WO2002072272A1

WO2002072272A1 - Decontamination apparatus

Info

Publication number: WO2002072272A1
Application number: PCT/NZ2002/000027
Authority: WO
Inventors: Bryan Geoffrey Black
Original assignee: ENVIRONMENTAL DECONTAMINATION Ltd
Current assignee: ENVIRONMENTAL DECONTAMINATION Ltd
Priority date: 2001-03-12
Filing date: 2002-03-11
Publication date: 2002-09-19
Anticipated expiration: 2003-09-12

Abstract

Apparatus suitable for decontaminating a halo-organic contaminated media (e.g. soil) which involves a transportable ball mill coupled with a motor or engine capable of operating the ball mill. The apparatus can be moved as a whole.

Description

"DECONTAMINATION APPARATUS"

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to improvements in and/or relating to apparatus for suitable for decontaminating a halo-organic contaminated media.

BACKGROUND ART

In our New Zealand Patent Specification No. 504341 we disclose a procedure for decontaminating halo-organic media which involves the mechano-chemical treatment of the contaminated media in a mill in the presence of expendable reagents such as iron sands, urea and/or a suitable organic acid (eg; acetic).

The present invention relates to the apparatus and related uses and assemblies.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

In a first aspect the present invention consists in apparatus suitable for decontaminating a halo-organic contaminated media comprising or including a ball mill and a coupled motor or engine capable of operating the ball mill, the apparatus being transportable as a whole.

Preferably said ball mill is operable by an internal combustion engine (preferably a diesel engine).

Preferably said engine or motor is capable of operating the ball mill such that in operation with the reaction mix of the media and any expendables (and independent of exothermicity of any mechanco-chemical reaction) the ball mill is capable of generating a temperature of greater than or equal to 70 °C.

Preferably said engine has a horsepower rating of at least 400 bhp (eg; preferably about or at least 600 bhp and about a torque maximum of about 3500 NM).

In another embodiment an electric motor of equivalent or greater capacity is utilised, such motor being adapted to draw power from a generator.

Preferably said generator is driven by a prime mover, ie; engine.

Preferably said generator and prime mover is not carriable as part of said whole.

Preferably all of the balls of the ball mill are of a similar size.

Preferably said ball mill is multi-chambered. Preferably said ball mill is of a kind that enables a control of the throughput by control of the infeed and/or outfeed.

Preferable said ball mill has two chambers, one above the other with the first one having the inlet and the second one having the outlet, the reaction mix as the reaction is proceeding passing from one to the other.

Preferably said ball mill is connected to said engine or motor via a clutch or torque converter.

Preferably the ball mill is braked.

Preferably at least the balls or at least part of the or each chamber is of a metal high in iron.

Preferably said balls in the ball mill are all of a similar size.

Preferably said balls are all less than 30mm in diameter.

Preferably said balls in the ball mill are in the range of from 15 to 25mm in diameter (preferably about 20mm).

Preferably said motor or engine and said ball mill are mounted so as to be moveable as a unit with preferably the (preferably the clutched and preferably braked) transmission between said engine and the ball mill.

Preferably a chassis or other frame provides the base for the mounting.

Preferably said ball mill is supported on flexible mountings but is located so as not to move off its mounting, such location being by any appropriate means whether reliant upon gravity or not.

Preferably the flexible mountings are synthetic and/or natural rubber mounts.

Preferably said rubber mounts sit on pedestal or other supports from the chassis like frame with the ball mill being located between the preferably a plurality of said pedestals on each side of the ball mill.

Preferably said ball mill has each chamber defined by substantially a cylindrical member.

Preferably the input into the ball mill is between the vertically spaced cylinders.

Preferably the apparatus is such that it is transportable as a 40ft ISO unit or container.

Preferably the apparatus is encased or otherwise shielded to the extent needed to suppress excessive dust and/or noise emission. In another aspect the invention consists, in combination, apparatus suitable for decontaminating a halo-organic contaminated media as aforesaid and a unit being a "genset" suitable for such apparatus (ie; an appropriate generator and prime mover unit).

In a further aspect the present invention consists in a transportable unit that includes a structural member capable of being uplifted and having mounted an engine and a mill operable by said engine.

Preferably said mill is a ball mill.

Preferably said apparatus is as aforesaid or includes any of the preferments previously mentioned.

In yet a further aspect the present invention consists in a transportable unit that includes a structural member capable of being uplifted and having mounted an electric motor and a mill operable by said motor.

Preferably said mill is a ball mill.

In yet a further aspect the present invention consists in a ball mill of a kind identical or similar to the PALLA 65U model ball mill of KHD Humboldt Wedag AG of Germany when mounted so as to be transportable in conjunction with a prime mover capable of operating it (eg; a GM Detroit Diesel 8N71).

Preferably said prime mover includes a remote or incorporated fuel tank.

Preferably said unit includes filters and an extraction plan in conjunction therewith.

In yet another aspect the present invention consists in a ball mill of a kind identical or similar to the PALLA 65U model ball mill of KHD Humboldt Wedag AG of Germany when mounted so as to be transportable in conjunction with an electric motor capable of operating under power from a separate power source.

Preferably said unit includes some shrouding, etc. filters and an extraction fan in conjunction therewith.

In yet a further aspect the present invention consists in the use of apparatus or a unit of any kind as previously defined at a site for halo-organic decontamination or in a process herein referred to. h still a further aspect the present invention consists in a method of site preparation which involves the placement of apparatus or a unit of any kind in accordance with the present invention as the reactor at the site.

In still a further aspect the present invention consists in ball mill and engine apparatus substantially as herein described with reference to any one or more of the accompanying drawings.

In still a further aspect the invention consists in a unit or apparatus substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings but where an electric motor substitutes for the engine.

In still a further aspect the present invention consists in a unit or apparatus substantially as herein described insofar as the ball mill and its transportability is concerned, such ball mill being capable of being driven by a motor or engine preferably also carried by the unit.

The present invention also has use in methods and procedures of our PCT/NZ01/00068 and PCT/NZ01/00069. The contents thereof are here included by way of reference.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Preferred forms of the present invention will now be described with reference to any one or more of the following drawings in which,

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic side elevation view of apparatus powered by an engine in accordance with the present invention, and

Figure 2 is a flow diagram of the process with which the apparatus of Figure 1 (or one using in substitution an electric motor and a separate "genset" or other electric power supply) is to be utilised in a manner as disclosed in the aforementioned New Zealand Patent Specification 504341, PCT/NZ01/00068 and PCT/NZO 1/00069.

In a preferred form of the present invention the apparatus of the present invention and preferably as depicted in Figure 1 is that apparatus 1 referred to as the reactor in the flow diagram of Figure 2.

In the procedure the reactor 1 is adapted by chemico-mechanical ball milling to degrade halo-organic materials in the ball mill using expendables which preferably are (i) iron sands and/or steelmakers slag and (ii) urea. An organic acid (iii) such as white vinegar derived acetic acid may also be utilised where, for example, the halo-organic compound is the DDE isomer of DDT.

In Figure 1 a heavy frame 2 is provided with pedestal upstands 3. These pedestal upstands 3 skirt as a bank of pedestals on either side the reactor 4.

As aforesaid the reactor 4 is preferably a twin cylinder Palla 65U ball mill of KHD Humboldt Wedag AG of Germany. The reactor 4 has an infeed at 5 into its upper cylinder 6 and a downfeed from the upper cylinder 6 at 7 into the lower cylinder 8 from whence there is an outfeed at 9.

The drive to the reactor 4 and its eccentric(s) [not shown] is via the shaft 10.

All of the mass of the ball mill 4 (inclusive of 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9) is flexibly mounted to vibrate on pads 11 (e.g. synthetic or natural rubber - hollow or solid) supported on pedestals 3. The outstand regions 12 of the ball mill alone contacts the pedestals and/or pads 11.

Whilst other engines or motors (including electric motors to be run by a separate generation unit) can be utilised that can be transported with the chassis member 2, preferably an internal combustion engine is provided. A diesel as aforesaid we have found to be economic when operated on a 1 :1 clutched and braked drive via the shaft 10 to the ball mill.

The prime mover is preferably a diesel engine 13 of at least 400bhp provided with a clutch 14 and a brake mechanism 15.

The prime mover such as a GM Detroit Diesel 8N71 producing approximately 600 BHP and a maximum torque of about 3500 ΝM to operate initially at about 1500RPM can be used. Ideally even more powerful engines are to be used. The clutch is preferably an overcentre clutch with a twin disc.

It has been determined that a stationary mill can be turned over with 3396 ΝM but thereafter the torque requirements to continue the rotation of the eccentric ball mill assembly mass drops. Whilst therefore rotation may be commenced with the engine running at say 1500 rpm the engine speed can be dropped to an operating speed of about 1200 rpm since the maximum torque needed to turn the stationary mill over arises at about 150 rpm of the shaft 10 and thereafter reduces.

Whilst in some forms of the present invention a reduction drive 2:1 can be utilised preferably the direct 1:1 drive is utilised.

Whilst we have discussed a minimum horsepower requirement of about 400 BHP there is no upper limit to the power required and any appropriate preferably economic means driving the system is utilised. The key is power matched to power needs to manage throughput and maintain temperature and ball activity. This is equally true for the genset and electric motor variation that may be chosen for large throughputs.

A feature of the present invention is the provision of sufficient non vibrating mass in the unit as depicted in Figure 1 to stabilise and thus act as a counter weight to the vibrating mass supported on the pads 11 to keep the same located between the two banks of pedestals 3 and with each outstanding member 12 located on its respective flexible pad 11 in turn located on its pedestal support.

Whilst reference is made to a pedestal form of support of the pads other forms supported from the base 2 are contemplated.

Also as shown in the drawing there is provision for a braking of a disc that runs between the clutch 14 and the shaft 10 such that as the engine is shut down (for whatever reason) or the clutch is engaged (for whatever reason) uncontrolled violent vibration of the slowing ball mill 4 can be speedily damped.

Also to lend weight to the counter weighting aspect of the chassis of components 2. and 3 is an extractor fan 16 and air filters 17 that preferably provide some degree of dust control from the unit.

The preferred use of the unit is preferably as described in the accompanying specifications filed simultaneously herewith.

Preferably the balls in the mill are in sufficient numbers to provide the requisite reaction during a controlled transit and in this respect preferably the control is by control of the ratio of infeed to outfeed rate such that there is the requisite dwell time in each of the chambers 6 and 8 each with its own loading of balls.

Preferably all of the balls are much of the same size and preferably are less than 30 mm in diameter. Most preferably the balls are in the range of from 15 to 25 mm in diameter. Most preferably 20 mm diameter balls are utilised such balls preferably being of high iron content metal (steel, cast iron or the like) as also are the chambers 6 and 8.

Whilst the drawings and the description depicts a ball mill where there is a feed serially from one chamber to the other variants of the present invention for greater throughput where there is a greater power input may provide a parallel feed, ie; a separate feed to each chamber which in such a configuration will have, for each chamber, an inlet and an outlet. The process to be used can vary from that described in the referred too specifications the full description of which is herein included by way of reference as if part of the present invention (ie; not an admission as prior art).

Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that variations of such procedures could include, for example, where slag is utilised as opposed to iron sands or in addition to iron sands, could be included as a feed into the overall process even prior to the use of a preferred drying step (preferably a rotary drier). All such variants are within the ambit of the present invention.

As can be seen unit(s) in accordance with the present invention is (are) capable of being erected to a 40ft ISO container size thus engendering transportability to a site for site placement in any manner (with a genset unit also if the electric motor variant) including as described in the accompanying specifications.

The apparatus is preferably encased and/or shielded but with any necessary air ducting (filtered or otherwise) to keep the apparatus from excessive heat build up whilst suppressing excessive dust and/or noise emission.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. Apparatus suitable for decontaminating a halo-organic contaminated media comprising or including a ball mill and a coupled motor or engine capable of operating the ball mill, the apparatus being transportable as a whole.

2. Apparatus of claim 1 wherein said ball mill is operable by an internal combustion engine.

3. Apparatus of claim 2 wherein said engine is a diesel engine.

4. Apparatus of claim 2 or 3 wherein said engine has a horsepower rating of at least 400 bhp.

5. Apparatus of claim 4 wherein said engine has at least 600 bhp and a torque maximum of at least 3500 NM.

6. Apparatus of claim 1 wherein an electric motor is utilised, such motor being adapted to draw power from a generator.

7. Apparatus of claim 6 wherein said generator is driven by a prime mover, ie; engine.

8. Apparatus of claim 7 wherein said generator and prime mover is not carriable as part of said whole.

9. Apparatus of claim 6, 7 or 8 wherein the motor is of at least 400 bhp.

10. Apparatus of claim 9 wherein the motor is of at least 600 bhp.

11. Apparatus of any one of the preceding claims said engine or motor is capable of operating the ball mill such that in operation with the reaction mix of the media and any expendables (and independent of exothermicity of any mechanco-chemical reaction) the ball mill is capable of generating a temperature of greater than or equal to 70 °C.

12. Apparatus of any one of the preceding claims wherein all of the balls of the ball mill are of a similar size.

13. Apparatus of any one of the preceding claims wherein said ball mill is multi- chambered.

14. Apparatus of any one of the preceding claims wherein said ball mill is of a kind that enables a control of the throughput by control of the infeed and/or outfeed.

15. Apparatus of any one of the preceding claims wherein said ball mill has two chambers, one above the other with the first one having the inlet and the second one having the outlet, the reaction mix as the reaction is proceeding passing from one to the other.

16. Apparatus of any one of the preceding claims wherein said ball mill is connected to said engine or motor via a clutch or torque converter.

17. Apparatus of any one of the preceding claims wherein the ball mill is braked.

18. Apparatus of any one of the preceding claims wherein at least the balls or at least part of the or each chamber is of a metal high in iron.

19. Apparatus of any one of the preceding claims wherein said balls in the ball mill are all of a similar size and are all less than 30mm in diameter.

20. Apparatus of any one of the preceding claims wherein the balls in the ball mill are in the range of from 15 to 25mm in diameter.

21. Apparatus of claim 20 wherein said balls are of 20mm diameter.

22. Apparatus of any one of the preceding claims wherein said motor or engine and said ball mill are mounted so as to be moveable as a unit with the transmission between said engine and the ball mill.

23. Apparatus of claim 22 wherein a chassis or other frame provides the base for the mounting.

24. Apparatus of claim 22 or 23 wherein said ball mill is supported on flexible mountings but is located so as not to move off its mounting, such location being by any appropriate means whether reliant upon gravity or not.

25. Apparatus of claim 24 wherein the flexible mountings are synthetic and/or natural rubber mounts.

26. Apparatus of claim 25 wherein said rubber mounts sit on pedestal or other supports from the chassis like frame with the ball mill being located between the preferably a plurality of said pedestals on each side of the ball mill.

27. Apparatus of claim 13 wherein said ball mill has each chamber defined by substantially a cylindrical member.

28. Apparatus of claim 27 wherein the input into the ball mill is between the spaced cylinders.

29. Apparatus of any one of the preceding claims wherein the apparatus is such that it is transportable as a 40ft ISO unit or container.

30. Apparatus of any one of the preceding claims encased or otherwise shielded to the extent needed to suppress excessive dust and/or noise emission.

31. In combination, apparatus suitable for decontaminating a halo-organic contaminated media of any one of claims 1, and 6 to 30 and a unit being a "genset" suitable for such apparatus (ie; an appropriate generator and prime mover unit).

32. A transportable unit that includes a structural member capable of being uplifted and having mounted an engine and a mill operable by said engine.

33. Apparatus of claim 32 wherein said mill is a ball mill.

34. A transportable unit that includes a structural member capable of being uplifted and having mounted an electric motor and a mill operable by said motor.

35. Apparatus of claim 34 wherein said mill is a ball mill.

36. A ball mill of a kind identical or similar to the PALLA 65U model ball mill of KHD Humboldt Wedag AG of Germany when mounted so as to be transportable in conjunction with a prime mover or electric motor capable of operating it.

37. A ball mill of a kind identical or similar to the PALLA 65U model ball mill of KHD Humboldt Wedag AG of Germany when mounted so as to be transportable in conjunction with an electric motor capable of operating under power from a separate power source.

38. A mill of claim 36 or 37 wherein said unit includes a filter or filters and air extraction fan or fans in conjunction therewith.

39. The use of apparatus or a unit of any one of the preceding claims at a site for halo- organic decontamination or in a process herein referred to.

40. A method of site preparation which involves the placement of apparatus or a unit of any one of claims 1 to 39 as the reactor at the site.

41. A ball mill apparatus with motor or engine substantially as herein described with or without reference to any one or more of the accompanying drawings.