Method and apparatus for incinerating materials using thermal energy generated by a rotary device

Abstract

A method for disposing of hazardous and / or toxic materials by incineration is provided, the method comprising generating a heated fluid medium by at least one rotating device comprising a casing with at least one inlet and at least one outlet, a rotor including at least one rotor blade row arranged around a rotor hub mounted on a rotor shaft, and a stator formed as a fixed vane assembly arranged at least upstream of the at least one rotor blade row, in which an amount of thermal energy is imparted to a fluid medium flow guided along a flow path formed inside the casing between the inlet and the outlet by a series of energy transformations occurring as the fluid medium flow passes through the guide fixed vanes and the at least one rotor blade row, respectively. The method further includes incorporating the at least one rotating device into an incineration process facility configured as an incineration facility and further configured to perform an incineration process relating to disposing of hazardous and / or toxic materials by incineration at a temperature essentially equal to or greater than about 500° C., and directing an amount of input energy into the at least one rotating device incorporated into the incineration process facility, the input energy including electrical energy. Rotating devices and related uses are further provided.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates generally to systems and methods for inputting thermal energy (heat) into fluids, and more particularly to tools and processes for optimizing energy efficiency and reducing greenhouse gas and particulate emissions in industrial processes related to the disposal of toxic and / or toxic materials by incineration carried out at high and very high temperatures. [Background technology]

[0002] Industry and governments are struggling to find technologies to significantly reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) into the atmosphere are major environmental problems because some of them have photochemical ozone creation potential (POCP), ozone depletion potential (ODP), global warming potential (GWP), toxicity, carcinogenicity, and local odor pollution potential. As a result of uncontrolled release of VOCs into the atmosphere, they can act as greenhouse gases. Therefore, preventing VOC emissions is considered one of the most important challenges facing the operation of essential industrial processes.

[0003] Waste gases are produced by almost any industrial facility, including, by way of example, oil refining and petrochemicals, natural gas processing, biogas processing, chemical processing, food and beverage processing, mining, paint / aerosol production, pharmaceutical industry and medical device manufacturing, and soil and groundwater remediation. Incineration may be used in these industries for waste stream disposal and / or air quality control.

[0004] Incineration is one of the best known methods for disposing of virtually any waste material, including industrial gas streams, various liquids, solids, and mixtures thereof. Gaseous pollutants, such as VOCs and HAPs, from industrial air streams are typically destroyed in thermal incinerators, also called thermal oxidizers. These pollutants are generally hydrocarbon-based and may consist of a complex mixture of organic compounds. Sometimes the pollutants may contain various sulfur (S)-containing compounds and nitrogen (N)-containing compounds in addition to hydrogen and carbon. When destroyed via thermal combustion, the pollutants are chemically oxidized to form carbon dioxide and water. The combustion of such a mixture of organic compounds containing carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and in some cases, nitrogen and sulfur, can be described by the overall exothermic reaction according to Equations 1A and 1B: JPEG2024537175000002.jpg20170

[0005] In addition to carbon dioxide and water, the flue gas produced from the thermal oxidizer may also contain nitrogen oxides, acid gases, trace metals, and other hazardous air pollutants produced from the combustion of compounds present in the waste or from the combustion of supplemental fuels. Although the placement of a scrubber or similar device following the incinerator / oxidizer to remove these compounds may provide a cost-effective and environmentally beneficial approach to control the waste stream, this adds significantly to the installation and operating costs of the incinerator system.

[0006] The main types of thermal oxidizers include direct flame / direct combustion thermal oxidizers (afterburners), catalytic thermal oxidizers (CTOs), regenerative thermal oxidizers (RTOs), and recuperative oxidizers. Factors to be considered in designing an effective thermal oxidizer include the temperature inside the oxidizer (in the combustion chamber), residence time, and turbulence. The temperature must be high enough to ignite the organic compounds in the waste gas. Depending on the nature of the exhaust material to be burned, thermal oxidizers operate at temperatures ranging from 590 to 1200 °C. The residence time (the time the waste stream spends in the combustion chamber) must be sufficient for the combustion reaction to occur. This residence time is typically 0.2 to 1 second depending on the type of waste gas. Turbulence defines the appropriate combustion air flow rate required to mix oxygen with the waste gas to achieve complete combustion of the waste gas.

[0007] A conventional thermal oxidizer system is shown in FIG. 1C. The waste gas is burned in an incinerator 101, which is provided as a combustion chamber. In the incinerator, the flame is maintained by a combination of auxiliary fuel (Qaf), waste gas, and supplemental air (Qa), which is added when necessary (in the simplest direct-fired systems). In many cases, the energy released by the combustion of the total organic matter (VOCs and others) in the waste gas stream is not enough to raise the temperature to the desired level by itself. In these cases, an auxiliary fuel (e.g. natural gas) must be added to raise the temperature (see FIG. 1C, Qaf). The symbol "Q" denotes the thermal energy (heat) produced and / or input into the process. Passing through the flame, the waste gas is heated from its inlet temperature (Qwi) to the ignition temperature (the ignition temperature depends on the nature of the waste). The waste gas preheater 102 and the heat recovery device 104 (here formed as a secondary energy recovery heat exchanger) are the energy recovery devices provided in the incineration facility. In some embodiments the heat recovery device does not form part of the incinerator / combustion chamber (combustion chamber is defined as the chamber where ignition and combustion of (waste) materials occurs), however many industrial thermal oxidizers have at least a preheater (102) installed in the incinerator to preheat the waste gases. The exhaust gases (flue gases) at the inlet and outlet of the first heat exchanger 102 are indicated with fi and fo accordingly.

[0008] Wastewater incineration is a process in which organic and inorganic wastewater contaminants are oxidized with air and the aqueous portion is simultaneously heated and / or evaporated, typically at near atmospheric pressure and temperatures between 730°C and 1200°C. Incineration is an effective route for treating wastewater from chemical multi-product plants that contain a variety of toxic waste streams that cannot be sent to conventional wastewater treatment plants. The wastewater can be of industrial or municipal origin, or of any other origin.

[0009] Solid waste incinerators operate similarly to gaseous waste oxidizers, except that they accept solid waste as a feedstock. When incinerated, the solid waste material is converted into ash, flue gas, and heat. The ash is formed mostly by the inorganic components of the waste and may be in the form of solid chunks or particles carried by the flue gas. Gaseous and particulate pollutants must be removed from the flue gas before they are dispersed into the atmosphere. Different designs of solid waste incinerators are recognized, all of which burn the (solid) waste material and destroy VOCs and HAPs. These designs include grate incinerators (fixed or mobile), rotary kilns, multi-stage incinerators, fluidized bed incinerators, controlled air incinerators, and excess air incinerators.

[0010] Incinerators and oxidizers may be small, prefabricated, modular designs, or larger units that must be assembled on-site. Some of the larger units, particularly those used to burn municipal waste, include heat recovery systems. Heat recovery systems can be used for the production of steam and / or electricity. Thus, direct flame incinerators may include recuperative heat exchangers, or regenerative systems that operate in cyclic mode to achieve high energy recovery. Known catalytic incinerator systems include fixed bed (packed bed or monolith) systems and fluidized bed systems. Both allow for energy recovery.

[0011] Electrification of these processes has been seen as a solution to reduce emissions. One of the obstacles to electrification has been reaching the high temperatures required in the incineration process. As an example, thermal incinerators, typically utilized for the destruction of gaseous pollutants, e.g., VOCs, operate at temperatures in the range of 590-650 °C. In this temperature range, most of the organic compounds ignite. Incinerators for hazardous gaseous waste operate in the higher range of 980-1200 °C. Since the inlet waste gas temperature (see Qwi in Fig. 1C) is generally significantly lower than that required for combustion, additional thermal energy must be supplied to the incinerator to preheat the waste gas and to maintain stable combustion conditions. However, the amount of energy released during the waste combustion process is often insufficient to maintain the process temperature at the desired level. In these cases, the additional heat is typically provided by continuously delivering air and fuel (e.g., natural gas) into the incinerator (see Qa and Qaf, respectively, in Fig. 1C). Additional air and fuel supply into the incinerator is also required to burn the oxygen-depleted organic waste gases. This is the case for VOC-containing industrial waste gases originating from chemical plants (e.g. process vent lines). On the other hand, most of the VOC-containing gases treated in industrial deodorization systems are dilute mixtures of combustible gases in air, so their oxygen content exceeds that required to burn both the waste organics and the supporting fuel, but their heating value is low. Although catalytic systems also require the use of supporting fuel, they operate at lower temperatures compared to (non-catalytic) thermal oxidizers. However, when VOCs or other wastes are destroyed in an incinerator using fossil fuels, both the carbon in the VOCs and the carbon in the fossil fuel contribute to CO2 emissions. Thermal oxidizers produce NO x It is also an emission source. x In minimizing emissions, low operating temperatures and a uniform temperature profile are important factors to consider.

[0012] The high temperature process requirements and the need to comply with strict environmental regulations place serious strains on incineration facilities in terms of the technology and energy sources utilized. Although electricity is used in some high temperature industrial processes, existing incineration technology and current economic conditions are not in a position to do so.

[0013] For heating purposes, several rotary solutions have been proposed. The hydrodynamic heater pump apparatus disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 11,098,725 (Sanger et al.) is operable to selectively generate a flow of heated and / or pressurized fluid. The aforementioned hydrodynamic heater pump is designed to be installed within the cooling system of an automotive vehicle to provide heat for the passenger compartment of the vehicle and to enable other capabilities such as window de-icing and engine cooling. The disclosed apparatus can also provide a pressurized fluid flow for engine cooling. Because the disclosed technology is friction based and the fluid to be heated is a liquid, the presented design is not suitable for conditions involving extreme turbulence of gas aerodynamics.

[0014] US Patent No. 7,614,367 (Frick) discloses a system and method for flameless heating, condensing or vaporizing a fluid by converting rotational kinetic energy into heat. A system configured for fluid heating may include a rotational kinetic energy generator, a rotary heating device, and a primary heat exchanger, all in closed-loop fluid communication. The rotary heating device may be a water brake dynamometer. The specification discloses the use of the system for heating water on an offshore drilling or oil production platform. However, the presented system is not suitable for heating gaseous media and is not feasible for use with high and extremely high temperatures (based on liquid stability, vapor pressure, etc.).

[0015] In addition, several rotating turbomachinery type devices are also known to carry out the process of hydrocarbon (steam) cracking, with the goal of maximizing the yield of target products, such as ethylene and propylene.

[0016] In this regard, updates in the art related to designing and manufacturing efficient heating systems, particularly systems suitable for high and very high temperature applications, are still desirable in view of efficiently and environmentally addressing the challenges associated with increasing temperatures of fluid materials. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0017] It is an object of the present invention to solve or at least mitigate at least some of the problems resulting from limitations and drawbacks of the related art. One or more of the objects are achieved by the various embodiments of the method for producing a heated fluid medium, the rotating device and the related uses defined herein, as described herein. [Means for solving the problem]

[0018] In one aspect, a method for disposal of materials, such as hazardous and / or toxic materials or waste materials, by incineration includes generating a heated fluid medium by at least one rotating device incorporated into an incineration facility. Effect of the Invention

[0019] According to one embodiment, a method of disposal of material by incineration, including generating a heated fluid medium by at least one rotating device incorporated into an incineration facility, improves energy efficiency and / or reduces greenhouse gas emissions and particulate emissions.

[0020] In one embodiment, a method for disposal of material by incineration includes generating a heated fluid medium by at least one rotating device incorporated into an incineration facility, the at least one rotating device including a casing with at least one inlet and at least one outlet, a rotor including at least one rotor blade row disposed around a rotor hub mounted on a rotor shaft, and a plurality of stationary vanes arranged in an assembly upstream of the at least one rotor blade row, the heated fluid medium being generated by a series of energy conversions that occur as the fluid medium flow passes through the stationary vanes and the at least one rotor blade row, respectively. an amount of thermal energy is imparted to a fluid medium stream directed along a flow path formed inside the casing between the inlet and the outlet, thereby generating a heated fluid medium stream, the method further comprising: directing an amount of input energy into the at least one rotating device incorporated into the incineration facility, the input energy comprising electrical energy; supplying the heated fluid medium stream generated by the at least one rotating device into the incineration facility; and operating the at least one rotating device and the incineration facility to carry out an incineration process at a temperature essentially equal to or greater than about 500°C.

[0021] In another aspect, a method for inputting thermal energy into a fluid medium during an incineration related process is provided.

[0022] In one embodiment, a method includes inputting thermal energy into an incineration-related process in an incineration facility, the method includes generating a heated fluid medium by at least one rotating device incorporated into the incineration facility, the at least one rotating device including a casing with at least one inlet and at least one outlet, a rotor including at least one rotor blade row disposed around a rotor hub mounted on a rotor shaft, and a plurality of stationary vanes disposed in an assembly at least upstream of the at least one rotor blade row, the method including incineration at a temperature essentially equal to or greater than about 500°C. and incorporating the at least one rotating device into an incineration facility configured to carry out an associated process, and operating the at least one rotating device incorporated into the incineration facility such that an amount of input energy is directed into the at least one rotating device incorporated into the incineration facility, the input energy comprising electrical energy, and a series of energy transformations occurring as the fluid medium flow passes through the fixed vanes and the at least one row of rotor blades, respectively, impart an amount of thermal energy to a fluid medium flow directed along a flow path formed inside the casing between the inlet and the outlet, thereby generating a heated fluid medium flow.

[0023] In one embodiment, the method includes operating at least one rotating device operatively connected to at least one incineration unit within the incineration facility, the at least one incineration unit configured to perform an incineration process at a temperature essentially equal to or greater than about 500° C. In an embodiment, the method includes providing a heated fluid medium generated by or within the at least one rotating device into at least one incineration unit within the incineration facility. In an embodiment, the at least one incineration unit includes or consists of an incinerator, furnace, oven, kiln, burner, heater, dryer, boiler, conveyor device, reactor, or combination thereof.

[0024] As used herein, "incinerator" refers to an apparatus for igniting and burning solid, semi-solid, liquid, or gaseous combustible waste. "Furnace" is used herein in reference to an apparatus in which heat is generated or added as part of the combustion and / or incineration process. "Burner" is used herein in reference to an apparatus provided within the incinerator combustion chamber for igniting the material to be burned and / or for mixing supporting fuel gas and / or air. As used herein, "burner" is part of an incinerator or furnace.

[0025] In one embodiment, the method includes generating the fluid medium heated to a temperature essentially equal to or greater than about 500° C., or essentially equal to or greater than about 1200° C., or essentially equal to or greater than about 1500° C., by at least one rotating device.

[0026] In an embodiment, this includes adjusting the velocity and / or pressure of a fluid medium stream propagating through the rotating device to create conditions under which the heated fluid medium is generated.

[0027] In an embodiment, in the method, the heated fluid medium is generated by at least one rotating device including two or more rows of rotor blades arranged successively along the rotor axis.

[0028] In one embodiment, the method includes operating the at least one rotating device, which further includes a diffuser region located downstream of at least one rotor blade row, in such a way that a quantity of thermal energy is imparted to a fluid medium flow guided along a flow path formed inside the casing between the inlet and the outlet by a series of energy conversions occurring when the fluid medium flow passes successively through the fixed vanes, the at least one rotor blade row, and the diffuser region, thereby generating a flow of heated fluid medium. The diffuser region may be formed with or without fixed vanes.

[0029] In one embodiment, in the method, the amount of thermal energy added to the fluid medium flow propagating through the rotating device is controlled by adjusting the amount of input energy directed into the at least one rotating device incorporated in the incineration facility.

[0030] In an embodiment, the method further comprises arranging an additional heating device downstream of the at least one rotating device and introducing a reactive compound or a mixture of reactive compounds into the fluid medium stream propagating through the additional heating device, whereupon the amount of thermal energy is added to the fluid medium stream through an exothermic reaction. In an embodiment, the method comprises introducing the reactive compound or mixture of reactive compounds into the fluid medium stream preheated to a predetermined temperature. In an embodiment, the method comprises introducing the reactive compound or mixture of reactive compounds into the fluid medium stream preheated to a temperature essentially equal to or greater than about 1500° C. In an embodiment, the method comprises preheating the fluid medium stream to a predetermined temperature in a rotating device.

[0031] In one embodiment, the method further comprises generating a heated fluid medium by at least two rotating devices incorporated into the incineration facility, the at least two rotating devices being connected in parallel or in series. In an embodiment, the method comprises generating a heated fluid medium by at least two rotating devices connected in series, the fluid medium stream being preheated to a predetermined temperature in at least a first rotating device in the series, and the fluid medium stream being further heated in at least a second rotating device in the series by inputting an additional amount of heat energy into the preheated fluid medium stream propagating through the second rotating device. In an embodiment, in at least the first rotating device in the series, the fluid medium stream is preheated to a temperature essentially equal to or greater than about 1500° C. In an embodiment, in the method, the additional amount of heat energy is added to the fluid medium stream propagating through the at least second rotating device in turn by introducing the reactive compound or a mixture of reactive compounds into the stream. In an embodiment, the method includes introducing the reactive compound or mixture of reactive compounds into an incineration process.

[0032] In one embodiment, in the method, the fluid medium entering the rotating device is an essentially gaseous medium.

[0033] In one embodiment, the method includes generating the heated fluid medium in the rotating device. In an embodiment, the method includes the heated fluid medium generated in the rotating device is a harmful and / or toxic gas. In an embodiment, the method includes the heated fluid medium generated in the rotating device is a gas containing any one of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), hazardous air pollutants (HAPs), odorous gases, or any combination thereof. In an embodiment, the heated fluid medium generated in the at least one rotating device includes or consists of waste gas from any industrial facility, including, by way of example, oil refining and petrochemicals, natural gas processing, biogas processing, chemical processing, food and beverage processing, mining, paint / spray production, pharmaceutical and medical waste and device manufacturing, soil and groundwater remediation, or any combination thereof. In an embodiment, the heated fluid medium generated in the rotating device includes an inert gas, such as nitrogen (N2), or air. In some embodiments, the heated fluid medium generated in the rotating device includes any one of air, steam (H2O), nitrogen (N2), hydrogen (H2), carbon dioxide (CO2), carbon monoxide (CO), methane (CH4), or any combination thereof.

[0034] In an embodiment, in the method, the heated fluid medium produced in the rotating device is recycled gas recycled from exhaust gas produced during an incineration process in the incineration facility.

[0035] In embodiments, the method further includes generating the heated fluid medium, e.g., gas, steam, liquid, and mixtures thereof, and / or heated solid material, outside of the rotating device through a heat transfer process between the heated fluid medium generated in the rotating device and any one of the above-mentioned substances that bypasses the rotating device. In some embodiments, the heated fluid medium, e.g., gas, generated in the rotating device is used as a combustion medium for solid material fed into an incineration unit / process.

[0036] In an embodiment, the method further comprises supplying the heated fluid medium produced by or within the at least one rotating device into at least one incineration unit within the incineration facility, the at least one incineration unit comprising or consisting of an incinerator, furnace, oven, kiln, burner, heater, dryer, boiler, conveyor device, reactor, or combination thereof.

[0037] In an embodiment, the method further comprises increasing a pressure in the fluid medium flow propagating through the rotating device.

[0038] In an embodiment, the method includes a method in which the amount of electrical energy introduced as input energy into the at least one rotating device incorporated in the incineration system is in the range of about 5 percent to 100 percent. In an embodiment, the method includes a method in which the amount of electrical energy introduced as input energy into the at least one rotating device incorporated in the incineration system can be obtained from a renewable energy source or a combination of different energy sources, optionally renewable energy sources. In an embodiment, the method includes a method in which the at least one rotating device is incorporated in the incineration system together with at least one heater device capable of operating on non-electrical energy, thereby being used to balance fluctuations, such as oversupply and shortages, in the amount of electrical energy, optionally renewable electrical energy.

[0039] In another aspect, an incineration facility is provided that includes at least one rotating device configured to generate a heated fluid medium and at least one incineration unit configured to perform an incineration related process.

[0040] In one embodiment, the incineration facility includes at least one rotating device that is incorporated into the high temperature material production device and includes a casing with at least one inlet and at least one outlet, a rotor including at least one rotor blade row arranged around a rotor hub mounted on a rotor shaft, and a plurality of fixed vanes arranged in an assembly at least upstream of the at least one rotor blade row, the at least one rotating device being configured to operate such that a quantity of thermal energy is imparted to a fluid medium flow guided along a flow path formed inside the casing between the inlet and the outlet by a series of energy transformations that occur when the fluid medium flow passes through the fixed vanes and the at least one rotor blade row, respectively, thereby generating a heated fluid medium flow, and the at least one rotating device is configured to receive a quantity of input energy including electrical energy and to generate a heated fluid medium for inputting thermal energy into at least one operating unit, the operating unit being configured to perform an incineration process at a temperature essentially equal to or greater than about 500°C.

[0041] In an embodiment, in the incineration facility, the at least one rotating device is connected to at least one incineration unit, the incineration unit including or consisting of an incinerator, furnace, oven, kiln, burner, heater, dryer, conveyor device, reactor, or combination thereof.

[0042] In an embodiment, in the incineration production facility, the at least one rotating device includes two or more rotor blade rows arranged in series along the rotor axis. In one embodiment, the fixed vanes arranged in an assembly upstream of the at least one rotor blade row are formed as fixed guide vanes. In one embodiment, the at least one rotating device further includes a diffuser area arranged downstream of the at least one rotor blade row. The diffuser area may be formed with or without a fixed diffuser vane. In some configurations, a vaned diffuser may be realized as a plurality of fixed vanes arranged in an assembly downstream of the at least one rotor blade row.

[0043] In one embodiment, the at least one rotating device disposed within the incineration facility is further configured to increase pressure in the fluid medium flow propagating through the rotating device.

[0044] In some embodiments, at least one rotating device provided within the incineration facility is configured to achieve fluid flow between an inlet and an outlet along a flow path established based on any one of an essentially helical orbit formed within an essentially toroidal shaped casing, an essentially helical orbit formed within an essentially tubular casing, an essentially radial orbit, and a flow path established by a fluid medium flow in the form of two spirals wound up as side-to-side vortex rings.

[0045] In one embodiment, the incineration facility comprises at least two rotating devices, the at least two rotating devices being arranged in an assembly and connected in parallel or in series.

[0046] In an embodiment, the incineration facility is configured to perform incineration of the waste gases via a thermal oxidation process.

[0047] In a further aspect, an assembly is provided, said assembly including at least two rotating devices according to any previous aspect, said rotating devices being connected in parallel or in series.

[0048] In a further aspect, an arrangement is provided and includes at least one rotation device according to any previous aspect, wherein the at least one rotation device is connected to at least one incineration unit within an incineration facility.

[0049] In a further aspect, an incineration installation is provided, the incineration installation being configured to perform an incineration process through a method according to any of the aspects and embodiments defined previously, the incineration installation including at least one rotating device according to any of the previous aspects. In a further aspect, an incineration installation is provided, the incineration installation being configured to perform a process for disposing of hazardous and / or toxic materials by incineration through a method according to any of the aspects and embodiments defined previously. In one aspect, the method and / or installation according to any of the aspects and embodiments defined previously is used in disposing of hazardous and / or toxic materials by incineration.

[0050] The usefulness of the present invention arises for a variety of reasons depending on each particular embodiment of the invention.

[0051] Overall, the embodiments provide an electrified rotating fluid heater to provide hot fluids, e.g., gas, to be used in incineration processes in place of fuel-fired heaters. The presented method allows for input of thermal energy into furnaces used in heat consuming utilities, e.g., incineration facilities, and operation at high and very high temperatures, e.g., temperatures generally above 500° C. The present invention provides an apparatus and method for heating fluid materials to temperatures in the range of about 500° C. or higher to about 1500° C., and beyond, up to about 2000° C., temperatures used in the incineration / combustion of various waste materials.

[0052] The combustion of various materials in an incinerator typically employs utilities that have a high demand for heat energy and therefore heat consumption, such as fuel-fired burners. The heat consumption utilities are used to heat fluids to the temperature required for the combustion process. The invention presented here allows for the use of rotating devices instead of conventional heat consumption utilities, such as fuel-fired burners. The advantages associated with using rotating devices instead of fired heaters in a method include at least: - Support electrified heating; - Greenhouse gases (e.g. NO, CO2, CO, NO X ), eliminating or at least significantly reducing other harmful components derived from the fuel (e.g., HCl, H2S, SO2, and heavy metals), particulate emissions, and smoke emissions; - the heater volume is reduced, i.e. the volume of the rotating equipment can be at least an order of magnitude smaller compared to conventional process heaters or heat exchangers; - Lower investment costs; - Improved safety when using flammable and hazardous fluids / gases; - The handling of large volumes of gas is feasible; - there is no pressure drop, - the possibility of using the rotary (heater) device also for gas compression (blower function); - No dependency on temperature differences for direct heating of gases. Temperature rises in rotating equipment can range from about 10 to 1700°C or more. - the possibility of using rotating devices for indirect heating of fluids, optionally by optimizing the temperature difference in the heat exchanger; - at least partial recycling of hot process gases is possible, thus improving and making heat recovery simpler and improving energy efficiency; It is possible to further increase the temperature of the gas to be heated by adding reactive chemicals which further increase the gas temperature by an exothermic reaction, for example up to 2000°C or more; This includes:

[0053] In an embodiment, the rotating machine can be used in place of conventional fuel-fired heaters or burners in the incineration process. Traditionally, such heat is mainly produced through the combustion of fossil fuels, which leads to significant CO2 emissions. The use of wood or other bio-based materials instead of fossil fuels has significant resource limitations and other significant impacts on the environment, such as those related to sustainable land use. As renewable electricity becomes more cost-effective, i.e., with the rapid development of wind, piezoelectric and solar power generation, it is possible to use rotating machines powered by renewable electricity instead of fossil fuel combustion. This will significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The rotating machine allows for the electric heating of fluids to temperatures of up to 1700°C or more. Such temperatures are difficult or impossible to reach using current electrical heating.

[0054] The rotating equipment can be used to directly heat process gas (waste gas), inert gas, air, or any other gas, or indirectly heat process fluids (liquid, steam, gas, steam / liquid mixture, etc.). The rotating equipment can be used to directly heat (waste) materials, such as recycled gas recycled from exhaust gas produced from the combustion of solids and / or liquids, during incineration. The heated fluid produced in the rotating equipment can be used to heat any one of gas, steam, liquid, and solid materials. The rotating equipment can at least partially replace or be combined with numerous types of furnaces, heaters, kilns, gasifiers, and reactors that are traditionally burned or heated (e.g. as preheaters) with solid, liquid, or gaseous fossil fuels, and in some cases bio-based fuels, including incinerator equipment or combustion furnaces used during incineration. Examples of such appliances include incinerators, burners, (combustion) furnaces, ovens, heaters, dryers, conveyor equipment, reactors, and combinations thereof. The heated gas may be flammable, reactive, or inert and may be recycled back to the rotating device. In addition to heating, the rotating device may act as a combined blower-heater, increasing pressure and allowing the gas to be recycled.

[0055] Heated fluids, such as gases, can be used in a variety of applications. The heated object can be a solid material, a liquid or a gas. The gas further participates in numerous reactions or is used as a heating medium. Thus, hot gases can be used to heat solid materials, such as in incineration plants.

[0056] By incorporating the rotating device into the incineration facility, the need to introduce auxiliary fuel into the combustion process is completely or partially eliminated. This of course allows a reduction in flue gas emissions. The invention therefore reduces greenhouse gas emissions (CO, CO2, NO x) and reduced particle emissions. The use of rotating equipment can also further improve the energy efficiency of these processes by creating a closed or semi-closed heating loop for the process and reducing heat losses through the flue gas. In conventional heaters, flue gas can only be partially recycled.

[0057] In addition, the solution allows for improved optimization of the temperature difference in the heat exchanger during indirect heating.

[0058] The rotating device integrated into the incineration plant further provides a high degree of turbulence and thus allows for thorough mixing of the waste gases. Supplementary oxygen (air) or supporting fuel gas can also be injected into the rotating device. The temperature profile of the fluid medium heated in the rotating device is uniform, i.e. no temperature peaks appear as would be encountered in the case of conventional burners. The uniform temperature profile reduces the NO x and allows for a significant reduction in the formation of CO / CO2 emissions.

[0059] The present invention further allows for flexible use of electrical energy, for example electrical energy obtained from renewable sources. Renewable energy production varies from day to day and even hour to hour. The present invention allows for balancing of renewable electrical production by integrating the rotating device disclosed herein with conventional fuel-operated burners to provide heat for the incineration process.

[0060] The present invention further allows for reduced on-site capital costs compared to traditional fossil-fired furnaces.

[0061] The term "gasification" is used herein to indicate the conversion of a substance into a gaseous form by any possible means.

[0062] The phrase "a number of" as used herein means any positive integer starting from 1, for example, 1, 2, or 3. The term "a plurality of" as used herein means any positive integer starting from 2, for example, 2, 3, or 4. The terms "first" and "second" are used only to distinguish one element from another, without denoting any order or importance, unless otherwise expressly stated.

[0063] Various embodiments of the invention become apparent by consideration of the detailed description and accompanying drawings. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0064] [Figure 1A] FIG. 1A is a block diagram generally at 1000 illustrating the layout of an incineration facility configured to implement a method according to an embodiment. [Figure 1B] FIG. 1B is a block diagram generally at 1000 illustrating the layout of an incineration facility configured to implement a method according to an embodiment. [Figure 1C] FIG. 1C is a diagram showing a conventional incineration system. [Figure 2A] FIG. 2A illustrates an exemplary layout of rotating equipment 100 within a hydrogen production facility, according to an embodiment. [Figure 2B] FIG. 2B illustrates an exemplary layout of rotating equipment 100 within a hydrogen production facility, according to an embodiment. [Figure 2C] FIG. 2C illustrates an exemplary layout of rotating equipment 100 within a hydrogen production facility, according to an embodiment. [Figure 2D] FIG. 2D illustrates an exemplary layout of rotating equipment 100 within a hydrogen production facility, according to an embodiment. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing an apparatus and method according to an embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0065] Detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosed herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0066] Figures 1A and 1B are block diagrams, generally designated 1000, of layouts of high temperature incineration facilities configured to carry out methods according to embodiments. Figure 1A is an exemplary layout for incinerating gaseous or liquid feeds, and Figure 1B is an exemplary layout for incinerating solid or liquid feeds, optionally combined with oxygen-containing waste gas. Figures 2A-2D and 3 describe apparatus and methods according to embodiments. The drawings and associated examples are for illustrative purposes and are not intended to limit the applicability of the inventive concepts to the layouts explicitly shown in this disclosure. Block diagram sections shown with dashed lines are optional.

[0067] The process facility 1000 is a facility configured to perform an incineration process 101 at a temperature essentially equal to or greater than about 500° C. In this disclosure, the terms "incineration" and "oxidation" refer broadly to the thermal treatment of organic matter in waste materials. The term "incineration" is broadly used to describe the combustion process of solid and liquid waste, such as hazardous waste, medical waste, municipal waste, or sewage waste. In the context of gaseous waste streams containing volatile organic compounds (VOCs), hazardous air pollutants (HAPs), and odorous gases, the terms "incineration" and "oxidation," as well as "incinerator" and "oxidizer," are used interchangeably in this disclosure and broadly include thermal oxidizers and / or catalytic oxidizers.

[0068] The facility 1000 may represent an industrial plant, a factory, or any industrial system that includes equipment designed to perform the incineration of materials, specifically the incineration of exhaust materials. The facility 1000 may be configured to dispose of materials collected from external industrial facilities by incineration. The facility 1000 may be configured to incinerate harmful and / or toxic materials. Additionally or alternatively, the facility 1000 may be configured to incinerate waste materials and / or so-called odorous compounds (mainly sulfur-containing compounds that are typically contained in gases derived from the kraft pulp process). In some cases, the incineration may be performed via a process of thermal oxidation and / or catalytic oxidation.

[0069] In an embodiment, the facility 1000 is configured to conduct an industrial incineration process at a temperature in the range of 500-1700° C. In an embodiment, the facility 1000 is configured to conduct an industrial incineration process that essentially begins at a temperature in the range of about 800-900° C. or greater.

[0070] In an embodiment, the facility 1000 is configured to perform a heat consuming industrial process associated with high temperature material production at a temperature essentially equal to or greater than 1000°C. In an embodiment, the facility 1000 is configured to perform a heat consuming industrial process associated with high temperature material production starting at a temperature essentially in the range of about 1100-1200°C or more. In an embodiment, the facility is configured to perform a heat consuming industrial process associated with high temperature material production at a temperature essentially equal to or greater than 1200°C. In an embodiment, the facility is configured to perform a heat consuming industrial process associated with high temperature material production at a temperature essentially in the range of about 1300-1700°C or more. In an embodiment, the facility is configured to perform an industrial incineration process at a temperature essentially equal to or greater than 1500°C. In an embodiment, the facility is configured to perform an industrial incineration process at a temperature essentially equal to or greater than 1700°C. It is noted that the facility 1000 is not precluded from carrying out at least a portion of the industrial incineration process at temperatures below 500°C and above 1700°C, for example up to about 2000°C.

[0071] Further description will utilize the reference numerals shown in Figures 1A and 1B unless otherwise stated. The incineration related processes and corresponding operational units configured to perform said processes within the facility 1000, referred to as incineration process units / utilities, are collectively indicated by the reference numeral 101. The facility 1000 may include several operational units 101 configured to perform the same or different processes related to incineration. In some embodiments, the operational units 101 include or consist of at least one device configured to perform an incineration related process. In an embodiment, the unit 101 is a thermal incinerator / thermal oxidizer configured to perform the incineration of the waste stream. The recovery unit 101 may take any possible form, including, by way of example, a direct-fired thermal oxidizer, a catalytic thermal oxidizer, a regenerative thermal oxidizer, and a recovery oxidizer. In an embodiment, the unit 101 includes or consists of any suitable type of combustion furnace / combustion chamber. In additional or alternative embodiments, the operating unit 101 may include or consist of a kiln, reactor, furnace, or any other heat consuming device configured to receive waste gases and / or any harmful / toxic gases as supporting fuels used in heat production. Combustion of materials through an incineration process has a high demand and consumption of heat energy and in conventional solutions produces a large amount of industrial emissions into the atmosphere, such as carbon dioxide. The present disclosure provides an apparatus and method for inputting heat energy into an incineration process 101 having a high heat energy demand. This can significantly improve the energy efficiency of the process and / or reduce the amount of air pollutants emitted into the atmosphere. Layout 1000 (FIG. 1) shows a schematic of these improved installations and methods.

[0072] In an embodiment, the method includes producing a heated fluid medium by a rotary heater unit 100 that includes or consists of at least one rotating device (hereinafter, device 100). For clarity, the rotary heater unit is designated in this disclosure by the same reference number 100 as the rotating device. The rotary heater unit is preferably integrated into a process facility 1000. In an embodiment, the heated fluid medium is produced by at least one rotating device, although multiple rotating devices may be used in parallel or series.

[0073] The rotating device 100 can be provided as a stand-alone device or as several devices arranged in series (consecutively) or in parallel. One or more devices may be connected to a common operating unit 101, for example an incineration unit. The connection may be direct or through several heat exchangers.

[0074] The operating unit 101 is provided as one or more incinerators, furnaces, or other utilities configured to carry out processes related to the incineration of materials. In some other configurations, the thermal energy of a fluid, e.g., gas, heated in 100 is used to carry out a process in the unit 101. In such cases, the fluid heated in 100 at least partially forms the process fluid of 101. In some other configurations, the fluid heated in 100 transfers its thermal energy to a process fluid used in a kiln, reactor, furnace, or any other heat consuming device (herein designated 101) thereby indirectly providing heat of reaction to said process. In the case of indirect heating, the fluid heated in 100 is different from the process fluid used in the operating unit / process 101. For example, the thermal energy of a fluid medium, e.g., air or nitrogen gas, generated in the rotating device 100 can fully or partially replace the thermal energy generated by a fuel-fired burner in an industrial kiln or furnace (101) configured for the disposal of waste gases and / or any harmful / toxic gases. For purposes of the present invention, the terms "process fluid", "process stream" or "process fluid stream" are used to denote any one of gas, liquid, vapor, solid including pelleted, granular or powdered materials, or combinations thereof. In configurations involving indirect heating, the thermal energy added to the fluid in the rotating device 100 may be transferred to the operating unit / process 101 through the use of a so-called "heat exchanger" type configuration, which in this context is represented by any existing fired heater, furnace or reactor, or any conventional heat exchanger device. All of these devices are considered to be heat consuming units 101.

[0075] The process unit / utility 101 configured for incineration is typically one or more incinerators, oxidizers, and / or furnaces. In some configurations, several devices 100 can be connected to several process units 101. Different configurations, for example, n+x rotating devices may be connected to n utilities (e.g., furnaces), where n is equal to or greater than zero and x is equal to or greater than one. Thus, in some configurations, the installation 1000, and specifically the rotary heater 100, may include one, two, three, or four parallel rotating device units connected to a common process unit, for example, an incineration unit. Numbers of rotating devices greater than four are not excluded. When several rotating devices are connected in parallel to a common process unit, one or more of the devices 100 may have different types of drive engines, for example, electric motor-driven devices can be combined with devices driven by steam turbines, gas turbines, and / or gas engines.

[0076] In one embodiment, the amount of input energy E1 is directed into at least one rotating device 100 incorporated as a (rotary) heater unit into the process facility 1000. The input energy E1 preferably comprises electrical energy. In some embodiments, the amount of electrical energy directed as input energy into the at least one rotating device incorporated into the incineration process facility is provided in the range of about 5 to about 100 percent, preferably in the range of about 50 to about 100 percent. Thus, the amount of electrical energy directed as input energy into the at least one rotating device incorporated into the incineration process facility may account for any one of 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60, 65, 70, 75, 80, 85, 90, 95, and 100 percent (from the total input energy), or any intermediate value included between the above points.

[0077] Electrical energy can be supplied from external or internal sources. In practice, the electrical input energy E1 supplied into the device can be defined in terms of power, the latter being defined as the rate of energy transfer (measured in watts) per unit time.

[0078] Details of some embodiments of the present invention implemented in the equipment layout of Figures 1A and 1B are described along the following lines. With reference to Figures 1A and 1B, the following reference numerals are used for the elements: Streams: 1. Feed, 2. Preheated feed or feed mixture, 3. Feed heated by the rotating device 100, 4. Hot fluid medium (effluent) from the incineration process 101, 5. Fluid medium led to the clarification section, 6. Discharge stream (combustion products, e.g. oxidized waste gas), 7. Feed stream to the heat recovery section, 8. Hot fluid stream from the heat recovery section, 9. Process stream (typically solid or liquid waste) to be heated / combusted by the hot fluid medium in the incineration process 101, 10. Solid residue / ash. Sections (units): 100. Rotary heater unit (rotating device), 101. Incineration process / unit, 102. Preheater unit, 104. Heat recovery unit, 105. Clarification unit.

[0079] The rotating device 100 is configured to receive a feed stream 1, hereafter feed 1. In general, feed 1 can include or consist of any fluid, such as liquid or gas, or a combination thereof, provided as a pure component or a mixture of components. In an embodiment, feed 1 is a gaseous substance to be treated by incineration, such as waste gas (VOCs, HAPs, odorous gases, etc.) (FIG. 1A). The waste gas can be diluted with air or other inert gas. Additionally or alternatively, the gaseous feed 1 can include an inert gas, such as air (FIG. 1B). In general, feed stream 1 may include an inert gas (e.g. nitrogen), a reactive gas, such as oxygen, a flammable gas, such as a hydrocarbon, or any other gas (e.g. air) or (water) vapor.

[0080] Feed 1 preferably enters the apparatus 100 in essentially gaseous form. Preheating of the feed or conversion of a liquid or essentially liquid feed into gaseous form can be carried out in an optional preheater unit 102. The preheater unit is formed as a (pre)heater device or group of devices. In the preheater unit 102, the feed stream initially provided in gaseous form (e.g. process gas) can be further heated (e.g. superheated). In the preheater unit 102, feed 1 can be evaporated if it is not already in gaseous form and, optionally, superheated.

[0081] The preheater unit 102 may be any conventional device / system configured to provide heat to a fluid material. In some configurations, the preheater unit 102 may be a fired heater (i.e., a direct fired heat exchanger that uses hot combustion gases (flue gases) to increase the temperature of a fluid feed, e.g., a process fluid, flowing through coils disposed within the heater). Additionally or alternatively, the preheater unit 102 may be configured to utilize energy made available by other units in the incineration facility (e.g., by extracting thermal energy from the hot stream 13 arriving from a heat recovery section). The preheater unit 102 may thus be configured to utilize other steam streams, as well as electrical and / or waste heat streams (not shown).

[0082] In this embodiment, depending on the operating process 101 of incinerating (waste) material and the associated equipment, the feed stream 1 used by the rotary heater unit (apparatus 100) to produce a heated fluid medium comprises fresh feed, i.e. exhaust gas and / or recycle streams arriving from any industrial facility. Thus, feed 1 may consist of any one of fresh feed, recycle (fluid) streams and mixtures thereof. Stream 2, representing the preheated feed, may comprise, in addition to feed 1, any recycle streams, e.g. arriving from the heat recovery section 104 (see stream 8 in Figs. 1A, 1B) and / or from the purification section 105 (not shown).

[0083] In the rotating heater unit / rotator 100, the temperature is increased to the level required by the incineration process 101 or to the maximum level achieved by the rotary device. If the temperature increase achieved by the rotary device 100 is not sufficient for the industrial incineration process and / or if, for example, the temperature of the fluid needs to be increased again after it has transferred its heat to said process, the temperature can be further increased downstream of the rotating heater unit 100 (100A) by additional heater units (100B, 103), further called "booster" heaters. See the explanation regarding FIG. 2B. Each additional heater unit comprises or consists of an additional heating device realized according to:

[0084] In the incineration (waste) material disposal process described herein, the primary source of heat consumption is the heating of the combustible feedstock. It is generally possible to improve the energy efficiency of the process by providing a heat recovery section between selected inlet and outlet streams. The heat recovery section is shown in Figures 1A and 1B at 104. Heat recovered from outlet stream 4 containing the combustion products, along with any inert compounds that may be present in or added to the inlet stream at 101, may be used to preheat waste stream 1, auxiliary air (not shown), or both. Additionally or alternatively, the heat recovered at 104 may be used to heat a recycle stream (see stream 8).

[0085] Heat recovery may be provided through collecting gases leaving the process unit 101 and recycling these gases to the preheater unit 102 and / or the rotary device 100. The heat recovery device 104 may be represented by at least one heat exchange device. Heat exchangers based on any suitable technology may be utilized. Heat recovery may be optional in heating the feed gas if the heat is consumed elsewhere or if the heat cannot be recovered for safety or other reasons. It should be noted that a heat exchanger device may also be used as the preheater unit 102.

[0086] In the plant layout 1000, the heat recovery unit 104 can be located before and / or after the preheater 102. In the latter configuration, the heat recovery unit 104 is arranged to recover heat from the hot effluent (stream 4) flowing from the incinerator 101. This heat may be further utilized to heat the feed stream 1, e.g., the waste gas feed stream, and the recycle stream 8. On the other hand, if the heat recovery unit 104 is located before the preheater 102, the feed 1 is first conducted to the unit 104 (as stream 7) and then returned to the preheating section 102 as stream 8. In such a case, the unit 104 acts as a first preheater.

[0087] The combustion gases leaving the incineration unit 101 may be directed to a purification unit 105 (bypassing unit 104) and returned to the heat recovery section after purification (not shown). The purification unit 105 is configured to perform purification and separation of the streams leaving the incineration process 101. The unit 105 may be configured to remove impurities and / or harmful compounds contained in the exhaust gases leaving the incineration section 101 as streams 4, 5 (FIGS. 1A, 1B). In some cases, the upper and lower units 105 may be scrubbers.

[0088] The purification unit 105 can be further configured to purify exhaust gases, e.g., carbon dioxide, emitted from the incineration process for further carbon capture. The exhaust gases emitted from the incineration facility as stream 6 (FIGS. 1A, 1B) can be further directed to a carbon capture section (not shown). Suitable exhaust gas purification methods include, e.g., pressure swing adsorption (PSA), distillation, absorption, and any combination of these methods.

[0089] The exhaust gas emitted from the incinerator 101 may contain nitrogen oxides, acid gases, halogens, trace metals (e.g., arsenic, beryllium, cadmium, chromium, nickel, and mercury), and other hazardous air pollutants (e.g., dioxins and furans) produced from the combustion of compounds present in the waste or from the combustion of supplemental fuels. As an example, the formation of nitrogen oxides can be controlled through the use of reducing agents, such as ammonia- and urea-based scrubbers. Particulates containing trace metals can be controlled through the use of mechanical collectors, wet scrubbers, fabric filters, and electrostatic precipitators. Spray dryers, water sprays, or carbon injection in combination with particulate matter control devices may be used to control the formation of dioxins and furans.

[0090] The purification unit 105 may be configured as an acid gas removal system, e.g., a wet scrubber, to remove HCl, SO2, and acid gases contained in the effluent resulting from the incineration of waste streams containing halogenated and sulfur compounds.

[0091] Additionally or alternatively, the purification unit 105 can be configured as a secondary heat recovery unit, where the purification unit 105 is provided in the form of a heat exchanger configured for heat recovery, as shown in FIG.

[0092] In an embodiment, the heated fluid medium required to perform the incineration process 101 is generated by at least one rotating device 100. The at least one rotating device 100 integrated into the incineration facility may thus fully or partially replace the fuel-fired burners in the incineration unit 101 and / or the incineration facility 1000.

[0093] In one embodiment, the heated fluid medium is generated in a rotating device 100, where a quantity of thermal energy is added directly into the fluid medium propagated through the device. Such a configuration may be employed in the incineration or thermal oxidation of waste gases and liquids (FIG. 1A). The configuration of FIG. 1A utilizes as feed 1 gaseous substances such as VOCs, HAPs, and / or any other flammable gases that can be combusted in an incineration unit 101. Some non-VOC organic compounds may include acetone, methane, and methylene chloride.

[0094] VOCs are broadly defined as any non-solid organic compound found in waste gases, regardless of volatility. The term VOCs spans a diverse group of substances and includes all organic compounds released to the air in the gas phase, whether hydrocarbons or substituted hydrocarbons. HAPs are broadly defined as gaseous toxic compounds that are known carcinogens and can cause other serious health effects. HAPs include dioxins / furans, HCl, H2S, methylene chloride, etc.

[0095] The so-called "odor gases" are gases originating from the pulp and paper industry, for example the kraft pulping process (chemical removal of lignin from wood biomass materials). During pulping, numerous low molecular weight and volatile compounds are formed, such as sulfur compounds, as well as methanol, ethanol, acetone, and terpenes. In the pulp and paper industry, the odor gases are typically combusted in lime kilns.

[0096] The heated fluid medium produced in the rotary device is thus waste (feed) gas, which may optionally be diluted (see FIG. 1A, streams 1-3). Streams 4, 5 represent the exhaust gas and optionally particulate matter discharged from the incineration unit / process 101, also called hot fluid medium or hot effluent. In direct heating, streams 1-5 may be called working or process fluids.

[0097] In the layout shown in FIG. 1B, the heated fluid medium generated in the rotating device 100 can further be used as a carrier for transferring thermal energy to the operating unit 101. The carrier is configured to perform or mediate a process (101) related to the incineration of (waste) materials. Such a configuration may be configured for the incineration of solid materials. In some cases, configuration 1B can be employed for the combination of incineration of solid materials and incineration of an oxygen-containing waste gas feed.

[0098] In the layout of FIG. 1B, the feed stream 1 can be represented by air or oxygen-containing waste gas. The feed 1 is heated in the rotating device 100, and the heat generated by the rotating device can be further used to convey to a combustion furnace configured to perform an incineration process 101. The waste stream to be burned in the incinerator 101 is indicated by the reference number 9 in FIG. 1B. Stream 9 can be represented by any solid or liquid waste, such as municipal, hospital or medical waste, contaminated soil, wastewater, and the like. It is not excluded to utilize any medium, such as gas, steam, liquid, solid, and mixtures thereof, as stream 9.

[0099] In this context, the generation of a heated medium (e.g., a fluid or solid stream utilized by the process 101) can be performed outside the rotating device through a heat transfer process between a heated fluid medium generated in the rotating device and a suitable (waste) medium utilized by the process 101 and thus bypassing the rotating device. The waste stream 9 bypassing the rotating device 100 may be referred to in this context as a process stream, whereas the streams 1-3 arriving at the incinerator 101 via the rotary heater 100 may be referred to as "heat transfer media". The heat transfer media input thermal energy into the incineration process 101. It should further be noted that in practice the hot effluent 3 arriving from the rotating device 100 in the incinerator 101 acts as a combustion medium for combusting the materials contained in the waste stream 9. In the case where solid waste 9 is combusted in the combustion chamber / incinerator 101, stream 10 represents the solid residue / ash withdrawn from the process.

[0100] In some cases, the incineration of the solid waste may be combined with the combustion of waste gases that are directed through the rotating device 100. In such cases, the oxygen-containing waste gases that are heated within the rotating device 100 are used as a heat transfer medium to input heat into the incineration process of the solid waste stream 9.

[0101] In the embodiment of FIGS. 1A and 1B, a rotating device 100 can be retrofitted to an existing incinerator 101.

[0102] According to an embodiment, a rotating device 100 formed to generate a heated fluid medium to be fed into an incineration facility includes a rotor including a plurality of rotor blades arranged in at least one row around a rotor hub or rotor disk mounted on a rotor shaft, and a casing with at least one inlet and at least one outlet, the rotor being enclosed inside the casing. In the device 100, a quantity of thermal energy is imparted to a fluid medium flow guided along a flow path formed inside the casing between the inlet and the outlet by a series of energy transformations that occur when the fluid medium flow propagates between the inlet and the outlet inside the casing of the rotating device and passes through the at least one row of rotor blades, thereby generating a heated fluid medium flow.

[0103] The embodiment of the rotary device 100 generally follows the disclosures of rotary reactor devices according to U.S. Pat. No. 7,232,937 (Bushuev), U.S. Pat. No. 9,494,038 (Bushuev), and U.S. Pat. No. 9,234,140 (Seppala et al.), and radial reactor devices according to U.S. Pat. No. 10,744,480 (Xu and Rosic), the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Any other embodiment that can be configured to employ the method according to the embodiment may also be utilized.

[0104] In the above referenced patents, rotating turbomachinery type devices are designed as reactors for processing hydrocarbons, specifically for steam cracking. The general requirements for these applications are rapid heating of the gases, high temperatures, short residence times, and plug flow (a flow model that does not imply axial mixing). These requirements lead to designs in which the turbomachinery type reactors have several heating stages housed in a relatively small volume.

[0105] The present disclosure is based on the observation that rotating equipment (including but not limited to those referenced above) can be electrified and used as heaters to generate heated fluid media that are further fed in processes 101 related to the incineration of hazardous and / or toxic materials or waste. The incorporation of rotating equipment heater units into heat consuming processes can significantly reduce greenhouse gas and particulate emissions. As an example, rotating equipment can replace fuel-fired burners in various applications (described below). The temperature range can be extended from about 1000° C. (generally achievable with the reactor equipment referenced above) to at least about 1700° C. and even up to 2500° C. Rotating equipment configurations that can achieve these high temperatures are possible due to the absence of aerodynamic hurdles.

[0106] The rotating device 100, which is adapted to be incorporated into an incineration installation according to the embodiment and adapted to generate a heated fluid medium for the method according to the embodiment, thus comprises a rotor shaft positioned along a horizontal (longitudinal) axis with at least one rotor unit mounted on the rotor shaft. The rotor unit comprises a plurality of rotor (working) blades arranged around a rotor hub or rotor disk. The rotor blades together form a rotor blade cascade. The rotating device 100 thus comprises a plurality of rotor (working) blades arranged in at least one row around a rotor hub or rotor disk mounted on the rotor shaft, which rotor blades form an essentially annular rotor blade assembly or rotor blade cascade.

[0107] In an embodiment, the apparatus further comprises a plurality of stationary vanes arranged in an assembly at least upstream of the at least one row of rotor blades, in which the rotating apparatus is operated such that a quantity of thermal energy is imparted to a fluid medium flow channeled along a flow path formed within the casing between the inlet and the outlet by a series of energy conversions occurring as the fluid medium flow passes through the stationary vanes and the at least one row of rotor blades, respectively, thereby generating a heated fluid medium flow.

[0108] In some embodiments, the stationary vanes may be arranged in a stationary vane cascade (stator). The stationary vane cascade may be provided in an essentially annular assembly upstream of at least one row of rotor blades. The stationary vanes arranged in the assembly upstream of at least one row of rotor blades may be provided as stationary guide vanes, e.g., inlet guide vanes (IGVs), and may be configured with a profile, size, and arrangement about a central axis to direct fluid flow into the rotor in a predetermined direction, e.g., to control, and in some cases maximize, the inherent work input capability of the rotor.

[0109] The rotating machine is formed with two or more essentially annular rotor blade rows (blade cascades) arranged consecutively on / along the rotor shaft. In such a case, the fixed guide vanes may be provided upstream of the first rotor blade row, upstream of each rotor blade row in turn, or upstream of any selected rotor blade row in the consecutive arrangement of rotor blade rows.

[0110] In an embodiment, the rotary device 100 further comprises a diffuser area arranged downstream of at least one rotor blade row (rotor blade cascade). In this case, the rotary device is operated such that a quantity of thermal energy is imparted to the fluid medium flow guided along a flow passage formed inside the casing between the inlet and the outlet by a series of energy transformations occurring when the fluid medium flow passes successively through the stationary guide vanes, the at least one rotor blade row, and the diffuser area, respectively, thereby generating a heated fluid medium flow. The diffuser area can be formed with or without stationary diffuser vanes. In some configurations, a vaned or vaneless diffuser is arranged in the diffuser area downstream of at least one rotor blade cascade. In some configurations, the diffuser can be realized as a plurality of stationary (stator) vanes. These stationary vanes are arranged to form a diffuser vane cascade, which is provided as an essentially annular assembly downstream of the rotor.

[0111] The rotor, stationary guide vanes, and diffuser region are enclosed within an internal passage (duct) formed within the casing.

[0112] In some configurations, such as that described in U.S. Pat. No. 10,744,480 (Xu and Rosic), the provision of a diffuser may be omitted and the diffuser area may be formed by an essentially vane-free portion of the duct (the so-called vaneless space) located downstream of the rotor and configured with respect to its geometry and / or dimensional parameters to diffuse the high velocity fluid flow arriving from the rotor.

[0113] The provision of a vaneless section of the duct is common to all the configurations of the rotating device 100. Depending on the configuration, the vaneless section (vaneless space) is located downstream of the rotor blades (see U.S. Pat. No. 10,744,480 to Xu and Rosic) or downstream of the diffuser vane cascade (see U.S. Pat. No. 9,494,038 to Bushuev and U.S. Pat. No. 9,234,140 to Seppala et al.). In some configurations, such as those described by Seppala et al., the rotating and fixed blade rows in the internal passage inside the casing are arranged such that a vaneless section is formed between the outlet from the fixed diffuser vanes located downstream of the rotor blades and the inlet to the fixed guide blades located upstream of the rotor blades of the following rotor blade cascade unit.

[0114] The terms "upstream" and "downstream" as used herein refer to the spatial and / or functional location of a given part or component, here a structural part or component relative to the rotor, in the direction of fluid flow (from inlet to outlet) through the entire device.

[0115] Overall, a rotor with a working blade cascade may be positioned between rows of fixed (stator) vanes arranged in an essentially annular assembly (called a cascade) on one or both sides of the working blade row. Configurations including two or more rows of rotor blades / rotor blade cascades arranged consecutively (sequentially) on / along the rotor shaft are conceivable, with or without fixed blades between them. If there are no fixed vanes between the rows of rotor blades, the velocity of the fluid medium propagating through the duct increases in each subsequent row. In such a case, a number of stationary vanes may be arranged in said sequence upstream of the first rotor blade cascade (as fixed guide vanes) and downstream of the last rotor blade cascade (as fixed diffuser vanes).

[0116] A rotor blade row (rotor blade cascade), optionally enclosed inside a casing with a fixed diffuser vane assembly (diffuser region), and a portion of the duct downstream of said rotor blades, can be considered as a minimum process stage (hereafter stage) configured to mediate a complete energy conversion cycle. Thus, the amount of kinetic energy added to the fluid medium flow by at least one rotating blade row is sufficient to raise the temperature of the fluid medium to a predetermined value when said fluid medium flow leaves the rotor blades and propagates in the duct towards the following rotor blade row or enters the same rotor blade row following an essentially helical trajectory formed inside the essentially toroidal shaped casing. The duct (confining the rotor circumference) is preferably shaped in such a way that as the fluid flow propagates in the duct, it slows down, dissipates kinetic energy into the internal energy of the fluid medium, and adds an amount of thermal energy to the fluid medium flow.

[0117] A fixed guide blade row, located upstream of at least one rotor blade row, provides the required flow conditions at the entry of the rotating blade rows (cascade) during the energy conversion cycle.

[0118] In some configurations, the process stage is established by an assembly consisting of a fixed guide vane (upstream of the rotor blades), a row of rotor blades and a diffuser area arranged downstream of said rotor blades. The diffuser area is optionally provided as an essentially vane-free part of the tact provided with the diffuser vanes. During the energy conversion cycle enabled by the successive controlled propagation of the fluid medium flow through the fixed guide vanes, at least one row of rotor blades and the diffuser area, respectively, the mechanical energy of the rotor shaft is converted into kinetic energy and then into the internal energy of the fluid, which subsequently increases the fluid temperature. The amount of kinetic energy imparted to the fluid medium flow by the rotating blade row is sufficient to raise the temperature of the fluid medium to a predetermined value when said fluid medium flow leaves the rotor blades and passes through the diffuser area in a duct, the fluid decelerates, dissipates the kinetic energy into the internal energy of the fluid medium and an amount of thermal energy is added to the fluid medium flow. Within the rotor blade rows, the flow accelerates and the mechanical energy of the shaft and the rotating blades is transferred to the fluid flow. In at least a portion of each rotor blade row, the flow can reach supersonic flow conditions. In the diffuser region, the high-speed fluid flow arriving from the rotor is diffused with a significant entropy increase. This causes the flow to dissipate kinetic energy into the internal energy of the fluid material, which in turn provides thermal energy to the fluid. If the flow upstream of the diffuser is supersonic, the kinetic energy of the fluid flow is converted into the internal energy of the fluid through a system of multiple shocks and viscous mixing and dissipation. The increase in the internal energy of the fluid results in an increase in the fluid temperature. The energy conversion function can be performed, for example, by a vaneless section of a duct located downstream of the rotor blades (see U.S. Pat. No. 10,744,480 to Xu and Rosic) and / or by a diffuser vane assembly (see U.S. Pat. No. 9,234,140 to Seppala et al.).

[0119] The rotating machine 100 can be formed as a multi-stage or single stage solution. A multi-stage configuration can be considered to include several rotor units (e.g. 1-5 rotor blade rows arranged consecutively on / along the rotor shaft) alternating with a common diffuser area (vaned or vaned).

[0120] In an exemplary embodiment outlined in US Pat. No. 9,234,140 to Seppala et al., the rotating device 100 can be realized substantially in the shape of a ring torus, where the cross section of the duct in the meridian plane forms a ring-like profile. The device includes a rotor unit arranged between stationary guide vanes (nozzle vanes) and stationary diverging vanes. Stages are formed with rows of stationary nozzle vanes, rotor blades, and diverging vanes. Through these the fluid flow propagates successively according to a flow path established on the basis of an essentially helical trajectory. In this embodiment, the fluid flow circulates through the rotating rotor blade cascade several times, propagating between an inlet and an outlet inside the device. A similar ring-shaped embodiment is described in US Pat. No. 9,494,038 to Bushuev.

[0121] In another exemplary configuration, as outlined in U.S. Patent No. 9,234,140 to Seppala et al., the rotating machine 100 may be configured as an essentially tubular, axial-type turbomachine. In such a configuration, the machine includes an elongated (elongated) rotor hub along which a plurality of rotor blades are arranged in several successive rows. The rotor is enclosed within a casing, the inner surface of which includes stationary (stator) vanes and diffuser vanes. The stationary and diffuser vanes are positioned longitudinally (from inlet to outlet along the length of the rotor shaft) along the rotor hub, alternating with the blades / vanes of the stator, rotor cascade, and diffuser cascade. The blades of the rotor cascade at a particular location longitudinally along the rotor form a stage together with adjacent pairs of stationary guide (nozzle) vanes and diffuser vanes, respectively.

[0122] In the described configuration, subsequent stages have blade / vane-free spaces between them.

[0123] In yet another exemplary configuration outlined in U.S. Pat. No. 10,744,480 to Xu and Rosic, the rotary machine 100 may be configured as a radial turbomachine. Radial turbomachines generally follow the design for centrifugal compressors or centrifugal pumps. The term "centrifugal" implies that the fluid flow inside the machine is radial, and thus the machine may be referred to as a "radial flow machine" in this disclosure. The machine includes several rotor units mounted on an elongated shaft. Each rotor unit is preceded by a fixed guide vane. A vaneless section of duct (e.g., a U-bend or S-bend) shaped in a manner that allows for energy conversion is disposed after the rotor units. Additionally, the configuration may include a separate diffuser device (vaned or vaneless) disposed downstream of the rotor.

[0124] In all the above forms, the rotating device 100 functions in the same way in the method disclosed herein. During operation, the input energy amount introduced into at least one rotating device incorporated in an incineration process installation is converted into mechanical energy of the rotor. The conditions in the rotating device are adjusted to create flow conditions. In this flow condition, the amount of kinetic energy imparted to the fluid medium flow by the rotating blades of the rotor is sufficient to raise the temperature of the fluid medium to a predetermined value when said fluid medium flow leaves at least one rotor blade row and enters a subsequent or the same rotor blade row by passing through a duct and / or a diffuser region. The rotor blade row may be preceded by a fixed guide vane. The conditions that can be adjusted therefore include at least adjusting the fluid medium flow propagating inside the casing of the rotating device between the inlet and the outlet. Adjusting the flow may include adjusting the operation-related parameters of such a device, such as temperature, mass flow rate, pressure, etc. Additionally or alternatively, the flow conditions can be adjusted by changing the shape of the ducts formed inside the casing.

[0125] In some exemplary configurations, the rotating device can be configured to achieve fluid flow between the inlet and the outlet along a flow path established based on any one of an essentially helical orbit formed inside an essentially toroidal shaped casing as discussed in either one of U.S. Patent No. 9,494,038 to Bushuev and U.S. Patent No. 9,234,140 to Seppala et al., an essentially helical orbit formed inside an essentially tubular casing as discussed in U.S. Patent No. 9,234,140 to Seppala et al., an essentially radial orbit as discussed in U.S. Patent No. 10,744,480 to Xu and Rosic, and a flow path established by a fluid medium flow in the form of two spirals rolled up as side-to-side vortex rings as discussed in U.S. Patent No. 7,232,937 to Bushuev. The aerodynamic design of the rotating device can be varied.

[0126] The rotating equipment utilizes a drive engine. In a preferred embodiment, the equipment utilizes electrical energy as input energy, and thus the equipment is electric motor driven. For purposes of this disclosure, any suitable type of electric motor (i.e., equipment capable of transferring energy from a power source to a mechanical load) can be utilized. Suitable couplings disposed between the motor drive shaft and the rotor shaft, as well as various appliances, such as power converters, controllers, and the like, are not described herein. Additionally, the equipment can be directly driven, for example, by a gas or steam turbine, or any other suitable drive equipment. In a layout involving the parallel connection of several rotating equipment 100 to a common process unit 101, such as a furnace, one or more of the equipment may utilize different types of drive engines, for example, electric motor driven equipment can be combined with equipment driven by steam turbines, gas turbines, and / or gas engines.

[0127] Electric power (defined as the rate of energy transfer per unit time) can be provided into the rotating equipment through the supply of electrical current to an electric motor used to propel the rotating shaft of the equipment. The supply of electrical power into the rotating equipment can be achieved from an external source (relative to the rotating heater unit / equipment 100 and / or the incineration process installation 1000). Additionally or alternatively, electrical energy can be produced within the installation 1000.

[0128] The external source includes various support facilities provided for sustainable energy production. Thus, the power can be provided from a power generation system utilizing at least one renewable energy source, or a combination of power generation systems utilizing different renewable energy sources. The external source of renewable energy can be provided as solar power, wind power, and / or hydroelectric power. Thus, power can be received into the process from at least one of the following units: a solar power generation system, a wind power generation system, and a hydroelectric power generation system. In some exemplary examples, a nuclear power plant can be provided as an external power source. Nuclear power plants are generally considered to be emission-free. "Nuclear power plant" should be interpreted as using traditional nuclear power, and additionally or instead of nuclear fusion power.

[0129] Electricity can be provided from a power plant that utilizes a turbine as a kinetic energy source to drive a generator. In some cases, the power for driving at least one device 100 can be provided from at least one gas turbine (GT), for example provided as a separate unit or within a cogeneration unit and / or within a combined cycle power plant. The power can thus be provided from at least one of the following units: a combined cycle gas turbine plant (CCGT), and / or a cogeneration unit configured for electricity production combined with heat recovery and utilization through combined heat and power (CHP). In some examples, the CHP plant can be a biomass combustion plant to increase the share of renewable energy in the described process. Additionally or alternatively, the supply of power can be realized from a spark ignition engine, for example a gas engine, and / or a compression engine, for example a diesel engine, optionally provided as part of an engine power plant. Additionally, any conventional power plant configured to produce electrical energy from fossil feedstocks such as coal, oil, natural gas, gasoline, and the like, typically mediated through the use of steam turbines, may be used to generate electrical energy as an input energy for the rotating machine 100. Hydrogen may also be utilized as a renewable energy source and reconverted, for example, to electricity using fuel cells.

[0130] Any combination of the above mentioned power sources implemented as external and internal sources is conceivable. Capturing low emission power from another (external) source improves the energy efficiency of the incineration process facility.

[0131] The introduction of input energy, including electrical power, into the driving engine of the rotating equipment may be further accompanied by directing mechanical shaft power from a power turbine to the driving engine, optionally utilizing thermal energy generated elsewhere in the plant 1000 or external to the plant. Shaft power is defined as the mechanical power transferred from one rotating element to another, calculated as the sum of the shaft torque and the rotational speed. Mechanical power is defined as the amount of work or energy (measured in watts) per unit time.

[0132] In practice, the shaft power from, for example, the electric motor and the power turbine may be split so that either one of them may provide the total shaft power or a portion thereof.

[0133] 2A-2D show an exemplary layout of a rotating device 100 forming a rotary heater unit inside an incineration installation 1000, with a preheater unit 102, a temperature booster section 103 and a heat recovery unit 104. The following reference symbols are used for the components: 100, 100A, 100B - rotary heater unit (rotating device), 101 - incineration unit / process, 102 - preheater unit, 103 - additional heating device (booster heater).

[0134] FIG. 2A shows a schematic representation of a basic embodiment of a rotating device 100 configured to inject heat into a fluid medium stream (feed stream 1) conducted through the rotating device. The heated streams leaving the device 100 are respectively indicated with the reference number 2. In the basic embodiment, the rotor system of the rotating device 100 is aerodynamically configured so that a volume of fluid is heated to a predetermined temperature while propagating along a flow path formed between an inlet and an outlet in the casing of the device 100 (so-called "one-pass" embodiment). The device 100 allows a temperature increase (delta T, ΔT) in one stage in the range of about 10° C. to about 120° C., in some embodiments up to about 500° C. Thus, in the case of multi-stage embodiments, the fluid can be heated up to 1000° C. in a "one-pass" implementation (a temperature increase of 100° C. per stage in the case of a 10-stage device). Since the residence time that the fluid medium spends passing through the device stages is on the order of a few seconds, for example on the order of about 0.01 to 1.0 milliseconds, already in the basic form a fast and efficient heating can be achieved. The temperature increase can be optimized as needed.

[0135] 2B illustrates the basic concept involved in so-called booster heating, which is any method of heating a fluid medium, e.g., a process gas, beyond the capabilities of a stand-alone heating device 100.

[0136] The temperature boost can be considered thermal, chemical or both. In the first configuration, also called "thermal boost", an additional rotary heater device (shown as 100B in Figs. 2B, 2C and 2D) is placed downstream of the "primary" rotary heater device (shown as 100A in Figs. 2B, 2C and 2D). The devices 100A, 100B are generally recognized within the scope of this disclosure as rotary heater unit 100. The production of a heated fluid medium can thus be achieved by providing at least two rotary devices 100A, 100B connected in series. A fluid medium stream (feed stream 1) is heated to a predetermined temperature in at least the first rotary device (100A) in the series, referred to here as the primary heater. The fluid medium flow (see flow 2) is then further heated in at least the second rotating device (100B) in the series by injecting an additional amount of thermal energy into the fluid medium flow (see flow 3) propagating through the second rotating device 100B, "preheated" in the first rotating device 100A. The device 100B is therefore called a booster heater. The devices 100A, 100B may be identical or may vary in terms of size or internal design. A train of two or more booster devices, for example 100B, may be arranged after the primary heater 100A. The booster devices may be arranged in parallel or in series, or in any combination that allows the optimization of their rotational speed and aerodynamic characteristics.

[0137] In a second additional or alternative configuration (also referred to as "chemical boost"), an additional heating device, designated by the numeral 103 (FIGS. 1, 2B), is configured to receive a reactive component 5, such as a combustible fuel, into the fluid media stream propagating therethrough, thereby providing heat by exothermic reaction prior to directing said fluid media stream to the incineration process 101. In this configuration, a temperature boost can be achieved by introducing (e.g., injecting) a reactive chemical 5 into the fluid media stream directed through the additional heater unit / heating device 103. Note that stream 5 in FIG. 2B corresponds to stream 8 shown in FIG. 1.

[0138] The reactive chemical-based booster heater unit 103 may be placed after the thermal booster heater unit 100, 100B (FIG. 2B) or immediately after the primary heater 100, 100A (FIG. 1). The reactive chemicals (reactants) 5 may include combustion gases, such as hydrogen gas, hydrocarbons, ammonia, oxygen, air, other gases and / or any other suitable reactive compounds, optionally with a catalyst. In the unit 103, by exothermic reactions, the fluid stream can be heated to a level that typically cannot be achieved by a single rotating device that does not participate in chemical-mediated heating (see stream 4). For example, a fuel gas, such as hydrogen, can be introduced into an oxygen-containing process gas, such as air. At high temperatures, hydrogen and oxygen enter into an exothermic reaction to produce water molecules (hydrogen combustion).

[0139] The temperature of the gas may be increased by injecting fuel gas with air (or enriched oxygen) through a burner into the booster heater unit 103. Air and / or oxygen may be added if the heated gas contains flammable gases and these gases may be consumed only for heating. The process gas may contain H2, NH3, CO, fuel gases (methane, propane, etc.) that may be combusted to produce heat. If feasible, heat may also be produced by injecting other reactive gases.

[0140] The additional heater 103 configured for chemical boosting may be formed as a piece of pipe or as a chamber in which an exothermic reaction takes place and / or may include at least one rotating device 100 arranged to receive a reactive compound for supporting an exothermic reaction to produce additional heat energy. The booster section 103 may thus include at least one rotating device 100. Optionally, the reactive chemical may be injected directly into the heat consuming process 101 (not shown). Additionally or alternatively, reactive chemical mediated boosting may also be implemented in a single device 100, 103 modified accordingly.

[0141] In a configuration involving booster heating, the temperature of a fluid medium stream preheated to a predetermined temperature in a first rotating device (100A) can be further increased to a maximum limit in a subsequent heater unit (100B, 103). As an example, the temperature of a fluid medium stream preheated to about 1700° C. in the primary heater (100A) can be further increased to 2500° C. or more in a subsequent heater unit (100B, 103).

[0142] The above concepts can be used separately or in combination to introduce reactive chemicals 5 into any one of the parallel or series (in series) connected devices 100. A booster heater is optional.

[0143] Additionally or alternatively, pre-heating and additional heating may be performed in the same apparatus 100 (not shown). This may be accomplished in a multi-stage configuration, which includes several rotor units (e.g., 1-5 rotor blade rows arranged consecutively on / along the rotor shaft) alternating with a common diffuser region (vaned or vaned).

[0144] A rotating device assembly can be established when at least two rotating devices, e.g. 100A, 100B and optionally 103 (if 103 is implemented as a rotating device 100), are connected in parallel or in series (see e.g. Figs. 2B-2D). The connection between the rotating devices 100 realized as "primary" heaters 100A or "booster" heaters 100B, 103 can be mechanical and / or functional. A functional connection (e.g. in terms of achievable heat input) can be established when at least two individual, physically integrated or not integrated, individual equipment units are coordinated. In the latter case, the coordination between the at least two rotating devices can be established via some auxiliary equipment (not shown). In some forms, the assembly includes at least two devices connected in a mirror-like manner to each other. Thereby, said at least two devices are at least functionally connected via their central (rotor) axis. Such a mirrored configuration may be further defined as having at least two rotating devices 100 mechanically connected in series (in series), while the functional connection may be considered as a parallel (array) connection. In some cases, the "mirrored" array may be further modified to include at least two inlets and a common exhaust (ejection) module located essentially at the center of the array.

[0145] The rotating devices (see 100A, 100B, 103 in FIG. 2B) can be assembled on the same (rotor) shaft. Each rotating device can optionally be equipped with a separate drive (motor) allowing independent optimization of the device. If two or more separate rotating devices are used, the construction costs (materials, etc.) can be optimized in terms of operating temperatures and pressures.

[0146] Additionally or alternatively, at least one rotating device within the assembly can be designed to increase the pressure of the fluid flow. Thus, at least one rotating device within the assembly can be assigned a combination of heater and blower functions. The device 100 configured to act as a blower provides the pressure increase necessary for the fluid to circulate within the incinerator 101. The device 100 can thus replace a separate air blower / system fan that would otherwise be required in a conventional fuel-fired incinerator.

[0147] Additionally or alternatively, a stream containing a reactive or inert gas can be fed to the rotating device 100 (not shown) or to any equipment downstream of said device (e.g., into the incineration unit 101).

[0148] FIG. 2C shows the use of a rotary heater arrangement 100A, optionally 100B, with indirect process heating. The rotary arrangement 100 (100A, 100B) can be used to indirectly heat a fluid in a process unit 101. Heat is transferred between two immiscible fluids in a heat exchanger type configuration. Thus, a fluid, e.g., a gas or a liquid, can be evaporated (vaporized) or superheated in a heat exchanger arrangement 101 that can be realized for the fluid heated in the rotary arrangement 100. The process unit 101, configured to correspond to a process of disposing of essentially gaseous substances, can be represented by any (existing) combustion type heater, incinerator, furnace, reactor, or any conventional heat exchanger arrangement. The "heat exchanger" configuration (101) can be selected as needed for optimal heat transfer. The heating gas (see streams 1-3) can be selected to be optimal for heating and safety (e.g. steam, N2, air). The gases heated in the rotating devices 100A, 100B can be close to atmospheric pressure or the pressure can be increased to improve the heat transfer. The heat transfer medium 3 (stream 3 from 100B) heated in the device 100 is led to the process unit 101. There, the heat is transferred from stream 3 to a "cold" process stream 6, thereby producing a "hot" process stream 7. Streams 4 represent the heat transfer medium effluents, respectively. In case the process gas 6 (e.g. waste gas to be discarded) cannot be heated in the device 100 (e.g. if stream 6 is an oxygen-containing gas, which also contains toxic compounds and / or particles potentially harmful to the internal surfaces of the rotating device 100), a configuration with indirect heating of the process gas 6 can be realized. In such a case, the heat transfer fluids / gases (streams 1, 2 and 3) are heated in the rotating device 100 and fed further into the operating unit 101 for transferring thermal energy to the process gas (oxygen-containing waste gas 6). As a result of the heat transfer in unit 101, toxic compounds contained in the process gas 6 are combusted. Stream 7 therefore represents a hot gas stream free of toxic / harmful substances.

[0149] In the layout of FIG. 1B, solid waste 9 can be combusted directly in combustion chamber 101, where process streams 6 and 7 of FIG. 2C may be considered to generally correspond to streams 9 and 10, respectively, of FIG. 1B, except that the hot effluent of the rotating equipment (stream 3 of FIGS. 1B and 2C) serves as the combustion medium.

[0150] FIG. 2D shows the rotary heater apparatus 100A together with a preheater 102 and a recycled process fluid (stream 4) recycled from the incineration process 101 (not shown). The preheater can be electric, combustion type, combustion engine, gas turbine, etc., and it can be a heat exchanger to recover excess heat from any hot stream in the process. The presence of the preheater 102 is optional. This concept can include an optional booster heater 100B located downstream of the apparatus 100A. Thermal or chemical booster heating can be used. Stream 1' represents the (feed) fluid sent to the preheater 102. The fluid is further propagated through the rotary apparatus 100A, 100B, where the feed is heated and sent to the incineration process in stream 3. Either one of the rotary apparatus 100A, 100B can be equipped with a fluid recycle apparatus (see stream 4 in FIG. 2D). Any combination of rotary apparatus and fluid recycle apparatus is conceivable. Recycling is made possible through recirculation of the fluid media stream through at least one rotating device.

[0151] In some configurations, the rotary device 100 can utilize low oxygen content flue gas discharged from a conventional combustion heater. In such cases, the hot flue gas discharged from the combustion heater is mixed with recycle gas (stream 4 in FIG. 2D) and used for heating in the rotary heater 100, 100A. The oxygen content in the flue gas used in the described case is preferably below the flammability limit to allow safe heating. EXAMPLES

[0152] 3 shows in Example 1 a thermal oxidation process of waste gases emitted from any industrial plant or factory in an installation layout 1000 including at least one rotating device 100 and at least one thermal oxidizer 101. Here, the rotating device 100 is used instead of a fired heater in the thermal oxidizer 101.

[0153] Example 1 aims at the destruction of about 99% of the hydrocarbons in the waste gas, such as benzene and methyl chloride. The main oxidation products are CO2, H2O and HCl. The waste gas characteristics are shown in Table 1. [Table 1]

[0154] The incineration installation 1000 of FIG. 3 utilizes the concept of direct heating of waste gas in a rotating device 100. The installation comprises a rotating device 100, an incineration unit / thermal oxidizer 101, a heat recovery unit 104 which also acts as a preheater (102), and a waste gas cleaning unit 105 for removal of acid gases (e.g. HCl). The cleaning unit 105 may be formed as a secondary heat exchanger. The waste gas feed stream 1 is led to the rotating device 100 through the preheaters (102, 104). In the preheaters 102, 104, the temperature of the waste gas stream 2 increases from about 38° C. to about 718° C. Example 1 utilizes partial heat recovery of 82% (11.4 MW) in the preheaters 102, 104. Partial energy recovery in a preheater 102, 104 in the form of a heat exchanger is defined as the amount of energy actually recovered from the exhaust gas entering the preheater 102, 104 divided by the maximum amount of energy that could be recovered if the exhaust gas approached the minimum temperature available to the heat exchanger.

[0155] To achieve 99% destruction efficiency, the temperature in the combustion chamber must be approximately 871°C (1600°F). oF) and the residence time should be about 1 second. In this example, the amount of thermal energy input by the rotary device into the incineration process to raise the waste gas temperature (stream 3) to about 759°C is 0.724 MW. The remainder of the energy is obtained from burning the waste gas (benzene and methyl chloride) to achieve the desired combustion temperature level (871°C). Streams 5 and 6 are the incineration product gas streams that are conducted to and from purification unit 105.

[0156] In Example 1, the rotating device 100 effectively replaces a fuel-fired burner by producing approximately 0.724 MW of thermal energy to be input into the incineration process 101. Carbon dioxide emissions are correspondingly reduced. Nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions are also reduced because, in the absence of a fuel-driven burner, there are no peak temperatures that increase NOx formation. The use of a rotating device upstream of the thermal oxidizer further allows for improved speed and efficiency of the combustion process through achieving optimal turbulence levels.

[0157] As is clear to those skilled in the art, with the development of technology the basic idea of ​​the invention can be realized and combined in various ways, the invention and its embodiments are thus not limited to the above examples, which may vary widely within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A method for disposing of substances by incineration, the method comprising generating a heated fluid medium by means of at least one rotating device incorporated within an incineration facility, said at least one rotating device comprising a casing having at least one inlet and at least one outlet, a rotor including at least one row of rotor blades disposed around a rotor hub mounted on a rotor shaft, a plurality of stationary vanes arranged upstream of at least said at least one row of rotor blades so as to form an assembly, wherein an amount of thermal energy is imparted to a fluid medium flow guided along a flow path formed inside the casing between the inlet and the outlet by a series of energy conversions occurring when the fluid medium flow passes through the stationary vanes and the at least one row of rotor blades respectively, thereby generating a flow of heated fluid medium, the method further comprising - introducing an amount of input energy into the at least one rotating device incorporated within the incineration facility, where the input energy includes electrical energy, - supplying a flow of heated fluid medium generated by the at least one rotating device into the incineration production facility, and - operating the at least one rotating device and the incineration facility so as to carry out the incineration process at a temperature essentially equal to about 500 °C or at a temperature exceeding about 500 °C, A method for disposing of substances by incineration, further comprising the above.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein within a pre-incineration facility, the at least one rotating device is connected to at least one incineration unit configured to carry out the incineration process at a temperature essentially equal to about 500 °C or at a temperature exceeding about 500 °C.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, comprising supplying a flow of heated fluid medium generated by the at least one rotating device into the at least one incineration unit within the incineration facility.

4. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the at least one incineration unit includes, or consists of, an incinerator, a furnace, an oven, a kiln, a burner, a heater, a dryer, a conveyor device, a reactor, or a combination thereof.

5. The method according to claim 1, comprising generating the fluid medium heated to a temperature essentially equal to 500 °C, or a temperature above about 500 °C, preferably a temperature essentially equal to about 1200 °C, or a temperature above about 1200 °C, more preferably a temperature essentially equal to about 1500 °C, or a temperature above about 1500 °C, by means of at least one rotating device.

6. The method according to claim 1 or 2, comprising adjusting the velocity and / or the pressure of the fluid medium flow propagating through the rotating device in order to create the conditions at which the heated fluid medium is generated.

7. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the heated fluid medium is generated by means of at least one rotating device comprising two or more rotor blade rows arranged continuously along the rotor shaft.

8. The heated fluid medium is generated by means of at least one rotating device further comprising a diffuser region arranged downstream of at least one rotor blade row, and the method comprises operating the at least one rotating device incorporated into the incineration facility such that an amount of thermal energy is imparted to the fluid medium flow guided along the flow path formed inside the casing between the inlet and the outlet by a series of energy conversions occurring when the fluid medium flow successively passes through the stationary vanes, the rotor blades, and the diffuser region, thereby generating a flow of the heated fluid medium.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein within the rotating device, the diffuser region is formed with or without stationary diffuser vanes.

10. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the amount of thermal energy applied to the fluid medium flow propagating through the rotating device is controlled by adjusting the amount of input energy guided into the at least one rotating device incorporated into the incineration facility.

11. The method according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising arranging an additional heating device downstream of the at least one rotating device and introducing a reactive compound or a mixture of reactive compounds into the fluid medium flow propagating through the additional heating device, whereby immediately an amount of thermal energy is added to the fluid medium flow through an exothermic reaction.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the reactive compound or mixture of reactive compounds is introduced into the fluid medium stream preheated to a predetermined temperature.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the reactive compound or mixture of reactive compounds is introduced into the fluid medium stream preheated to a temperature essentially equal to or exceeding about 1500 °C.

14. The method according to claim 11, wherein the preheating of the fluid medium to the predetermined temperature is carried out within the rotating device.

15. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the heated fluid medium is produced by at least two rotating devices incorporated into the incineration facility, and the at least two rotating devices are connected in parallel or in series.

16. The method according to claim 15, comprising producing the heated fluid medium by at least two continuously connected rotating devices, wherein the fluid medium stream is preheated to a predetermined temperature in at least a first rotating device within the series, and by introducing an additional amount of thermal energy into the preheated fluid medium stream propagating through the second rotating device, the fluid medium stream is further heated in at least a second rotating device within the series.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein in at least the first rotating device within the series, the fluid medium stream is preheated to a temperature essentially equal to or exceeding about 1500 °C.

18. The method according to claim 16, wherein by introducing the reactive compound or mixture of reactive compounds into the stream, the additional amount of thermal energy is added to the fluid medium stream propagating sequentially through at least the second rotating device.

19. The method according to claim 1 or 2, comprising introducing the reactive compound or mixture of reactive compounds during the incineration process.

20. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the fluid medium entering the rotating device is an essentially gaseous medium.

21. The method according to claim 1 or 2, comprising producing the heated fluid medium within the rotating device.

22. The method according to claim 21, wherein the heated fluid medium produced within the rotating device is a harmful gas and / or a toxic gas.

23. The method according to claim 21, wherein the heated fluid medium generated within the rotary device is a gas containing any one of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), hazardous air pollutants (HAPs), odor gases, or any combination thereof.

24. The method according to claim 21, wherein the heated fluid medium generated within the rotary device comprises any one of air, steam (H₂O), nitrogen (N₂), hydrogen (H₂), carbon dioxide (CO₂), carbon monoxide (CO), methane (CH₄), or any combination thereof.

25. The method according to claim 21, wherein the heated fluid medium generated within the rotary device is a recycled gas recycled from the exhaust gas generated during the incineration process within the incineration facility.

26. The method according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising generating, outside the rotary device, a heated fluid medium, such as a gas, steam, liquid, and mixtures thereof, and / or a heated solid material, through a heat transfer process between the heated fluid medium generated within the rotary device and any one of the above-described substances bypassing the rotary device.

27. The method according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising increasing the pressure in the fluid medium flow propagating through the rotary device.

28. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the certain amount of electrical energy introduced as input energy into the at least one rotary device incorporated within the incineration facility is within the range of about 5 percent to 100 percent.

29. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the certain amount of electrical energy introduced as input energy into the at least one rotary device incorporated within the incineration facility can be obtained from a renewable energy source, or various different energy sources, optionally a combination of renewable energy sources.

30. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the at least one rotary device is incorporated within the incineration facility together with at least one heater device operable with non-electrical energy to balance fluctuations in the amount of electrical energy, optionally renewable electrical energy, such as supply surpluses and shortages.

31. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the energy efficiency of the incineration facility is improved and / or the greenhouse gas emissions and particulate emissions in the incineration facility are reduced.

32. An incineration facility, comprising at least one rotating device configured to generate a heated fluid medium and at least one incineration unit configured to perform a process related to incineration, wherein the at least one rotating device comprises a casing having at least one inlet and at least one outlet, a rotor including at least one rotor blade row disposed around a rotor hub mounted on a rotor shaft, and a plurality of fixed vanes disposed upstream of at least the at least one rotor blade row so as to form an assembly, and by a series of energy conversions that occur when the fluid medium flow passes through the fixed vanes and the at least one rotor blade row, respectively, an amount of thermal energy is imparted to the fluid medium flow guided along the flow path formed inside the casing between the inlet and the outlet, thereby generating a flow of heated fluid medium. The at least one rotating device is formed to operate as described above, and the at least one rotating device is formed to receive an amount of input energy including electrical energy and to generate a heated fluid medium for inputting thermal energy into at least one incineration unit, and the incineration unit is formed to perform an incineration process at a temperature essentially equal to about 500 °C or at a temperature exceeding about 500 °C. Incineration facility.

33. The incineration facility according to claim 32, wherein the at least one incineration unit includes, or consists of, an incinerator, a furnace, an oven, a kiln, a burner, a heater, a dryer, a conveyor device, a reactor, or a combination thereof.

34. The incineration facility according to claim 32, wherein the at least one rotating device includes two or more rotor blade rows continuously arranged along the rotor shaft.

35. The incineration facility according to claim 32, wherein the at least one rotating device further includes a diffuser region disposed downstream of at least one rotor blade row.

36. The incineration facility according to claim 32, wherein the rotating device includes the diffuser region formed with or without fixed diffuser vanes.

37. The incineration facility according to claim 32, wherein the at least one rotating device is further formed to increase the pressure in the fluid medium flow propagating through the rotating device.

38. The incineration facility according to any one of claims 32 to 37, wherein the at least two rotating devices are arranged to form an assembly and are connected in parallel or in series.

39. The incineration facility according to any one of claims 32 to 37, which is formed to perform incineration of waste gas through a thermal oxidation process.

40. An incineration facility, which is formed to perform a process for disposing of harmful substances and / or toxic substances by incineration according to the method described in claim 1 or 2.

41. Use of the method according to claim 1 or 2 and / or the facility according to any one of claims 32 to 37 for disposing of harmful substances and / or toxic substances by incineration.

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