Abstract: A system for combustion and removal of residual carbon within fly ash particles in which the fly ash particles are fed into a particulate bed within a reactor chamber. The fly ash particles are subjected to heat and motive air such that as the fly ash particles pass through the particulate bed, they are heated to a sufficient temperature to cause the combustion of the residual carbon within the particles. The fly ash particles thereafter are conveyed in a dilute phase for further combustion through the reactor chamber away from the particulate bed and exhausted to an ash capture. The fly ash is then separated from the exhaust air that conveys the ash in its dilute phase with the air being further exhausted and the captured fly ash particles being fed to a feed accumulator for re-injection to the reactor chamber or discharge for further processing.

Abstract: A system for combustion and removal of residual carbon within fly ash particles in which the fly ash particles are fed into a particulate bed within a reactor chamber. The fly ash particles are subjected to heat and motive air such that as the fly ash particles pass through the particulate bed, they are heated to a sufficient temperature to cause the combustion of the residual carbon within the particles. The fly ash particles thereafter are conveyed in a dilute phase for further combustion through the reactor chamber away from the particulate bed and exhausted to an ash capture. The fly ash is then separated from the exhaust air that conveys the ash in its dilute phase with the air being further exhausted and the captured fly ash particles being fed to a feed accumulator for re-injection to the reactor chamber or discharge for further processing.

Abstract: A discharge assembly for removing material from a hearth in a rotary hearth furnace. The discharge assembly includes, in combination, a discharge auger and a fluid cooled hood. The discharge auger is positioned above the hearth of the rotary hearth furnace and includes a central shaft having at least one helical flight affixed to the exterior of the central shaft. The fluid cooled hood is disposed over the discharge auger to lower the temperature of the helical flights.

Abstract: The cooling section of an annealing furnace is described as having the capabilities of maintaining, increasing, or decreasing the temperature of a strip of metal as it passes through the section. Moreover, special means are provided for forming around the cooling device, used in the cooling of the gas impinged against the traveling strip of metal, a cold sink which traps and prevents the backflow of cooled gas through the cooling device into the section, thereby eliminating the formation in the section of undesirable cold spots which adversely affect temperature uniformity in the section.

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: A method of controlling strip temperatures of two joined metal strips of dissimilar gauges but requiring essentially the same heat treatment temperatures, is described. The normal processing temperature is higher than the temperature to which it is desired to heat the webs. The higher processing temperature is reduced to a lower temperature in response to a change in the gauge of the webs passing through the chamber in which the webs are heat treated. This lower temperature is such that the heavier gauge web will not be underheated and the lighter gauge web will not be overheated. The line speed at which the juncture of the webs passes through the chamber will simultaneously be lowered in correlated relation to the reduction of the temperature within the heat treatment chamber until such time as the juncture passes from the chamber so that the processing conditions of time and temperature can be readjusted to accommodate heat treatment of the new web.