Abstract: A metering feeder for delivering solid fuels, such as municipal or industrial refuse, for combustion includes a pair of generally vertically arranged hoppers. An upper hopper containing relatively compacted or intertangled fuel discharges metered amounts of fuel into a lower hopper through the action of a ram-type pusher. Fuel discharged from the upper hopper is dropped into the lower hopper to develop sufficient kinetic energy to decompact the fuel. An upwardly inclined conveyor removes fuel from the lower hopper at an independently metered rate under optional control of a combustion control system. The action of the inclined conveyor further decompacts the fuel by underraking and mixing, thereby providing a well controlled, uniform, loose density fuel for combustion. The conveyor has a closed course of cleats which cyclically moves to remove fuel. The cleats extend in acute angular relation to the direction of movement for improved performance.

Abstract: A compact incinerator for biomass has an upright combustion chamber coaxially surrounded by a passage through which the biomass is fed from a separator in which the primary air is separated from the biomass, to the combustion chamber. An afterburner chamber surrounds this shaft so that flue gases from the combustion chamber can pass through the shaft and be filtered by the biomass while heating the biomass before afterburning is effected in the afterburner chamber. The primary air from the separator is preheated in a preheater in indirect heating exchange by the flue gas in the same coaxial apparatus which also includes, coaxially with the combustion chamber, a flue gas/solids separator for removing solids from the flue gas before it enters the preheater.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of destroying hazardous waste, by means of under-stoichiometric incineration at a temperature of at least 1200.degree. C., the ratio between injected waste material and oxidant being regulated to give a quotient CO.sub.2 /(CO+CO.sub.2) of less than 0.1.

Abstract: Fouling of the convection section of a steam generator by ash or other solid deposit from the product gas stream is monitored using radiation pyrometers which determine the temperature drop across a bank of heat exchanger tubes and calculation therefrom of a fouling factor related to the degree of fouling. Soot blowers are actuated, in manual response or automatic response, to the fouling factor, to effect cleaning of the heat exchanger tubes. Heat flux meters also may be provided to determine variations in the degree of fouling transverse to the flow of the gas stream and the determinations may be used to actuate selective cleaning of parts of the tube bank.

Abstract: The variable pedal ratio brake actuating mechanism has a first lever pivotally mounted on an arcuately movable brake pedal arm. The lever is guided pivotally by a pivot control lever which pivots about a fixed point at one end and is connected at its other end to a first pivot on the first lever spaced from the first lever pivotal mount. An output member is pivotally connected to a second pivot on the first lever spaced from the first lever pivot mount and first pivot. The first lever is moved translatorily and also arcuately about its pivotal mount as the brake pedal arm moves in the brake actuating direction to change the effective pedal ratio.

Abstract: A control module in a hot surface ignition system includes a microcomputer programmed to provide a pre-selected igniter warm-up time period for enabling the igniter to heat up to gas ignition temperature during normal system operation, and is further programmed to provide, for test purposes only, an accelerated igniter warm-up time period which is shorter than the pre-selected igniter warm-up time period but sufficiently long for enabling the igniter to heat up to a temperature sufficiently high to ignite gas. The program for providing the accelerated igniter warm-up time period is automatically executed in response to a unique signal effected by the control module in conjunction with a detachably connected test device.

Abstract: In a water tube boiler comprising a housing enclosing tubes bent to form vertical chambers successively traversed by rising hot combustion gases, the tubes being connected at the bottom to the interior of the jacket of a jacketed cylindrical combustion chamber, which jacket is supplied with cold water, and at the top to a steam manifold, the manifold and jacketed chamber project beyond the housing with a downcomer outside the housing connecting the top of the jacket and the lowest part of the manifold, thereby permitting the boiler to operate with a shallow level of water in the manifold, speeding up circulation of water and its heating, and permitting substantially dry steam to be discharged from the upper manifold. The chambers may include baffles which are angled so that the hot gas hits them at an angle less than 90.degree. so as to be deflected thereby in the direction of its advance, thereby avoiding hot spots.

Abstract: According to the invention it is suggested that, in a heating boiler with a vibrating grate (3), a supply pipe (6) from which fuel material in particle form, in particular pellets, is supplied to the grate, is mechanically connected to the grate (3) and arranged to freely support the grate, which is thereby freely suspended in the combustion chamber without contact with the bottom and walls of the combustion chamber. A vibrating means (19) is also mechanically connected to the supply pipe (6) and arranged to produce a rectilinear movement and to function as drive source to feed the fuel particles to the grate via the supply pipe (6). The vibrating means gives the fuel particles a toss movement obliquely upwards and forwards in the supply pipe and on the grate whereby the fuel particles move onto the grate and towards the end of the grate opposite the supply pipe (6).

Abstract: The present invention concerns an ignition device for igniting fuel within a heating boiler having a combustion section operating according to the fluidized bed principle. The ignition device comprises a jacket-like body portion with a surface facing away from the fluidized bed of particles such as sand being furnished with a heating member, and the surface of the jacket-like body portion facing the fluidized bed of particles having heat transfer elements. The heat transfer elements may be rib-shaped, while a lagging or equivalent structure may encircle the ignition device, to form an intermediate space therebetween through which combustion gas is arranged to flow into the jacket-like body portion. A member for pre-heating the combustion gas flowing through this intermediate space, may also be provided, which is in turn cooled by the inflowing combustion gas.

Abstract: In the stove, pluralities of elongated logs are stacked on top of one another, substantially on parallels to a generally horizontal axis, to form a pair of sloping, single-log-wide, axially extending stacks of the same which are spaced apart but converge in the bottom of a sump at points above a slot in the vertical plane of the axis. Air is admitted to the sump through the slot, and a pair of spaced abutments is disposed upright in the plane of the axis at the sump, to engage between the opposing faces of the bottommost logs in the stacks and form an air flow channel therebetween above the slot. Moreover, a chamber is formed above the channel to confine the flames and the flow of combustion products from the channel to the space between the stacks of logs. The chamber in turn discharges the combustion products to a low pressure zone where they escape to atmosphere or the like.

Abstract: The underfeed stoker has a retort (6) which is located at a height `h`, an arch having a minimum width `w`. The ratio of the minimum width `w` to the height `h` is greater than 1.5 and less than 2.

Abstract: An apparatus controls the temperature of a multi-zone furnace based on a given temperature distribution pattern, which pattern is automatically modified zone by zone as the work being heat-treated is changed by using a memory storing a series of such patterns for different kinds of works.

Abstract: A seal assembly for a vapor generator each wall of which has spaced lower and an upper portions to accommodate relative movement there between. The seal assembly includes a trough containing water and connected to one of the portions of each wall. A dip skirt extends into the trough and divides same into an inner chamber and outer chamber, and a partition extends from the dip skirt, across the space between the wall portions, and to the other wall portion to expose the water in the inner chamber to the boiler pressure and the water in the outer chamber to atmosphere. As a result, relative movement between the wall portions is accommodated by corresponding movement of the dip skirt in the water trough while maintaining an airtight seal.

Abstract: An externally controllable apparatus for cleaning the slag deposits from the inner surfaces of a cyclone burner includes a support structure having a carriage slidably mounted thereon. A fluid-conducting swivel is mounted on the carriage for providing a rotatable coupling to a pipe extending through the cyclone. The carriage is moved along the support by a suitable movement mechanism so that fluid lances movably mounted on the pipe are properly disposed at selectable longitudinal positions within the cyclone burner. The fluid lances are transversely movable so that they can be moved toward or away from the side wall of the cyclone burner. A plurality of pairs of nozzles are used for directing a spray of cleaning fluid toward respective portions of the cyclone.

Abstract: Fouling of the convection section of a steam generator by ash or other solid deposit from the product gas stream is monitored using radiation pyrometers which determine the temperature drop across a bank of heat exchanger tubes and calculation therefrom of a fouling factor related to the degree of fouling. Soot blowers are actuated, in manual response or automatic response, to the fouling factor, to effect cleaning of the heat exchanger tubes. Heat flux meters also may be provided to determine variations in the degree of fouling transverse to the flow of the gas stream and the determinations may be used to actuate selective cleaning of parts of the tube bank.

Abstract: Toxic chemicals such as polychlorinated biphenyls and other organic wastes are destroyed by injecting them, together with oxygen, into a metal or slag bath such as is utilized in a steelmaking facility. The metal bath may be melted initially by induction or an electric arc; the desired temperature greater than 2500.degree. F. may be maintained thereafter by the reaction of the oxygen and the organic waste. Various by-products may be obtained from the gas.

Abstract: A metering feeder for delivering solid fuels, such as municipal or industrial refuse, for combustion includes a pair of generally vertically arranged hoppers. An upper hopper containing relatively compacted or intertangled fuel discharges metered amounts of fuel into a lower hopper through the action of a ram-type pusher. Fuel discharged from the upper hopper is dropped into the lower hopper to develop sufficient kinetic energy to decompact the fuel. An upwardly inclined conveyor removes fuel from the lower hopper at an independently metered rate under optional control of a combustion control system. The action of the inclined conveyor further decompacts the fuel by underraking and mixing, thereby providing a well controlled, uniform, loose density fuel for combustion. The conveyor has a closed course of cleats which cyclically moves to remove fuel. The cleats extend in acute angular relation to the direction of movement for improved performance.

Abstract: A method of measuring the water content of charge materials in a shaft furnace, such as a blast furnace, wherein a known quantity of material is introduced into the shaft furnace, the gases emerging from the throat of the shaft furnace are analyzed; and the results of this analysis are used to calculate the value of the water content of the charged material.

Abstract: The process described is a novel use of two complementary processes, the first of which provides the product to be converted into energy by the second process, related in such a way that the two combined provides an alternative to conventional fuels at a significant economical advantage. Specifically, the burning of sulfur with air or oxygen produces sulfur dioxide which can be combined with water to form sulfuric acid and by electrolysis, the sulfuric acid and water is converted to hydrogen gas. Hydrogen gas is burned as has been the sulfur, each producing thermal energy which is used to produce steam. The steam produced by burning the two fuels, sulfur and hydrogen gas, is used in the pulp mill in exactly the same manner as has been steam produced by burning fuels such as natural gas, fuel oil, coal and wood.

Abstract: An all-wheel-drive vehicle having front and rear pairs of wheels drivable by power from an engine and vertically movably suspended from a vehicle body. The vehicle includes a power transmitting mechanism for transmitting the power from an engine output of the engine to one of the axles for the front and rear wheels, a power output unit mounted on said one of the axles, and a power transmission shaft for transmitting the power from the power output unit to the other of the axles of the front and rear wheels. The front and rear wheels are steerable simultaneously by linkage connected therebetween.