METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR THE DESTRUCTIVE DECOMPOSITION OF ORGANIC WASTES WITHOUT AIR POLLUTION AND WITH RECOVERY OF CHEMICAL BYPRODUCTS

摘要

Organic material, such as kraft black liquor, wood residues, organic fuels and garbage or other organic wastes, is destructively distilled and pyrolyzed at elevated temperatures and for a time sufficient to break down the material to non-combustible solids and a stable, clean-burning gaseous fuel. Said destructive distillation and pyrolysis steps can be effected in a single stage, though preferably they are conductive in successive stages. Valuable organic products can be recovered from the first stage effluent by condensation or otherwise between these stages. The temperature during pyrolysis is maintained at a high enough level and for a time sufficient to preclude undesirable recombination of intermediate products, formed during pyrolysis, to compounds which would otherwise pollute the atmosphere. A controlled amount of oxygen, which can take the form of malodorous emission gases such as those engendered in the operation of a kraft mill or other industrial plant, for example, is continuously introduced during pyrolysis to provide energy by exothermic oxidative reactions. However, the oxygen so employed is insufficient to effect stoichiometric or, in other words, complete combustion of the reaction mixture. Further, the content of water vapor in the pyrolysis zone where cracking is occurring is maintained at a level high enough to insure that carbon particles in said zone will react with water to form hydrogen and carbon monoxide.