Abstract: Oil shale having a relatively wide range of heating value is combusted by supplying the oil shale and a further fuel having a heating value greater than the heating value of the oil shale to a combustor. The oil shale is fed to the combustor at a substantially fixed rate, independently of the heating value of the oil shale, and the further fuel is fed to the combustor at a rate such that the heating value of the fuel in the combustor remains substantially constant in the face of variations in the heating value of the oil shale. Preferably, the temperature of combustion of the products of combustion is the parameter used to control the rate at which the further fuel is fed to the combustor.

Abstract: A method of wood waste disposal which regulates factors such as the amount of wood residue being fed to an incinerator at any given time so that wood residue from a mill is processed promptly and efficiently without compromising the efficient operation of the incinerator. The wood residue is separated into at least two fractions, the first fraction being directed to a storage bin for later use as required, and the second fraction being directed to the incinerator. During periods of slack feed of the second fraction to the incinerator, portions of the first fraction, as required, are directed to the incinerator as make-up, in order to maintain an optimal range of incinerator conditions by manipulating the volume and flow of wood residue in cooperation with manipulating other factors.

Abstract: A continuous-flow steam generator includes a combustion chamber having a number of burners for a fossil fuel and a gas-tight containment wall formed from at least approximately vertically disposed evaporator tubes through which a flow passes upwards from below on the feed-water side. A method and a system for starting up the continuous-flow steam generator avoid start-up losses by setting a water level in the evaporator tubes and a ratio of the fuel stream to the feedwater stream in such a way that the water evaporates completely during passage through the evaporator tubes, so that water is no longer present at the evaporator outlet. A start-up system having a setting device for setting the water level in the evaporator and for setting the ratio of the fuel stream to the feed-water stream, is used for this purpose.

Abstract: A burner tip having a converging portion with a multiplicity of ports. The ports are sized and positioned so that a substantially constant ratio is maintained between any selected cross-sectional flow area within the converging portion and the sum of the port areas downstream from that cross-sectional flow area, thereby maintaining a substantially constant pressure within the tip. A disk is positioned at a downstream portion of the converging portion to flatten the flame.

Abstract: The fuel is fed into a circulating fluidized bed steam generator using a feed system involving an air swept chute using secondary combustion air to suspend and carry the fuel into the fluidized bed combustor. The fuel is fed to the air swept chute through a gravity feed chute at a steep angle. The air swept chute is lined with an abrasion resistant material.

Abstract: A new and improved fireplace log dispensing apparatus includes a gravity feed chute assembly for receiving a plurality of logs to be burned in a fireplace, and a log dispenser assembly, connected at a bottom of the gravity feed chute assembly, for selectively dispensing logs into the fireplace, preferably onto a grate in the fireplace. The gravity feed chute assembly includes a queue-forming assembly for arranging the plurality of logs into a queue. The log dispenser assembly dispenses one log at a time from the queue onto the fireplace grate. More specifically, the log dispenser assembly includes a number of movable partitions and a stationary wall which define a sequestering chamber for isolating one log at a time from the queue and for moving the isolated log onto the fireplace grate. The movable partitions are in the form of vanes arrayed radially around a central shaft which rotates on bearings. The movable partitions are driven by weight of the queue of logs.

Abstract: An apparatus for controlling the injection quantity of pulverized coal by measuring the flow rate of the pulverized coal in a conveying pipe, through which the pulverized coal is injected into tuyeres of a blast furnace, in order to regulate the opening of a valve installed between a feed tank and the conveying pipe based on the measured flow rate, and also by regulating the internal pressure of the feed tank so as to maintain the difference in the internal pressure between the feed tank and the conveying pipe within a predetermined range. The thus configured apparatus provides rapid-response and high-accuracy in control, wide-range controllability, and allows to control the injection quantity of the pulverized coal even when supplying the pulverized coal to the feed tank.

Abstract: A heater for burning particulate combustible fuel material, and a stoker for transferring the fuel for use in connection with such a heater. The heater includes a burner with a step upward from the stoker onto the burner, for reducing the possibility of the fire burning back into the supply of fuel. The stoker includes a first conveyor and a second conveyor, spaced vertically apart and connected together by a drop box. A drive arrangement for driving the conveyors includes a prime mover connected to the first conveyor by means of a drive shaft and to the second conveyor by an intermittent drive. The intermittent drive includes a second shaft with a plurality of paddles extending radially outwardly therefrom. In one embodiment, one or more paddles are removably affixed to the first shaft and extend radially outward therefrom. Thus rotation of the first shaft causes rotation of the second shaft only when the paddles are in contact.

Abstract: An automatic firebox provided with a fuel hopper that delivers fuel through a pivoting funnel to a grate burning area. The grate burning area is provided with at least one pivoting fuel grate which operates automatically in sequence with the fuel feed and hopper so as to provide automatic stoking. An automatic control operated by temperature and/or time is disclosed.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a method of controlling combustion of a fluidized-bed incinerator. In a fluidized-bed incinerator (5), a method of controlling combustion of the fluidized-bed incinerator comprises measuring a supply rate of incineration waste by a supply rate measuring unit (11) using a photoelectric element (1) arranged on a shoot (2) for supplying incineration waste (3) from a dust feeder (4) to the incinerator (5), and when the supply rate of incineration waste is higher than a predetermined value, decreasing a supply rate of incineration waste of the dust feeder 4 to suppress a combusting operation, increasing an induced gas rate of an exhaust gas induced blower (9) of the incinerator to suppress an increase in an incinerator internal pressure decreasing a flow rate of fluidizing air of a forcing blower (7) to suppress a combusting operation, or increasing a flow rate of a blower (8) for supplying air to a free board portion to prevent production of an unburnt gas.

Abstract: A chain-type fuel feeder which includes a chain conveyor that deposits coal onto a rotor which then throws the coal into a boiler-type furnace. The conveyor is driven from the shaft of the rotor by way of a novel, variable speed control assembly which includes separate, individual, totally integrated, commercially available drive units mounted on the sidewall of the feeder and exposed to ambient air so as to avoid overheating of the drive components and the problems associated therewith. The various drive components are arranged so that they are readily accessible for adjustment, repair, or replacement.

Abstract: The apparatus and method are improvements over the refuse derived fuel (RDF) handling system disclosed in applicant's U.S. Pat. No.

Abstract: A calorimetry system for measurement of the heating value of coal having a combustor 24 and a mixing unit 30 wherein heat from combustion gases is transferred to air. The system has a gravimetric feeder 64 for providing coal at a measured mass feed rate; the coal including any moisture present therein. The coal is pulverized in an air-driven mill or pulverizer 14 which is fed coal from the feeder and is separated by a cyclone separator 16 into two streams; one carrying coal and air mixed together in a controlled ratio to the combustor. The air which drives the separator, together with fines of the coal and moisture is fed to an afterburner 26 of the combustor so that the thermal dynamics of the entire coal stream is involved in the heating value measurement. Instrumentation measures the flow rates of cooling air, primary air which carries the coal streams into the combustor and secondary combustion air as well as the mass flow rates of the coal into the combustor as measured with the gravimetric feeder.

Abstract: An apparatus for burning waste refuse having a heterogeneous composition comprising means defining a combustion chamber having an inlet for charging waste refuse therein and an outlet for discharging combustion gases therefrom, means disposed within the combustion chamber for agitating waste refuse charged therein, means for sensing the temperature differential of combustion gases emanating from the burning waste refuse disposed on the agitating means, between spaced points along the path of flow of the emanating combustion gases, and means responsive to variations of the sensed temperature differential relative to a preselected temperature differential for adjusting the operation of the agitating means.

Abstract: A fluidized bed boiler is controlled such that, when the fuel supply quantity thereof is changed from F.sub.0 to F.sub.1, the fuel supply quantity is changed to a level greater than the difference between F.sub.1 and F.sub.0, the fuel supply quantity is changed to a level smaller than the difference between F.sub.1 and F.sub.0, and the fuel supply quantity is then set to F.sub.1.

Abstract: A system for handling refuse derived fuel (RDF) devised to make RDF fired power plants practical, that includes a method and apparatus for receiving, storing and discharging, distributing and feeding RDF at the plant that accepts such material for fuel, which has been shredded to a predetermined nominal size and usually has most of the ferrous metals removed therefrom, which system includes a relatively large activated bin for primary surge capacity purposes that initially receives and stores the RDF, to provide a binned quantity of same from which as continuous flow of the RDF can be generated that will result in a pulsation free, steady supply of RDF to the plant furnace or furnaces, for firing the power plant involved, with one or more trains located adjacent the locale of the plant furnace to be fired, each of which includes several metering activated bins that are actuated to supply an underlying vibrating feeder that conveys the RDF to the furnace fuel chute, with the activated metering bins of each tra

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 process and apparatus for the metered introduction of fine-grain materials, particularly pulverulent solid substances (i.e., coal dust) from a pressurized metering container which contains a supply of solid material, into an industrial furnace having a plurality of feed locations such as a blast furnace or cupola furnace is presented. The solid material is fed to the individual feed locations in a carrier gas stream through a conveying duct, the gas stream being highly charged with the solid material. The carrier gas is fed to the lower end section of the metering container in a flow which causes a local loosening in the lower section of the supply of solid material with the conveying ducts opening into the loosening region. The apparatus includes a metering container, which is designed as a pressure vessel and which is adapted to be filled at its upper end section with solid material to be fed to the furnace. The metering container includes at its lower end section a plurality of upwardly open chambers.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling moisture content of a solid, such as pulverized coal, conveyed to a reactor, such as a gasifier, by controlling the temperature of a gas injected into a pulverizer or dryer based on the moisture content control of the coal transported to the gasifier.

Abstract: A method for disposing of waste materials including wastes generated by residential neighborhoods and business districts of a municipal area, by collecting waste materials centrally, sorting out and removing non-combustible materials from the collected wastes, and shredding the combustible materials coarsely. The coarsely shredded materials are then transported, if necessary, to the location of an incinerator or other furnace into which the materials are fed as fuel at a rate controlled in accordance with the requirements of the burner for complete and clean combustion, by feeding the coarsely shredded materials into a further shredder, shredding the materials to a final size, and immediately conveying the reshredded materials into the burner. Transportation and measurement of the coarsely shredded materials is thus accomplished with the waste materials at an optimum density for convenient handling and transportation at an economical cost.

Abstract: A new and improved system for feeding solid particulate material such as refuse derived fuel for burning in a combustion reactor vessel such as a boiler includes a fuel injector chute having a lower end for directing a flow of said solid particulate material into the vessel and an upper end for receiving a flow of said material. A feeder is provided having a discharge end for delivering a continuous controllable flow of said material to the inlet of the injector chute and a plurality of separate, spaced apart, vibratory feed hoppers are mounted above the feeder to supply the feeder with a steady flow of material from one or both hoppers. Each hopper is adapted for holding a reservoir or supply of said solid particulate material and is selectively controllable to provide a steady flow of solid particulate material into the feeder for delivery through the injector chute to the combustion reactor vessel.

Abstract: A furnace housing having a heat exchanger, an exhaust gas flue and an ash collecting bin therein. A burn chamber is provided in the housing with the heat exchanger being oriented in heat exchanging relation to the burn chamber. An inclined conduit extends through a wall in the furnace housing and terminates in the burn chamber. A rotatable shaft is attached to a burn basket having a bottom wall and a perforate side wall and an open top. The end of the conduit in the burn chamber terminates adjacent the open top of the burn basket. A closed housing is connected to an end of the conduit remote from the end in the burn chamber. A fan delivers air to the closed housing and then to the conduit. A pelletized fuel feeding apparatus delivers pelletized fuel from a storage device to the closed housing and then to the burn basket.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for continuously treating material for performing such functions as burning, roasting, smelting, coking, melting, high temperature chemical reactions and the like in a combustion chamber wherein the chamber or an extension thereof, is tuned to permit combustion gases therein to resonate and to thereby effect maximum combustion efficiency. In particular, the invention concerns controllably varying the geometry of the combustion chamber, such as the length of a pipe or tubed section thereof in accordance with the variables of combustion occuring therein, so as to optimize efficiency of combustion and the reaction which takes place between the burning material and the material being treated or reacted on. In addition to effecting such reactions, the apparatus is also operable to effect the transfer of the heat of combustion to a heat transfer medium, such as water for generating steam or other form of heat transfer medium to maximize the utilization of the energy generated.

Abstract: A system and process for controlling a boiler is disclosed. The system includes a television camera mounted above the reciprocable grate of the boiler to locate craters in solid fuel on the grate and an actuator to vary an operating parameter of the furnace according to the location of the craters.

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: This invention presents apparatus and a process for the injection of metered amounts of pulverized materials by a pneumatic device into a vessel which is under variable pressure, and the application thereof to a shaft furnace.

Abstract: A process and apparatus for delivering carbon i.e., coal dust, to be combusted in a furnace is presented. The furnace is of the type having plural combustion points and may include a shaft furnace such as, for example, a blast or cupola furnace. The carbon dust is delivered in dosed quantities to each of the individual combustion points in a separate air stream which is under a predetermined pressure. The carbon (coal dust)/carrier gas (air) is delivered to each combustion point in the furnace at super critical speed, i.e., the speed of sound, the carrier gas having a relatively high proportion of solid material therein. The actual quantity of carbon material delivered to each combustion point is directly detected and monitored as a consequence of volumetric measurement and is appropriately corrected by means of a secondary air supply when the carbon quantity either exceeds or falls below a predetermined nominal value.

Abstract: A solid fuel burner comprises a system which permits solid fuel to be injected into a burner chamber and intermixed in an air suspension. The burner includes a cast iron, stepped grate that is self-cleaning, and comprises a series of plates that are substantially horizontal and are vertically spaced apart to form steps. Air is introduced under the stepped plates and the air blows out into the combustion chamber through the spaces between the plates to aid in combustion and cause turbulence in the fuel introduced. The burner further includes a "pin hole" grate adjacent the stepped grate on which lighter materials will fall and will be also subject to an air stream for complete combustion, and efficient burning.

Abstract: A particle fuel burning furnace has an upper combustion chamber for holding a pile of particle fuel and burning the same from the bottom thereof. The furnace also includes a lower combustion chamber for afterburning combustible gases given off by the burning of solid fuel in the upper chamber and a series of spaced apart vertically-extending passageways arranged in a row and interconnecting the upper and lower chambers for communicating the combustible gases from the upper to the lower chamber. A first improved feature relates to a particle fuel delivery control device which operates an auger for filling the upper chamber with particle fuel to a desired level. A beam of light is transmitted and reflected between a photoelectric cell and reflector respectively of the device. When the particle fuel pile has grown in height during filling to the desired level the light beam is interrupted and filling is terminated.

Abstract: An improved biomass gasifier combustor system including a furnace, a screw feeder system for feeding a biomass fuel to the furnace and a venturi eductor system adapted for drawing a gaseous combustion product from a combustion chamber of the furnace is disclosed. The furnace enclosure forms a principal chamber in which a housing containing a secondary air chamber is disposed so as to form a partition in the principal chamber which divides the principal chamber into two regions, one of which regions is a gasification chamber and the other of which is a gas combustion chamber.

Abstract: A direct-fired, pulverized coal-fired furnace 2, wherein the fuel supply system is modified so that a load carrying pulverizer 10 supplying pulverized coal to the furnace through a plurality of burners 4 may simultaneously also supply pulverized coal to a storage bin 16 for storage therein until needed to start-up, warm-up and stabilize the low load firing of the furnace 2 at a later time.

Abstract: Supplying a fuel to a plurality of burners of a heating installation is performed by individually dosing a fuel by dosing elements to a plurality of burners with an excessive available amount of the fuel, withdrawing an unused amount of the fuel from the dosing elements, determining a difference between the available amount and the unused amount of the fuel to obtain an actual consumed amount of the fuel, comparing the thus obtained actual consumed amount of the fuel with the desired consumption amount of the fuel, and controlling the dosing of the fuel to each of the burner in dependence upon the results of the comparing steps.

Abstract: In a fluidized boiler system, the rate of fuel flow and bed depth are simultaneously controlled in response to variations in a load demand signal representing the need for steam output from the system. When the load demand changes, the rate of fuel flow is varied accordingly to provide a change in the bed temperature to thus provide a rapid response to the change in the demand signal. At the same time, the system changes the rate of flow of limestone to the bed and the rate of removal of spent particulate material of the bed to change the bed depth to respond more slowly to the change in the demand signal. As the depth of the fluidized bed approaches a value corresponding to the demand signal, the temperature of the bed will change back toward a median value.

Abstract: A feeding system for a starved-air combustor which enables the batch feeding of preselected weights of fuel into a combustion chamber of the starved-air combustor. The feeding system also blocks the entry of ambient air into the combustion chamber during the feeding of fuel to the chamber and can control the feeding of fuel into the combustion chamber in response to the orientation of a fuel-conveying auger in the combustion chamber.

Abstract: A control system for a starved-air combustor wherein a combustion chamber is divided into a plurality of combustion chamber zones with separate overfire and underfire airflows being individually provided for each zone. Fuel is fed to the combustor in selectable constant weight batches and the supply of underfire air is proportional to the rate at which an auger rotates to convey the fuel through the combustor. Overfire air is supplied to each combustion zone in an inverse relationship to the variance of a sensed temperature within the zone from a predetermined temperature.

Abstract: Fine particulate solid fuel particles are delivered from a venturi ejector to a rotating double-armed distributor which distributes fuel and air sequentially to conduits leading to the burner ejector of a kiln. The distributor is sealed and pressurized with air so as to provide the conduits with additional pulses of air following the times at which they receive fuel and air from the distributing operation.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling the burning of a solid fuel furnace is disclosed. In a furnace having a burning chamber, a fuel supply mechanism in the form of a rotating grate, a fuel discharge mechanism in the form of a rotating grate located adjacent the rotating grate of the fuel supply mechanism and at least one air blower, the present invention supplies a control mechanism for controlling the operation of the fuel supply and discharge mechanism as well as the blowers in such a manner that fuel is supplied and discharged in an optimum manner. The control mechanism senses the temperature of the combustion gases and the temperature of the load being heated by the furnace. If the temperature of the load is below a predetermined level and a first time period T.sub.1 has not passed since a preceding fuel supply and discharge, the fans are activated but a fuel supply and discharge cycle is not. If the time of the sensing of the low load temperature is below the time T.sub.

Abstract: An improved burning system for automatically controllably charging a wood-waste burning steam boiler utilizes a fuel bin unloader having a gravity fed screw metering device for feeding fuel into the system in response to steam demand and pollution output feedback signals. The metering device deposits fuel through a rotary air lock into an air stream of a fuel injection fan having a vortex controller on the inlet side to modulate and maintain a proper fuel-air ratio for wood firing. The fan injects the fuel and air into the boiler through a controlled proportioning valve. All controls and recording devices are contained in one control unit for operating each component of the system to achieve and maintain a proper fuel-air ratio according to received steam demand and pollution output feedback signals.

Abstract: A screw-conveyor or auger feed and associated leveling system for underfeed stoker troughs receiving particulate, cominuted, or chunk material, such as "green" coal, by way of example, this for assuring a uniformly rising level of material relative to the trough. The stoker structure herein includes combustion beds which are air perforate and kept this way through periodically rising members such as tuyeres which shear or break up clinker-formation on such beds. A pneumatically-operated system may preferably be used to actuate such movable tuyeres relative to such combustion beds. Combustion air flows through the combustion beds upwardly but not over the trough; hot gasses rising rapidly from the combustion beds confine volatiles gently rising vertically from the cone within the trough for complete combustion, essentially eliminating smoke-production thereat.

Abstract: The method of burning different sorts of solid fuel in a tunnel-like burner furnace comprises the steps of pulverizing the solid fuel particles to a size corresponding to optimum burning performance of the employed burners, supplying the pulverized particles in an air stream to the burners of the furnace and adjusting the supplied amount of pulverized particle-air mixture, and the amount of air in the mixture in accordance with the optimum burning performance of the burner. The burner furnace system for performing the method of this invention comprises a tunnel burner furnace having a plurality of ceiling burners and of side wall burners, a fuel distributor having a rotatable distributing channel communicating successively with respective burners and a dosing device connected to the input of the fuel distributor and adapted for adjusting the stream of the mixture of air with pulverized fuel particles.

Abstract: The application discloses a particulate solid fuel combustion system for kilns and the like. A particulate solid fuel such as powdered coal, is supplied to a fluidized bed conveyor. Selected quantities of coal are withdrawn to air entrainment devices where the coal is entrained in a jet of a gas and delivered to a burner. The firing rate is controlled responsive to requirements of the kiln.

Abstract: A method for the combustion of crushed solid fuel comprising crushing the fuel into a powder form, placing the crushed fuel into a storage bin and fluidizing the fuel within the bin, passing the fluid fuel through a de-airing pipe to partially compact the fuel, advancing the partially compacted fuel into a mixing chamber, passing regular pulses of compressed air through the mixing chamber so as to form a vena contracta in the mixing chamber thereby inducing the flow of partially compacted fuel into the compressed air and causing the mixture of fuel and compressed air to flow into a kiln or furnace.