BERTRAM B REILLY
Engineering in Pittsburgh, PA

4217175, Aug 12, 1980

Apr 28, 1978

5/900983

Bertram B. Reilly - Pittsburgh PA

C10B 710, C10B 4718, C10B 5302, F23K 300

202118

This disclosure is directed to an economical system for the pyrolysis of municipal solid waste to recover valuable by-products while reducing the putrecibility and bulk of the residue requiring disposal. Prior to this treatment, the solid waste has been processed to remove most of the metallic components, and shredded, which steps are not part of the invention disclosed. The pyrolysis and by-product recovery technology is complicated by (a) the inherent variability of the chemical and physical characteristics of the shredded solid waste as received at the pyrolysis plant and (b) the relatively low heat value of said waste as thus received. This pyrolysis and product recovery system includes an improved pyrolysis retort indirectly heated principally by combustion of the least desirable by-product, the solid waste, in combination with a furnace for the char combustion, a condenser for the pyrolysis vapor including means for gravity separation of the gas, liquid and solid residues entrained therein, and improved means for conveying the materials through the system including intermittently driven rams for delivering solids into the retort and furnace, featuring an inwardly-tapered nozzle in which a plug of waste is maintained to seal against air or gas passage.