MXPA98002803A - Process and apparatus for combustion without venting of waste - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a process for burning waste material comprising the steps of: (a) charging the fuel waste into an air-tight combustion chamber where the waste is burned, (b) passing the gas stream of combustion resulting from the combustion chamber to the heat reduction chamber where the temperature of the combustion gas stream is reduced; (c) passing the combustion gas stream from the heat reduction chamber to a heat exchanger where the temperature of the combustion gas stream is further reduced; (d) passing the combustion gas stream from the heat exchanger to a gas cleaning chamber wherein some of the acids in the flue gas stream are neutralized and the particles are removed, (e) enrich the combustion gas stream of the cleaning chamber with oxygen, and (f) inject the combustion gas stream enriched with oxygen in the combustion chamber in varying quantities in response to pressure and temperature measurements taken in the combustion chamber to maintain the pressure and temperature, the pressure and temperature in the combustion chamber within previously selected ranges

Description

PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR COMBUSTION WITHOUT WASTE VENTILATION FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a process and apparatus for reducing waste in a closed cycle that can use any means of combustion to dispose of hazardous combustible waste, as well as non-hazardous waste. These wastes include toxic combustible liquids, oily sludge, soil contaminated with dioxin, PCB, creosote, or any other potentially harmful or toxic combustible material. In particular, the present invention relates to a fuel waste reduction process and apparatus in which the operating pressure varies from 8.3 psia to about 15.0 psia and which does not employ venting or venting of pollutants at all. In this process, the combustion gas stream is washed, enriched with oxygen and recycled to the combustion chamber.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The disposal of hazardous waste is becoming a serious problem for the industry as government regulations become stricter. The disposal of hazardous waste is carried out mainly through landfills and incineration. Although the industry has historically preferred landfills over incineration, mainly because of cost, incineration has become a more competitive alternative due to the increased costs associated with the ever-expanding government regulations that govern landfills. For example, a series of disposition prohibitions on land covering specific classes of hazardous waste were put into effect between 1986 and 1989. As the industry sees incineration as a major means of disposing of hazardous waste, however, growth of stricter government restrictions continues to undermine the cost effectiveness of incineration processes. For example, the destruction and removal efficiency classification for incineration is currently fixed at 99.99% for most hazardous waste, and 99.9999% for polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB). The incineration of hazardous waste is fraught with problems due to the fact that the waste must be disposed of quickly or before the environment is damaged, but additionally, the destruction of any potentially toxic chemical must be sufficiently complete so that the evolve from it are not dangerous. To completely decompose these chemicals, relatively highly efficient and high temperature combustion is required. This highly efficient and high temperature combustion is typically very expensive to generate and maintain. In addition, discharge chimney emissions from incineration are typically a major concern for several reasons. One reason is that the public sees the chimney plumes distrustfully, and sometimes justifiably fears, that the operator of the incinerator is discharging hazardous, or toxic, gases into the atmosphere. Another reason is that state authorities have implemented regulations governing chimney emissions with regular monitoring, testing and validation, to ensure that the prescribed emission limits are not being exceeded. There is a substantial need in the art, therefore, to improve the processes and apparatuses for the reduction of combustible waste that are capable of satisfying the present requirements of destruction and removal efficiency, as well as the requirements in the foreseen future. It would be desirable to have a closed-cycle combustible waste reduction process and apparatus in which emissions carried by the air into the atmosphere will not be released and in which the solid byproducts of the process can be collected, tested, treated, and disposed of. in a safe way.

It would also be desirable to have closed loop fuel waste reduction processes and apparatuses capable of operating below atmospheric pressure to provide a combustion regime that reduces combustible waste more efficiently than traditional incinerator units.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with the present invention, an improved process and apparatus for burning waste materials is provided so that gases or other combustion byproducts are not released into the atmosphere. The process comprises the steps of: (a) loading the fuel waste into an air-tight combustion chamber where the waste is burned at a temperature from about 982 ° C (1800 ° F) to about 1093 ° C (2000 ° F) ), - (b) passing the combustion gas stream resulting from the combustion chamber to the heat reduction chamber where the temperature of the combustion gas stream is reduced to approximately 593 ° C (1100 ° F); (c) passing the combustion gas stream from the heat reduction chamber to a heat exchanger where the temperature of the combustion gas stream is further reduced; (d) passing the combustion gas stream from the heat exchanger through a particulate trap to remove particles from the combustion gas stream; (d) passing the combustion gas stream from the particulate trap to a gas cleaning chamber where the acids in the combustion gas stream are neutralized and the additional particles are removed, - (f) enrich the gas stream of combustion of the cleaning chamber with oxygen, - and (g) injecting the combustion gas stream enriched in the combustion chamber in varying amounts in response to the pressure and temperature measurements taken in the combustion chamber to maintain the pressure and the temperature in the combustion chamber within previously selected ranges until the combustion of the waste ends. The apparatus of the present invention used for the unventilated combustion of the waste material comprises an air-tight combustion chamber, a heat reduction chamber in flow communication with the combustion chamber; a heat exchanger in air flow communication with the heat reduction chamber, - a first fan to pull the combustion gases through the apparatus arranged between the heat exchanger and a gas cleaning chamber ', - a second fan to pull the combustion gases from the gas cleaning chamber through a conduit back into the combustion chamber; an oxygen supply for enriching the combustion gases in the conduit with oxygen to produce a combustion gas stream enriched with oxygen, - a motorized gas supply valve disposed in the conduit; and control means for maintaining the pressure and temperature in the combustion chamber within pre-selected ranges set in the control element by varying the flow of the oxygen-enriched combustion gas stream through the gas supply valve to the combustion chamber in response to the pressure and temperature measurements from the combustion chamber monitored by the control means. Without a vent or chimney, the system of the present invention is not an incinerator and should not be classified and regulated as such. The classification as an incinerator indicates a unit has a chimney and ventilates emissions, in varying quantities, into the atmosphere. The emissions vented by an incinerator include the following: CDD / polychlorinated CDF, - Carbon monoxide - CO; Particulate matter - PM; Hydrogen chloride - HCl; and Sulfur dioxide - S02. The fuel-less, non-chimney waste reduction process of the present invention removes the solid materials from the emission gases that are continuously recycled back into the combustion chamber. Through the entire process of reducing combustible waste of the present invention, emissions carried by the air into the atmosphere are not ventilated. Moreover, by running the gases through a heat reduction chamber and a heat exchanger to cool the gases before re-entering the combustion chamber, garbage combustion is obtained faster and more efficiently than the combustion process. that can be obtained in traditional incinerator units. For example, the process and apparatus without ventilation of the present invention reduces the fuel waste from 93 percent to 96 percent. In addition, as oxygen is used and replenished by injecting oxygen back into the combustion chamber of the closed cycle system, the combustion fire will operate in a slight vacuum, that is, at a pressure slightly below atmospheric.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the accompanying drawings, preferred embodiments of the invention and preferred methods of practicing the invention are illustrated in which: Figure 1 is a simplified flow diagram of a preferred embodiment of the process and apparatus for reducing the combustible waste of the present invention. Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of an automated combustion chamber used in a preferred embodiment of the fuel waste reduction process and apparatus of the present invention. Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of a batch combustion chamber used in a preferred embodiment of the fuel waste reduction process and apparatus of the present invention. Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of an upper heat reduction chamber, a heat exchanger, and a particulate trap employed in a preferred embodiment of the non-ventilated combustible waste reduction process and apparatus of the present invention . Figure 4A is a cross-sectional view of the lower section of the heat reduction chamber taken along Line 4-4 of Figure 4. Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of a chamber gas cleaning employed in a preferred embodiment of the non-ventilated combustible waste reduction process and apparatus of the present invention. Figure 6 is an expanded cross-sectional view of the junction between the oxygen supply line and the lines that recycle clean and oxygen-enriched combustion gases back into the combustion chamber used in a preferred embodiment of the process and apparatus of combustible waste reduction, without ventilation, of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED MODALITIES The present invention is described with respect to preferred physical embodiments constructed in accordance therewith. It will be apparent to the skilled technicians in the field that various modifications and improvements can be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. In accordance with the foregoing, the invention is not limited by the specific embodiments illustrated and described, but only by the scope of the appended claims, including all equivalents thereof. The fuel waste reduction process and apparatus of the present invention can be better understood with reference to Figure 1 which shows a preferred design of the apparatus used to perform a fuel waste reduction process of the present invention. As described more fully below, the waste can be fed into the system in batches manually or automatically at pre-selected intervals depending, in part, on the amount of waste that is needed to be burned.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention in which the waste is automatically fed, the combustion chamber is preferably constructed as shown in Figure 2. As shown therein, the fuel waste is fed from a hopper (not shown) in the combustion chamber 2 via a hopper door 1 which is activated by the hydraulic cylinder 66. After falling from the hopper, the waste enters the first waste maintenance chamber 30 and the hopper door l is closed by the hydraulic cylinder 66. The loading door IA is then opened by the separated hydraulic cylinders 64 and the first hydraulic transfer ram 34 is activated to transfer the waste to the second waste maintenance chamber 31. As shown schematically in the Figure 2, the hydraulic transfer ram 34 is mounted on one side of the combustion chamber 2. After the hydraulic ram Transfer 34 has been retracted and the door has been closed, the door IB is opened and the hydraulic transfer ram 38, which is mounted on the door IA, is activated to transfer the waste to the combustion chamber 40. The hydraulic transfer ram 38 is then retracted and the door IB closes. Hydraulic cylinders 67 are used to move the IB door up and down between its closed and open positions. At this point, the hydraulic fire door 1C opens to provide access to the first combustion zone 70 of the combustion chamber 2. The fire door 1C is articulated by hydraulic cylinders 68 and is preferably lined with refractory material in the side facing the first combustion zone 70. After the fire door 1C has been opened, the hydraulic transfer ram 42, which is mounted on the IB gate, is activated to transfer the waste to the first zone. 70. The door 1C is then closed and the combustion of the waste can be started if it is not already in progress. Using the above-described series of waste maintenance chambers and hydraulic transfer rams, the waste material can be automatically charged to the combustion zones 70 and 71 without venting any combustion gas into the atmosphere. Each of the doors IA, IB and 1C are gate-type doors that are articulated with opposite guide frames mounted on the sides of the combustion chamber 2. Small hydraulic cylinders (not shown) are mounted on the frame members on both sides of each door. The cylinders on one side of the door operate to immobilize the door against the opposite cylinders and vice versa. The combustion gas stream from the combustion chamber 2 is drawn into an upper heat reduction chamber 4 via the transfer duct 3. The upper chamber 4 is also lined with insulating and refractory material, classified as 1315 ° C (2,400 ° F), to coincide with the combustion chamber 2. Chamber 4 functions as a cooling chamber for the gases before entering the exchanger / boiler 6 via the transfer duct 5. In the reduction chamber of heat 4, the temperature of the combustion gas stream is reduced from about 982 ° C (1800 ° F) to about 593 ° C (1100 ° F). Unlike the upper chamber of a conventional incinerator which is a second combustion chamber, the upper chamber 4 is a cooling chamber. The process of the present invention does not require a second combustion chamber stage. As shown in Figure 4, the upper heat reduction chamber 4 is divided by the horizontal wall 43 towards the upper and lower sections 44 and 45, respectively. As shown in Figure 4A, the baffles 46 are staggered within the lower section 45 which traps a significant portion of the light ash particles carried by the combustion gases passing therethrough. The particles trapped by the deflectors 46 in the lower section 45 are periodically removed via the domed doors 49. If the energy recovery is to be used, the heat exchanger / boiler 6 lowers the temperature of the gases to 176.6 ° C ( 350 ° F) as they pass through there. Over a period of time, the exhaust temperature of the heat exchanger 6 will continue to increase. After the exhaust temperature reaches 260 ° C (500 ° F), the heat exchanger 6 will then need to be cleaned. An induction fan 10 pulls gases from the heat reduction chamber, upper 4, and of the heat exchanger 6 through the transfer duct 7 to the particulate trap 8, which filters the additional large particulate matter. The combustion gas stream then passes through the transfer duct 9, through the fan 10 and the transfer duct 11 to the gas cleaning chamber 50 comprising a lime bath 12., a gas scrub 13 and a charcoal chamber 19. As shown in Figures 1 and 5, the gas cleaning chamber 50 preferably comprises a container having three separate cleaning steps 12, 13 and 19. In operation , the induction fan 10 blows gases towards the lime bath 12. The outlet HA of the transfer duct 11 is positioned so that the gases are released at a depth of at least 30 percent below the upper surface of the bath lime 12 which is covered by a perforated steel plate or sieve 52. The gases pass through the lime bath 12, where certain acids are neutralized, in the gas washing of the second stage 13 where the gases pass through of the lime water spray 48 emanating from the jet 47. The lime water spray 48 acts to trap matter into smaller particles which has passed through the lower section 45 of the heat reduction chamber 4 and the trap of particles 8. The bath d The lime 12 and the gas scrub 13 with lime water mist 48 are filled from the lime / water mixing tank 14. As shown in Figures 1 and 5, the mixing tank 14 includes a high pressure pump 15 and a supply pipe 16 for pumping the lime / water mixture to the gas scrubber 13 as the lime water spray 48. The lime is introduced into the mixing tank via the lime injection port 18. The pipe return 17 provides the return of the limewater including solid materials from the lime bath 12 to the mixing tank 14 which incorporates a lower mud vessel 54 where some of the fine ash and other solid materials are separated from the limewater and removed of the system. In the coal chamber 19, which comprises the third stage of the gas cleaning chamber 50, the gases pass through the filter 51 which comprises loose packed activated carbon supported on the perforated steel plate or strainer 53. The filter Carbon 51 removes some of the metals from the combustion gases to complete the cleaning process. After the gases exit the filter 51, they are pulled through the duct 20 by the induction fan 21 to separate lines 22 and 24 communicating with the first and second combustion zones 70 and 71, respectively. On lines 22 and 24, oxygen, at a ratio of 20 percent to 30 percent, is mixed with the gases to raise the system pressure to 0.35 kg / cm2 (5 psi) above atmospheric pressure. The oxygen supply 60 comprises an oxygen generator 26, an oxygen storage tank 27 and an oxygen vaporizer 28 for supplying oxygen via the oxygen supply duct 29 to both lines 22 and 24 via line 29A and to the oxygen chamber. combustion 2 via line 29B. The combustion gas stream enriched with oxygen is then forced by the injection fan 21 into the combustion chamber 2 through the injection supply lines 22 and 24 having the injection ports 23 and 25, respectively, located at the hydraulic ash rams 92 and 93 within the combustion chamber 2. Figure 6 illustrates in more detail the union of the oxygen supply line 29A with the lines 22 and 24. As shown therein, the line of supply 29A is ded into a T 80 to engage with the respective lines 22 and 24. A pressure regulator 81 is located in the oxygen supply line 29A to regulate the pressure in line 29A from approximately 140 kg / cm2 (2000 psi) ) to approximately 1029 kg / cm2 (14.7 psi) or atmospheric pressure on the side of the combustion chamber of the regulator 81. Motorized mixing valves 82 are arranged on lines 22 and 24 at points d where those lines intersect with the T 80 of the oxygen supply line 29A. The motorized mixing valves 82 are controlled by the controllers 83 which incorporate sensors 84 which measure the delta pressure differential Pi through the mixing valves 82, that is, between the oxygen supply line 29A which is regulated to approximately 1029 kg / cm "(14.7 psi) and the lines 22 and 24. As the delta pressure differential increases Pi or as the pressure in the lines 22 and 24 drops below atmospheric pressure due to the combustion of oxygen in the combustion chamber 2, the controllers 83 allow the motorized mixed valves 82 to open to allow the oxygen to mix with the combustion gases cleaned and the mixture it is fed into the combustion chamber 2 via the injection ports 23 and 25. The flow of the combustion gases enriched with oxygen in the combustion chamber is further controlled by regulated pressure valves 65 located on lines 22 and 24 near the injection ports 23 and 25. The pressure regulating valves 65 are motorized and connected to the system controller which activates the valves 65 in response to the measurements of t temperature and pressure monitored by the controller. The process controller may comprise any convenient microprocessor or a basic programmable logic controller. Preferably, the valves 65 are Honeywell BG1600 gas supply valves which are knife valves, whose openings can vary between minimum and maximum settings. As shown in Figure 2, a thermocouple well 85 is disposed within the combustion chamber 2 for storing a thermocouple (not shown) to monitor the temperature inside the combustion chamber 2. Other relays for temperature control and relays Pressure control can also be used to monitor temperature and pressure throughout various parts of the system. In operation, the initial batch of waste is loaded and transferred to the first combustion zone 70 inside the combustion chamber 2 as described above with reference to Figure 2. The waste is ignited by the lighter 88 which ignites the mixture of oxygen gas and flammable gas such as propane of lines 29B and 87, respectively. As shown in Figure 2, the lines 29B and 87 intersect near the lighter 88 within the combustion chamber 2. After the waste has ignited, the oxygen flow of line 29B and the flammable gas of the line 87 closes. The flammable gas supply (not shown) preferably comprises a liquefied gas tank such as propane. By burning the waste, the controller maintains the temperature inside the combustion chamber 2 at a predetermined value, preferably 982 ° C (1800 ° F). As the waste is burned, the oxygen is consumed by creating a negative or light vacuum pressure inside the combustion chamber 2. In order to maintain the temperature in the combustion chamber 2 at the desired fixation, the controller allows the valves 65 open to allow oxygen-enriched combustion gases to enter the combustion chamber 2. If the temperature in the combustion chamber 2 begins to rise above the temperature setting in the controller, the controller either closes the valves 65 completely or reduces the apertures thereof to eliminate or reduce the flow of oxygen-enriched gases into the combustion chamber 2. Likewise, if the pressure in the combustion chamber 2, which is air-tight, is below 14.7 psia and the temperature in it is at or below the preset value in the controller, the controller will open the valves 65 sufficiently for high the temperature in the combustion chamber 2 to the preset value or to maintain the temperature at the preset value. The controller will close the valves 65 to shut off the flow of oxygen enriched combustion gases to the combustion chamber 2 if the pressure therein drops to 8.3 psia or below to prevent it from creating too great a vacuum in the combustion chamber 2.

When the waste batch is almost consumed, the fire in the combustion chamber 2 will begin to burn less vigorously as the waste fuel is emptied. At some point during this "burnout", the pressure in the combustion chamber is likely to reach 14.7 psia since less oxygen is being consumed than the amount entering the combustion chamber 2. When the pressure reaches 14.7 psia in the combustion chamber 2, the controller will close the valves 65 until the pressure drops below 14.7 psia, even though the temperature is below the preset value in the controller. Here, the response of the controller to the measurement of the pressure inside the combustion chamber 2 takes precedence over the temperature measurement thereof. Since no gas enriched with oxygen is entering the combustion chamber 2 at this point, the pressure therein eventually falls back below 14.7 psia as long as the fire in the combustion chamber 2 continues to burn. When the pressure drops below 14.7 psia again in the combustion chamber 2, the controller will open the valves 65 until the pressure in the same reaches 14.7 psia and then the valves 65 will again close. The system automatically modulates in this way during the "burnout" until all the waste is burned. In the modular combustion chamber 2 shown in Figure 2, as soon as the waste and combustion zone 70 has burned sufficiently or after a predetermined period has passed (usually based on the characteristics of the waste being burned) another Waste batch that has been loaded and transferred to the combustion chamber 40 will be transferred by the hydraulic ram of the combustion chamber 42 to the combustion zone 70 as described above. As the hydraulic ram 42 pushes the new waste batch to the combustion zone 70, the waste then burning therein is pushed from the platform 70A to the platform 71A. Each of the platforms 70A and 71A is preferably made of refractory bricks placed in the upper part of the metal sheet housing 91 for the hydraulic rams of the combustion chamber 92 and 93. The lower faces of the housings 91 are sealed with gaskets elastomeric (not shown) before being screwed into the housings 91 to maintain air tightness of the combustion chamber 2. As each successive batch of waste is transferred to the combustion chamber 2, the burnt waste is transferred by the hydraulic rams 42 , 92 and 93 towards the wet ash tank 95 which has a water level indicated by 95A. The hydraulic rams 92 and 93 have guide rods 94 attached to the faces of the rams which prevent the faces of the rams from being twisted by the debris. The guide rods 94 run in and out of the cylindrical conduits 96 disposed within the housings 91. In addition, compression seals are mounted between the cylinder and the face of the rams 92 and 93 to further seal the combustion chamber 2. A conventional combustion chamber ram does not have a compression seal for the cylinder bore to run through. The burnt ashes are finally transferred to the wet ash tank 95 via conduit 97 where the ashes can be removed from the system without interrupting the operation thereof. If the combustion chamber is of the batch type, the system will shut down after all the waste fuel has been burned. Figure 3 illustrates a combustion chamber of batch type 75 which can also be used according to the process of the present invention. The induction fans in the system remain in operation for up to eight hours after the "burnout" has been completed to clean the remaining combustion gases in the system. A bypass duct can be used during this time to route the combustion gases around the combustion chamber so that the gases do not collect any of the light ash in the combustion chamber. After the combustion chamber 75 is cooled, the ashes can be removed through the domed door 89 which provides access to the interior of the combustion chamber for the removal of ashes or to service the refractory therein. The dome door 89 is sealed with a high temperature elastomeric package such as a cord pack similar in type to those used in kettle doors. After the batch-type chamber 75 is cleaned, it can be re-loaded with debris through the loading door 86. As soon as the waste is loaded, door locks 90 are employed to keep the loading door 86 secure and the chamber 75 air-tight combustion. The waste is ignited and burned as described above. The process for reducing combustible waste, without chimney, of the present invention operates continuously in the manner described above. The size of combustion chambers 2 or 75, as with the entire system, is determined by the amount of waste that will be reduced over a period of time from eight (8) to twenty-four (24) hours. The combustion chambers 2 and 75 are manufactured from metal covers manufactured with a high temperature insulation applied inside the cover. The insulation is covered by a high temperature refractory lining evaluated for temperatures up to 1315 ° C (2400 ° F). The operating temperature of the combustion chamber 2 is preferably from about 982 ° C (1800 ° F) to about 1092 ° C (2000 ° F). As described above, the hydraulic transfer rams are used to move the waste through the waste maintenance chambers of the combustion chamber 2 as the process of the present invention is carried out. If liquid waste is to be reduced, then hydraulic rams are not required. The flow rates, fan sizes and chamber sizes are also determined by the amount of fuel waste or liquid waste that will be reduced over a specific period of time. The process of the present invention is capable of handling fuel waste in an operating range from 453.6 kg (100 pounds) to more than 907 metric tons (1000 tons) in a twenty-four (24) hour time period, operating within the preferred pressure ranges set forth above. Although the invention has been described in detail in the foregoing for purposes of illustration, it will be understood that these details are only for that purpose and that variations may be made thereto by technicians with ordinary field experience without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. the invention as defined by the following claims, including all equivalents thereof.

Claims (26)

1. A process for burning waste material comprising the steps of: (a) charging the fuel waste into an air-tight combustion chamber where the waste is burned; (b) passing the combustion gas stream resulting from the combustion chamber to the heat reduction chamber where the temperature of the combustion gas stream is reduced, - (c) passing the combustion gas stream from the chamber of heat reduction to a heat exchanger where the temperature of the combustion gas stream is further reduced; (d) passing the combustion gas stream from the heat exchanger to a gas cleaning chamber wherein some of the acids in the combustion gas stream are neutralized and the particles are removed; (e) enriching the combustion gas stream of the cleaning chamber with oxygen, - and (f) injecting the combustion gas stream enriched with oxygen in the combustion chamber in varying amounts in response to the pressure and temperature measurements taken in the combustion chamber to maintain the pressure and temperature in the combustion chamber within previously sted ranges. The process of claim 1 wherein the combustion chamber comprises a first refuse holding chamber reversibly sealed from the outside by a hopper door and from a second waste holding chamber by a first door; a first hydraulic transfer ram to transfer waste from the first waste maintenance chamber to the second waste maintenance chamber; the second refuse maintenance chamber is reversibly sealed from a combustion charge chamber by a second door; a second hydraulic transfer ram for transferring waste from the second refuse maintenance chamber to the combustion charge chamber; the combustion charge chamber being reversibly sealed from a combustion zone by a third door, and a third hydraulic transfer ram for transferring waste from the combustion charge chamber to the combustion zone. The process of claim 2 wherein the combustion chamber comprises at least one additional hydraulic transfer ram disposed within the combustion zone for transferring burnt waste to a burned waste collection means. The process of claim 1 wherein the heat reduction chamber is lined with insulating and refractory material and comprises a lower section having baffles disposed therein to trap particles of the flue gas stream. The process of claim 1 wherein the gas cleaning chamber comprises a lime bath, a water spray with lime and a carbon filter where the flue gas stream is introduced into the lime bath to a depth of about 30 percent below the surface of the lime bath and after leaving the lime bath, the flue gas stream passes through the lime water spray and through the carbon filter. The process of claim 1 wherein the combustion gas stream coming from the gas cleaning chamber is enriched with oxygen in a ratio of from about 20 percent to about 30 percent. 7. The process of claim 1 wherein the waste is burned in the combustion chamber at a pressure below atmospheric pressure. The process of claim 1 wherein the waste is burned in the combustion chamber at a temperature from about 982 ° C (1800 ° F) to about 1092 ° C (2000 ° F) and the temperature of the gas stream of combustion in the heat reduction chamber is reduced to approximately 593 ° C (1100 ° F) and the flue gas stream from the heat exchanger is passed through a particulate trap before entering the gas cleaning chamber. The process of claim 1 wherein the combustion chamber comprises at least one reversibly sealed waste holding chamber of the atmosphere and of a combustion zone and transfer means for transferring the waste from the waste holding chamber to the combustion zone without the escape of any combustion gases from the combustion chamber into the atmosphere. The process of claim 1 comprising the additional step of removing some particles carried by the combustion gas stream as it passes through the heat reduction chamber. 11. A process for burning waste material comprising the steps of: (a) loading the waste material into a first waste maintenance chamber that is reversibly sealed from the outside and from a second waste maintenance chamber, - (b) reversibly sealing the first outdoor waste maintenance chamber, - (c) transferring the waste fuel material from the first waste maintenance chamber to the second waste maintenance chamber, which is reversibly sealed from a combustion chamber; (d) reversibly sealing the second waste maintenance chamber of the first waste maintenance chamber; (e) transferring the waste from the second waste maintenance chamber to the combustion charge chamber which is reversibly sealed from a combustion chamber; (f) reversibly sealing the combustion charge chamber of the second waste maintenance chamber; (g) transferring the combustible waste material from the combustion chamber to the combustion chamber where the waste is burned, - (h) passing the combustion gas stream resulting from the combustion chamber to a combustion chamber. heat where the temperature of the combustion gas stream is reduced; (i) passing the combustion gas stream from the heat reduction chamber to a heat exchanger where the temperature of the combustion gas stream is further reduced; (j) passing the combustion gas stream from the heat exchanger to a gas cleaning chamber where some of the acids in the flue gas stream are neutralized and the particles are removed; (k) enriching the combustion gas stream of the oxygen cleaning chamber, - and (1) injecting the combustion gas stream enriched with oxygen in the combustion chamber in varying amounts in response to the pressure and temperature measurements. taken in the combustion chamber to maintain the pressure and temperature in the combustion chamber within previously selected ranges. The process of claim 11 wherein the waste is burned in the combustion chamber at a temperature from about 982 ° C (1800 ° F) to about 1092 ° C (2000 ° F) and the temperature of the gas stream of combustion in the heat reduction chamber is reduced to approximately 593 ° C (1100 ° F) and the flue gas stream from the heat exchanger is passed through a particulate trap before entering the cleaning chamber of the heat exchanger. gas. The process of claim 11 wherein the heat reduction chamber is lined with insulating and refractory material and comprises a lower section having baffles disposed therein for trapping particles of the flue gas stream. The process of claim 11 wherein the gas cleaning chamber comprises a lime bath, a water spray with lime and a carbon filter where the flue gas stream is introduced into the lime bath at a depth of about 30 percent below the surface of the lime bath and after leaving the lime bath, the flue gas stream passes through the lime water spray and through the carbon filter. The process of claim 11 wherein the combustion gas stream coming from the gas cleaning chamber is enriched with oxygen in a proportion from about 20 percent to about 30 percent. 16. The process of claim 1 wherein the waste is burned in the combustion chamber at a pressure below atmospheric pressure. The process of claim 11 comprising the additional step of removing some of the particles carried by the combustion gas stream as it passes through the heat reduction chamber. 18. An apparatus for the unventilated reduction of waste material by combustion comprising: an air-tight combustion chamber, - a heat reduction chamber in air flow communication with the combustion chamber, - a heat exchanger in communication of air flow with the heat reduction chamber, - a first fan for pulling combustion gases through the apparatus disposed between the heat exchanger and a gas cleaning chamber; a second fan to pull the combustion gases from the cleaning chamber through a duct back into the combustion chamber; an oxygen supply for enriching the combustion gases in the conduit with oxygen to produce a stream of combustion gas enriched with oxygen, - a motorized gas supply valve disposed in the conduit, - and control means for maintaining the pressure and the temperature in the combustion chamber within previously selected ranges fixed in the control means by varying the flow of the combustion gas stream enriched with oxygen through the gas supply valve to the combustion chamber in response to measurements of pressure and temperature from the combustion chamber monitored by the control means. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the combustion chamber comprises a first waste maintenance chamber reversibly sealed from the outside by a hopper door and from a second waste holding chamber by a first door, - a first battering ram hydraulic transfer to transfer waste from the first waste maintenance chamber to the second waste maintenance chamber; the second reversibly sealed waste holding chamber of a combustion charge chamber being by a second door; a second hydraulic transfer ram to transfer waste from the second waste maintenance chamber to the combustion chamber; the combustion charge chamber being reversibly sealed from a combustion zone by a third door, - and a third hydraulic transfer ram for transferring debris from the combustion charge chamber to the combustion zone; and at least one additional hydraulic transfer ram disposed within the combustion zone for transferring burnt debris to a collection element for burnt debris. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein the control element (i) controls the operation of the combustion chamber and a hopper containing waste so that the waste is automatically loaded from the hopper to the combustion zone without the escape of no combustion gas from the apparatus and (ii) controls the transfer of the burnt waste in the burned waste collection element by the at least one additional hydraulic transfer ram. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the heat reduction chamber chamber is lined with insulating and refractory material and comprises a lower section having baffles disposed therein to trap particles of the combustion gases. 2

2. The process of claim 18 wherein the gas cleaning chamber comprises a lime bath, a water spray with lime and a carbon filter where the combustion gases are introduced into the lime bath at a depth of approximately 30 percent below the surface of the lime bath and after leaving the lime bath, the combustion gases pass through the lime water spray and through the carbon filter. 2

3. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the waste burns in the combustion chamber at a pressure below atmospheric pressure. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the oxygen gas stream enriched with oxygen comprises from about 20 percent to about 30 percent oxygen. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the combustion chamber comprises at least one reversibly sealed waste holding chamber of the atmosphere and a combustion zone and transfer means for transferring the waste from the waste holding chamber to the combustion zone without the escape of any combustion gases from the combustion chamber into the atmosphere. 26. The apparatus of claim 18 further comprising a particulate trap disposed between the heat exchanger and the first fan which the combustion gases pass directly before entering the gas cleaning chamber.