claimed in claim 6, wherein said biologically contaminated organic materials are waste deriving from vaccines production.