The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Aug. 23, 1988
Filed:
Jan. 12, 1987
Charles H Titus, Newtown Square, PA (US);
J Kenneth Wittle, Chester Springs, PA (US);
Electric Power Research Institute, Inc., Palo Alto, CA (US);
Abstract
Electric arc furnace and method suitable for use in the decomposition of hazardous materials such as polychlorobiphenyls (PCBs) and the like. The furnace has an electrically conductive hearth which is connected electrically to the bottom wall of the furnace shell. The arc producing potential is applied to the upper portions of a central electrode and the outer shell of the furnace, and the arc current flows in a coaxial manner in the central electrode and the side wall of the outer shell. The electrical connection between the hearth and the bottom wall of the outer shell is made by a plurality of electrode plates which extend upwardly from the bottom wall into the hearth. The electrode plates are arranged in a circular pattern of slightly greater diameter than the lower tip of the electrode, and the arc has a radial field component which causes it to rotate about the lower tip of the electrode. The potential is applied to the upper portion of the outer shell in a symmetrical manner to provide a substantially uniform distribution of current around the side wall.