초록 ▼

Blocks of organic material (58) are fed from a plurality of directions into a reactor (10) having three zones ( 16, 18, 19). The material forms a bed (70) atop a bed of consumable carbon catalyst (60). These beds are heated by a series of plasma arc torches (42) mounted in inlets (37) about the reac

Blocks of organic material (58) are fed from a plurality of directions into a reactor (10) having three zones ( 16, 18, 19). The material forms a bed (70) atop a bed of consumable carbon catalyst (60). These beds are heated by a series of plasma arc torches (42) mounted in inlets (37) about the reactor. Gas is supplied via inlets (39, 41) from wind drums ( 38, 40). The superheated gas from the reaction is vented through an outlet (30) and is used to produce electrical energy.

대표청구항 ▼

We claim: 1. An apparatus for plasma pyrolysis, gasification and vitrification of material comprising: a generally funnel-shaped reactor having an upper section and a lower section, said lower section comprising a first, wider portion connected by a frustoconical transition to a second, narrower po

We claim: 1. An apparatus for plasma pyrolysis, gasification and vitrification of material comprising: a generally funnel-shaped reactor having an upper section and a lower section, said lower section comprising a first, wider portion connected by a frustoconical transition to a second, narrower portion, and being suitable to receive a carbon catalyst bed, and said upper section having at least one gas exhaust port and being constructed to receive said material from a plurality of directions with respect to said lower section; a gas inlet system disposed around said lower section to provide gas into said lower section through one or more intake ports in said lower section; and a plurality of plasma arc torches mounted in said lower section to heat said carbon catalyst bed and said material. 2. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said upper section has a plurality of intake ports. 3. An apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising: a material delivery system to provide said material to said reactor through said plurality of intake ports, said delivery system comprising: a receptacle to receive said material, a shredding and compacting unit disposed to accept said material from said receptacle and to shred and compact said material, and a transfer unit to deliver said shredded and compacted material to said reactor. 4. An apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said material comprises carbonaceous material. 5. An apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said carbonaceous material comprises waste. 6. An apparatus according to claim 5 wherein said carbon catalyst bed is about 1 meter in height. 7. An apparatus according to claim 3 further comprising a plurality of sensors disposed throughout said reactor to sense one or more of: a height of said carbon catalyst bed, a height of a bed of said material, a temperature of said reactor, a flow rate of gas in said reactor, and a temperature of a gas exhausted from said reactor through said exhaust port. 8. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said lower section has one or more tap holes at a bottom thereof. 9. An apparatus for the production of electrical energy comprising the apparatus according to claim 1 and further comprising: an evaporator connected to said exhaust port for removing water from a gas exhausted from said exhaust port; a scrubber connected to an output of said evaporator for cleaning said gas; a compressor connected to an output of said scrubber for compressing said gas; and a gas turbine connected to an output of said compressor for producing electricity from said compressed gas. 10. A method for the conversion of material comprising waste, biomass or other carbonaceous material by plasma pyrolysis, gasification and vitrification, said method comprising: providing a carbon catalyst bed in a lower section of a reactor; providing one or more successive quantities of said material from a plurality of directions into an upper section of a reactor, said upper section having at least one gas exhaust port connected to a fan, said material forming a bed atop said carbon catalyst bed; heating said carbon catalyst bed and said material bed using a plurality of plasma arc torches mounted in said lower section; and introducing into said lower section a predetermined amount of oxygen or oxygen-enriched air. 11. A method of producing electrical energy from waste comprising the method of claim 10 and further comprising: evaporating the gas exhausted from said gas exhaust port; scrubbing said gas; compressing said scrubbed gas; and supplying said compressed gas to fuel a gas turbine to generate electrical energy. 12. A method of producing electrical energy from waste comprising the method of claim 10 and further comprising evaporating the gas exhausted from said gas exhaust port; scrubbing said gas; compressing said scrubbed gas; powering a fuel cell using said hydrogen component; and supplying a remainder of said compressed gas, after said hydrogen component is separated, to fuel a gas turbine to generate electrical energy.