Abstract: A pyrolyzer-kiln system for generating combustible fume from waste material and supplementing the fuel used to provide heat energy to a clinker kiln. The system includes a pyrolyzer for generating a combustible pyrolytic fume, a kiln for burning the fume as part of a cement-forming process, a conduit for conveying the fume from the pyrolyzer to the kiln, and a closed-loop feedback component for monitoring the heating value of the fume and varying the operational parameters of the pyrolyzer to maintain the heating value of the fume generated within a predetermined range. The closed-loop feedback component includes a calorimeter which continuously samples and burns fume from the conduit. The heating value of the fume is determined by measuring the amount of auxiliary fuel and air required to be mixed with the fume to maintain a predetermined temperature when the combustion is burned within the calorimeter.

Abstract: A plate quenching apparatus is described as having a horizontally elongated chamber in which a plurality of rows of metal, tire-like rollers are used to support an element, such as a number number of metal plates, as the element moves along a horizontal pathway between opposing rows of nozzles above and below the pathway. Unfortunately, the metal rollers create wakes when large quantities of quenching liquid are used. These wakes literally surround tear-shaped areas immediately downstream the rollers and prevent adequate amounts of quenching liquid from contacting the element in these areas, especially at the beginning of the quenching process wherein it is critical to uniformly contact the element with quenching material. A plurality of nozzles are specially positioned between adjacent rows of the metal rollers to break up the wakes and insure that the sheet of metal is uniformly contacted with quenching liquid to prevent the element from becoming buckled, warped, or twisted during the quenching operation.

Abstract: The present invention is a method and apparatus for heat treating at least one work item, such as a coil, having an axial passage and being axially stacked on a base support means disposed within a cover means which is located on the base support means. The base support can be on the floor of a furnace and with the chamber of the furnace. A means to force the atmosphere such as an axial fan is located in the base. The atmosphere is forced axially from the base, up through an axial path including the axial passage of the at least one coil, through a top space between the top of the stack of coils and the top of the cover means, down through the annular space between the outside of the coils and the inside of the cover means, and back to the axial path through a base space beneath the at least one coil, communicating from the annular space to the axial path.