Apparatus, system for treating process material such as waste material

Abstract

An apparatus for treating process material includes a vessel into which process material can be introduced, an arrangement for introducing steam into the interior of the vessel to heat and impart moisture to process material in the vessel, and several fluid transport conduits extending helically through the vessel for conveying heated fluid through the vessel between opposite ends of the vessel in order to raise the temperature and pressure within the vessel to treat the material while also allowing the moisture content of the process material to be reduced. The fluid transport conduits are also configured to contact the process material and assist in treating and densifying the material. The vessel can also be adapted to be pivoted so that the forward end of the vessel can be selectively positioned above and below a horizontal position. The vessel can also be interconnected with one or more similarly configured vessels to define a system for treating process material. The system can include an arrangement that allows steam and heat from a hot vessel to be conveyed to a cold vessel. A method for treating process material can include introducing process material into two different vessels, raising the temperature within one of the vessels through the introduction of steam to heat the material in the vessel, and reducing the temperature in the one vessel while also increasing the temperature in the other vessel by venting the interior of the one vessel to the interior of the other vessel.