Abstract: A system for providing electrical power to a facility includes a generator configured to generate electrical power for the facility when a drive-shaft of the generator is rotated. A motor is configured to provide torque to rotate the generator drive-shaft and to be driven by a first power supply. A mechanical energy provider is configured to provide torque to the drive-shaft using mechanical energy generated from an intermittent local power source. The system is configured to defer to the mechanical energy provider to rotate the drive-shaft such that, when the intermittent local power source is active, less power is needed from the first power supply to power the motor than when the intermittent local power source is inactive.

Abstract: A system for providing electrical power to a facility includes a generator configured to generate electrical power for the facility when a drive- shaft of the generator is rotated. A motor is configured to provide torque to rotate the generator drive-shaft and to be driven by a first power supply. A mechanical energy provider is configured to provide torque to the drive-shaft using mechanical energy generated from an intermittent local power source. The system is configured to defer to the mechanical energy provider to rotate the drive- shaft such that, when the intermittent local power source is active, less power is needed from the first power supply to power the motor than when the intermittent local power source is inactive.

Abstract: A processing container (100) is provided for processing waste material. The processing container has a housing (150) and a processing zone (152) in said housing for containing waste material to be processed. The housing (150) has a portion (154) directed inwardly of said container to form an opening (160) for the charging and discharging of said processing container. The processing container is rotatable about its axis in a first direction to enable charging of said container through said opening and in a second opposite direction to enable discharging of said container through said opening. The processing chamber is used in an apparatus (10) for processing waste material. The apparatus also includes an oven (12) that contains the processing chamber (14); a gas inlet (200) for introducing said hot gasses into the oven; and a gas outlet (202) for extracting gas from said oven. The processing container (100) is mounted for rotation in said oven.

Abstract: The invention provides an apparatus for processing material such as organically coated waste and organic materials including biomass, industrial waste, municipal solid waste and sludge, comprising a processing chamber (2) for processing said material at an elevated temperature to produce syngas and a combustion chamber (4) having at least one burner therein for combusting syngas released by processing of said material. A conduit means (18) is provided between said combustion chamber and said processing chamber for carrying hot exhaust gasses from the combustion chamber (4) to said processing chamber (2) and at last one mirror (24) is arranged to reflect and concentrate sunlight thereby to cause the temperature within said processing chamber (2) to be raised. The apparatus also includes a syngas reservoir (66). A storage conduit (62) is provided for carrying syngas into said syngas reservoir (66) and a syngas feed line (68) is provided for feeding syngas from said reservoir to said combustion chamber (4).

Abstract: A processing container (100) is provided for processing waste material. The processing container has a housing (150) and a processing zone (152) in said housing for containing waste material to be processed. The housing (150) has a portion (154) directed inwardly of said container to form an opening (160) for the charging and discharging of said processing container. The processing container is rotatable about its axis in a first direction to enable charging of said container through said opening and in a second opposite direction to enable discharging of said container through said opening. The processing chamber is used in an apparatus (10) for processing waste material. The apparatus also includes an oven (12) that contains the processing chamber (14); a gas inlet (200) for introducing said hot gasses into the oven; and a gas outlet (202) for extracting gas from said oven. The processing container (100) is mounted for rotation in said oven.

Abstract: A seal for sealing together first and second tubular members (12,14) rotatable relative to one another is provided. The seal comprises first and second sealing portions (18, 20) securable respectively to said first and tubular members (12,14) and having respective first and second abutment surfaces (40, 26) slidingly engageable with one another. In response to the application of axial pressure to the first abutment surface (40) through the second abutment surface (26), the abutment surface of the first sealing portion (18) is deflectable axially of the second sealing portion (20) in the direction of the axial pressure to retain the abutment surfaces in sealing contact.

Abstract: A turf treatment apparatus with a floating head for use on a grass treatment device having a frame, the turf treatment apparatus having a floating head comprising at least one elongate grass treatment element, and a mounting configured to effect a floating action with respect to the frame wherein the mounting comprises at least one resilient spring element that is configured to spread the weight of the grass treatment element by virtue of the resilience of the at least one spring element acting to counter the force of gravity arising during use of the floating head on non horizontal terrain.