Abstract: An ash scoop which remains out of the water during most of its operation. The ash scoop has a retaining and a nonretaining configuration. It moves along a track downward into the pit while poised in its nonretaining configuration. Once in the pit, it moves to its retaining position to grab debris within the pit. It then moves back out of the pit along the track until it reverts to its nonretaining configuration to dump the ashes dragged out of the pit.

Abstract: Improvements for an incinerator system including double reburn tunnels, an excitor within a reburn tunnel, a choker for closing off part of a reburn tunnel, a grate near the incinerator's inlet to permit the drying and initial combustion of refuse, an ash scoop which remains out of the water during most of its operation. The use of dual reburn tunnels, along with a damper that permits the closure of at least one of them, permits the efficient and environmentally acceptable utilization of the main incinerator chamber even with minimal refuse contained there. With less refuse, only one reburn unit operates; it will still have sufficient heat and throughput to maintain, with minimal auxiliary fuel, the temperatures needed for complete combustion. An excitor, or solid stationary object placed within the reburn tunnel, permits the retention and reflection of the heat generated by the burning to assure complete combustion of all hydrocarbons within the reburn unit.

Abstract: Improvements for an incinerator system including double reburn tunnels, an excitor within a reburn tunnel, a choker for closing off part of a reburn tunnel, a grate near the incinerator's inlet to permit the drying and initial combustion of refuse, an ash scoop which remains out of the water during most of its operation. The use of dual reburn tunnels, along with a damper that permits the closure of at least one of them, permits the efficient and environmentally acceptable utilization of the main incinerator chamber even with minimal refuse contained there. With less refuse, only one reburn unit operates; it will still have sufficient heat and throughput to maintain, with minimal auxiliary fuel, the temperatures needed for complete combustion. An excitor, or solid stationary object placed within the reburn tunnel, permits the retention and reflection of the heat generated by the burning to assure complete combustion of all hydrocarbons within the reburn unit.

Abstract: A pulsating hearth for an incinerator wherein the hearth is suspended on a fixed frame for movement in a limited short arc to urge random size particles burning in a pile on the hearth in a predetermined path intermittently across the surface of the hearth. Movement is imparted to the hearth in periodic pulses preferably by inflating sets of air bags mounted on the frame, which stroke the hearth to move it a short distance from an initial position and jar it against the frame, thus impelling the burning particles a short distance by inertia and concurrently stoking the burning pile upon each stroke, and then returning the hearth to its initial position. The hearth may also have a plurality of nozzles connected to a source of air for delivering gently flowing air to the burning pile on the hearth.

Abstract: A method of incinerating in a main combustion chamber leading directly to two consecutive reburn stages. The main combustion chamber accepts bulk refuse onto a hearth floor. In the first reburn tunnel, a burner maintains the temperature of the gases above a predetermined set point. Above that set point, the burner assumes a low setting. Below it, a high setting increases the heat produced. Alternatively, the gas may go to its high setting below a first set point; to its low setting above a second set point; and proportionate at temperatures between them. This chamber also receives outside air to assist in the actual combustion process. From the first reburn chamber, the gases go to a second reburn chamber to complete the combustion. There, they receive additional oxygen for this purpose. At temperatures above a set point determined near the third chamber, additional air enters to prevent excessive temperatures. Fume burning of hydrocarbon containing gases may also take place in the double reburn tunnel.

Abstract: A pulsating hearth for an incinerator wherein the hearth is suspended on a fixed frame for movement in a limited short arc to urge random size particles burning in a pile on the hearth in a predetermined path intermittently across the surface of the heart. Movement is imparted to the hearth in periodic pulses preferably by inflating sets of air bags mounted on the frame, which stroke the hearth to move it a short distance from an initial position and jar it against the frame, thus impelling the burning particles a short distance by inertia and concurrently stoking the burning pile upon each stroke, and then returning the hearth to its initial position. The hearth may also have a plurality of nozzles connected to a source of air for delivering gently flowing air to the burning pile on the hearth.

Abstract: An incinerator with a main combustion chamber leading directly to two consecutive reburn stages. The main combustion chamber accepts bulk refuse onto a hearth floor. Air jets within the floor and near the roofline provide a generally stoichiometric amount of air for the burning refuse. Of this air, 75% emanates from the nozzles located in the floor. For the designed amount of refuse, the main chamber has a sufficient area to maintain the ratio for the expected heat to the square area to less than about 100,000 Btu/sq.ft. hr. Similarly, the ratio of the main chamber's volume is less than about 12,000 Btu/cu.ft. hr. The combustion gases pass from the main chamber into a first reburn stage. The throat between the two sections introduces the gas into the latter at an angle of about 60.degree. relative to the direction of travel in the reburn section.