Processing of waste material

• US 5,542,614 A
• Filed: 02/08/1994
• Issued: 08/06/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 02/08/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: TDM America LLC (TDM)
• Original Assignee: ITEX Environmental Services, Inc.
• Inventors: Toor, Irfan A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Husar, John
• Application Number:
  US08/193,449
• Time in Patent Office: 910 Days
• Field of Search: 241/21, 241/24, 241/25, 241/29, 241/38, 241/42, 241/81, 241/101.2, 241/101.6, 241/DIG. 38, 241/186.2, 241/186.4
• US Class Current: 241/21
• CPC Class Codes: B09B 3/20 Agglomeration, binding or encapsulation of solid waste
• CPC Class Codes: B09C 1/08 chemically
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 241/38 Solid waste disposal

Abstract

An apparatus and method for chemically and physically stabilizing contaminated soil is disclosed. The soil is homogenized in a homogenizer; dropped into a mixer below the homogenizer and mixed with an additive; then dropped to a processing terminus located below the mixer. The apparatus and method are useful for processing highly clumped and/or acidic soil, e.g., soil contaminated with mining waste.

Claims

1. A method for processing waste material comprising the steps of:

receiving said waste material in a vibrating screen box;

vibrating said vibrating screen box to separate lumps of said waste material that are larger than a predetermined size thereby removing lumps of said waste material of a size greater than said predetermined size from said waste material;

discharging said waste material of a size less than said predetermined size into a homogenizer;

receiving said waste material into said homogenizer;

homogenizing said waste material in said homogenizer;

dropping said waste material into a mixer after homogenizing, said mixer located below said homogenizer;

accumulating a batch of waste material in said mixer;

weighing said batch of waste material to determine an amount of additive to be added to said waste material;

mixing said waste material with said additive in said mixer to form a mixture; and

dropping said mixture from said mixer to a processing terminus located below said mixer.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said waste material is solid or semi-solid.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising after the step of receiving said waste material into said homogenizer:

adding a pretreatment additive to said waste material in said homogenizer; and

mixing said waste material together with said pretreatment additive in said homogenizer.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said processing terminus comprises a vehicle.

5. A method for processing acidic waste material of the kind that is characterized by having large lumps comprising the steps of:

loading said waste material in a vibrating screen box having a slightly sloped mesh screen and having openings of a desired size;

vibrating said vibrating screen box to separate lumps of said waste material that are larger than a predetermined size thereby removing lumps of said waste material of a size greater than said predetermined size from said waste material;

discharging said waste material of a size less than said predetermined size into a homogenizer;

receiving said waste material into said homogenizer;

adding a basic pretreatment additive to said waste material in said homogenizer;

mixing said waste material together with said basic pretreatment additive in said homogenizer;

homogenizing said waste material using counter-rotating augers in said homogenizer;

dropping said waste material by gravity from said homogenizer into a mixer located below said homogenizer, after said waste material has been homogenized;

accumulating a batch of said waste material in said mixer;

weighing said batch of waste material to determine an amount of basic additive to be added to said waste material in said mixer;

adding said amount of basic additive to said waste material in said mixer after said batch has been accumulated;

mixing said waste material with said additive in said mixer using counter-rotating augers to form a mixture; and

dropping said mixture from said mixer into a truck located below said mixer.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein said waste material is solid or semi-solid.