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:
Feb. 09, 1999
Filed:
Apr. 21, 1997
Bernard John Eastlund, Spring, TX (US);
Other;
Abstract
This invention provides methods and apparatus for continuously and efficiently separating the elements in a complex substance such as radioactive waste with a large volume plasma processor. One principal methods utilizes plasma confinement by toroidal magnetic fields with a poloidal divertor magnetic field and converts the plasma from a process plasma to a product plasma at a rapid rate permitting injection of a series of pellets, droplets or streams while the toroidal current in the plasma is maintained. A second principle method involves reducing the radiation losses in the separation process by eliminating the toroidal section and directly converting the feedstock material to a product plasma in an elongated evacuated container surrounded by magnetic field generating coils which produce magnetic fields that are parallel to the long axis of the evacuated container,The apparatus is a large volume plasma processor with multiple containment vessels. The invention provides for the characterization of waste material, and for its separation all within one self contained vacuum environment. Other applications include remediation of chemical toxic wastes and chemical and germ warfare weapons.