Process for vitrifying asbestos containing waste, infectious waste, toxic materials and radioactive waste

Patent 5188649 Issued on February 23, 1993. Estimated Expiration Date:

August 7, 2011. Estimated Expiration Date is calculated based on simple USPTO term provisions. It does not account for terminal disclaimers, term adjustments, failure to pay maintenance fees, or other factors which might affect the term of a patent.

Abstract Claims Description Full Text

Patent References

Re15727

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Inventors

Assignee

Application

No. 741301 filed on 08/07/1991

US Classes:

65/21.3, Spheroidizing or rounding of solid glass particles65/27, Repairing or cleaning of apparatus; or batch dust prevention or control65/134.5, By injecting gas below surface of molten glass65/178, WITH AGITATOR FOR MOLTEN OR SOFT GLASS501/155Composed of waste material

Examiners

Primary: Lindsay, Robert L.

Attorney, Agent or Firm

Jacobson, Price, Holman & Stern

Foreign Patent References

244358 GB. 12/13/2012

International Classes

C03B 005/187
C03B 019/10

Abstract

Material, such as, for example, sealed double bags of asbestos containing waste or ash from infectious waste or toxic material or radioactive waste, is transferred into a glass melt of a furnace. Gas bubbles released into the melt form a gas curtain which causes enhanced mixing of the material to accelerate the dissolution of the components of the added material. The presence of the gas bubbles reduces the cross-section of the molten glass through which current passes, which in turn increases the electrical resistance of the glass melt and therefore increases power generation of the melt or power density at constant current. A highly oxidizing hot region is produced under the location where the material is introduced into the furnace. Drawn off glass is shaped and quenched into at least two sizes of approximate spheres. The spheres are cooled sufficiently fast to be thermally tempered and have a surface compressive strength level above 5000 psi.