A method for destructing and valorizing an asbestos waste including the steps of: determining the asbestos mineralogical group contained in the waste, performing a treatment on the waste which includes of: an acid treatment when the waste comprises only a chrysotile, a base treatment when the waste comprises only an amphibole, the acid treatment followed by the base treatment when the asbestos waste includes a mixture of a chrysotile and an amphibole, and valorizing at least one of the products obtained on completion of the performing of the treatment. An embodiment also concerns a treatment of a chrysotile waste through an acid treatment followed by a thermal treatment.

A system for asbestos neutralization, that includes a neutralization unit having a module configured for sorting of asbestos waste, an asbestos waste grinder; a concentrated sulfuric acid tank, a vat containing a hot diluted acid solution, for which temperature is between 70° C. and 100° C., in which grinded asbestos waste containing asbestos is dipped, the solution is configured for neutralizing asbestos contained in the grinded asbestos waste, a filtration unit to separate, at the end of the neutralization reaction, a solid inert waste from a liquid phase of the diluted acid solution, a regeneration unit for the diluted acid solution, which adjusts the hydrogen potential of the extracted liquid phase by adding concentrated sulfuric acid from the tank, and means for transferring the regenerated solution into the vat.

An apparatus (10) comprising a heating chamber (12). The heating chamber (12) comprises electric heating means (14) for heating the interior (16) of the heating chamber (12) to denature asbestos or asbestos in asbestos comprising structures located in the interior (16) of the heating chamber (12). The apparatus (10) comprises a primary filter (18) downstream of the heating chamber (12). The apparatus (10) comprises an induced draft fan (20) downstream of the primary filter (18), wherein the apparatus (10) is configured such that in use the induced draft fan (20) draws emissions from the heating chamber (12) through the primary filter (18). The apparatus (10) comprises a discharge stack (22) downstream of the primary filter (18). The discharge stack (22) comprises an outlet (24) for venting emissions to external atmosphere.

The present invention relates to a method and a plant for treating carbon-containing waste that may comprise mineral fillers and/or potential contaminants. This method comprises: preparing a molten glass bath at a temperature between 1100° C. and 1600° C.; loading the waste to be treated into said molten glass bath; injecting an oxidizer and optionally a fuel under pressure into said molten glass bath by means of at least one hose, one end of which is immersed in said bath, said oxidizer being introduced in a molar amount less than the molar amount of the carbon-containing compounds, thus causing combustion of said waste and generation of hot synthesis gases; implementing heat exchange between a heat-transfer fluid and the hot synthesis gases in conditions allowing simultaneous recovery of at least part of their heat energy and at least part of the heat energy released by their combustion, air being injected sequentially into said gases during said heat exchange to cause self-ignition of the mixture of said gases and air, each injection increasing the degree of combustion.

Equipment, process and techniques are shown for rehabilitating old underground pipelines, particularly asbestos pipelines, in which an old underground pipeline is replaced, as by drawing a bursting head through the old pipe to burst it and simultaneously pulling a new pipe through behind the bursting head. The invention has particular applicability to the rehabilitation of old asbestos pipelines in which the burst up debris must be contained or encapsulated in some manner. The macro-encapsulation materials shown form an in-situ layer of a temporarily fluid macro-encapsulating material which absorbs and immobilizes asbestos fibers and pipe fragments, the macro-encapsulating material being applied simultaneously as the pipe bursting operation proceeds.

The invention relates to a system for neutralizing asbestos, said system comprising a mobile neutralization unit (200) comprising: an asbestos waste sorting module (225), an asbestos grinder (255) and a hot acid bath (250) for rendering asbestos inert.

Preferably, the asbestos waste sorting module comprises: a window with glove boxes; and a conveyor for transporting the asbestos waste in front of the window.

In embodiments, the system comprises a means for containing the atmosphere within the mobile neutralization unit and/or the hot acid bath (250) of the mobile neutralization unit (200) comprises sulfuric acid.

Provided is a method of asbestos detoxification including: preparing asbestos which is a treatment target for detoxification and carbon dioxide; and pressing the asbestos and the carbon dioxide with a pressure of 1 to 5 GPa and treating the asbestos and the carbon dioxide at a temperature of 100 to 250° C., wherein since the asbestos is not subjected to chemical pre-treatment, as compared to the existing technologies in which the chemical pre-treatment is necessary, treatment cost may be reduced, and another concern for environmental contamination may be prevented in advance, and accordingly, the asbestos is appropriate for recycling through detoxification as well as waste treatment.

The present invention relates to a process and a facility for the continuous vitrification treatment of fibrous materials, and in particular of asbestos and/or of asbestos-containing materials.

According to the invention, this process comprises the following steps: a bath of molten glass at a temperature of 1300° C. to 1600° C. is prepared; introduced into said bath of molten glass are said fibrous materials and optionally melting additives chosen so that said bath has, after addition of these fibrous materials and melting additives, the following composition: SiO.sub.2: between 30% and 55% by weight; FeO: between 25% and 45% by weight; alkali and alkaline-earth metal oxides: between 15% and 25% by weight; an oxidizer and a fuel are injected under pressure into said molten bath by means of at least one lance, one end of which is immersed in said bath; said oxidizer being introduced in a molar amount greater than or equal to the molar amount of fuel needed to maintain the temperature of the bath between 1300° C. and 1600° C.; and the temperature of at least one portion of the molten glass is lowered so as to render it solid.

An asbestos waste neutralization device, that includes an acid tank and a vat containing a diluted acid solution, in which waste containing asbestos is dipped, the diluted acid solution neutralizing the waste containing asbestos during a neutralization reaction. The device further includes a filtration unit to separate, at the end of the neutralization reaction, solid inert waste from a liquid phase of the acid solution, and a regeneration unit for the liquid phase of the acid solution, which adjusts the hydrogen potential of the liquid phase of the acid solution by adding concentrated acid contained in the acid tank. In addition, the device includes an attenuation sensor for regenerated liquid phase of the acid solution from the regeneration unit, and a selective precipitation unit for the regenerated liquid phase of the acid solution, depending on the degree of attenuation the attenuation sensor senses.

A method for destructing and valorizing an asbestos waste including the steps of: determining the asbestos mineralogical group contained in the waste, performing a treatment on the waste which includes of: an acid treatment when the waste comprises only a chrysotile, a base treatment when the waste comprises only an amphibole, the acid treatment followed by the base treatment when the asbestos waste includes a mixture of a chrysotile and an amphibole, and valorizing at least one of the products obtained on completion of the performing of the treatment. An embodiment also concerns a treatment of a chrysotile waste through an acid treatment followed by a thermal treatment.