Described herein are methods and systems for using pyrophoric liquids to ignite combustible gas.

A plurality of dry distillation furnaces (2a), (2b) are provided for a single combustion furnace (4). When wastes (A) in the dry distillation furnace (2a) are subjected to dry distillation to produce a combustible gas and introduce the combustible gas into the combustion furnace (4) to burn, control is carried out such that a temperature (Tc) in the combustion furnace (4) becomes a first temperature. When the temperature (Tc) in the combustion furnace (4) is the first temperature, the presence of the wastes (A) in the dry distillation furnace (2b) is detected, the wastes (A) in the dry distillation furnace (2b) are ignited to subject the wastes (A) to dry distillation thereby to produce a combustible gas, and the introduction of the combustible gas into the combustion furnace (4) is started.

A cyclone temperature control system for a cyclone of a decoating system includes a controller, a gas mover, and a control valve that is movable between a fully open position and a closed position. A method of controlling the temperature of the cyclone includes determining a cyclone temperature of the cyclone and comparing the cyclone temperature to a cyclone threshold temperature. The method also includes opening the temperature control valve and directing at least some heated gas from an afterburner of the decoating system to mix with exhaust gas from a kiln of the decoating system to increase the temperature of the exhaust gas if the cyclone temperature is less than the cyclone threshold temperature.

A microprocessor-based controller manages delivery of BTUs or power by determining an amount of thermal heat or power needed through sensors and, in response, controls a batch or continuous feed of biofuel fuel and/or air to a biofuel furnace. The controller controls the fuel and air required to operate the furnace efficiently.

Disclosed herein are systems, apparatuses, and methods for using a sensed combustion zone temperature to continuously control combustion of a first (main) gas within an enclosed combustor. The combustor is in fluid communication with a first gas line carrying the first gas, a second gas line independent of the first gas line carrying a second (assist) gas having a higher heating value than the first gas, and air dampers providing draft or assist air. The first gas may be vapors from a production source or tank. A computer control system monitors the combustion zone temperature of the enclosed combustor as sensed by a sensor in electronic communication with the computer control system and controls the combustion zone temperature by changing a condition of a first gas line valve of the first gas line, a second gas line valve of the second gas line, and the air dampers.

A cylindrical furnace having a vertical axis controls combustion. Solid fuel, particulates, and gases inside the furnace rotate around the axis, inducing radial stratification using centrifugal forces. Fuel and particulates drag on the wall of the cylinder, slipping in and out of suspension, thereby increasing particle residence times. The solid particles comprise combustible fuel particles, and non-combustible ash and contaminants. Control of the temperature of non-combustible particles and the wall surface prevents these non-combustible particles from adhering to, and building up on, the furnace wall. It is also advantageous to control the gas temperature leaving the furnace to minimize temperature-driven corrosion of downstream heat-exchange surfaces. Method and apparatuses are described to control the gas, non-combustible particle, and wall temperatures. The furnace can be integrated into a stand-alone boiler or as a combustor in which a portion of the pyrolysis gas from the combusting fuel is burned in a separate vessel.

A toxic waste incinerator is capable of enhanced combustion of hazardous waste (oil contaminated sand, human waste, garbage, etc.) utilizing immersed non-combustible and thermally conductive objects for increasing heat feedback from the flames to the unburned fuel, while air inlets are used to optimize the air entrainment rate to enhance the burning efficiency. The burning rate of a fluidic mass such as a sand-oil mixture is enhanced using immersed conductive objects (copper rods) which enable rapid heat-up of the flame exposed to the upper surface of the rod and transmits heat back into the sand. Consequent conduction of heat to the porous media through the lower portion of the immersed rod significantly increases vaporization and therefore the burning rate. Incineration may be performed on a transient, exigent basis as with hazardous waste and oil spills, or as part of a permanent fixture for receiving an ongoing waste stream.

The burner preferably exclusively burns substantially explosible solid fuels and preferably has instant ON-OFF thermostat control, wastes no energy preheating the enclosure or external air supply, achieves stable combustion the moment the powder-air mix is ignited in our burner, is used in the upward vertical mode except for oil burner retrofits, burns a solid fuel in a single-phase regime as if it were a vaporized liquid or gas, is designed to complete combustion within the burner housing itself rather than in a large, high temperature furnace enclosure which it feeds, has an ultra-short residence time requirement, is a recycle consuming burner with self-contained management of initially unburned particles, is much smaller, simpler and lower cost, has a wider dynamic range/turndown ratio, is more efficient in combustion completeness and thermal efficiency, and operates with air-fuel mix approximately at the flame speed.

A flare stack includes a main burner to which ammonia is supplied, a pilot burner to which ammonia is supplied, a first catalyst that is provided upstream of the pilot burner in a flow of ammonia and that decomposes the ammonia supplied to the pilot burner to reformed fuel including hydrogen, and a heater that heats the first catalyst.

A method is provided for thermally converting non-radioactive combustible wastes to a substantially non-hazardous, non-leachable, sintered particulate carbon-less ash by-product in a kiln having a plurality of reaction zones. The kiln including first and second ends and a body provided between the first and second ends that defines a cavity having a refractory lining that provides resistance to heat conduction. A processor and flow rate controllers are provided that control a flow rate through the body of waste that enters at the first end of the kiln and the flow rate of oxidant gas that enters at the second end of the kiln, the second end being opposite to the first end. The body may be positioned substantially horizontal and may include a length-to-diameter ratio and a resistance to heat conduction that provides a temperature gradient within the cavity to forms separate reaction zones during operation.