Classifications

• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C03—GLASS; MINERAL OR SLAG WOOL
  • C03B—MANUFACTURE, SHAPING, OR SUPPLEMENTARY PROCESSES
  • C03B5/00—Melting in furnaces; Furnaces so far as specially adapted for glass manufacture
  • C03B5/005—Melting in furnaces; Furnaces so far as specially adapted for glass manufacture of glass-forming waste materials
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G21—NUCLEAR PHYSICS; NUCLEAR ENGINEERING
  • G21F—PROTECTION AGAINST X-RADIATION, GAMMA RADIATION, CORPUSCULAR RADIATION OR PARTICLE BOMBARDMENT; TREATING RADIOACTIVELY CONTAMINATED MATERIAL; DECONTAMINATION ARRANGEMENTS THEREFOR
  • G21F9/00—Treating radioactively contaminated material; Decontamination arrangements therefor
  • G21F9/28—Treating solids
  • G21F9/30—Processing
  • G21F9/32—Processing by incineration
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C03—GLASS; MINERAL OR SLAG WOOL
  • C03B—MANUFACTURE, SHAPING, OR SUPPLEMENTARY PROCESSES
  • C03B3/00—Charging the melting furnaces
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C03—GLASS; MINERAL OR SLAG WOOL
  • C03B—MANUFACTURE, SHAPING, OR SUPPLEMENTARY PROCESSES
  • C03B5/00—Melting in furnaces; Furnaces so far as specially adapted for glass manufacture
  • C03B5/02—Melting in furnaces; Furnaces so far as specially adapted for glass manufacture in electric furnaces, e.g. by dielectric heating
  • C03B5/021—Melting in furnaces; Furnaces so far as specially adapted for glass manufacture in electric furnaces, e.g. by dielectric heating by induction heating
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C03—GLASS; MINERAL OR SLAG WOOL
  • C03B—MANUFACTURE, SHAPING, OR SUPPLEMENTARY PROCESSES
  • C03B5/00—Melting in furnaces; Furnaces so far as specially adapted for glass manufacture
  • C03B5/02—Melting in furnaces; Furnaces so far as specially adapted for glass manufacture in electric furnaces, e.g. by dielectric heating
  • C03B5/025—Melting in furnaces; Furnaces so far as specially adapted for glass manufacture in electric furnaces, e.g. by dielectric heating by arc discharge or plasma heating
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C03—GLASS; MINERAL OR SLAG WOOL
  • C03B—MANUFACTURE, SHAPING, OR SUPPLEMENTARY PROCESSES
  • C03B5/00—Melting in furnaces; Furnaces so far as specially adapted for glass manufacture
  • C03B5/02—Melting in furnaces; Furnaces so far as specially adapted for glass manufacture in electric furnaces, e.g. by dielectric heating
  • C03B5/027—Melting in furnaces; Furnaces so far as specially adapted for glass manufacture in electric furnaces, e.g. by dielectric heating by passing an electric current between electrodes immersed in the glass bath, i.e. by direct resistance heating
  • C03B5/0275—Shaft furnaces
• • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
  • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
  • Y02P—CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS
  • Y02P40/00—Technologies relating to the processing of minerals
  • Y02P40/50—Glass production, e.g. reusing waste heat during processing or shaping
• • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
  • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
  • Y10S—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
  • Y10S423/00—Chemistry of inorganic compounds
  • Y10S423/09—Reaction techniques
  • Y10S423/12—Molten media
• • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
  • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
  • Y10S—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
  • Y10S588/00—Hazardous or toxic waste destruction or containment
  • Y10S588/90—Apparatus

Definitions

• the subject of the present invention is a process and a device for incineration and vitrification of waste, in particular radioactive waste.
• Said invention is part of the treatment of hazardous combustible waste, the ashes of which should be immobilized in a stable manner. For a long time, we neutralized this type of waste in two stages, each of said stages being implemented in an independent device:
• a second step of immobilizing the ash recovered at the end of said first step said second step being implemented in a suitable device which contains a glass bath kept in the molten state.
• Improvement which is the main object of the present invention, can be analyzed in terms of both process and device and is involved in the quality of the glass bath. Said improvement which can be qualified, for the sake of clarity of the present description, as a main improvement, is advantageously implemented with other improvements which can be qualified, in the same spirit, of secondary improvements. Said improvements, main and secondary, are described below in general terms and then, in more detail, with reference to the appended figures.
• the present invention therefore relates to a process for the treatment of organic waste (therefore combustible), divided solid (to facilitate its introduction and their combustion) and / or liquid, implemented in a single reactor containing a glass bath melted topped with a gas phase; said treatment process comprising: incineration, in the presence of oxygen, of said waste on the surface of said molten glass bath (said waste falls on said surface, decomposes therein and the gaseous products which result from this decomposition are burned in said oxygenated gas phase), and the vitrification of said incinerated waste in said molten glass bath.
• the process of the invention is a process of direct vitrification.
• said method further comprises injecting oxygen into said molten glass bath, in an amount sufficient to minimize or even avoid the formation of metal within said glass bath; advantageously, in an amount sufficient to minimize or even avoid the formation of metal within said glass bath and to ensure moderate stirring of said glass bath.
• Said oxygen, introduced, in an original way, in the molten glass bath, is introduced into the treatment reactor, in addition to the latter, conventionally delivered as oxidant in the gas phase surmounting said bath, intended to ensure the waste incineration.
• the oxygen injected into the glass bath to minimize or even avoid the formation of metal is advantageously in an amount sufficient to also ensuring a certain agitation of said glass bath.
• Those skilled in the art are able to optimize the quantity of oxygen necessary for these purposes. In any event, this must be sufficient to obtain the expected effect as regards the value of the redox potential, or even expected effects as to the value of said potential and as to the effect d agitation sought but must not be excessive insofar as the glass bath, certainly stirred, stirred, must remain a glass bath and not turn into a foam ...
• the oxygen delivered as an oxidizer in the gas phase, it intervenes advantageously, for an optimization of the incineration in question, in an amount greater than the stoichiometric amount, theoretically required. It intervenes advantageously in an amount corresponding to 1.25 to 1.5 times said stoichiometric amount.
• Said amount is. in any event, controlled and does not affect the vacuum, maintained in the reactor, conventionally, for obvious safety reasons.
• Said depression is maintained by a suction of combustion gases, suction implemented under conditions such that the entrainment of waste and especially of ash is minimized.
• the reactor contains at start-up an initial glass bath of small volume (a bottom) and it is then supplied, on the one hand with waste, on the other hand with components of a glass bath.
• Said waste and said constituent elements are moreover advantageously introduced as a mixture ... the waste can in fact be assimilated to precursors of constituent elements of said glass bath.
• the reactor is thus continuously supplied with waste and with elements constituting the glass bath, or even additives to said elements. When a certain level is reached, the two types of feeding are stopped and the glass bath thus formed can be drained.
• the oxygen injected into the glass bath is introduced into the reactor below the surface of said glass bath.
• the means for injecting said oxygen do not pass through the gas phase of said reactor, do they have to undergo only one type of corrosion: that inherent to said glass bath.
• any device intended to penetrate said glass bath to deliver any element there (we have just invoked the injection of oxygen) or to measure any parameter (such as temperature, redox potential ).
• any device intended to penetrate said glass bath is advantageously introduced into the reactor below the surface of said glass bath, so as to avoid any contact with the gas phase.
• the process of the invention which comprises injecting oxygen into the glass bath, is advantageously carried out with cooling of the walls of the reactor and / or. preferably and, means introduced into said reactor, both at said gas phase and in the glass bath, means introduced in particular for supplying said reactor with the waste to be incinerated and vitrified, feeding it with oxygen , both in terms of its gaseous phase (said oxygen acting as oxidant) as in the glass bath (said oxygen then acting as an oxidant to adjust the redox potential of said glass bath and advantageously as means of agitation).
• means for measuring the temperature of the gas phase means for measuring the temperature of the glass bath, means for measuring the redox potential of said glass bath, means for measurement of the level of said glass bath ...
• Such cooling is intended above all to protect said walls and said means from corrosion. It is also appropriate to preserve the sealing devices installed at the crossings of said walls.
• a second cooling of this same device generally independent of the first, on the arrival side of said waste (internal face side).
• the first of said coolings is primarily intended to protect said device from corrosion, developed by the gas phase in contact with it; the second of said cooling is above all intended to minimize the calories transferred to the incoming waste, this in order to minimize the vaporization of the liquid waste, to avoid sticking of solid waste, bonding liable to cause clogging of said supply device .
• heat transfer fluids generally heat transfer liquids.
• the aim is to avoid any condensation of said gas phase on said walls and on the external surfaces of said means. This condensation phenomenon is obviously harmful, with reference to corrosion problems. It is moreover likely to generate electric arcs, and therefore to pose serious problems, when implementing a heating of the glass bath by induction.
• the double cooling, mentioned above, advantageously implemented within the device for supplying waste to the reactor is, according to a particularly preferred variant, implemented with such a fluid "hot” (which has a temperature higher than the dew point of the gas phase passed through), at least as regards the cooling of said device, on the gas phase side (the first of the coolings, mentioned above).
• a fluid "hot” which has a temperature higher than the dew point of the gas phase passed through
• the intervention of such a "hot” coolant can obviously only be envisaged with waste capable of withstanding the temperature of such a "hot” fluid.
• the second of said cooling is carried out with a" cold "fluid, such as water at ambient temperature.
• various techniques can be used for heating and keeping the molten glass bath at the appropriate temperature.
• Said glass bath can thus be heated, by induction, with a flame, with a plasma torch or by means of plunging electrodes. It is not excluded to use several of said techniques, in combination. Induction heating is preferred; induction heating, used in a cold crucible is very particularly preferred.
• Said method of the invention is generally implemented with a continuous supply of waste; said waste being introduced above the surface of the glass bath, possibly in admixture with elements constituting said glass bath. After the incineration of a charge and the digestion of the ash generated in the glass bath, said charged glass bath is drained. There is therefore generally a continuous supply (a constitution of the load continuously) and a batch discharge.
• the supply of waste and oxygen to the reactor is obviously advantageously optimized to ensure maximum combustion of said waste and minimum entrainment of said waste, burned or not, by the combustion gases.
• This optimization is based on control, combined, of numerous parameters, some of which have already been mentioned, and in particular through control:
• At least one oxygen supply circuit is used in the structure of the device for supplying said waste.
• the second object of the present invention namely a device for treatment, by incineration and vitrification, of organic waste, divided solids and / or liquids; device suitable for implementing the method described above.
• Said device comprises, in a conventional manner, a reactor, on the one hand associated with heating means, capable of maintaining in the bottom of said reactor a bath of molten glass and on the other hand equipped with the following means:
• a device for supplying the waste to be incinerated and vitrified said device opening out above the surface of said molten glass bath and its depth of introduction into said reactor being advantageously adjustable; - oxygen supply means, delivering said oxygen above the surface of said molten glass bath (for carrying out incineration);
• At least one outlet for combustion gases provided in the upper part of said reactor, well above the surface of said bath of molten glass (the aim is to minimize the entrainment of ash).
• Said device typically, is further equipped with means for injecting oxygen into said molten glass bath.
• Said means are advantageously introduced into the lower part of the reactor, below the surface of the glass bath so that they do not contact the gas phase, they only undergo one type of corrosion (that developed by the bath of glass).
• Said means are also advantageously arranged so that when their oxygen supply is stopped, a glass stopper does not form at their open end.
• said means for injecting oxygen into said glass bath are advantageously arranged vertically, through the bottom (of the bottom hearth) of the reactor, with a mouth, arranged at 90 ° to their vertical axis.
• the essential elements of the device of the invention necessary for implementing the targeted incineration and vitrification process, are those mentioned above. It can add to said elements other elements, such as means for measuring the temperature of the gas phase, means for measuring the temperature of the molten glass bath, means for measuring the level of said glass bath, means for measuring the redox potential of said molten glass bath ....
• means for measuring the temperature of the gas phase means for measuring the temperature of the molten glass bath
• means for measuring the level of said glass bath means for measuring the redox potential of said molten glass bath ....
• all of said means introduced into the reactor include in their structure, at least one circuit for circulating a heat transfer fluid.
• Said device for supplying said reactor with said waste includes, advantageously in its mass, at least two generally independent circuits of this type, at least one for ensuring the cooling of its mass and of its external surface (in order to minimize the corrosion problems) and at least one other to ensure the cooling of its internal surface (in order to transfer the minimum amount of calories to the incoming waste).
• Said supply device generally has a tubular structure, delimited by an external surface and an internal surface.
• the following can also be added. It also advantageously includes in its structure means for conveying and delivering oxygen at its through end (above the glass bath).
• the delivery of said oxygen can in particular be ensured from a torus, arranged around the through end of said device, said torus being pierced with suitable orifices judiciously distributed. Waste / oxygen (oxidant) contact can thus be optimized.
• the inlets and outlets of heat transfer fluids are connected to distribution units. and evacuation adequate.
• the distribution of said fluids and said oxygen, in their respective circulation circuit (s), inside said supply device, is advantageously carried out by means of a set of distribution chambers and channels, judiciously arranged.
• the reactor is also cooled. Its walls are advantageously of the double envelope type, to allow the circulation of a heat transfer fluid.
• the heating means associated with said reactor can be of different types and in particular be suitable for the implementation of heating by induction, with a flame, with a plasma torch or by means of plunging electrodes.
• the reactor used is a cold crucible and said heating means are induction heating means.
• Figure 1 is a schematic view of the operation of a device of the invention.
• Figure 2 is a more detailed sectional view of a device of the same type.
• Figure 3 is a detailed sectional view of the oxygen injection means in the glass bath.
• Figure 4 is a detailed sectional view of the waste supply device.
• the device of the invention which is suitable for treating - by incineration and vitrification, by direct vitrification - waste D, comprises a reactor 1 associated with heating means 2. Said heating means 2 shown in Figures 1 and 2 are suitable for induction heating. Within said reactor 1, there is the molten glass bath V, surmounted by the gas phase G (FIG. 1).
• the waste D is brought into the reactor 1 via the device 5 for supplying the said waste D. It is decomposed on the surface S of the molten glass bath V. The gases resulting from this decomposition burn on contact with oxygen, mainly delivered by means 6.
• a single means 6 for the delivery in the gas phase of said oxygen mainly delivered by means 6.
• the ash generated falls into the glass bath V.
• an outlet 7 has been provided for the combustion gases.
• Said means 4 are capable, alternatively, of closing and opening a drain orifice formed in the bottom of said reactor 1.
• said bottom of said reactor 1 is traversed by means 8 for injecting oxygen into the glass bath V.
• Said injection means 8 are arranged vertically and have a mouth 82, 90 ° from their vertical axis .
• the walls 3 and 3 ′ of said reactor 1 are of the double-jacket type. Since the reactor 1 is designed in two parts, reference 3 is its wall in the lower part and 3 ′ its wall in the upper part. Within these two walls 3 and 3 ', the circulation of a heat transfer fluid is provided. For wall 3, said fluid arrives at 10 and exits at 11, for wall 3 ', it arrives at 12 and exits at 13.
• FIG. 2 For a more detailed description of the device 5 for supplying waste D, reference is made to the comments developed below with reference to FIG. 4.
• two means 6 are shown, provided for supplying oxygen (by oxidizing) to the gas phase. They are actually canes.
• a circulation circuit 61 of a heat transfer fluid Within the structure of said rods 6, there is provided a circulation circuit 61 of a heat transfer fluid. Rods thus cooled are more resistant to corrosion. It will be recalled here that they are advantageously cooled by circulation of a "hot" heat transfer fluid (maintained at a temperature above the dew point of the gas phase passed through), to avoid any condensation on their external surface.
• FIG 3 there is therefore shown a means 8 for injecting oxygen into the glass bath.
• Said means 8 comprises a supply circuit 81 for said oxygen.
• the circulation of said oxygen in said circuit 81 has been shown diagrammatically by the white arrows.
• the oxygen is delivered at 82, mouth formed at 90 ° to the axis of said means 8.
• Said means 8 includes in its structure a circulation circuit 83 + 83 ′ of a heat transfer fluid. Its part which enters the glass bath can thus be cooled. Said heat transfer fluid arrives in 83 and leaves, loaded with calories in 83 '. Its circulation is schematized by the black arrows.
• FIG. 4 finally shows a particularly advantageous variant embodiment of the device 5 for supplying reactor 1 with the waste D.
• Said device 5 has a tubular structure, delimited by an external surface 50 and an internal surface 50 ′.
• the circulation of said heat transfer fluid is shown diagrammatically by the black arrows;
• At least one circulation circuit 52 for a heat transfer fluid intended to cool said internal surface 50 ' At least one circulation circuit 52 for a heat transfer fluid intended to cool said internal surface 50 '.
• the circulation of said heat transfer fluid is shown diagrammatically by the white arrows; as well as'
• Said oxygen is thus delivered, all around said end 55, via a torus 54.
• Said torus 54 has orifices of suitable dimensions, judiciously distributed to deliver said oxygen in an optimized manner.
• the D / oxygen waste contact is thus further optimized.
• Said oxygen, delivered via the device 5 for supplying waste D is in addition to the oxygen delivered by the means 6 (see FIGS. 1 and 2).

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• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Organic Chemistry (AREA)
• Materials Engineering (AREA)
• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
• Plasma & Fusion (AREA)
• Electrochemistry (AREA)
• High Energy & Nuclear Physics (AREA)
• General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Environmental & Geological Engineering (AREA)
• Processing Of Solid Wastes (AREA)
• Gasification And Melting Of Waste (AREA)
• Glass Melting And Manufacturing (AREA)

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• 1999
  • 1999-12-01 AT AT99973006T patent/ATE238970T1/de not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 1999-12-01 WO PCT/FR1999/002977 patent/WO2000032524A1/fr not_active Ceased
  • 1999-12-01 US US09/856,685 patent/US6576807B1/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
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  • 1999-12-01 WO PCT/FR1999/002978 patent/WO2000032525A1/fr not_active Ceased
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