Patents Examined by Denise L. Ferensic
  • Patent number: 6213764
    Abstract: Waste tires are disposed of in a cement-manufacturing or other mineral-burning process by introducing the tires into the hot gas stream at at least one point between the mineral-inlet end of a rotary kiln and the lowermost cyclone of an associated preheater system, e.g. into the gas stream within a precalciner vessel or riser duct, the tires being maintained in contact with the hot gas for a sufficient period to effect at least partial combustion of the tires. As an alternative, the tires may be introduced into a Lepol grate preheater.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2001
    Assignee: Blue Circle Industries PLC
    Inventor: Lawrence Paul Evans
  • Patent number: 6213032
    Abstract: An in-furnace method and apparatus reduces nitrogen oxides in flue gas by injecting an oil water emulsion into flue gas so that the oil and water mixes with said flue gas. The emulsion has from 35% to 80% water and is injected in sufficient quantities to provide enough oil to promote a reaction between the nitrogen oxides in the flue gas and the oil, so as to reduce nitrogen oxide content of the flue gas and to maintain overall fuel lean conditions above the primary combustion zone. The emulsion preferably is atomized before injection and may also be injected in jet streams. Other materials such as limestone, ammonia and urea could be added to the oil water emulsion prior to injection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2001
    Assignee: Energy Systems Associates
    Inventors: Bernard P. Breen, James E. Gabrielson
  • Patent number: 6213033
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for treating water material containing hydrocarbon, wherein the waste material is supplied in a reactor, gas containing oxygen is supplied in the reactor, said substances are combusted to form gaseous combustion products and solid residue and said solid residue is discharged from the reactor. The gas containing oxygen is supplied continuously in the reactor in amounts insufficient for complete oxidation of the waste material, said gas containing oxygen is supplied so as to pass it through a layer of said solid residue and the gaseous combustion products are passed through a layer of untreated waste material to form a product gas containing hydrocarbons and droplets of liquid hydrocarbons.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2001
    Assignee: Fioter Oy
    Inventors: Georgi Manelis, Victor Foursov, Galina Yakovleva, Sergei Glazov, Lev Stesik, Evgeni Poliantchik, Nikolai Alkov
  • Patent number: 6213059
    Abstract: A technique for cooling furnace walls in a multi-component working fluid power generation system is disclosed. In a first embodiment, the technique involves removing process heat from a furnace having an inner tubular wall and an outer tubular wall. In a second embodiment, the technique involves removing process heat from a furnace system utilizing a fluid combiner. In a third embodiment, the technique involves removing process heat from a furnace having tubular walls formed of a plurality of fluid tubes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2001
    Assignee: ABB Combustion Engineering Inc.
    Inventors: Gary Gralton, Chang-Yu Sun, Richard E. Waryasz
  • Patent number: 6209220
    Abstract: Methods and apparatuses are provided for cooling semiconductor substrates prior to handling. In one embodiment, a substrate and support structure combination is lifted after high temperature processing to a cold wall of a thermal processing chamber, which acts as a heat sink. Conductive heat transfer across a small gap from the substrate to the heat sink speeds wafer cooling prior to handling the wafer (e.g., with a robot). In another embodiment, a separate plate is kept cool within a pocket during processing, and is moved close to the substrate and support after processing. In yet another embodiment, a cooling station between a processing chamber and a storage cassette includes two movable cold plates, which are movable to positions closely spaced on either side of the wafer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2001
    Assignee: ASM America, Inc.
    Inventor: Ivo Raaijmakers
  • Patent number: 6203314
    Abstract: Combustion assembly adapted to be placed in a wall of a furnace including an axis having at least one pair of burners with axes, one oxidant lance arranged between the burners of the pair and having a lance axis and a source of oxidant connected to the burners and to the lance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2001
    Assignee: l'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procedes Georges Claude
    Inventors: Louis Philippe, Eric Duchateau, Dominique Jouvaud, Robert Plessier, Claude Pivard, Etienne Lepoutre
  • Patent number: 6203316
    Abstract: A rotary valve regenerative oxidizer generally includes a combustion chamber communicating with a first end of plurality of pie shaped heat exchange chambers and a rotary valve communicating with a second end of the heat exchange chambers. A contaminated gas is directed through an inlet of the rotary valve, through a first group of heat exchange chambers, and into the combustion chamber thereby heating and purifying the gas. The heated and purified gas is directed from the combustion chamber through a second group of heat exchange chambers and through an outlet of the rotary valve. A portion of the heated and purified gas received from the outlet of the rotary valve is directed through a heating element 56 for heating the gas to a temperature sufficient to volatilize organic solids for purging a third group of heat exchange chambers. The gas is directed from the third group of heat exchange chambers into the combustion chamber and out of the oxidizer through the second group of heat exchange chambers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2001
    Assignee: Regenerative Environmental Equipment Co., Inc. (REECO, Inc.)
    Inventor: Rodney L. Pennington
  • Patent number: 6203315
    Abstract: A device for the combustion of solid fuel in the form of granules, pellets, chips or other fragmented or finely divided form, comprising a rotary reactor drum (1), which forms the main combustion chamber (13) and has a rear end wall (65) and at the opposite end an outlet (3) for combustion gases to a boiler part for heat transfer to water-cooled surfaces, for example, or other heat-absorbing means, an inlet (55) for combustion air to the main combustion chamber (13), means (40) for feeding fuel through the rear end wall (65) of the reactor drum and means for rotating the reactor drum around its center axis (2). Inside the main combustion chamber (13), in its rear part, is an inner, smaller drum (60), which is coaxial with the reactor drum (1) and has a perforated jacket. At least the bulk of the fuel is disposed to be fed into the inner, smaller drum (60) and from this to the surrounding main combustion chamber (13).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2001
    Assignee: Swedish Bioburner System Aktiebolag
    Inventor: Jan Magnusson
  • Patent number: 6202577
    Abstract: A municipal or like refuse, from which large articles of metals have been removed, is mixed with an alkaline substance like limestone preferably in a triple screw mixer, and then advanced along the pyrolysis path in which the refuse mixture is subjected to heat from combustion gases from an incineration chamber therebelow. A portion of the pyrolyzed product is recycled to the upstream side of that path and the remainder of the pyrolyzed product is scrubbed with an aqueous medium, e.g. water and/or aqueous acetic acid and the washed pyrolyzed product is then incinerated to produce the combustion gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2001
    Inventors: Anatoly Boguslavsky, Yuriy Rabiner
  • Patent number: 6202572
    Abstract: An exhauster is provided having an improved fan assembly for exhausting coal through an exhauster fan housing, the exhauster fan assembly being mountable within the housing on a shaft for rotation about a shaft rotational axis. The housing has an inlet generally aligned with the shaft rotational axis such that coal entering the housing through the inlet contacts the rotating exhauster fan and is redirected thereby along a radial outlet path. The exhauster fan assembly includes a plurality of blades and a hub having an outer surface, a free end, and a bore for receiving therein the free end of the shaft in an orientation in which the free end of the shaft and the free end of the hub are oriented in the same axial direction. The outer surface of the hub is radially outwardly spaced from the bore and the blades are mounted to the outer surface of the hub at uniform angular spacings therearound and project radially outwardly therefrom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2001
    Assignee: Alstom Power N.V.
    Inventor: Jeffrey A. Case
  • Patent number: 6202574
    Abstract: A fossil fuel fired combustion apparatus and a method for operating the fossil fuel fired combustion apparatus are provided which offer the flexibility to use carbon dioxide (CO2) both as a desirable end product and as support to the combustion process. The method includes the step of introducing a substantially pure oxygen feed stream into the fossil fuel fired combustion apparatus and the step of combusting a fossil fuel in the presence of the substantially pure oxygen feed stream to produce a flue gas having carbon dioxide and water vapor as its two largest constituent elements by volume. The method also includes the step of passing the flue gas through an oxygen feed stream pre-heater at which heat from the flue gas is transferred to the oxygen feed stream. Furthermore, the method includes the step of separating the flue gas into an end product portion and a recycling portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2001
    Assignee: ABB Alstom Power Inc.
    Inventors: Gregory N. Liljedahl, Mark Palkes
  • Patent number: 6199494
    Abstract: The firing performance of a radial, scroll, or vortex cyclone furnace can be improved when firing difficult to burn materials having a relatively low heating value or a relatively high moisture content, such as sub-bituminous and lignite coals. This can be achieved by introducing additionally heated primary air into the burner of the radial and vortex cyclone furnace or separately introducing preheated or additionally heated auxiliary air into the scroll burner. Moreover, additionally heated tertiary air can be introduced into the radial and scroll burners to further improve firing performance. Moreover, additionally heated primary air can be mixed with the coal before introducing the mixture into the scroll burner to further improve firing performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2001
    Inventor: Edwin M. Griffin
  • Patent number: 6199515
    Abstract: A water heater baffle having an inlet and an outlet for the passage of water therethrough, the baffle being arranged to force the water entering the baffle through a labyrinth before exiting the baffle in a direction substantially 90° to its general flow of entry into the baffle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2001
    Assignee: Beatrae Sadia Heating Limited
    Inventor: Alan Clarke
  • Patent number: 6199491
    Abstract: A refuse incinerating oven includes a refuse loading car, and a furnace body with lower and upper combustion chambers. The car is conveyed through the furnace body such that refuse loaded on the car can be ignited in the lower combustion chamber. The combustion exhaust generated in the lower combustion chamber flows into and is heated in the upper combustion chamber. A spraying tank is communicated with the upper combustion chamber for receiving the combustion exhaust. Water mist is sprayed to the combustion exhaust in the spraying tank so as to generate aerated water. The aerated water and the combustion exhaust flowing from the spraying tank are cooled as they flow into a reservoir. The aerated water is pumped from the reservoir to an upper end of a waterfall tank so as to generate a downwardly cascading water stream inside the waterfall tank. An exhaust port unit is connected to the upper end of the waterfall tank for sucking and releasing the combustion exhaust.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2001
    Inventor: Kun-Cheng Wu
  • Patent number: 6196163
    Abstract: An apparatus for saving boiler feed water heat having a closed condensed water vessel for collecting the steam water condensate from one or more reactor steam jacket, and the steam condensate flash over when it enters the closed vessel due to pressure drop. The closed vessel having a boiler feed water pump located below the vessel and the vessel located below the reactor steam jacket, and cold water injection into the condensate prior to entering the feed water pump. The feed pump then taking the cooled condensed water to the boiler reducing the demand for boiler make up water and saving heat and energy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2001
    Inventor: Chandrakant S. Shah
  • Patent number: 6196142
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for introducing solid, liquid or gaseous fuel into a burning zone of a rotary kiln for manufacturing cement clinker. Fuel is conducted through a duct or ducts and primary air is conducted through at least two annular ducts arranged substantially concentrically with, and around, the fuel duct(s), the portion of air in one of the air ducts flowing substantially axially, whereas the portion of air in the second of the air ducts comprises air which has a rotary component about the center axis of the burner, and wherein the amount of primary air in the two portions is independently controlled, such that the two portions of primary air are mixed at a lower velocity in a collecting duct into a single primary mixed airstream having a desired axial/rotary flow characteristic, and wherein this airstream is subsequently accelerated up to a desired, higher discharge velocity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2001
    Assignee: F. L. Smidth & Co., A/S
    Inventor: Ib Ohlsen
  • Patent number: 6196143
    Abstract: The present invention is an apparatus for use as a grate clip on a traveling stoker grate assembly in a furnace or incinerator. The grate clip apparatus includes a sloping profile along a significant portion of its underside so as to prevent the build-up of ash, fuel and metallic deposits on the grate clip as it traverses a return loop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2001
    Assignee: Powerhouse Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Joseph R. Post
  • Patent number: 6196164
    Abstract: A water heater including a water container; a combustion chamber located adjacent the container, the combustion chamber having a floor portion with an opening; a conduit extending upwardly from and being substantially sealed to the opening; a burner located inside the combustion chamber; and a flame trap positioned across the conduit, the flame trap permitting ingress of air and/or extraneous gases into the combustion chamber and prevent egress of flames from the structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2001
    Assignee: SRP 687 Pty. Ltd.
    Inventor: Zoran Valcic
  • Patent number: 6196144
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device, and a process for its charging, for carrying out high-temperature recycling for heterogeneously occurring waste in compact packages. The compact packages are introduced into a heated channel for evaporation of liquids and slightly fluid materials as well as to partly decompose them. The invention is characterized by a temperature insulating mouthpiece interconnecting the reactor and the channel for limiting the conduction of heat from the reactor to the channel. Accordingly, packages may be serially forced through the channel and into the reactor while maintaining the packages in sealing engagement with the channel to prevent reduction in the predetermined cross section in response to high temperatures transmitted from the reactor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2001
    Assignee: Thermoselect AG
    Inventor: Günter H. Kiss
  • Patent number: 6196836
    Abstract: An improved rotary hearth furnace having a cylindrical enclosure containing a radially moving belt for transporting pellets containing metal oxide and carbon is disclosed. One or more oxy-fuel burners preferably having a flat flame shape are positioned so as to provide a mixture of fuel and oxidant to the pellets countercurrent to the direction of the pellets. The oxy-fuel burners are operated so as to provide a pre-determined quantity of oxygen in addition to that necessary for combustion so that the additional oxygen oxidizes the carbon monoxide and hydrogen present in the hot combustion gases. Oxygen injectors may also be used to introduce additional oxygen into the furnace.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2001
    Assignee: The BOC Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Neeraj Saxena, Rajesh Maruti Wajge, Kenneth W. Grieshaber