Improved cremation furnace and associated method

Abstract

The invention relates to a crematorium furnace for the sublimation of a human body comprising means for emitting heat by contact (7a to 7e) at a temperature in a range of 2000°C to 3500°C, and preferably at a temperature of 2700°C, and means (9, 11) for oscillating these means for emitting heat (7a to 7e) during their operation.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of crematorium ovens - also called incinerators - used by funeral service companies.

[0002] We know from French patent application FR9907049 a device and a method for incinerating a human body, in which propellant is used to rapidly raise the temperature of the human body to be incinerated to a very high temperature (on the order of 2700°C), thus reducing the incineration operation to about one minute.

[0003] The technique disclosed by this earlier patent has made it possible to drastically reduce the incineration time, compared to the traditional cremation technique in which the combustion of the body takes place at approximately 900°C, and lasts approximately 1 hour 30 minutes.

[0004] This technique has also made it possible to reduce the amount of harmful gases, particularly carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide, released into the atmosphere.

[0005] In order to improve this highly innovative technique, patent application FR1856618 subsequently disclosed a device and method for projecting an abrasive onto the human body to be incinerated, in order to break the carbon crust that forms on its surface when it is heated to very high temperatures—on the order of 2700°C. Furthermore, document KR 200361000 and document WO 2014 / 109378 disclose oscillating means for causing heat-emitting means to oscillate during their operation.

[0006] The use of such an abrasive, continuously or intermittently, optimizes the evaporation of water from the body and the sublimation of solid matter from that body, thus further reducing the duration of the incineration operation.

[0007] The present invention aims in particular to provide a further improvement to this innovative incineration technique described in these patent applications.

[0008] The aforementioned problem is solved by the invention as defined in the independent claims. Preferred embodiments are defined in the dependent claims.

[0009] This objective of the invention is achieved with a crematorium furnace for the sublimation of a human body, comprising means for emitting heat by contact at a temperature in the range of 2000°C to 3500°C, and preferably at a temperature of 2700°C, means for diffusing an abrasive additive, and oscillating means for oscillating these heat-emitting means during their operation. The means for oscillating these heat-emitting means are also means for oscillating the abrasive additive diffusion means. None of the prior art documents discloses or suggests the use of the oscillating means for oscillating the abrasive additive diffusion means to enable a homogeneous attack of the carbon crust forming on the surface of the body by the abrasive additive, further improving the efficiency and speed of the sublimation of this body.

[0010] Thanks to these characteristics, a crematorium oven is obtained in which the flames coming out of the means of heat emission and coming into contact with the body to be incinerated can sweep over this body, ensuring a perfect distribution of heat over it, and thus its complete and rapid sublimation.

[0011] Depending on other optional features of the crematorium oven according to the invention: said crematorium furnace also includes means for the pressure diffusion of an abrasive additive: as is known from patent application FR1856618, such an additive makes it possible to remove the layer of carbon which forms on the surface of the body to be cremated, and thus to make the sublimation of this body more efficient and rapid; said crematorium furnace also includes means for oscillating the means for diffusing the abrasive additive: these oscillating means allow a homogeneous attack of the carbon crust forming on the surface of the body by the abrasive additive, further improving the efficiency and speed of the sublimation of this body;said oscillation means are adapted to oscillate said heat emission means and / or said abrasive diffusion means with an amplitude of approximately 30° in a horizontal plane, and with a frequency of approximately 3 oscillations per minute: such a relatively slow oscillation makes it possible to sweep the body to be incinerated, both with the flames of the heat emission means and with the abrasive additive, which proves optimal for achieving efficient and rapid sublimation of the body to be incinerated; said abrasive additive diffusion means are integral with said heat emission means: this particular embodiment makes it possible to have only one movement mechanism, common to the heat emission means and the abrasive additive diffusion means;The said heat diffusion means are selected from the group comprising hydrogen burners and propellant boosters: such burners make it possible to reach very rapidly sublimation temperatures of the human body typically located around 2700°C; the said crematorium furnace comprises six burners arranged around the area receiving the body to be cremated: this specific arrangement allows for rapid and homogeneous sublimation of the body to be cremated.

[0012] The present invention also relates to a method of sublimating a body placed inside a crematorium oven as defined in claim 6. This makes it possible to break down efficiently and homogeneously the carbon crust that forms on the surface of the body during the incineration operation.

[0013] Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent upon reading the following description, with reference to the figure 1 attached hereto, which illustrates: [ Fig. 1 ] : a top view of a crematorium oven according to the invention, represented schematically.

[0014] As can be seen in this figure, the crematorium oven according to the invention takes an enclosure 1, which can be rectangular as shown, or circular, or of any other shape, and be formed in whole or in part of sheet metal and / or concrete.

[0015] A door 3 provides access to the interior of this enclosure, both for introducing the human body to be cremated, and for carrying out maintenance and upkeep operations.

[0016] Inside this enclosure is a table 5 for receiving the body to be cremated (generally placed inside a coffin), this table being made of a material that can withstand temperatures of around 2700°C: such a material can be, for example, carbon.

[0017] Around table 5 are arranged burners 7, preferably six of them as shown in the attached figure, namely two pairs of burners 7a, 10 7b and 7c, 7d arranged on either side of the length of table 5, and two burners 7e, 7f arranged at each end of this table.

[0018] These burners are suitable for generating flames at a temperature in the range of 2000°C to 3500°C, and preferably in the range of 2700°C.

[0019] A fuel that could reach these temperatures could be liquid hydrogen.

[0020] According to another possible variant, instead of burners 7, the use of propellant boosters can be considered, as explained in patent application FR9907049.

[0021] In addition, means are provided for making the burners 7 (or, where applicable, the propellants) oscillate in the horizontal plane, that is to say around substantially vertical axes, with an amplitude preferably of the order of 30°.

[0022] These oscillation means may include a linkage 9 connected to an actuation motor 11, similar to a windshield wiper actuation mechanism of a motor vehicle.

[0023] Preferably, the crematorium oven according to the invention also includes means for diffusing abrasive additive, entirely analogous to those disclosed in patent application FR1856618.

[0024] The abrasive additive used may be silicon carbide or diamond powder, for example.

[0025] The means of diffusing abrasive additive, which may be less than or equal in number to the burners 7, may also be animated by an oscillating movement.

[0026] These abrasive diffusion means may include nozzles 12a, 12b, 12c, 12d, 12e, 12f attached to the burners 7, or independent of them.

[0027] The oscillation frequency of the burners 7 and / or the additive diffusion nozzles 12 is typically around 3 oscillations per minute: this is therefore a relatively slow oscillating movement, noting that the incineration operation of the body introduced into the crematorium furnace typically lasts around one minute.

[0028] Optionally, but preferably, the crematorium oven according to the invention also includes a water condenser 13 which allows the recovery and separation of water vapor from the fumes laden with particles resulting from the sublimation of the body.

[0029] These fumes are directed to a settling tank 15, allowing the particles to be recovered and disposed of in a landfill.

[0030] Separating the water by the condenser 13 makes it possible to significantly reduce the volume of the settling tank 15, typically to 50 m³ instead of 100 m³ - the filtering of the settled particles can therefore be carried out with filters that are also considerably reduced.

[0031] The method of use and the advantages of the crematorium oven just described result directly from the above.

[0032] The oscillating movement of the heat diffusion means 7 makes it possible to sweep the entire body to be incinerated, and thus ensure homogeneous contact of the flames of these heat diffusion means over the entire body: the sublimation of this body, and the evaporation of water, are thus carried out efficiently and quickly.

[0033] A few oscillating movements, typically 3 per minute, are enough to perfectly achieve this sublimation.

[0034] Providing that the means of diffusing the additive can also be equipped with an oscillating movement allows for a complete and homogeneous destruction of the carbon crust that may form on the surface of the body during incineration.

[0035] This efficiency of sublimation, achieved through the sweeping action of the flames and the abrasive additive, allows, in fine, to reduce the firepower of each burner, as well as the amount of abrasive additive used, thus contributing overall to a reduction in the products (hydrogen / propergol and silicon carbide / diamond powder) used.

[0036] The use of a condenser to separate the water from the vaporization of the body from the particle-laden fumes allows a significant reduction in the volume of the settling system, as indicated above, contributing to the improvement of the economic balance of the installation.

[0037] Naturally, the invention described above is by way of example. It is understood that a person skilled in the art is capable of carrying out different embodiments of the invention without departing from its scope.

Claims

1. Crematory furnace for sublimating a human body comprising contact heat emitting means (7a to 7e) at a temperature in the range of 2000°C to 3500°C, and preferably at a temperature of 2700°C, abrasive additive diffusing means (12a to 12e) and oscillating means (9,11) for oscillating these heat emitting means (7a to 7e) during the operation thereof, characterized in that the oscillating means (9,11) are also means for oscillating the abrasive additive diffusing means (12a to 12e).

2. Crematory furnace according to claim 1, wherein said oscillation means (9,11) are adapted to oscillate said heat emitting means (7a to 7e) and / or said abrasive additive diffusing means (12a to 12e) with an amplitude of around 30° in a horizontal plane, and with a frequency of around 3 oscillations per minute.

3. Crematory furnace according to either of the preceding claims, wherein said abrasive additive diffusing means (12a to 12e) are integral with said heat emitting means (7a to 7e).

4. Crematory furnace according to any of the preceding claims, wherein said heat emitting means (7a to 7e) are selected from the group comprising hydrogen burners and propellant thrusters.

5. Crematory furnace according to any of the preceding claims, comprising six burners (7a to 7e) placed around the zone for receiving the body to be cremated.

6. Method for sublimating a body placed inside a crematory furnace according to any of claims 1 to 5, with heat emitting means (7a to 7e) suitable for applying to the body flames at a temperature in the range 2000°C to 3500°C, and preferably at a temperature of 2700°C, wherein said body is swept with said flames by oscillating the heat emitting means, and wherein an abrasive additive is diffused onto said body by oscillating sweeping.

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