Importance

Loading Importance Indicators...

Abstract

A method and an apparatus based on a reactor vessel (201) that is brought to a predetermined vacuum degree, in particular said vacuum degree set between 2 and 6 absolute millibar, an to a high temperature. A waste material is continuously introduced in the vessel (202), in particular a solid waste material (5) is introduced in such a way that a vacuum loss from the vessel (201) is prevented. Owing to the high temperature, waste material (5) forms a plasma that undergoes a molecular rearrangement, which gives origin to a substantially liquid residue that is collected in a bottom portion (204) of reactor (201), and to a gas (11). The gas (11), which mainly comprises carbon monoxide, hydrogen, carbon dioxide and steam, i.e. a typical syngas composition, is continuously taken away from the vessel (201) through a duct (12), and is sent to subsequent treatments to obtain a gas fuel that can be burnt by devices such as a gas turbine, a motor or a boiler. The high temperature in reactor (201) is maintained due to a current in the form of electric discharges (20) that is established between two electrodes (21,22) below the liquid head (7). The substantially liquid residue is periodically discharged to maintain a liquid head height (7) not exceeding a reference height value H*, in such a way that air inlet into vacuum loss from the vessel (201) is prevented.

Loading the Abstract Image...

First Claim