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:
Jul. 09, 2002
Filed:
Mar. 18, 1997
Mark G. Edlund, Lake Elmo, MN (US);
James R. Cornwell, Muskego, WI (US);
Steven A. Rush, Burlington, WI (US);
Mercury Waste Solutions, Inc., Mankato, MN (US);
Abstract
Mercury is efficiently and effectively removed from waste materials by a process and apparatus which heats waste containing mercury to temperatures well above the boiling point of mercury to create a vapor stream laden with mercury vapor. This vapor stream is first cooled to a temperature at least 100° F. above the boiling point of mercury, which allows some condensation of impure mercury with other materials, and creates a second vapor stream comprising mercury. This second vapor stream is then cooled to a temperature below the boiling point of mercury to condense more pure condensates of mercury. A third cooling step optionally may then be used to cool the remaining vapor stream to temperatures below the boiling point of mercury to remove further mercury content from the vapor stream. Filters and/or scrubbers may be added to remove trace amounts of mercury from the effluent vapor stream.