EP0193628B1 - Method and ocean-going vessel for offshore incineration of hazardous waste materials - Google Patents
Method and ocean-going vessel for offshore incineration of hazardous waste materials Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- EP0193628B1 EP0193628B1 EP85102388A EP85102388A EP0193628B1 EP 0193628 B1 EP0193628 B1 EP 0193628B1 EP 85102388 A EP85102388 A EP 85102388A EP 85102388 A EP85102388 A EP 85102388A EP 0193628 B1 EP0193628 B1 EP 0193628B1
- Authority
- EP
- European Patent Office
- Prior art keywords
- incinerator
- containers
- vessel
- staging
- sump
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired
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- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 title claims abstract description 18
- 239000002920 hazardous waste Substances 0.000 title claims description 20
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Images
Classifications
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B63—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; RELATED EQUIPMENT
- B63B—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; EQUIPMENT FOR SHIPPING
- B63B35/00—Vessels or similar floating structures specially adapted for specific purposes and not otherwise provided for
- B63B35/44—Floating buildings, stores, drilling platforms, or workshops, e.g. carrying water-oil separating devices
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F23—COMBUSTION APPARATUS; COMBUSTION PROCESSES
- F23G—CREMATION FURNACES; CONSUMING WASTE PRODUCTS BY COMBUSTION
- F23G7/00—Incinerators or other apparatus for consuming industrial waste, e.g. chemicals
- F23G7/008—Incinerators or other apparatus for consuming industrial waste, e.g. chemicals for liquid waste
Definitions
- This invention relates to a method for disposing of hazardous waste material through offshore incineration, whereby the effluent discharge stream after incineration is directed in a horizontal or downwardly sloping direction towards the water as well as to a sea-going vessel adapted to carry out this method, with a weather deck and an incinerator mounted substantially on said weather deck and having a substantially horizontally directed effluent discharge outlet, for incinerating liquid hazardous material.
- a method and sea-going vessel is known from DE-OS-2128376.
- liquid waste material includes not only liquids which are flowable by gravity, but also pumpable sludges, and materials which are similarly flowable or pumpable upon heating.
- Such materials including non-flammable materials, are known to be incineratable in incinerators having liquid fuel burners, either by feeding the material directly into the burner or upon blending it with a fuel such as diesel oil immediately before introduction into the burner.
- Modern, controlled high temperature incinerators are highly efficient, and are effective to destroy 99,99 percent of such wastes. At sea incineration is advantageous in that it removes the destruction site from populated areas.
- the thermal lift from the vertical shipboard incinerators carries the effluent gases high up into the atmosphere, and may be carried by winds many miles to regions over land or over sea lanes at which they may combine with moisture and fall as harmful "acid rain”.
- DE-OS-2128376 describes a method of disposing of hazardous waste materials from a ship or barge in which the waste materials are mixed together in the hold of the vessel.
- An advantage of the present invention is that intermediate transfer and consequent handling of the dangerous chemical materials is unnecessary.
- the wasts materials need never be blended, but may be incinerated in the same form or composition as that in which the waste material was initially received from its generating site. Thus, its burn and other characteristics are more accurately determinable and controllable.
- a further advantage of the invention is that a means for storing the liquid waste material on board the ship is provided which will facilitate its subsequent feeding to the incinerators, and by which spillage of any of the waste materials can be easily removed and incinerated, rather than requiring that it be discharged overboard.
- the manner of feeding the cargo to the incinerators accommodates any desirable blending of cargo, or any desired addition of supplemental fuel oil to enhance the burning.
- the present invention provides means by which the effluent discharges from the incinerators will not be carried aloft to the atmosphere with the attendant danger of subsequent falling as acid rain.
- the containers containing the hazardous liquid wastes are stored above the main or weatherdeck, all of the containers and the hazardous waste conduits on the ship are visible for prompt detection of leakage, and are protected from damage in the event of vessel grounding or other hull penetration.
- the containers can be located inboard to the extent necessary to meet international safety regulations. Moreover, the containers are more easily handled by a dockside crane and fully visible to the operator when loading or unloading them and, as previously mentioned, their storage on and above the weatherdeck takes advantage of gravity flow and reduces the need for pumping.
- the below decks areas of the ship are free for filling with supplies, fuel, or ballast. Such ballast may be used to trim the vessel by its stern, to angle the incinerator discharge outlets downwardly towards the sea so that the emerging effluents will contact the sea more promptly to avoid pollution of the atmosphere.
- intermodal shipping containers makes operation of the system relatively clean, with little likelihood of spillage and cleanup.
- their disposition above the weatherdeck facilitates cleanup by conducting a flow of the spillage first into an abatement tank and thence into a staging sump for pumping to an incinerator, rather than necessitating pumping of the spillage overboard with resulting pollution of the waterway.
- the abatement tanks can also accommodate any overflow from a staging sump, without requiring such overflow to be discharged overboard, while the cause for such overflowing of a staging sump can be corrected.
- the piping mounted on the weatherdeck of the vessel for conducting the flow of waste materials from the individual containers incorporates appropriate valving, pumps, and a cleanout loop for convenient cleaning of the lines.
- steam lines extend to one or more of the stacked groups of containers for introduction into one or more of the steam chambers of the respective tank containers for heating their contents to promote flow.
- Flow from the containers is via risers respectively associated with each container group, and to which each container in the group is connected by flexible hose and a valve.
- the risers are respectively connected to a transversely extending header pipe mounted on the weatherdeck, which, in turn, leads through a shutoff valve into either of a pair of longitudinally extending header pipes mounted amidships on the weatherdeck.
- the longitudinal header conducts the flow to a staging sump at one of its ends.
- Another pair of longitudinal headers, also located amidships services the groups of containers on the opposite side of the vessel via similar risers and transverse connecting headers.
- the staging sumps also permit better control of the burn efficiencies of the respective incinerators because any desirable blending of hazardous wastes can be conducted in one staging sump without affecting the others.
- diesel or other fuel can be added to any one sump to improve or maintain burning in one incinerator, without effect on any of the other incinerators.
- certain types of hazardous waste cargoes can be isolated in a given container grouping, and burned in a specially adapted incinerator or oxidizer.
- a preferred arrangement also provides a pair of sea-water scrubbers, aligned one behind the other, adjacent to the discharge outlet of each incinerator.
- Each scrubber takes the form of an annular conduit (such as a sprayer pipe arranged to form a square about the exhaust gas stream, with the pipe mounted in a cabinet or left un- enclosed) providing a water spray rack which directs sprays of water in all four directions inwardly and across the stream of effluents as it emerges from the incinerator outlet.
- the second scrubber is similar, though slightly larger in size, and is mounted about 60 cm. aft of the first.
- samples taken from the scrubbing water residue can be analyzed and compared with the composition of the sea water used for the spray, for indication of the effectiveness of the incineration.
- hazardous waste is removed from a shipper's plant 10 is an intermodal container 12 by truck 11 or by rail car (not shown) to the marin terminal 13.
- the tank containers will not transfer their contents at the marine terminal. Nor will the containers remain for an extended storage period.
- the intermodal container 12 is lifted from truck 11 by crane 14 onto the sea-going vessel 15.
- the sea-going vessel 15 with intermodal containers stacked in the mid section of the vessel and the incinerator 17 stack in the stern section is pulled by tug 16 out to an incinerating station at sea.
- location for burning is well removed for any residential area or industrial complex.
- the intermodal containers filled with hazardous wastes are placed in stacked rows.
- the stacks are each preferably three containers high (Fig. 4).
- Hazardous wastes are fed by gravity flow or pumped to the incinerators 17 to be burned therein; the effluents escaping through incinerators oxidizers 17.
- Incinerators 17 in Fig. 2 are each composed of two horizontal transverse pump and burner modules 26 and two horizontal longitudinal oxidizers 27.
- the pump and burner modules are shown in more detail as modules 102 and 101, respectively, in Fig. 20.
- the oxidizers 27 are composed of two modular elements 60 and 61 in Fig. 20, approximately 3 meters in length or they may be one continuous chamber of approximately 6 meters as in 216 of Fig. 24 and 25.
- the effluents are sprayed with sea water to reduce the tendency of the plume to rise into the air. Sea water may also be used to spray the outer walls of the incinerator and oxidizers to reduce the temperature thereof.
- the tethering of the barge or barges will allow the barge to swing with the wind so that the plume is blown away from the ship and safeguard the crew.
- One arrangement comprises two powerless vessels such as two barges. A more detailed description of the arrangement and the operation of the present invention will be described in connection with a two barge system, Fig. 13 and 14.
- Such a system comprises a container barge 40 and a tether 19 releasably coupled to barge 40 and buoy 18.
- the stern portion of barge 40 is releasably coupled to the incinerator barge 41 by shock absorber 39.
- Barge 41 carries the incinerator 17 of Fig. 13.
- Crane 38 insures that the disconnectable pipe 37 allows liquids to pass from barge 40 to barge 41.
- the coupling between barge 40 and barge 41 together with the tether will allow both barges to swing with the wind so that the plume 86 from oxidizer 27 of incinerator 17 will be blown downwind (Fig. 14).
- a fan 36 may assist movement of the plume away from the barges and crew and in a downward direction.
- Figs. 14, 15 and 16 also show a water curtain spray rack 85 mounted estern of the incinerator oxidizers 27 and extending the width of the vessel, from which inwardly directed sprays of water scrub the effluents 86 as they emerge from the incinerators.
- the housing of the containers, such as tanks 12 on the barge 40 comprises a cell structure 90 as illustrated in Fig. 6.
- Cell guides 31 are fastened to the deck.
- the upper end of the cell guides are connected to a fairing plate 43.
- Holding down devices 33 are arranged to prevent a stack of containers, such as a stack of three, being dislodged. Details of the construction of the holding down device 33 are illustrated in Figs. 8 and 9.
- Cell guides 31 and fairing plates 43 are provided to facilitate the insertion of the containers illustrated in Fig. 7. The containers are thus securely held on the barge to prevent movement of the containers.
- incinerator 17 is shown in Fig. 20 using its modular components 26 and 27.
- Several assemblies of incinerators may be grouped together, adjacent to one another and in tiers as shown in Fig. 11 in order to increase the overall waste disposal flow rate of the vessel.
- eight incinerator assemblies are possible; in the arrangement shown in Fig. 13, 14, 15 and 16, four assemblies are possible.
- the number of assemblies is a function of the width of the incinerator vessel and how many tiers are utilized. Two tiers only are illustrated as typical.
- Locks 32 (Fig. 12) hold the incinerators in position.
- the details and operation of such a lock are disclosed in U.S. Patent 3,894,493.
- the upper tier incinerator is similarly secured to the lower tier.
- the spacing of the incinerators from the deck will permit air and water to pass underneath the incinerator.
- FIG. 20 There is an option to double-tier the incinerator installations and to use intermodal modular incinerator units. Further details of the incinerator 17 using this option and of its control panel are illustrated in Figs. 20, 21, 22 and 23.
- an incinerator installation consists of an assembly of oxidizer modules 60 and 61, housing the principal combustion chambers, burner modules 101, housing the burners (Fig. 22) and pump room modules 102, housing the duplex liquid pumps 42 (Fig. 23) and fuel pump 64, each module having the same size, which is that of an intermodal shipping container as illustrated in Figs. 10, 11 and 20, e.g., each having dimensions about 6 mt. long by 2,50 mt high by 2,50 mt wide.
- the geometrical configuration of oxidizer modules, burner modules and pump room modules may vary. The number of modules may also be changed.
- the main hazardous waste burner 48 (Fig. 21) is surrounded by four supplementary burner nozzles 70, 71, 72 and 73 for better flow control when burning wastes of either very high or very low viscosities.
- the vaporizing section 44 (Fig. 22) and primary combustion chamber 45 indicate the direction of the movement of the combustion gases.
- a primary combustion air inlet is shown at 51.
- the secondary combustion air inlet is shown as 52.
- a damper for the secondary air inlet 52 is shown at 54.
- the burner is monitored by ultraviolet scanner 46.
- the incinerator plane may have a modular frame construction as in Fig. 20 to facilitate maintenance, also removing modules without unduly interrupting the operation of the incinerator.
- a back cover 59 as shown in Fig. 22 is removably attached by bolts 67 to the burner end of the incinerator.
- the front wall of the incinerator is indicated at 56.
- the incinerator oxidizer modules 27 are attached to the burner modules 101 by front plate 65 secured to the front wall by bolts 66.
- the combustion area is lined with fire bricks 58.
- the joint between parts 60 and 61 is insulated by a cast refractory bridge 63.
- Mortar and/or anchor studs are used to secure the fire bricks 58 to each other and to the cast refractory bridge 63.
- a gasket 62 is inserted between the parts 60 and 61 to prevent escape of toxic gases.
- the burner modules 101 are fastened to the pump room modules 102 by standard container attaching devices, similar to the device twist lock 32 shown in Fig. 12.
- the incinerator operates as follows.
- the hazardous waste will be injected into the vaporizing section 44 of the burner.
- the high temperature will allow the liquids to vaporize prior to entering the primary combustion chamber 45 (Fig. 22).
- the oxidation temperature may reach 1600°C.
- the operation of the fuel pumps 64 is controlled and monitored by the burner safety control 69 in Fig. 23 and flame safety control 82.
- duplex hazardous waste pumps 42 are monitored and controlled by the waste injection control unit 68.
- two low viscosity nozzles 70 and 71 and two high viscosity nozzles 72 and 73 are provided.
- a number of pressure indicator transmitters 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79 and 80 are provided.
- the main control panel 83 incorporates besides others, a monitor for the ultraviolet scanner 46.
- the main control panel will monitor all sensors and act as a main control system.
- the waste injection control unit monitors the flow, viscosity, pressure, temperature and pH of the waste material introduced into the burners. These data transmitted to the main control panel will be compared in the panel with the program.
- the main control panel 83 located in the forward deck house (Fig. 1) or aft in the incinerator control room includes the main computer containing the program, disk data storage, disk program storage, multiple CRT display, ship-to-shore communication and will act as a primary monitor and control station for the system.
- All data will be converted into a computer code and fed into a communication system interface.
- a backup panel will be located remotely and have duplicate control capacity to act as a standby operational unit.
- the shock absorber 39 in Fig. 13 and 14 are illustrated in Figs. 17, 18 and 19.
- the shock absorber is of a type generally referred to as oleo-pneumatic, the oil operating as a damper and the air as a spring.
- Cylinder 91 is filled on right side of Fig. 18 with air 92.
- Floating piston 98 separates the air space from oil space 94 containing the damping oil and which occupies the remainder of the cylinder space.
- Piston rod 95 carries on one end the piston 96 provided with valves 97 to regulate the passage of oil through the piston 96 and thus provide damping of the movement of piston 96 in a conventional manner.
- the other end of the piston rod contains a device to regulate and control the relative position of the two barges and oscillating movement due to the action of the waves.
- piston rod 95 is provided with a hook-type extension 99 (Fig. 17) which is placed in an anchoring device 100 of the container barge 40.
- Spindle 101, Fig. 18, rotating in the arms 102 of the anchoring device 100 carries a pinion 108 for moving rack 103 to and from friction wheel 104 which in turn presses against the operating portion 106 of hook 99.
- the operating portion of 106 of Fig. 19 is arcuate and of equal widths over an arc of approximately 45 degrees.
- the bent portion 106 of hook 99 and the end portion 116 of hook 99 limit the relative movement of the hook in relation to the anchoring device 100 and, therefore, the relative movement of the two barges.
- Handle 107 has a splined pinion '108 cooperating with the gear of rack 103. Movement of handle 107 will increase or decrease, as the case may. be, the pressure of rack 103 against friction wheel 104.
- a ratchet pawl 109, Fig. 19 is provided to lock handle 107 in its position.
- the sea-going vessel carrying the incinerator can be left at the incinerator station for an indefinite time.
- the vessel carrying the cargo can be exhanged for the next vessel carrying full cargo when the first carrying vessel has its cargo consumed by incineration.
- the incinerator itself is lined with fire bricks which are heated to about 1600°C.
- the fire bricks are held together and possibly to their outer shell by mortar capable of remaining intact at the operating temperature.
- a cooling down to a substantial degree will adversely affect the mortar increase the maintenance work and lead to premature failure of the incinerator.
- the maintenance work, the expense thereof and the delay of time will be substantially decreased, by keeping the incinerators in continuous service.
- the horizontal position of the incinerator will reduce the dispersion of the exhaust gases, including the danger to the crew and passing vessels. Exhaust gases may be even more hazardous and corrosive than the materials in their original liquid state.
- Sectional or modular construction of the incinerator promotes the continuous operation of the incineration process, since single modules can be removed for replacement and maintenance, permitting the incinerator to be restored quickly to on-line operation.
- the vessel is a sea-going barge 200, although it might incorporate its own power plant and propellers to be self-propelled.
- the vessel At its forward end or bow 201 the vessel is adapted, as indicated by two lines 202, for towing by a sea-going tug (not shown).
- the vessel 200 has a weatherdeck, in this case a main deck 203, having upwardly projecting cell or container guides 31 (Fig. 26) thereon, appropriately spaced and connected to form cell or container guide structures 90 on and projecting upwardly from the main deck 203 for receiving and storing intermodal tank shipping containers 12.
- a weatherdeck in this case a main deck 203, having upwardly projecting cell or container guides 31 (Fig. 26) thereon, appropriately spaced and connected to form cell or container guide structures 90 on and projecting upwardly from the main deck 203 for receiving and storing intermodal tank shipping containers 12.
- the containers 12 When located between the guides, the containers 12 are preferably aligned in the longitudinal direction, and disposed in longitudinally spaced apart, port and starboard container groups, for example, Groups G-1 to G-5, on the vessel 200, as indicated in Figs. 24 and 25.
- the tank containers 12 may alternatively be disposed athwartship (not shown) with suitable arrangement of piping systems and cell guides.
- a bulwark 204 as seen in Figs. 24-26 projects upwardly from the main deck and surrounds the areas beneath the container groups G-1 to G-5, port and starboard, to retain any spillage from the containers 12. Because of the camber of the ships main deck the flow of any such spillage will be outboard to the bulwark 204 which will direct the flow into scuppers 205 which, in turn, direct the spillage into an associated one of a pair of port and starboard side, pollution abatement tanks 206, both being situated below the level of the main deck 203.
- individual vertical pipe risers 207 attached to the guide structure 90, service the respective stacks of containers 12 as part of the network of pipe conduits on the ship's main deck for receiving the flow of liquid wastes from the containers 12 when the waste material is to be incinerated.
- each branch 207a from each riser which extend towards the discharge outlets 12a of the respective containers, are at elevations corresponding to the bottoms of the containers 12 to permit gravity flow from the latter.
- Each branch 207a has a shutoff valve 208, to which a length of flexible hose 209 is connected.
- a quick-connect pipe coupling (not shown) connects the other end of each flexible hose 209 to one of the container discharge outlets 12a, as will be understood from Fig. 26.
- each container outlet 12a has a shutoff valve (not shown), and is conventional.
- containers 12 may be vented through a vacuum release valve installed at the top of the tank shell or, where .necessitated by the hazardous characteristics of a particular waste, an inert gas may be admitted to the interior of the shell through the discharge valve, or other appropriate pipeline connection of the tank container.
- the lower ends of the vertical pipe risers 207 serving any container group connect into a common transverse header pipe 210 which is pitched towards the pair of longitudinally extending header pipes located amidships on the main deck 203, so that gravity flow from the containers can be maintained.
- Respective valves 211 and 212 direct the flow into either or both of the longitudinal conduits 213, 214, as will also be understood by reference to Fig. 25.
- an identical vertical riser pipe and transverse header piping arrangement is disposed in the longitudinal spacing between each of the container groups, and a second, identical system, including a second pair of longitudinally extending conduits 213, 214, services the container groups along the opposite side of the vessel 200.
- each sump 217 is equipped with both a high level alarm and a low level alarm (not shown).
- the high product level alarm is actuated by a full sump 217, the flow of product from one of the lines 213, 214 is reduced or terminated by closing one of the valves 221 or 222 (Fig. 25) until the product level drops as the waste is pumped from the sump to its associated incinerator.
- diesel fuel from a supply tank 223 is introduced into the low level sump.
- the diesel oil is introduced by opening one of the diesel oil tank valves 224 and, of course, the incinerator pump 219 will pump the diesel oil into the associated incinerator to maintain its flame.
- Any overflow from a sump 217 into an abatement tank 206 can be returned to the sump by pumping, when the sump level is again within normal range.
- container group G-5 might be dedicated to containers having wastes which are flowable only on heating and, therefore, steam lines (not shown) may lead to the container supporting structure 90 of the group, to be introduced into steam chambers (not shown) at the bottoms of the respective containers 12 which are stored in this group.
- steam lines not shown
- Such particular waste product may then be directed into a particular staging sump 217 which services a particular one of the incinerators 216 which is maintained at an appropriate burn temperature for that cargo, which can remain unblended.
- diesel oil may be added to the product before or while it is burned, if desired for improved burning efficiency, by opening the appropriate diesel fuel valve -224.
- the cargo may be blended with more flammable cargo from another container stored in a different group but along the same lines 213, 214, and it will be noted that the blending can take place only when both products reach the sump 217 via separate lines 213 or 214.
- the common transverse header pipes 210 and the longitudinal conduits 213, 214 are cleaned by pumping cleaning solvent or the like therethrough from a solvent tank 225 (Fig. 25), using the solvent pump 226.
- the solvent flows from the pump 226, through the valve 227, into the loop piping 213a along the outboard side of the pipe network, and then via the crossover piping 213b located nearest the bow 201, or via the headers 210 by opening their respective valves 228 into the main longitudinal conduits 213, 214, so that all piping is easily cleaned. It will be noted that the dirty solvent drains into the sump 217, from which it may be pumped into the incinerators 216 to be incinerated.
- the effluent discharge outlet may be shaped to provide a downward sloping angle of discharge of the effluent streams, as illustrated in Fig. 27 and 28. That is, the aft-facing effluent discharge outlet 216a of the oxidizer portion 216d of each incinerator 216 is canted inwardly in the downward direction of its otherwise vertical plane providing a downward discharge angle of from about 15° to about 25° from the horizontal.
- the upper wall portion 216b of the oxidizer 216d is given a downward slope, to turn the gases downwardly as they begin to emerge through the outlet 216a.
- the discharging effluent gases 216e from each incinerator are directed at a downward sloping angle towards the water, to strike the water and be diluted by it in the shortest possible time.
- each incinerator is provided with preferably two sea water scrubbers 231, 232, the two being disposed about 45 to 60 cm apart in the longitudinal direction, and the innermost scrubber 231 being located about 60 cm or so aft of the plane of the discharge outlet 216a. Water is pumped to the scrubbers 231, 232 via the conduit 231 a (Fig. 27).
- each scrubber 231, 232 is preferably a square shaped piping spray rack arrangement concentrically disposed with reference to the imaginary central longitudinal axis of the incinerator through its discharge opening 216a.
- the outer scrubber 232 is somewhat larger than the inner scrubber 231 to accommodate the rapidly expanding gas, stream 216e, as will be understood.
- Each scrubber has a plurality of water spray nozzles 231c, 232c, spaced about 30 cm apart about the interior periphery of the spray rack.
- the nozzles 231c, 232c, of both spray racks 231, 232 are so directed that the water spray cones 231 b, 232b overlap to provide complete coverage of the incinerator gas stream with the desired water curtain, as illustrated in Fig. 27 and shown generally in Figs. 15 and 16.
- the mid- length nozzles 231d, 232d will impart higher velocities so that the streams of sprayed water 231 b, 232b will reach the center of the discharging effluent stream 216e.
- a sheet 240 of stainless steel or similar non-corrosive material coated with a protective coating As also seen in Fig. 27, below the incinerator outlet 216a and extending rearward under the scrubber spray racks is a sheet 240 of stainless steel or similar non-corrosive material coated with a protective coating.
- This sheet 240 which slopes downwardly in the aft direction as shown, will minimize contact of the highly corrosive effluent gases 216e and scrubber water with the ship's structure.
- a continuous spray of sea water, indicated by reference numeral 241 will flush the contaminants towards and over the stern 215 via drip caps, downspouts, gutters or the like (not shown).
- a sliding incinerator cap 242 is mounted immediately adjacent to each incinerator outlet 216a to plug the incinerator outlet when the incinerator is shut down, thus to retain the heat within, and reduce the use of fuel during the next startup.
- a steel curtain door or cap 242 having insulating material 243 on its inner, incinerator-facing side rides on a trolley structure 244 into and laterally out of the path of the discharge outlet 216a.
- the heavy steel cap 242 hangs vertically as it rolls laterally on its trolley wheels 245, but will be swung upwardly at its lower end, to the angled position shown in Fig. 27 conforming with the angular disposition of the inwardly canted plane of the discharge outlet 216a. Latches (not shown) latch the cap 242 in close position on the outlet.
- Fig. 27 there is a diagrammatic illustration of a stern sampling through 250, located beneath the falling scrubber sprays, for collecting samples of the spray water after passing through the effluent stream, for subsequent analysis.
- the incinerator as above in detail clarified can be mounted also on a fixed structure located on an offshore platform or on the border of an uninhabitated island and this structure will be equipped with means for mooring of the vessel carrying the containers and for the pipe connections to transfer the hazardous waste material from the containers to the incinerator.
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Abstract
Description
- This invention relates to a method for disposing of hazardous waste material through offshore incineration, whereby the effluent discharge stream after incineration is directed in a horizontal or downwardly sloping direction towards the water as well as to a sea-going vessel adapted to carry out this method, with a weather deck and an incinerator mounted substantially on said weather deck and having a substantially horizontally directed effluent discharge outlet, for incinerating liquid hazardous material. Such a method and sea-going vessel is known from DE-OS-2128376.
- Although it may be useful in the disposal of solid waste materials, the invention was made in connection with attempts to more effectively dispose of liquid waste materials, and will therefore be described in connection with such use.
- How to safely dispose of agricultural and industrial hazardous liquid wastes, including toxic chemicals and flammable liquids, is of increasing environmental concern. Handling of such materials is hazardous, and the cleaning up of any accidental spillage can be painstaking and expensive. When removed from the place of their generation they cannot be simply dumped at disposal sites on land or at sea without danger of seepage pollution of underground aquifers or of poisoning sea life, and their burial in containers is costly and poses similar risks. Moreover, incinerating of such wastes has caused atmospheric pollution, sometimes resulting in "acid rain" at locations far from the burnsite.
- In the context of this specification, "liquid" waste material includes not only liquids which are flowable by gravity, but also pumpable sludges, and materials which are similarly flowable or pumpable upon heating. Such materials, including non-flammable materials, are known to be incineratable in incinerators having liquid fuel burners, either by feeding the material directly into the burner or upon blending it with a fuel such as diesel oil immediately before introduction into the burner. Modern, controlled high temperature incinerators are highly efficient, and are effective to destroy 99,99 percent of such wastes. At sea incineration is advantageous in that it removes the destruction site from populated areas.
- Several officially sanctioned shipboard test incineration operations have been successfully conducted on the incinerator ship M/T VUL-CANUS off the cost of Europe and of the United States. This ship was especially designed for the incineration of liquid chemical waste at sea, which it carries to the offshore burnsite in 15 cargo tanks below decks. The ship was designed in accordance with the lastest regulations of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and other regulatory bodies. The cargo is loaded by pumping the material through pipelines and hoses into the ship's cargo hold from large storage tanks at the waterfront facility where the ship docks, and the liquid waste material is often blended together, either in the storage tanks or in the ship's cargo holds. The ship sails to the burnsite location many miles off shore, at which the cargo is pumped from the storage tanks into two large liquid injection incinerators having vertical stacks.
- Even these modern techniques for disposing of hazardous waste by incineration at sea continue to have disadvantages. For example, the thermal lift from the vertical shipboard incinerators carries the effluent gases high up into the atmosphere, and may be carried by winds many miles to regions over land or over sea lanes at which they may combine with moisture and fall as harmful "acid rain".
- It is essential with this system to scrub the effluents with water to cleanse them, but the use of scrubbers on vertical stack incinerators, if possible at all, would reduce or eliminate the thermal lift of these gases, which thermal lift is necessary for proper operation of the incinerator.
- DE-OS-2128376 describes a method of disposing of hazardous waste materials from a ship or barge in which the waste materials are mixed together in the hold of the vessel.
- The blending of hazardous liquid waste cargoes, either in the land based storage tanks at the dockside or within the ship's cargo holds, may detract from the efficiency of incineration due to differences between the optimum incineration temperatures for the several different types of chemicals which are mixed.
- Separate burning of different wastes permits precise time and geographic coordinates to be identified for each waste destroyed, thereby permitting certificates of ultimate destruction to be properly issued to the person who generated the waste as required by the Laws.
- Moreover, the carrying of liquid cargo below decks presents some hazard and possible spillage upon grounding of the ship, or other hull penetration, and it is difficult to control any leakage from such cargo tanks. Of course, cargo held in tanks below decks must always be pumped because gravity flow is not possible, and the tanks and pumps are difficult to empty and clean. The same disadvantages of blending of the hazardous waste materials, and the difficulty of pumping from and cleaning the tanks are also incidental to the large storage tanks at dockside in which the waste materials are temporarily stored for loading on the incinerator ship. In addition, the waste material itself must be transported from the sites where it is generated and transferred into the storage tanks, which necessitates additional handling of the hazardous waste material.
- Accordingly, it is the object of the present invention to transport hazardous waste materials as well as the incineration products thereof as safely as possibly from their point of production to the point of their safe disposal.
- It is a further object of the invention to provide a sea-going vessel suitable for carrying out the method.
- The object of the invention is solved for a method according to the first paragraph of this specification by the features of the characterizing clause of claim 1.
- The object of the invention is further solved, for sea-going vessel according to paragraph 1 of this specification, by the features of the characterizing clause of
claim 5. - An advantage of the present invention is that intermediate transfer and consequent handling of the dangerous chemical materials is unnecessary. In addition, the wasts materials need never be blended, but may be incinerated in the same form or composition as that in which the waste material was initially received from its generating site. Thus, its burn and other characteristics are more accurately determinable and controllable.
- A further advantage of the invention is that a means for storing the liquid waste material on board the ship is provided which will facilitate its subsequent feeding to the incinerators, and by which spillage of any of the waste materials can be easily removed and incinerated, rather than requiring that it be discharged overboard.
- Moreover, the manner of feeding the cargo to the incinerators accommodates any desirable blending of cargo, or any desired addition of supplemental fuel oil to enhance the burning.
- Further, the present invention provides means by which the effluent discharges from the incinerators will not be carried aloft to the atmosphere with the attendant danger of subsequent falling as acid rain.
- it will be noted that storage tanks at the dockside are eliminated, and no transfer of the hazardous material out of their initial containers is required prior to incineration. Costly construction and maintenance of storage tanks are avoided, and the hazards involved in waste handling are minimized.
- Because all of the containers containing the hazardous liquid wastes are stored above the main or weatherdeck, all of the containers and the hazardous waste conduits on the ship are visible for prompt detection of leakage, and are protected from damage in the event of vessel grounding or other hull penetration. The containers can be located inboard to the extent necessary to meet international safety regulations. Moreover, the containers are more easily handled by a dockside crane and fully visible to the operator when loading or unloading them and, as previously mentioned, their storage on and above the weatherdeck takes advantage of gravity flow and reduces the need for pumping. The below decks areas of the ship are free for filling with supplies, fuel, or ballast. Such ballast may be used to trim the vessel by its stern, to angle the incinerator discharge outlets downwardly towards the sea so that the emerging effluents will contact the sea more promptly to avoid pollution of the atmosphere.
- In addition, the use of intermodal shipping containers makes operation of the system relatively clean, with little likelihood of spillage and cleanup. However, should any of the containers leak or be damaged so that spillage results, by providing bulwarks, scuppers, and spillage abatement tanks as will be described, their disposition above the weatherdeck facilitates cleanup by conducting a flow of the spillage first into an abatement tank and thence into a staging sump for pumping to an incinerator, rather than necessitating pumping of the spillage overboard with resulting pollution of the waterway.
- As will be seen the abatement tanks can also accommodate any overflow from a staging sump, without requiring such overflow to be discharged overboard, while the cause for such overflowing of a staging sump can be corrected.
- The piping mounted on the weatherdeck of the vessel for conducting the flow of waste materials from the individual containers incorporates appropriate valving, pumps, and a cleanout loop for convenient cleaning of the lines.
- If desired, steam lines extend to one or more of the stacked groups of containers for introduction into one or more of the steam chambers of the respective tank containers for heating their contents to promote flow.
- Flow from the containers is via risers respectively associated with each container group, and to which each container in the group is connected by flexible hose and a valve. The risers are respectively connected to a transversely extending header pipe mounted on the weatherdeck, which, in turn, leads through a shutoff valve into either of a pair of longitudinally extending header pipes mounted amidships on the weatherdeck. The longitudinal header conducts the flow to a staging sump at one of its ends. Another pair of longitudinal headers, also located amidships, services the groups of containers on the opposite side of the vessel via similar risers and transverse connecting headers.
- The use of two pairs of headers servicing the rows of containers on each side of the ship facilitates the mounting and use of four incinerators at the stern of the ship, each being fuelled by waste drawn from a separate, associated staging sump, as will be seen. Thus, one or more incinerators can be dedicated to burn certain types of wastes, without affecting others.
- The staging sumps also permit better control of the burn efficiencies of the respective incinerators because any desirable blending of hazardous wastes can be conducted in one staging sump without affecting the others. Similarly, if desired, diesel or other fuel can be added to any one sump to improve or maintain burning in one incinerator, without effect on any of the other incinerators. Further, as will become apparent, certain types of hazardous waste cargoes can be isolated in a given container grouping, and burned in a specially adapted incinerator or oxidizer.
- A preferred arrangement also provides a pair of sea-water scrubbers, aligned one behind the other, adjacent to the discharge outlet of each incinerator.
- Each scrubber takes the form of an annular conduit (such as a sprayer pipe arranged to form a square about the exhaust gas stream, with the pipe mounted in a cabinet or left un- enclosed) providing a water spray rack which directs sprays of water in all four directions inwardly and across the stream of effluents as it emerges from the incinerator outlet. The second scrubber is similar, though slightly larger in size, and is mounted about 60 cm. aft of the first.
- Not only do these scrubbing sprays densify and cool the horizontally emerging hot effluent gases to virtually eliminate their thermal lift, but they saturate and dilute the emerging gases and entrap and remove particulates.
- Thus, samples taken from the scrubbing water residue can be analyzed and compared with the composition of the sea water used for the spray, for indication of the effectiveness of the incineration.
- These and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be more readily apparent from the following detailed description of several of its embodiments.
- In the description reference will be made to the accompanying drawings, in which:
- Fig. 1 is a somewhat schematic illustration of a method for disposing of hazardous liquid waste materials in accordance with the invention;
- Fig. 2 is a profile view of a sea-going vessel in accordance with the invention for incinerating the hazardous liquid waste materials;
- Fig. 3 is a plan view of the vessel of Fig. 2;
- Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view of the vessel as seen from line 4-4 in Fig. 3;
- Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the vessel as seen from line 5-5 of Fig. 4;
- Fig. 6 is a further enlarged fragmentary view in perspective and partly in section of a group of stacked intermodal tank containers as they would appear on board the vessel shown in Figs. 2-6, including an exploded showing of the manner of securing the containers thereon;
- Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a typical intermodal tank container containing hazardous liquid waste material as it would appear while being lifted to be placed aboard the vessel;
- Fig. 8 is a greatly enlarged and fragmentary elevational showing of a device for securing the intermodal tank containers within the container guides aboard the vessel;
- Fig. 9 is a plan view of the device illustrated in Fig. 8;
- Fig. 10 is a fragmentary profiles view of only the stern end portion of the vessel of Figs. 1-9 to illustrate the stacked arrangement of its incinerators;
- Fig. 11 is a fragmentary exploded view in perspective of the same incinerator mounting arrangement;
- Fig. 12 is a greatly enlarged fragmentary perspective illustration of a locking device used in the incinerator mounting arrangement of Figs. 10 and 11;
- Fig. 13 is a top plan view of a modified vessel arrangement in accordance with the invention;
- Fig. 14 is a profile view of the vessel arrangement shown in Fig. 13;
- Fig. 15 is a profile view of an incinerator vessel incorporating a further modification of the invention;
- Fig. 16 is an enlarged end elevation of the vessel as seen from lines 16-16 in Fig. 15;
- Fig. 17 is a still further enlarged side view of a connector device for use between the vessels shown in Figs. 13 and 14;
- Fig. 18 is a top view, partially in section, as seen from lines 18-18 in Fig. 17;
- Fig. 19 is a further enlarged and fragmentary sectional view as seen from lines 19-19 in Fig. 18;
- Fig. 20 is an enlarged plan view, partially in section of a pair of incinerator units for mounting on a vessel in accordance with the invention; Fig. 21 is a still further enlarged end view of the burner end of one of the incinerators illustrated in Fig. 20, as seen from the left side of Fig. 22;
- Fig. 22 is a sectional side elevation, to the scale of Fig. 21, of the burner portion of one of the incinerators as seen from lines 22-22 in Fig. 20;
- Fig. 23 is a diagrammatic illustration of one type of valving arrangement for the incinerators;
- Fig. 24 is a diagrammatic profile of a sea-going incinerator barge-type vessel in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention;
- Fig: 25 is a diagrammatic deck plan view of the vessel of Fig. 24;
- Fig. 26 is an enlarged and fragmentary, diagrammatic transverse sectional illustration of the piping to the containers carried on the vessel of Figs. 24 and 25;
- Fig. 27 is a fragmentary sectional profile showing certain details of one of the incinerators on the vessel of Figs. 24 and 25;
- Fig. 28 is a fragmentary end view of the incinerator as seen from line 28-28 in Fig. 27; and
- Fig. 29 is a fragmentary end view of the incinerator as seen from line 29-29 in Fig. 27.
- Referring to the drawings and in particular to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, hazardous waste is removed from a shipper's plant 10 is an
intermodal container 12 by truck 11 or by rail car (not shown) to themarin terminal 13. The tank containers will not transfer their contents at the marine terminal. Nor will the containers remain for an extended storage period. Theintermodal container 12 is lifted from truck 11 bycrane 14 onto the sea-goingvessel 15. The sea-goingvessel 15 with intermodal containers stacked in the mid section of the vessel and theincinerator 17 stack in the stern section is pulled bytug 16 out to an incinerating station at sea. Thus location for burning is well removed for any residential area or industrial complex. - Sea-going
vessel 15, a powerless barge, is held in position bytether 19 having one end secured to thebarge 15 and its other end secured either to buoy 18 (Fig. 2) or self propelled vessel 20 (Fig. 3). The intermodal containers filled with hazardous wastes are placed in stacked rows. The stacks are each preferably three containers high (Fig. 4). - Hazardous wastes are fed by gravity flow or pumped to the
incinerators 17 to be burned therein; the effluents escaping through incinerators oxidizers 17. -
Incinerators 17 in Fig. 2 are each composed of two horizontal transverse pump andburner modules 26 and two horizontallongitudinal oxidizers 27. The pump and burner modules are shown in more detail asmodules oxidizers 27 are composed of twomodular elements - The tethering of the barge or barges will allow the barge to swing with the wind so that the plume is blown away from the ship and safeguard the crew.
- One arrangement comprises two powerless vessels such as two barges. A more detailed description of the arrangement and the operation of the present invention will be described in connection with a two barge system, Fig. 13 and 14.
- Such a system comprises a
container barge 40 and atether 19 releasably coupled tobarge 40 andbuoy 18. The stern portion ofbarge 40 is releasably coupled to theincinerator barge 41 byshock absorber 39.Barge 41 carries theincinerator 17 of Fig. 13.Crane 38 insures that thedisconnectable pipe 37 allows liquids to pass frombarge 40 tobarge 41. The coupling betweenbarge 40 andbarge 41 together with the tether will allow both barges to swing with the wind so that theplume 86 fromoxidizer 27 ofincinerator 17 will be blown downwind (Fig. 14). - A fan 36 (Fig. 15) may assist movement of the plume away from the barges and crew and in a downward direction.
- Figs. 14, 15 and 16 also show a water
curtain spray rack 85 mounted estern of theincinerator oxidizers 27 and extending the width of the vessel, from which inwardly directed sprays of water scrub theeffluents 86 as they emerge from the incinerators. - The housing of the containers, such as
tanks 12 on thebarge 40 comprises acell structure 90 as illustrated in Fig. 6. Cell guides 31 are fastened to the deck. The upper end of the cell guides are connected to afairing plate 43. Holding downdevices 33 are arranged to prevent a stack of containers, such as a stack of three, being dislodged. Details of the construction of the holding downdevice 33 are illustrated in Figs. 8 and 9. Cell guides 31 andfairing plates 43 are provided to facilitate the insertion of the containers illustrated in Fig. 7. The containers are thus securely held on the barge to prevent movement of the containers. - As stated above, the detailed assembly of
incinerator 17 is shown in Fig. 20 using itsmodular components - The number of assemblies is a function of the width of the incinerator vessel and how many tiers are utilized. Two tiers only are illustrated as typical.
- Securely fastened to the
deck 28 in Fig. 11 arestanchions 87 onto which the lower tier is fastened. - Locks 32 (Fig. 12) hold the incinerators in position. The details and operation of such a lock are disclosed in U.S. Patent 3,894,493. The upper tier incinerator is similarly secured to the lower tier. The spacing of the incinerators from the deck will permit air and water to pass underneath the incinerator.
- There is an option to double-tier the incinerator installations and to use intermodal modular incinerator units. Further details of the
incinerator 17 using this option and of its control panel are illustrated in Figs. 20, 21, 22 and 23. There may be a plurality of incinerator installations on the vessel; an incinerator installation consists of an assembly ofoxidizer modules burner modules 101, housing the burners (Fig. 22) andpump room modules 102, housing the duplex liquid pumps 42 (Fig. 23) andfuel pump 64, each module having the same size, which is that of an intermodal shipping container as illustrated in Figs. 10, 11 and 20, e.g., each having dimensions about 6 mt. long by 2,50 mt high by 2,50 mt wide. The geometrical configuration of oxidizer modules, burner modules and pump room modules may vary. The number of modules may also be changed. - The main hazardous waste burner 48 (Fig. 21) is surrounded by four
supplementary burner nozzles primary combustion chamber 45 indicate the direction of the movement of the combustion gases. A primary combustion air inlet is shown at 51. In theair inlet 51 is located adamper 53. The secondary combustion air inlet is shown as 52. A damper for thesecondary air inlet 52 is shown at 54. The burner is monitored byultraviolet scanner 46. - The incinerator plane may have a modular frame construction as in Fig. 20 to facilitate maintenance, also removing modules without unduly interrupting the operation of the incinerator. A
back cover 59 as shown in Fig. 22 is removably attached bybolts 67 to the burner end of the incinerator. The front wall of the incinerator is indicated at 56. - The
incinerator oxidizer modules 27 are attached to theburner modules 101 byfront plate 65 secured to the front wall bybolts 66. The combustion area is lined withfire bricks 58. The joint betweenparts refractory bridge 63. - Mortar and/or anchor studs are used to secure the
fire bricks 58 to each other and to the castrefractory bridge 63. Agasket 62 is inserted between theparts burner modules 101 are fastened to thepump room modules 102 by standard container attaching devices, similar to thedevice twist lock 32 shown in Fig. 12. - The incinerator operates as follows. The hazardous waste will be injected into the vaporizing
section 44 of the burner. The high temperature will allow the liquids to vaporize prior to entering the primary combustion chamber 45 (Fig. 22). - These gases are mixed with sufficient combustion air to allow the maximum oxidation. The oxidation temperature may reach 1600°C. The operation of the fuel pumps 64 is controlled and monitored by the
burner safety control 69 in Fig. 23 andflame safety control 82. - Similarly, the duplex hazardous waste pumps 42 are monitored and controlled by the waste
injection control unit 68. - In order to enable the incinerator to be operated and incinerate waste of different viscosities, two
low viscosity nozzles high viscosity nozzles pressure indicator transmitters ultraviolet scanner 46. The main control panel will monitor all sensors and act as a main control system. The waste injection control unit monitors the flow, viscosity, pressure, temperature and pH of the waste material introduced into the burners. These data transmitted to the main control panel will be compared in the panel with the program. - Appropriate steps are taken by the main control panel to maintain the combustion within the limits established by the program.
- The
main control panel 83 located in the forward deck house (Fig. 1) or aft in the incinerator control room includes the main computer containing the program, disk data storage, disk program storage, multiple CRT display, ship-to-shore communication and will act as a primary monitor and control station for the system. - All data will be converted into a computer code and fed into a communication system interface. A backup panel will be located remotely and have duplicate control capacity to act as a standby operational unit.
- The details of the
shock absorber 39 in Fig. 13 and 14 are illustrated in Figs. 17, 18 and 19. The shock absorber is of a type generally referred to as oleo-pneumatic, the oil operating as a damper and the air as a spring.Cylinder 91 is filled on right side of Fig. 18 withair 92. Floatingpiston 98 separates the air space fromoil space 94 containing the damping oil and which occupies the remainder of the cylinder space.Piston rod 95 carries on one end thepiston 96 provided withvalves 97 to regulate the passage of oil through thepiston 96 and thus provide damping of the movement ofpiston 96 in a conventional manner. The other end of the piston rod contains a device to regulate and control the relative position of the two barges and oscillating movement due to the action of the waves. - More specifically, the outer end of
piston rod 95 is provided with a hook-type extension 99 (Fig. 17) which is placed in ananchoring device 100 of thecontainer barge 40.Spindle 101, Fig. 18, rotating in thearms 102 of theanchoring device 100 carries apinion 108 for movingrack 103 to and fromfriction wheel 104 which in turn presses against the operatingportion 106 ofhook 99. - The operating portion of 106 of Fig. 19 is arcuate and of equal widths over an arc of approximately 45 degrees. The
bent portion 106 ofhook 99 and theend portion 116 ofhook 99 limit the relative movement of the hook in relation to theanchoring device 100 and, therefore, the relative movement of the two barges. Handle 107 has a splined pinion '108 cooperating with the gear ofrack 103. Movement ofhandle 107 will increase or decrease, as the case may. be, the pressure ofrack 103 againstfriction wheel 104. - A
ratchet pawl 109, Fig. 19 is provided to lockhandle 107 in its position. - Pressure of
friction wheel 104 against the operatingportion 106 will also press against theinner friction wheel 110 which presses againstarc 106. A substantially calibrated reduction of dynamic surge, yet tolerably vertical movement between the two barges is accommodated in this manner. Horizontal movement is restrained by lashing cables between the two vessels at both port and starboard sides. - The arrangement in which two support vessels are utilized, one carrying the cargo, the hazardous waste, and the other vessel carrying the incinerator will provide both substantial technological and economical advantages.
- That is, the sea-going vessel carrying the incinerator can be left at the incinerator station for an indefinite time.
- The vessel carrying the cargo can be exhanged for the next vessel carrying full cargo when the first carrying vessel has its cargo consumed by incineration.
- Substantial uninterrupted incineration is obtained.
- The incinerator itself, at least part of it, is lined with fire bricks which are heated to about 1600°C. The fire bricks are held together and possibly to their outer shell by mortar capable of remaining intact at the operating temperature. A cooling down to a substantial degree will adversely affect the mortar increase the maintenance work and lead to premature failure of the incinerator. The maintenance work, the expense thereof and the delay of time will be substantially decreased, by keeping the incinerators in continuous service.
- The horizontal position of the incinerator will reduce the dispersion of the exhaust gases, including the danger to the crew and passing vessels. Exhaust gases may be even more hazardous and corrosive than the materials in their original liquid state.
- Sectional or modular construction of the incinerator promotes the continuous operation of the incineration process, since single modules can be removed for replacement and maintenance, permitting the incinerator to be restored quickly to on-line operation.
- Referring now to Figs. 24-29 which illustrate a preferred embodiment of a vessel in accordance with the invention, the vessel is a sea-going
barge 200, although it might incorporate its own power plant and propellers to be self-propelled. At its forward end or bow 201 the vessel is adapted, as indicated by twolines 202, for towing by a sea-going tug (not shown). - With particular reference to Fig. 24, the
vessel 200 has a weatherdeck, in this case amain deck 203, having upwardly projecting cell or container guides 31 (Fig. 26) thereon, appropriately spaced and connected to form cell orcontainer guide structures 90 on and projecting upwardly from themain deck 203 for receiving and storing intermodaltank shipping containers 12. - When located between the guides, the
containers 12 are preferably aligned in the longitudinal direction, and disposed in longitudinally spaced apart, port and starboard container groups, for example, Groups G-1 to G-5, on thevessel 200, as indicated in Figs. 24 and 25. Thetank containers 12 may alternatively be disposed athwartship (not shown) with suitable arrangement of piping systems and cell guides. - A
bulwark 204 as seen in Figs. 24-26 projects upwardly from the main deck and surrounds the areas beneath the container groups G-1 to G-5, port and starboard, to retain any spillage from thecontainers 12. Because of the camber of the ships main deck the flow of any such spillage will be outboard to thebulwark 204 which will direct the flow intoscuppers 205 which, in turn, direct the spillage into an associated one of a pair of port and starboard side,pollution abatement tanks 206, both being situated below the level of themain deck 203. - With reference to Fig. 26, individual
vertical pipe risers 207, attached to theguide structure 90, service the respective stacks ofcontainers 12 as part of the network of pipe conduits on the ship's main deck for receiving the flow of liquid wastes from thecontainers 12 when the waste material is to be incinerated. - The
respective branches 207a, from each riser which extend towards thedischarge outlets 12a of the respective containers, are at elevations corresponding to the bottoms of thecontainers 12 to permit gravity flow from the latter. Eachbranch 207a has ashutoff valve 208, to which a length of flexible hose 209 is connected. A quick-connect pipe coupling (not shown) connects the other end of each flexible hose 209 to one of thecontainer discharge outlets 12a, as will be understood from Fig. 26. Of course, eachcontainer outlet 12a has a shutoff valve (not shown), and is conventional. Duringdischarge operations containers 12 may be vented through a vacuum release valve installed at the top of the tank shell or, where .necessitated by the hazardous characteristics of a particular waste, an inert gas may be admitted to the interior of the shell through the discharge valve, or other appropriate pipeline connection of the tank container. - As also seen in Fig. 26, the lower ends of the
vertical pipe risers 207 serving any container group connect into a commontransverse header pipe 210 which is pitched towards the pair of longitudinally extending header pipes located amidships on themain deck 203, so that gravity flow from the containers can be maintained.Respective valves longitudinal conduits conduits vessel 200. - As indicated by the arrows adjacent the
longitudinal conduits stern end 215 of thevessel 200, to maintain gravity flow of the draining liquid waste towards theincinerators 216, four of which are mounted on themain deck 203 at the stern 215 of the ship. Line pumps 213c, 214c may be used to assist the flow of more viscous liquids. The flow in any of theconduits product staging sumps 217 from which it is pumped into the burner portion 216c of one of theincinerators 216 via thesump outlet line 218, which includes apump 219. Each of thestaging sumps 217, is located below themain deck 203 as seen in Fig. 24, and is preferably a cylindrical tank approximately 1,20 mt. in diameter and 2,60 mt. high. Each has overflow piping 220 leading to one of thepollution abatement tanks 206, as shown in Figs. 24 and 25. However, eachsump 217 is equipped with both a high level alarm and a low level alarm (not shown). When the high product level alarm is actuated by afull sump 217, the flow of product from one of thelines valves 221 or 222 (Fig. 25) until the product level drops as the waste is pumped from the sump to its associated incinerator. When the product level drops and the low level alarm is actuated, as when the emptyingcontainer 12 has been completely emptied, in order to keep the associated incinerator burning until the flow of the waste product is resumed, coming from anothercontainer 12, diesel fuel from a supply tank 223 is introduced into the low level sump. The diesel oil is introduced by opening one of the dieseloil tank valves 224 and, of course, theincinerator pump 219 will pump the diesel oil into the associated incinerator to maintain its flame. - Any overflow from a
sump 217 into anabatement tank 206 can be returned to the sump by pumping, when the sump level is again within normal range. - It will be noted that the described piping and sump arrangement permits controlled and selective incineration of the several different types of liquid wastes as may be contained in the
many containers 12. Moreover, one or more container groups may be dedicated to handle a particular type of waste. For example, container group G-5 might be dedicated to containers having wastes which are flowable only on heating and, therefore, steam lines (not shown) may lead to thecontainer supporting structure 90 of the group, to be introduced into steam chambers (not shown) at the bottoms of therespective containers 12 which are stored in this group. Such particular waste product may then be directed into aparticular staging sump 217 which services a particular one of theincinerators 216 which is maintained at an appropriate burn temperature for that cargo, which can remain unblended. However, it will be noted that diesel oil may be added to the product before or while it is burned, if desired for improved burning efficiency, by opening the appropriate diesel fuel valve -224. Or, if desired, the cargo may be blended with more flammable cargo from another container stored in a different group but along thesame lines sump 217 viaseparate lines - The common
transverse header pipes 210 and thelongitudinal conduits solvent pump 226. - The solvent flows from the
pump 226, through thevalve 227, into theloop piping 213a along the outboard side of the pipe network, and then via the crossover piping 213b located nearest thebow 201, or via theheaders 210 by opening their respective valves 228 into the mainlongitudinal conduits sump 217, from which it may be pumped into theincinerators 216 to be incinerated. - Turning now to the operation of the horizontal incinerators, from Fig. 24, it will first be noted that their effluent discharge outlets 216a which face in the aft direction of the ship from its stern 215, may be pitched at a downward angle towards the sea by ballasting the ship, as by filling
ballast tanks 230 to trim the ship by its stern. Thus, the effluent discharge 216e will reach and impinge upon the ocean or waterway more promptly. - Alternatively, and preferably, the effluent discharge outlet may be shaped to provide a downward sloping angle of discharge of the effluent streams, as illustrated in Fig. 27 and 28. That is, the aft-facing effluent discharge outlet 216a of the
oxidizer portion 216d of eachincinerator 216 is canted inwardly in the downward direction of its otherwise vertical plane providing a downward discharge angle of from about 15° to about 25° from the horizontal. In addition the upper wall portion 216b of theoxidizer 216d is given a downward slope, to turn the gases downwardly as they begin to emerge through the outlet 216a. Thus, the discharging effluent gases 216e from each incinerator are directed at a downward sloping angle towards the water, to strike the water and be diluted by it in the shortest possible time. - In order to rapidly cool the emerging gases 216e to reduce their temperature and, consequently, their thermal lift, each incinerator is provided with preferably two
sea water scrubbers innermost scrubber 231 being located about 60 cm or so aft of the plane of the discharge outlet 216a. Water is pumped to thescrubbers conduit 231 a (Fig. 27). - As illustrated in Fig. 28, each
scrubber outer scrubber 232 is somewhat larger than theinner scrubber 231 to accommodate the rapidly expanding gas, stream 216e, as will be understood. Each scrubber has a plurality ofwater spray nozzles 231c, 232c, spaced about 30 cm apart about the interior periphery of the spray rack. Thenozzles 231c, 232c, of bothspray racks length nozzles - As also seen in Fig. 27, below the incinerator outlet 216a and extending rearward under the scrubber spray racks is a
sheet 240 of stainless steel or similar non-corrosive material coated with a protective coating. - This
sheet 240, which slopes downwardly in the aft direction as shown, will minimize contact of the highly corrosive effluent gases 216e and scrubber water with the ship's structure. A continuous spray of sea water, indicated by reference numeral 241 will flush the contaminants towards and over the stern 215 via drip caps, downspouts, gutters or the like (not shown). - The use of scrubbers, particularly the illustrated two-phase scrubbers, which scrub the horizontally emerging effluent stream with cold sea water, causes practical elimination of the thermal lift of the effluent, so that it falls rapidly into the sea. As a result, these highly acid gases will not rise into the higher elevations to subsequently descend as harmful acid rain. Calculations indicate that the temperature of the oxidizer effluents, initially as high as more than 1100°C, will be reduced to approximately 110°C by the two-phase scrubber as described.
- Referring again to Fig. 27 and also to Fig. 29, a sliding
incinerator cap 242 is mounted immediately adjacent to each incinerator outlet 216a to plug the incinerator outlet when the incinerator is shut down, thus to retain the heat within, and reduce the use of fuel during the next startup. - Capping the incinerator also minimizes thermal shock to the incinerator refractory from ambient air temperature, sea spray, rain, etc. Accordingly, a steel curtain door or cap 242 having insulating
material 243 on its inner, incinerator-facing side rides on atrolley structure 244 into and laterally out of the path of the discharge outlet 216a. Theheavy steel cap 242 hangs vertically as it rolls laterally on itstrolley wheels 245, but will be swung upwardly at its lower end, to the angled position shown in Fig. 27 conforming with the angular disposition of the inwardly canted plane of the discharge outlet 216a. Latches (not shown) latch thecap 242 in close position on the outlet. - Again with reference to Fig. 27, the sprays of sea water from the
scrubbers - Evidently the incinerator as above in detail clarified, can be mounted also on a fixed structure located on an offshore platform or on the border of an uninhabitated island and this structure will be equipped with means for mooring of the vessel carrying the containers and for the pipe connections to transfer the hazardous waste material from the containers to the incinerator.
- Thus, techniques and vessels for offshore incineration of hazardous liquid waste material have been described which achieve all of the objects of the invention.
Claims (21)
Priority Applications (3)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
DE8585102388T DE3573413D1 (en) | 1985-03-04 | 1985-03-04 | Method and ocean-going vessel for offshore incineration of hazardous waste materials |
EP85102388A EP0193628B1 (en) | 1985-03-04 | 1985-03-04 | Method and ocean-going vessel for offshore incineration of hazardous waste materials |
AT85102388T ATE46885T1 (en) | 1985-03-04 | 1985-03-04 | PROCESS AND SHIP FOR INCINERATION OF HAZARDOUS WASTE MATERIALS ON THE OPEN SEA. |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
EP85102388A EP0193628B1 (en) | 1985-03-04 | 1985-03-04 | Method and ocean-going vessel for offshore incineration of hazardous waste materials |
Publications (2)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
EP0193628A1 EP0193628A1 (en) | 1986-09-10 |
EP0193628B1 true EP0193628B1 (en) | 1989-10-04 |
Family
ID=8193342
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
EP85102388A Expired EP0193628B1 (en) | 1985-03-04 | 1985-03-04 | Method and ocean-going vessel for offshore incineration of hazardous waste materials |
Country Status (3)
Country | Link |
---|---|
EP (1) | EP0193628B1 (en) |
AT (1) | ATE46885T1 (en) |
DE (1) | DE3573413D1 (en) |
Cited By (1)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
DE102009002455A1 (en) * | 2009-04-17 | 2010-10-21 | Endegs Gmbh | Method and system for removing liquids and / or gases |
Families Citing this family (4)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
IT1233158B (en) * | 1989-02-24 | 1992-03-14 | Siette Spa | PLANT FOR INCINERATION OF WASTE ON MARINE PLATFORM |
NO951977L (en) * | 1995-05-18 | 1996-11-19 | Statoil As | Method of loading and processing of hydrocarbons |
DE60205410T2 (en) * | 2002-04-08 | 2006-05-18 | Worldwide Ecological Shipping & Transport-West S.A.R.L. | WASTE MANUFACTURER SYSTEM USED WITH WASTE WASTE PRODUCED FROM WASTE AND SUCH A METHOD |
DE102021116259A1 (en) * | 2021-06-23 | 2022-12-29 | Endegs Gmbh | System for the removal of liquids and/or gases and method for setting up and starting up a system |
Family Cites Families (4)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US2442686A (en) * | 1946-12-19 | 1948-06-01 | Ro Ed Engineering Co Inc | Mobile incinerator, garbage container, and chute |
DE2128376A1 (en) * | 1971-06-08 | 1973-02-15 | Siegfried Ruhnke | PROCESS AND EQUIPMENT FOR THE DISPOSAL OF WASTE AND INDUSTRIAL RESIDUES BY INCINERATION |
DE2812679A1 (en) * | 1978-03-23 | 1979-09-27 | Weser Ag | INCINERATOR FOR WASTE ON BOARD SHIPS |
DE3325078A1 (en) * | 1983-07-12 | 1985-01-24 | Heiner Dipl.-Ing. 4100 Duisburg Kreyenberg | Apparatus for fluidised bed combustion of digested sludge |
-
1985
- 1985-03-04 EP EP85102388A patent/EP0193628B1/en not_active Expired
- 1985-03-04 DE DE8585102388T patent/DE3573413D1/en not_active Expired
- 1985-03-04 AT AT85102388T patent/ATE46885T1/en not_active IP Right Cessation
Cited By (1)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
DE102009002455A1 (en) * | 2009-04-17 | 2010-10-21 | Endegs Gmbh | Method and system for removing liquids and / or gases |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
ATE46885T1 (en) | 1989-10-15 |
DE3573413D1 (en) | 1989-11-09 |
EP0193628A1 (en) | 1986-09-10 |
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