Method for reducing waste oxide gas emissions in industrial processes

Abstract

The method of the present invention reduces the emissions of waste oxide gas produced within a thermal oxidizer by the use of a multizone waste thermal oxidizer, comprising at least one primary combustion zone and at least one downstream waste destruction zone. By performing the primary combustion of fuel prior to the destruction of at least a portion of the waste, it has been discovered that NOx emissions from the waste destruction process can be reduced economically and without significant loss of overall waste destruction efficiency.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method for reducing the emission of waste oxide gas of an industrial process, comprising the steps of: 
 a. directing a waste stream to a thermal oxidizer;    b. combusting at least a portion of the waste stream in the primary combustion zone of the thermal oxidizer; and    c. injecting at least a portion of the waste stream in the downstream waste destruction zone of the thermal oxidizer.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the waste stream comprises approximately at least 0.5 mole % of reactive waste components and up to approximately 99.5 mole % of inert components.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising, supplying an aqueous waste stream to the primary combustion zone.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising, supplying ancillary waste to the downstream waste destruction zone wherein the ancillary waste is selected from the group consisting of aqueous waste and alternative waste.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the product produced by the industrial process is selected from the group consisting of acrylic acid, methacrylic acid, acrolein, methacrolein, hydrogen cyanide, acrylonitrile, methacrylonitrile, pthalic anhydride, maleic anhydride, and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         6 . A method for reducing the emission of waste oxide gas of an industrial chemical process, said industrial chemical process producing products selected from the group consisting of: methacrylic acid, acrolein, methacrolein, hydrogen cyanide, acrylonitrile, methacrylonitrile, pthalic anhydride, maleic anhydride, and mixtures thereof, comprising the steps of: 
 a. directing a waste stream to a horizontal thermal oxidizer;    b. combusting at least a portion of the waste stream in the primary combustion zone of the thermal oxidizer; and    c. injecting at least a portion of the waste stream in the downstream waste destruction zone of the thermal oxidizer.    
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6  wherein the at least one waste stream comprises approximately at least 0.5 mole % of reactive waste components and approximately up to 99.5 mole % of inert components.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6  further comprising, supplying an aqueous waste stream to the primary combustion zone.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 6  further comprising, supplying ancillary waste to the downstream waste destruction zone wherein the ancillary waste is selected from the group consisting of aqueous waste and alternative waste.