Waste Processing

Abstract

An apparatus for processing material ( 29 ) such as organically coated waste and organic materials including biomass, industrial waste, municipal solid waste and sludge is provided. The apparatus comprises an oven having a rotatable portion comprising a treatment chamber adapted to receive material for treatment. A plurality of gas inlets are provided in at least one wall of the treatment chamber through which hot gasses are introduced to the treatment chamber to heat the material therein so as to cause the organic components thereof to pyrolyse or gassify. At least one retarder means ( 26 ) is located in the treatment chamber to retard the movement of waste material therein as the oven rotates.

1 . Apparatus for processing material such as organically coated waste and organic materials including biomass, industrial waste, municipal solid waste and sludge; the apparatus comprising:
 an oven having a rotatable portion comprising a treatment chamber adapted to receive material for treatment;   a plurality of gas inlets in at least one wall of the treatment chamber through which hot gasses are introduced to the treatment chamber to heat the material therein so as to cause the organic components thereof to pyrolyse or gassify; and   at least one retarder means located in the treatment chamber to retard the movement of waste material therein as the oven rotates.   
     
     
         2 . An apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the oven has at least one 15 substantially flat side and the retaining means are provided on the flat side of the oven. 
     
     
         3 . An apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the retarder means can be moved between an active position in which they protrude into the treatment chamber by a first distance and an inactive position wherein protrude into the treatment chamber by a second distance, the first distance being greater than the second distance. 
     
     
         4 . An apparatus according to  claim 3  wherein in the inactive position the retarders are substantially flush with the walls of the treatment chamber. 
     
     
         5 . An apparatus according to  claim 3  wherein the retarder means are made of spring steel and wherein the retarder means resiliently deforms when the retarder means is moved from its active position as in inactive position. 
     
     
         6 . An apparatus according to  claim 3  wherein the retarder means extend through the walls of the treatment chamber and further comprise actuator means located outside the treatment chamber for actuating the retarder means. 
     
     
         7 . An apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the treatment chamber has a double wall, comprising an inner wall and an outer wall, extending along at least one of its sides and wherein the retarder means extend through both the inner and the outer wall. 
     
     
         8 . An apparatus to  claim 1  wherein the retarder means further comprise a flow path there through and hot gases are introduced into the treatment chamber through the retarder means. 
     
     
         9 . An apparatus according to  claim 7  wherein the retarder means further comprise a flow path there through and hot gases are introduced into the treatment chamber through the retarder means, the flow path having at least one flow path inlet in a section extending thereof between the inner and outer walls, and at least one outlet in a section thereof extending into the treatment chamber. 
     
     
         10 . An apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the retarder means each comprise a plurality of inverted hooks arranged in a radial array about a common central axis with the ends of the hooks spaced from the common central axis. 
     
     
         11 . An apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the retarder means each comprise at least one hollow tube through which hot gas can pass into the treatment chamber. 
     
     
         12 . An apparatus according to  claim 10  wherein the inverted hooks each comprise a hollow tube through which hot gas can pass into the treatment chamber. 
     
     
         13 . An apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the retarder means can be rotated. 
     
     
         14 . An apparatus according to  claim 12  wherein the ends of the inverted hooks are bent in a direction towards said processing chamber so that, in use, hot gas emitting from them is directed away from the surface of the treatment chamber. 
     
     
         15 . An apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the retarder means comprises a shaft and a retarder head, and wherein the shaft is pivotally connected to the retarder head. 
     
     
         16 . A method of processing material such as organically coated waste and organic materials including: biomass, industrial waste, municipal solid waste and sludge; the method comprising:
 placing material to be treated in an oven having a rotatable portion comprising a treatment chamber;   heating the material in the treatment chamber by introducing hot gasses thereinto via gas inlets in at least one wall of the treatment chamber;   rotating the oven so as to cause the material therein to tumble; and   retarding the movement of the material in the processing chamber by placing retarder means in the movement path of the waste material.   
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 16  further comprising agitating said material in the processing chamber by moving the retarder means from an active position in which they protrude into the treatment chamber from an inactive position wherein they protrude into the treatment chamber by a lesser amount. 
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 17  comprising repeatedly moving the retarder means between their active position and their inactive position. 
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 16  further comprising introducing hot gasses into the treatment chamber by passing the hot gasses through a flow path in the retarder means. 
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 16  further comprising agitating said material in the processing chamber by rotating the retarder means. 
     
     
         21 . The method according to  claim 16  further comprising moving to and retaining in their inactive position at least some of the retarder means while they are covered material being processed so as to trap in least some of the material against the wall of treatment chamber. 
     
     
         22 . The method according to  claim 21  further comprising continuing to rotate the oven while retaining said at least some of the retarder means in their inactive position so as to retain said trapped material adjacent to the sides of the treatment chamber as the oven rotates. 
     
     
         23 . The method according to  claim 16  comprising selectively retarding the movement of material within the treatment chamber as the chamber rotates so as to provide a greater contact area between the chamber walls and the material.