The gas swirling state determination system (10) determines the quality of the swirling state of gas that swirls around the central axis. The gas swirling state determination system (10) includes an imaging device (39), an information processing device (11), and a display device (42). The imaging device (39) captures swirling gas from a direction along the central axis to acquire a still image. The information processing device (11) includes a calculation unit (40), a smoothing unit (41), and a determination unit (43). The display device (42) displays a determination result.

A rope is used as a combustible material in a heating system, the rope comprising or consisting of fibrous plant material. Also, a method of operating a heating system comprises feeding a combustible material to a combustion chamber of the heating system, the combustible material being a rope of fibrous plant material.

A system for treating infectious waste is provided that employs a medical waste handling and shredding sub-system that feeds partially processed waste to an oxidizer to eliminate potential airborne infectious waste prior to transforming the medical waste into useful co-products. Medical waste is transformed into value added products including hydrocarbon based gases, hydrocarbon-based liquids, carbonized material, and recovered precious metals and rare earth materials in a system having as its transformative element an anerobic, negative pressure, or carbonization system. With medical waste as a feedstock for the production of valuable products, an economically viable and environmentally more responsible alternative to traditional methods of medical waste treatment is realized.

Various techniques are described for enhanced combustion of hot water extraction (HWE) derived liquor. For example, the HWE derived liquor can be pre-treated prior to introduction into a combustion chamber. The pre-treatment can include subjecting HWE derived liquor to filtration to remove suspended solids, evaporation to produce a first stage concentrated HWE liquor; additional concentration to produce a second stage concentrated HWE liquor; additional filtration to remove additional suspended solids; and pre-heating to produce a preheated HWE liquor. The preheated HWE liquor can be atomized and combined with pre-heated combustion air supplied into a combustion chamber to effect combustion of the HWE derived liquor.

A system for digesting biodigestible feed that preferably includes the steps of comminuting the feed, introducing feed, an oxygen-containing gas, an accelerant, and bacteria into a digestion zone, the bacteria being suitable for digesting the feed under aerobic, anaerobic, and anoxic conditions. The contents of the digestion zone can be changed from aerobic operation to either anoxic or anaerobic operation, or vice versa, without changing the bacteria in the digestion zone.

A system for digesting biodigestible feed that preferably includes the steps of comminuting the feed, introducing feed, an oxygen-containing gas, an accelerant, and bacteria into a digestion zone, the bacteria being suitable for digesting the feed under aerobic, anaerobic, and anoxic conditions. The contents of the digestion zone can be changed from aerobic operation to either anoxic or anaerobic operation, or vice versa, without changing the bacteria in the digestion zone.

Methods are provided for the removal of sulfur and other ARD/AMD-generating materials through the smoldering combustion of an organic material. The methods comprise admixing an ARD/AMD-generating porous matrix material with an organic material to produce a mixture, exposing the mixture to an oxidant, and initiating a self-sustaining smoldering combustion of the mixture. Additional embodiments aggregate the organic material or ARD/AMD-generating porous matrix material or mixture thereof in an impoundment such as a reaction vessel, depression or matrix pile. Further embodiments utilize at least one heater to initiate combustion and at least one air supply port to supply oxidant to initiate and maintain combustion.

Methods are provided for the removal of sulfur and other ARD/AMD-generating materials through the smoldering combustion of an organic material. The methods comprise admixing an ARD/AMD-generating porous matrix material with an organic material to produce a mixture, exposing the mixture to an oxidant, and initiating a self-sustaining smoldering combustion of the mixture. Additional embodiments aggregate the organic material or ARD/AMD-generating porous matrix material or mixture thereof in an impoundment such as a reaction vessel, depression or matrix pile. Further embodiments utilize at least one heater to initiate combustion and at least one air supply port to supply oxidant to initiate and maintain combustion.

A method for the treatment of waste by plasma treating the waste to destroy the hazardous organic components and to yield a slag and an off-gas by plasma treating the waste in the presence of added oxygen gas in a transferred-arc plasma treatment unit, followed by directing off-gas from the plasma treatment unit to a thermal oxidizer combustion chamber.

A method for the treatment of waste by plasma treating the waste to destroy the hazardous organic components and to yield a slag and an off-gas by plasma treating the waste in the presence of added oxygen gas in a transferred-arc plasma treatment unit, followed by directing off-gas from the plasma treatment unit to a thermal oxidizer combustion chamber.