Treatment of Hydrocarbon Containing Materials

Abstract

An apparatus for separating a hydrocarbon content from a material matrix composes the hydrocarbon content and a water content, the apparatus comprising: a material feeder arranged to feed material through a treatment chamber, the treatment chamber comprising a window which is substantially transparent to microwaves; a microwave emitter arranged in use to expose feed material in the treatment chamber to microwaves via the window in order to cause rapid heating of at least part of the water content of the matrix to form steam, so as to remove at least part of the hydrocarbon content from the matrix; wherein the material feeder and treatment chamber are arranged so that in use, the treatment chamber is substantially tilted with material/matrix.

1 . An apparatus for separating a hydrocarbon content from a material matrix comprising the hydrocarbon content and a water content, the apparatus comprising:
 a material feeder arranged to feed material through a treatment chamber, the treatment chamber comprising a window which is at least partially transparent to microwaves;   a microwave emitter arranged in use to expose feed material in the treatment chamber to microwaves via the window in order to cause heating of at least part of the water content of the matrix to form steam, so as to remove at least part of the hydrocarbon content from the matrix:   wherein the material feeder and treatment chamber are arranged so that in use, the treatment chamber is filled with material matrix.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the material feeder stops short of, and does not extend into, the treatment chamber. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the material feeder is arranged to allow at least some of the water content to drain from the material matrix before it passes through the treatment chamber. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the material feeder is vertical, 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the material feeder is inclined. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the material feeder is horizontal. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the material matrix is pushed through the treatment chamber by the material matrix leaving the material feeder. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the material feeder comprises at least one of a screw conveyor, a peristaltic pump, a positive displacement pump and a piston feed mechanism. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the material feeder comprises a twin screw conveyor. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the material feeder is arranged to control a rate at which material is fed through the treatment chamber in response to a signal indicative of the cleanliness or dryness of the material. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the microwave power output of the microwave emitter is arranged to be controlled in response to a measurement of the reflected microwave power. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein:
 a window is arranged to cover an aperture in the treatment chamber with a first area of the window, the window extends beyond the extent of the aperture, and the window is arranged to be repositioned during operation of the apparatus to present a second area to the aperture. 
 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 12  wherein the window comprises a flexible film or belt. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the treatment chamber is of substantially circular cross section. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the treatment chamber is substantially disposed within a microwave cavity arranged to direct microwave radiation from the microwave emitter to the treatment chamber. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 15  wherein the treatment chamber is substantially concentric with the microwave cavity. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 15  wherein the microwave cavity comprises a moveable microwave reflector operable to adjust the modes of the microwave cavity. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein material matrix leaving the treatment chamber is deposited within an output container which substantially confines microwave radiation escaping from the treatment chamber. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising a discharge mechanism extracting and controlling the level of materials within the output container. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising a valve located between the container and the treatment chamber to control free flowing liquid levels. 
     
     
         21 . A method for separating a hydrocarbon content from a material matrix comprising the hydrocarbon content and a water content, comprising the steps of:
 continuously feeding the material matrix through a treatment chamber;   exposing the material matrix within the treatment chamber to microwave radiation arranged to cause rapid heating of at least some of the water content to form steam, wherein the rapid steam formation results in thermal desorption of at least some of the hydrocarbon content from the matrix;   wherein the treatment chamber is substantially filled with the material matrix to be treated.   
     
     
         22 . A method for separating a hydrocarbon content from a material matrix comprising the hydrocarbon content and a water content, the method comprising using an apparatus comprising a material feeder arranged to feed material through a treatment chamber, the treatment chamber comprising a window which is at least partially transparent to microwaves, a microwave emitter arranged in use to expose feed material in the treatment chamber to microwaves via the window in order to cause heating of at least part of the water content of the matrix to form steam, so as to remove at least part of the hydrocarbon content from the matrix, wherein the material feeder and treatment chamber are arranged so that in use, the treatment chamber is filled with material matrix.