System and Method for Processing Waste on a Continuous Basis

Abstract

A system for processing waste on a continuous basis comprises an infeed assembly, a vessel held at a non-ambient pressure and/or temperature, and an outfeed assembly. The infeed assembly includes: a sleeve where waste is delivered; a gate construction that moves between an open and a closed position; and a ram that moves within the sleeve to compress waste when the gate construction is in the closed position and to push the compressed waste into the vessel, where it is metamorphically processed, when the gate construction is in the open position. The processed material moves from the vessel to the outfeed assembly, which includes a compaction chamber, a ram that moves within the compaction chamber, and a cutter assembly. Waste is compacted in the compaction chamber by the ram, cut by the cutter assembly, and delivered as a compacted block to an environment having an ambient pressure and/or temperature.

1 . An infeed assembly, comprising: 
 a sleeve having an inlet for receiving material;    a ram, movable within said sleeve, for compressing the material; and    a gate construction, movable between a closed position and an open position, wherein the material may be compressed when said gate construction is in the closed position and the material may exit the sleeve when said gate construction is in the open position, wherein said infeed assembly allows material to be continuously transferred from an environment having an ambient pressure and/or temperature to an environment having a non-ambient pressure and/or temperature.    
   
   
       2 . The infeed assembly of  claim 1 , and further comprising a chamber adapted for being held at non-ambient pressures and/or temperatures, wherein said sleeve and said chamber are in fluid communication when said gate construction is in the open position, thus allowing said ram to move material from said sleeve to said chamber.  
   
   
       3 . The infeed assembly of  claim 1 , and further comprising a casing adapted for supplying heat to said chamber.  
   
   
       4 . The infeed assembly of  claim 1 , and further comprising controls for moving said gate construction between the open position and the closed position in coordination with the position of said ram.  
   
   
       5 . An apparatus for metamorphically processing material, comprising: 
 a vessel adapted for being held at non-ambient pressures and/or temperatures and having an inlet, through which the material may enter said vessel, and an outlet, through which the material may exit said vessel; and    an auger contained within said vessel and comprising an axle and a plurality of spikes extending outwardly from said axle forming a helical pattern, said auger for urging the material from the inlet of said vessel to the outlet of said vessel.    
   
   
       6 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein said spikes form an angle with said axle that is less than about 90 degrees.  
   
   
       7 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , and further comprising an internal bushing supporting an end of said auger.  
   
   
       8 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , and further comprising at least one bar extending from an interior wall of said vessel for breaking clumps in the material, said at least one bar positioned such that it does not impede the rotation of said auger.  
   
   
       9 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , and further comprising a control assembly for controlling the delivery of steam and heat to and from said vessel.  
   
   
       10 .- 23 . (canceled)  
   
   
       24 . A system for processing waste on a continuous basis, comprising: 
 a sleeve having an inlet for receiving material;    a first ram, movable within said sleeve, for compressing the material;    a processing chamber adapted for being held at non-ambient pressures and/or temperatures;    a gate construction, movable between an open position and a closed position, wherein said sleeve and said processing chamber are in fluid communication when said gate construction is in the open position;    a vessel adapted for being held at non-ambient pressures and/or temperatures and having an inlet, through which material may enter said vessel from said processing chamber, and an outlet, through which material may exit said vessel;    a first auger, contained within said vessel, for urging material from the inlet of said vessel to the outlet of said vessel, comprising an axle and a plurality of spikes extending outwardly from said axle forming a helical pattern;    a compaction chamber adapted for being held at non-ambient pressures and/or temperatures and having an inlet for receiving material exiting said vessel;    a second ram, movable within said compaction chamber, for compacting the material;    a cutter assembly, for cutting a block from the compacted material;    an expansion chamber, for receiving compacted material from said block forming section;    an exit channel in fluid communication with said expansion chamber, said channel having an inlet, through which material may enter said channel, and an outlet, through which material may exit said channel; and    a second auger contained within said channel for urging the material from the inlet of said channel to the outlet of said channel.    
   
   
       25 . A method for transforming solid waste into a useful material, comprising: 
 providing a quantity of solid waste material for processing;    compressing the quantity of solid waste material;    transferring the compressed quantity of solid waste material to a vessel enclosing an environment having a non-ambient pressure and/or temperature;    metamorphically processing the quantity of solid waste material in the vessel;    compacting the quantity of processed material; and    expelling the quantity of processed material from the vessel.    
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the providing step further comprises continuously providing solid waste material for processing and the expelling step further comprises continuously expelling the quantity of processed material from the environment having the non-ambient pressure and/or temperature.  
   
   
       27 . A useful material derived from a method for transforming solid waste, the method comprising: 
 providing a quantity of solid waste material for processing;    compressing the quantity of solid waste material;    transferring the compressed quantity of solid waste material to a vessel enclosing an environment having a non-ambient pressure and/or temperature;    metamorphically processing the quantity of solid waste material in the vessel;    compacting the quantity of processed material; and expelling the quantity of processed material from the vessel.    
   
   
       28 . A useful material derived from the method of  claim 27 , wherein the providing step further comprises continuously providing solid waste material for processing and the expelling step further comprises continuously expelling the quantity of processed material from the environment having the non-ambient pressure and/or temperature.