Other

Electro-Petroleum, Inc.

Integrated Environmental Technologies, LLC

General Electric Company

Battelle Memorial Institute

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Electric Power Research Institute Incorporated

Electro-Pyrolysis, Inc.

Charles H Titus

Jeffrey E Surma

Daniel R Cohn

Paul P Woskov

Christy W Bell

John K Wittle

J Kenneth Wittle

Alexander Rabinovich

Fred W Kelley, Jr

John E Zlupko

Harold N Schneider

Donna L Smatlak

James G Jewell

Robert Y Pogontchef

An arc furnace that utilizes a combined DC arc system and an AC joule heating system to melt the waste disposed therein and to keep the waste material in a molten condition. The DC arc system utilizes the AC joule heating electrodes as part of the DC current path, thereby eliminating the need for a counter DC electrode. Furthermore, the AC joule heating system provides for peripheral and radial AC current flow to neighboring AC joule heating electrodes, thereby creating a stirring effect in the molten waste. This design greatly simplifies the arc furnace control system while providing a more effective thermal control of the molten waste.

ARC furnace with DC arc and AC joule heating

Methods and apparatus for treating waste are provided. Waste is converted in an arc plasma-joule heated melter system utilizing one or more arc plasma electrodes and a plurality of joule heating electrodes. The arc plasma electrode(s) can be configured for operation utilizing AC or DC power, or for switching between AC and DC power. The arc plasma electrodes can also be configured for independent arc voltage and arc current control. The joule heating circuits are configured for simultaneous operation with the arcing electrodes, but without detrimental interaction with the arcing electrodes. The systems provide stable, non-leachable products and a gaseous fuel. The gaseous fuel can be utilized in a combustion or non-combustion process to generate electricity.

Arc plasma-joule heated melter system for waste treatment and resource recovery

The present invention provides tunable waste conversion systems and apparatus which have the advantage of highly robust operation and which provide complete or substantially complete conversion of a wide range of waste streams into useful gas and a stable, nonleachable solid product at a single location with greatly reduced air pollution to meet air quality standards. The systems provide the capability for highly efficient conversion of waste into high quality combustible gas and for high efficiency conversion of the gas into electricity by utilizing a high efficiency gas turbine or an internal combustion engine. The solid product can be suitable for various commercial applications. Alternatively, the solid product stream, which is a safe, stable material, may be disposed of without special considerations as hazardous material. In the preferred embodiment, the arc plasma furnace and joule heated melter are formed as a fully integrated unit with a common melt pool having circuit arrangements for the simultaneous independently controllable operation of both the arc plasma and the joule heated portions of the unit without interference with one another. The preferred configuration of this embodiment of the invention utilizes two arc plasma electrodes with an elongated chamber for the molten pool such that the molten pool is capable of providing conducting paths between electrodes. The apparatus may additionally be employed with reduced use or without further use of the gases generated by the conversion process. The apparatus may be employed as a net energy or net electricity producing unit where use of an auxiliary fuel provides the required level of electricity production. Methods and apparatus for converting metals, non-glass forming waste streams and low-ash producing inorganics into a useful gas are also provided. The methods and apparatus for such conversion include the use of a molten oxide pool having predetermined electrical, thermal and physical characteristics capable of maintaining optimal joule heating and glass forming properties during the conversion process.

Tunable molten oxide pool assisted plasma-melter vitrification systems

The present invention provides a relatively compact self-powered, tunable waste conversion system and apparatus which has the advantage of highly robust operation which provides complete or substantially complete conversion of a wide range of waste streams into useful gas and a stable, nonleachable solid product at a single location with greatly reduced air pollution to meet air quality standards. The system provides the capability for highly efficient conversion of waste into high quality combustible gas and for high efficiency conversion of the gas into electricity by utilizing a high efficiency gas turbine or by an internal combustion engine. The solid product can be suitable for various commercial applications. Alternatively, the solid product stream, which is a safe, stable material, may be disposed of without special considerations as hazardous material. In one embodiment of the invention, the conversion system includes an arc plasma furnace which provides heated material to a joule heated melter in a directly coupled integrated system. In an alternative and preferred embodiment of the invention, the arc plasma furnace and joule heated melter are formed as a fully integrated unit with a common melt pool having circuit arrangements for the simultaneous independently controllable operation of both the arc plasma and the joule heated portions of the unit without interference with one another. The apparatus may additionally be employed with reduced or without further use of the gases generated by the conversion process. The apparatus may be employed as a self-powered or net electricity producing unit where use of an auxiliary fuel provides the required level of electricity production.

Tunable, self-powered arc plasma-melter electro conversion system for

An electronic ballast has a unique inverter design which eliminates a large percentage of the required components, thereby simplifying and increasing the reliability of the ballast, while decreasing its costs. The ballast can operate both as a non-dimmable ballast and a dimmable ballast. The ballast can provide power for either two or four fluorescent lamps in a single light fixture, or for a plurality of such light fixtures connected in a daisy chain fashion. The ballast incorporates additional safety and protection features which are not available in existing ballasts, such removing the lethal danger of the 50/60 Hz power that is typically present at the lamps during lamp replacement. Furthermore, the electronic ballast supplies a constant high frequency output voltage to the light fixture independent of the frequency. There is very little distributed capacitance at the connections from the electronic ballast to the lamps. This feature eliminates points of resonances over the range of frequencies for dimming, thereby eliminating sudden changes in brightness as the frequency is varied.

Dimmable and non-dimmable electronic ballast for plural fluorescent lamps

A method and portable apparatus for self-powered, sensitive analysis of solid, liquid or gas samples for the presence of elements is provided. The apparatus includes a compact sensor system which utilizes a microwave power source and a shorted waveguide to induce a plasma. The microwave power source may be a magnetron or the like. The device includes a portable power supply and preferably includes a portable battery charger. The portable power supply includes a compact generator-internal combustion engine unit. The device can be operated by directly using power from the portable power supply or in a more compact embodiment by using power from batteries that are recharged by a separate portable power supply module. Pulsed microwave operation can be used to reduce average power requirements and facilitate the use of very compact units using batteries. The device is capable of being transported to and from remote sites for analysis by an individual without the need for heavy transportation equipment. A computer may be utilized to control the portable power supply, the battery charger and the microwave power source. The method and apparatus are capable of analyzing samples for the presence of several elements simultaneously using fiber optic guides and a spectrometer system. The apparatus can be contained in a plurality of readily detactable modules to facilitate transportation and field operation.

Compact trace element sensor which utilizes microwave generated plasma

Methods and apparatus for high efficiency generation of electricity and low oxides of nitrogen (NO.sub.x) emissions are provided. The electricity is generated from combustion of hydrogen-rich gases produced in waste conversion units using ultra lean fuel to air ratios in the range of 0.4-0.7 relative to stoichiometric operation in internal combustion engine-generators or ultra lean operation in gas turbines to ensure minimal production of pollutants such as NO.sub.x. The ultra lean operation also increases the efficiency of the internal combustion engine. High compression ratios (r=12 to 15) can also be employed to further increase the efficiency of the internal combustion engine. Supplemental fuel, such as natural gas or diesel oil, may be added directly to the internal combustion engine-generator or gas turbine for combustion with the hydrogen-rich gases produced in waste conversion unit. In addition, supplemental fuel may be reformed into a hydrogen-rich gas in a plasma fuel converter and then introduced into the internal combustion engine-generator or a gas turbine for combustion along with supplemental fuel and the hydrogen-rich gases produced in waste conversion unit. The preferred embodiment of the waste conversion unit is a fully integrated tunable arc plasma-joule heated melter with a common molten pool and power supply circuits which can be operated simultaneously without detrimental interaction with one another. In this embodiment, the joule heated melter is capable of maintaining the material in a molten state with sufficient electrical conductivity to allow rapid restart of a transferred arc plasma.

Methods and apparatus for low NO.sub.x emissions during the production

Enhanced tunable plasma-melter vitrification systems

Methods and apparatus for treating waste

The present invention provides a relatively compact self-powered, tunable waste conversion system and apparatus which has the advantage of highly robust operation which provides complete or substantially complete conversion of a wide range of waste streams into useful gas and a stable, nonleachable solid product at a single location with greatly reduced air pollution to meet air quality standards. The system provides the capability for highly efficient conversion of waste into high quality combustible gas and for high efficiency conversion of the gas into electricity by utilizing a high efficiency gas turbine or by an internal combustion engine. The solid product can be suitable for various commercial applications. Alternatively, the solid product stream, which is a safe, stable material, may be disposed of without special considerations as hazardous material. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the arc plasma furnace and joule heated melter are formed as a fully integrated unit with a common melt pool having circuit arrangements for the simultaneous independently controllable operation of both the arc plasma and the joule heated portions of the unit without interference with one another. The apparatus may additionally be employed with reduced or without further use of the gases generated by the conversion process. The apparatus may be employed as a self-powered or net electricity producing unit where use of an auxiliary fuel provides the required level of electricity production.

Systems for producing hydrogen-rich gases including rapid response plasma fuel converters are provided. The rapid response plasma fuel converters systems are suitable for use in vehicles and the like in which the systems are capable of instantaneously providing hydrogen-rich gas, reducing pollutants during vehicle startup and allowing use of hydrogen-rich gas during load changes. The systems are preferably capable of responding on the order of a second or less. The systems include a plasma fuel converter for receiving hydrocarbon fuel and reforming the hydrocarbon fuel into a hydrogen-rich gas, an internal combustion engine adapted to receive the hydrogen-rich gas from the plasma fuel converter, a generator powered by the engine and connected to deliver electrical energy to power the plasma fuel converter, and a power supply circuit capable of rapidly providing power to the plasma fuel converter in response to a stimulus. The stimulus can be movement in the accelerator pedal controlled by the driver of the vehicle. The plasma fuel converters can be operated pulsed or non-pulsed modes of operation and can utilize arc or high frequency discharges. The plasma fuel converter can be either separated from the engine or directly integrated into the engine to allow for more efficient use of the thermal energy produced by the plasma fuel converter.

Rapid response plasma fuel converter systems

An integrated plasmatron-turbine system which is capable of producing and utilizing clean burning hydrogen-rich gas is provided. The system may be incorporated into vehicles, stationary turbines, and the like to reduce emissions. The system may also be used to generate electricity in a power generating station. The system includes a plasmatron which reforms fuel into a hydrogen-rich gas and a turbine driven by the hydrogen-rich gas jet from the plasmatron. The turbine converts the heat and kinetic energy of the hydrogen-rich gas into electricity using an alternator. The alternator provides electricity to the plasmatron and may also be used to charge a battery for plasmatron initiation. Additional electricity may be used for other needs of the vehicle or stationary turbine. The hydrogen-rich gas can then utilized as clean burning fuel in a combustor coupled into the same turbine, in a second turbine or in an internal combustion engine.

Integrated plasmatron-turbine system for the production and utilization

A method and portable apparatus for self-powered, sensitive analysis of solid, liquid or gas samples for the presence of elements is provided. The apparatus includes a compact sensor system which utilizes a microwave power source and a shorted waveguide to induce a plasma. The microwave power source may be a magnetron or the like. The device includes a portable power supply and preferably includes a portable battery charger. The portable power supply includes a compact generator- internal combustion engine unit. The device can be operated by directly using power from the portable power supply or in a more compact embodiment by using power from batteries that are recharged by a separate portable power supply module. Pulsed microwave operation can be used to reduce average power requirements and facilitate the use of very compact units using batteries. The device is capable of being transported to and from remote sites for analysis by an individual without the need for heavy transportation equipment. A computer may be utilized to control the portable power supply, the battery charger and the microwave power source. The method and apparatus are capable of analyzing samples for the presence of several elements simultaneously using fiber optic guides and a spectrometer system. The apparatus can be contained in a plurality of readily detachable modules to facilitate transportation and field operation.

A non-dimmable electronic ballast has a unique inverter design which eliminates a large percentage of the required components, thereby simplifying and increasing the reliability of the ballast, while decreasing its costs. The ballast can provide power for either two or four fluorescent lamps and has additional safety and protection features which are not available in existing ballasts. A dimmable version is also disclosed with a dimming control at the ballast or which can operate a bank of ballasts with a central, remote dimming control or which can provide a variable output frequency to the ballasts to dim the lamps. There is very little distributed capacitance at the connections from the electronic ballast to the lamps. This feature eliminates points of resonances over the range of frequencies for dimming, thereby eliminating sudden changes in brightness as the frequency is varied.

Growing community of inventors

Newtown Square, PA, United States of America

Charles H Titus