With Means For Advancing Or Handling Refuse Or Residue Patents (Class 110/255)
  • Patent number: 5735224
    Abstract: A thermal dechlorinating apparatus for collected ash, having a vertically elongated cylindrical apparatus body, a collected ash inlet and a collected ash outlet which are provided on the apparatus body and spaced in a vertical direction thereof, an inlet port for heated air provided on the portion of the apparatus body between the inlet and the outlet, an exhaust gas outlet provided on the portion of the apparatus body above the collected ash inlet, a rotary shaft provided along the axial direction of the apparatus body, a screw provided on the rotary shaft, and heating means provided on the portion of the apparatus body between the collected ash inlet and the collected ash outlet. Heated air is led into the apparatus body through the heated air inlet port. A stirred fluidized layer is formed in the portion of the apparatus body above the heated air inlet port, and a moving layer is formed below the heated air inlet port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 1996
    Date of Patent: April 7, 1998
    Assignee: Mitsui Engineering & Shipbuilding Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Gentaro Takasuka, Mazumi Itaya
  • Patent number: 5730073
    Abstract: When scrap tires containing metal wire are incinerated in the scrap tire combustion furnace at a temperature of 400.degree. to 950.degree. C. in the presence of oxygen, CO.sub.2 and water vapor is implemented, waste flons soaked into cloths, for example, are loaded together with scrap tires into the furnace. In this method, waste flons can be decomposed nearly 100%, under the reactions of hydrocarbons as well as a slight amount of sulfur which are both generated when the scrap tires burns.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 24, 1998
    Assignee: The Social Welfare Foundation Hokkaido Rehabily
    Inventor: Takeji Kobata
  • Patent number: 5711235
    Abstract: A conveyor for waste has a waste feed shaft which is laterally connected to a horizontally divided conveyor channel. A screw conveyor being drivable by a motor is located in the longitudinal direction of the conveyor channel. The conveyor channel opens into a housing, in particular into a pyrolysis reactor, which by way of example is operated in conjunction with a low-temperature carbonization combustion process. In order to easily eliminate blockages of the screw conveyor, a unit formed of the screw conveyor and the conveyor channel is disconnectably secured to the housing and is removable from the housing through the use of a traveling mounting. A method for inspecting the contents of a conveyor channel receiving waste and discharging into a housing, especially a pyrolysis reactor, includes disconnecting the conveyor channel from the housing, driving the conveyor channel away with a traveling mounting, and opening the conveyor channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 1996
    Date of Patent: January 27, 1998
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Karl May, Hartmut Herm, Karlheinz Unverzagt
  • Patent number: 5678496
    Abstract: A method and a plant for the pyrolytic treatment of waste containing organic material, particularly for treating municipal solid waste. The method comprises: a step for loading the waste to be treated onto transport trolleys; a step for the insertion of the trolleys, which contain the waste, into a treatment tunnel wherein a pyrolysis chamber is formed; a step for the indirect heating of the waste inside the pyrolysis chamber up to a temperature adapted to cause waste pyrolysis, with extraction from the pyrolysis chamber of the gaseous-phase substances generated by the pyrolysis process; and a step for the extraction of the trolleys from the tunnel to unload the solid residues remained in the trolleys.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 1996
    Date of Patent: October 21, 1997
    Assignee: O.E.T. Calusco S.r.l.
    Inventors: Dario Buizza, Osvaldo Brioni
  • Patent number: 5636580
    Abstract: A pyrolysis system is provided for use in the pyrolytic distillation of various feedstock materials, such system including an elongate reaction chamber with an upstream end, a downstream end, an infeed port near the upstream end and a discharge port near the downstream end. An auger is disposed in the reaction chamber to convey feedstock from the infeed port to the discharge port through the reaction chamber. In one embodiment, the auger includes a reverse section downstream from the discharge port to create an accumulation zone. An input airlock coupled to the reaction chamber near the upstream end delivers charges of feedstock through the input port into the reaction chamber and an output airlock coupled to the discharge port of the reaction chamber receives therefrom pyrolyzed material. Heat is supplied by a furnace disposed around the reaction chamber to supply heat thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 10, 1997
    Inventor: Douglas R. Kanis
  • Patent number: 5634414
    Abstract: Municipal or other solid waste is delivered in loose form to a processing facility where it is compacted into a supply chute adjacent the upper portion of a reactor. The compaction serves to remove most of the air and some of the water from the waste as well as to seal the reactor against air infiltration. The supply chute is equipped with a number of pusher units which are capable of pushing a portion of the compacted waste in the form of a block into the reactor. The blocks of compacted waste are deposited in the top of the reactor in response to a signal related to the height of waste in the reactor. A pivotally and extendible mounted plasma arc torch is employed as a heat source to pyrolyze organic waste components to generate desired by-product gases. Air and steam are added in controlled quantities to improve the operational efficiency and the by-product gas composition. Residual materials which do not pyrolyze are melted and cooled into a substantially inert vitrified mass.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 3, 1997
    Assignee: Plasma Technology Corporation
    Inventor: Salvador L. Camacho
  • Patent number: 5619934
    Abstract: A waste car disposer which includes a plurality of tunnel-like furnaces connected in series and separately controlled to heat waste cars at different temperatures so that plastic, rubber, glass, lead, zinc, nickel, copper, iron and steel parts of waste cars are separately melted and respectively collected for reclamation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 1996
    Date of Patent: April 15, 1997
    Inventor: Chin-Ching Yen
  • Patent number: 5562053
    Abstract: A tunnel type incinerator with cylindrical inner and outer barrels which are rotated in opposite directions relative to each other. A large number of crushing blades or protrusions are disposed and engaged with each other in a spiral shape on the wall of the barrels, a hopper is disposed on a side of a hold member which is joined with the inner and outer barrels and a bucket is disposed on a lower opposite side of the hold member. Charged waste from the hopper is crushed on the crushing blades and moved to the front end portion of the barrel by a screw ribbon and burned up by the indirect heating of a combustion tube with burners, and a non combustioned gas tube is mounted over the hold member, such that the non combustioned gas produced in the inner and outer barrels is recycled to burn up the non combustioned gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 1994
    Date of Patent: October 8, 1996
    Inventor: Kyung-suk Lim
  • Patent number: 5497711
    Abstract: Improved grate plates are designed to produce multiple eddy currents in the absence of clinker and to provide even greater air distribution when overlaid by clinker. Each grate plate has a plurality of upwardly flaring wells which open to the upper surface on which the clinker bed is supported. Within each well is at least one semi-annular slot providing ingress for cooling air from a remote source. The slot extends only partially around the wall of the well such that air is injected into the well somewhat tangentially to the flaring surface to induce cyclonic motion of the air which is enhanced by the flared conic walls of the wells. Accordingly, the energy imparted the air by injection is diminished by the rotational energy dissipated and the cooling air's initial vertical component of velocity is diminished.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 1995
    Date of Patent: March 12, 1996
    Assignee: Southern Alloy Corporation
    Inventor: Billy T. Bobbitt
  • Patent number: 5497710
    Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus for the melting and subsequent solidification of fine particulate material by means of a plasma torch. The fine particulate material is introduced into a furnace having a plasma torch to a depth sufficient to cover the plasma flame produced by the torch. When operative, the torch generates a heat at low gas flow, which both allows the fine particulate material to rest with little disturbance and to transfer large amounts of heat energy to the fine particulate, effectively preheating the fine particulate material for more efficient melting. The melt may, for example, be solidified into a block for building use, into fibers by means of pressurized air passed through a venturi nozzle or into other useful forms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 1994
    Date of Patent: March 12, 1996
    Assignee: Plasma Technology Corporation
    Inventor: Salvador L. Camacho
  • Patent number: 5489204
    Abstract: An apparatus useful for sintering unsintered abrasive grain precursor to provide sintered abrasive grain. The sintered abrasive grain can be incorporated into abrasive articles such as bonded abrasives (e.g., grinding wheels), coated abrasives, and nonwoven abrasives.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 1993
    Date of Patent: February 6, 1996
    Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Stanley L. Conwell, William P. Wood
  • Patent number: 5415112
    Abstract: An incinerator is described which includes a cylindrical rotary furnace slightly inclined downwardly in its longitudinal direction for combusting material introduced into an entrance, a cylindrical housing for housing the furnace and a secondary combustor connected with an exit of the furnace. Partition plates are placed in an annular space between the housing and the furnace for defining a combustion air introduction zone below the furnace and recirculated gas introduction zone above the combustion air introduction zone. A gas recirculation duct extends from the secondary combustor to the furnace housing for introducing a portion of the gas flow discharged from the secondary combustor into the recirculated gas introduction zone. An external air flow is introduced to the combustion air introduction zone. The recirculated gas lowers the,temperature of the furnace and this results in reduced NOx generation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 1994
    Date of Patent: May 16, 1995
    Inventor: Kenzo Takahashi
  • Patent number: 5411714
    Abstract: A thermal conversion pyrolysis reactor system (10) is provided for use in providing a continuous flow type pyrolysis reaction for conversion of carbonizable input materials ("MW") (12). The reactor system (10) utilizes a diffusion material ("MD") (14) which is preheated and admixed with the MD (12) in order to facilitate pyrolysis and to partially catalyze reactions. Subsystems are provided to receive gaseous (30), liquid (32) and solid (32) phase outputs. The reactor system (10) includes further component subsystems for waste material MW input (22), MD input (26), reactor chamber (24), and heating (28). The MD (14) is preheated by being carried through the reactor chamber (64) prior to admixing with the MW (12) and further by exhaust gases (94) from the furnace space (88) being directed through a heat exchanger (126).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 1993
    Date of Patent: May 2, 1995
    Inventors: Arthur C. Wu, Sabrina C. Chen
  • Patent number: 5388537
    Abstract: A system for disposing of refuse-derived fuel ("RDF") and converting the refuse-derived fuel into a fuel gas is described. The system includes a positive pressure combustion chamber and a feed system for feeding the RDF into the combustion chamber at high speed. No compaction of the low density RDF is required. The feed system includes a feed conveyor, first and second air locks with a first conduit between the feed conveyor and the first air lock, and a second conduit between the first and second air locks. Both conduits are generally vertically oriented, but sloped at an angle that prevents bridging of the RDF.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 1994
    Date of Patent: February 14, 1995
    Assignee: Southern California Edison Company
    Inventors: Lory E. Larson, Thomas R. Miles
  • Patent number: 5388535
    Abstract: A material processing apparatus includes a casing having a pyrolysis chamber for receiving and pyrolyzing feed materials therein into a gaseous material and solid ash residue, a mass of refractory material contained in the casing upon a bottom thereof, being spaced below a top and extending between opposite sides thereof, and including an inclined upper surface defining the bottom of the pyrolysis chamber and having a lower terminal edge being spaced from one of the opposite sides of the casing for defining a solid ash residue collection region therein, and a pusher mechanism disposed in the pyrolysis chamber for engaging and moving feed materials down the inclined upper surface of the refractory mass toward the lower terminal edge thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 1993
    Date of Patent: February 14, 1995
    Inventor: Roger D. Eshleman
  • Patent number: 5375540
    Abstract: A device for improved burning of bio-mass fuels such as corn wherein the fuel is supported within a fixed combustion chamber upon a continuous track which continuously intermittently moves such that as the fuel is consumed the ash produced thereby is continuously removed from the combustion chamber while new fuel is continuously added thereto so as to greatly increase the operational cycle of the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 1993
    Date of Patent: December 27, 1994
    Assignee: Federal Energy Corporation
    Inventors: Joseph Verrecchia, Irwin H. Loft
  • Patent number: 5361709
    Abstract: A material processing apparatus includes a casing having a top and bottom and a plurality of sides defining a pyrolysis chamber for receiving and pyrolyzing feed materials therein into fluid materials and a mass of refractory material disposed upon the bottom of the casing and spaced below the top thereof and extending between its sides. The refractory mass includes an upper surface defining a bottom of the pyrolysis chamber and having an end spaced from a first one of the casing sides to define an ash residue collection cavity therebetween. The apparatus also includes a pusher mechanism mounted to and extending through a second one of the casing sides opposite from the first one side. The pusher mechanism is operable to engage and transport residue of materials received on the upper surface of said refractory mass and being pyrolyzed in the chamber across the upper surface of the refractory mass toward the collection cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 1993
    Date of Patent: November 8, 1994
    Inventor: Roger D. Eshleman
  • Patent number: 5323716
    Abstract: A material processing apparatus includes a casing having a top and bottom and a plurality of sides defining a pyrolysis chamber for receiving and pyrolyzing feed materials therein into fluid materials and a mass of refractory material disposed upon the bottom of the casing and spaced below the top thereof and extending between its sides. The refractory mass includes an upper surface defining a bottom of the pyrolysis chamber and having an end spaced from a first one of the casing sides to define an ash residue collection cavity therebetween. The apparatus also includes a system of tunnels defined within the refractory mass being spaced below the upper surface thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 1993
    Date of Patent: June 28, 1994
    Inventor: Roger D. Eshleman
  • Patent number: 5315937
    Abstract: A waste material combustion apparatus for disposing of an assortment of waste material like garbage, sludge and burnable trash in which the ash produced as a result of combustion of that assorted material is collected and transported to a bag house where the ash solids are separated, the air is released to atmosphere, and the separated ash residue is collected as a product of the combustion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 1992
    Date of Patent: May 31, 1994
    Inventor: Robert M. Williams
  • Patent number: 5298196
    Abstract: Apparatus for heating an object such as a nuclear target bundle to release and recover hydrogen and contain the disposable residue for disposal. The apparatus comprises an inverted furnace, a sleeve/crucible assembly for holding and enclosing the bundle, conveying equipment for placing the sleeve onto the crucible and loading the bundle into the sleeve/crucible, a lift for raising the enclosed bundle into the furnace, and hydrogen recovery equipment including a trap and strippers, all housed in a containment having negative internal pressure. The crucible/sleeve assembly has an internal volume that is sufficient to enclose and hold the bundle before heating; the crucible's internal volume is sufficient by itself to hold and enclose the bundle's volume after heating. The crucible can then be covered and disposed of; the sleeve, on the other hand, can be reused.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 1992
    Date of Patent: March 29, 1994
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the United States Department of Energy
    Inventor: Leung K. Heung
  • Patent number: 5284103
    Abstract: A bio-mass burner construction for alternate fuels at temperatures from about 1,800 degrees F. to about 2,800 degrees F. to replace oil and gas burners. The burner utilizes a first burning chamber having a falling fuel, entrained bed zone positioned above a traveling grate having a porous metallic woven belt. Primary air is directed through the porous belt to establish an oxygen-starved first burning chamber. A second burning chamber in fluid communication with the first burning chamber, but having a restricted diameter, effectively provides a hot air gas nozzle. The second burning chamber receives a superheated secondary air source from cored apertures in interfitting refractory block members which provide a refractory lining for a portion of the first burning chamber and receive heat from the first burning chamber to heat the secondary air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 1992
    Date of Patent: February 8, 1994
    Assignee: Waste Conversion Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: David J. Hand, Calvin H. Hand, Jr., Stan E. Abrams
  • Patent number: 5277133
    Abstract: An apparatus for treating garbage. The apparatus has a conveyor, a continuous incinerator receiving garbage from the conveyor, a device for cooling ash carried out of the continuous incinerator, a device for filtering the ash, a pipe for inducing exhaust from the continuous incinerator to a water tank for removing particles and water-soluble components from the exhaust.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 1992
    Date of Patent: January 11, 1994
    Inventor: Chin-Lung Chen
  • Patent number: 5216967
    Abstract: A refuse-burning apparatus having a main combustion-housing with an interior in which refuse is placed and burned, which main combustion-housing has a plurality of substantially-upright walls, a top wall, and a lower meshed screen. One side wall has an entrance through which refuse may enter into the interior of the housing, which entrance is selectively opened and closed. A loader for loading refuse into the interior of the housing is operatively associated with the entrance, so that refuse may be inserted into the interior when the entrance is opened up. A ventilator supplies air to the interior. An after-burner is mounted to the top wall of the main housing for achieving secondary burning of the refuse, which after-burner has a main frame, at least one burner mounted to the main frame, and exhaust for directing the products of combustion from the main frame to the ambient surroundings. In the preferred embodiment, the bottom meshed screen is periodically vibrated to loosen any ash lodged therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 1992
    Date of Patent: June 8, 1993
    Inventor: Sam Mormino
  • Patent number: 5127344
    Abstract: An incinerator for combustion of general refuse and industrial wastes having a pair of ash discharge plates and a pair of refuse supporting plates. The ash discharge plates are disposed at the bottom of a furnace in such a manner that it can be freely opened and closed for timely discharge of ashes that accumulate on the bottom. The refuse supporting plates are disposed at a lower level of the furnace in such a manner that it can be freely displaced in a horizontal direction out of and into the furnace projecting into an upper layer of the piled up ashes at the time of discharge of ashes by the ash discharge plates to support the refuse and ashes disposed thereabove.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 1991
    Date of Patent: July 7, 1992
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Plantec
    Inventor: Seizo Katsui
  • Patent number: 5088422
    Abstract: A rotary isolation door for use in a conduit extending between an auger feeder and an incinerator which opens to allow the auger feeder to convey material to the incinerator and closes to prevent burn-back of material in the conduit from the incinerator. The door includes a first housing plate having a first opening offset from its center, An annular spacer-plate attached to the first housing plate, and a second housing plate having a second opening offset from its center and attached to the side of the spacer plate opposite the first housing plate. The first, second and spacer plates are attached to form an interior chamber within which is rotatably mounted a door plate having an offset opening such that a flow path is formed when the openings of the first and second housing plates and door plate are aligned.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 1990
    Date of Patent: February 18, 1992
    Inventor: Larry E. Koenig
  • Patent number: 5088856
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for remediating soils and other materials contaminated with organic compounds comprising dual volatilizing zones and radiant heat. The material is treated in the volatilizing zones to substantially volatilize the organic compounds contained within the material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 1990
    Date of Patent: February 18, 1992
    Assignee: Soils, Inc.
    Inventor: Gene H. Yocum
  • Patent number: 5085552
    Abstract: A surge feeder for feeding refuse material into a furnace comprises a plurality of rollers mounted on a base supporting the rollers above the feed opening to the furnace. A chain and sprocket drive mechanism is mounted to the base and serves to counter-rotatably drive the rollers. Each roller has fixedly mounted thereto at equally angularly spaced apart locations a plurality of generally planar shaped paddles which extend continuously along the length of the roller. The paddles project radially from and alternate in height angularly about each roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 1990
    Date of Patent: February 4, 1992
    Assignee: Miller Hofft, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert R. Lennon
  • Patent number: 5081940
    Abstract: Waste is combusted by an incinerator and becomes an ash. The ash is transferred to a melting furnace to be melt therein. The ash contains unburned carbon and the melting at the melting furnace is influenced by an amount of the unburned carbon. The amount of unburned carbon largely depends on a gas temperature at an waste inlet of the incinerator and an waste burn-out point in the incinerator. The waste disposal method, using the incinerator and the melting furnace, comprises the steps of detecting the gas temperature at the waste inlet of the incinerator, detecting the burn-out point of waste combustion in the incinerator, controlling a waste transfer speed in the incinerator and controlling a flow rate of air fed into the incinerator such that the detected temperature and burn-out point remain within repsective predetermined ranges, which in turn brings the amount of the unburned carbon remaining in the ash to a desired value, whereby the melting at the melting furnace is controlled to a desired melting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 1990
    Date of Patent: January 21, 1992
    Assignee: Ishikawajima-Harima Heavy Industries Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takehiko Motomura, Hitoshi Hagihara, Satoshi Inoue
  • Patent number: 5050510
    Abstract: An apparatus and method of burning trash containing aluminum in a furnace having a moving grate and inclined trays. The grate has an upper and lower part. The inclined trays are provided with one or more inclined plates. The inclined plates are supported on the trays below the upper part of the grate and above the lower part of the grate. Ash and molten aluminum falls through the upper part of the grate, onto the inclined plates, the ash slides off the plates and the aluminum remains on the plates. The plates have holes therethrough to allow air flow for combustion. Some blockage of the holes by aluminum will result over time, but not enough to significantly restrict the flow of combustion air to the combustion area. The trays are removed through the side walls of the furnace for removal of the aluminum when necessary.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 1990
    Date of Patent: September 24, 1991
    Assignee: Zurn Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Frank D. Vona, James H. Rafferty
  • Patent number: 5020453
    Abstract: A vertical incinerator for burning general refuses and industrial wastes which comprises a plurality of sets of grates disposed at different levels within a furnace to divide the furnace into a plurality of combustion chambers in such a manner that the refuse charged into a top portion of the furnace is burnt as it is successively allowed to move downward to become ashes which are withdrawal from the bottom of the furnace.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 1990
    Date of Patent: June 4, 1991
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Plantec
    Inventor: Seizo Katsui
  • Patent number: 4991519
    Abstract: An incinerating furnace which utilizes mineral particles as a hearth bed. Hearth particles are supplied and automatically flow down by gravity into the combustion chamber and onto a movable plane member, such as a rotary table, disposed at the bottom of the furnace. A mixture of used hearth particles and the combustion remainder is removed from the outlet of the furnace as the movable plane member moves and introduced into a receiving tank. Supplemental hearth particles are supplied from a hopper into the combustion chamber and form an oblique hearth bed where incineration takes place.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 1990
    Date of Patent: February 12, 1991
    Inventor: Shigeru Saitoh
  • Patent number: 4989522
    Abstract: A method and system for detoxification of waste materials, comprising incineration of the waste materials followed by additional contaminant reduction steps. The waste material is separated into solid and liquid portions that are fed separately into a combustion chamber wherein they are exposed to a plasma arc torch to affect combustion, producing a gaseous emissions stream and an obsidian residue. The gaseous emissions stream passes through an emissions control unit to eliminate acid gases, metals, and particulates, producing a cleansed exhaust gas and an emissions residue. The emissions residue is passed through an electroplating unit to reclaim metals. The obsidian residue is pulverized and then treated by a chemical process, or passed through the electroplating unit, to reduce the concentration of unbound barium contained therein, producing an inert obsidian residue that is free of toxic levels of all contaminants.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 1989
    Date of Patent: February 5, 1991
    Assignee: Sharpe Environmental Services
    Inventors: George H. Cline, Dale C. Edward, Bob G. Langberg, Kurt G. Winkler
  • Patent number: 4987840
    Abstract: An incinerator has a furnace body whose height is 1.5-10 times the average internal diameter thereof. A combustion chamber is included which is formed by providing a plurality of air blast ports in a lower side wall and/or bank in the furnace body. A gas exhaust port is provided in the upper side of the combustion chamber and the side wall of the upper portion of the furnace body. A duct is included for leading an exhaust gas from the exhaust port to a place for making secondary use thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 1988
    Date of Patent: January 29, 1991
    Assignee: Kiyoharu Michimae
    Inventor: Yoji Honda
  • Patent number: 4987837
    Abstract: A furnace having an ash discharge system which collects and receives siftings falling from portions of the incinerator grate and at the same time provides for controlled emission of air for combustion of the fuel to separate sections of the grate independently. The siftings removal system includes a hopper for receiving siftings that also forms part of an air plenum for directing and controlling the flow of combustion air to the furnace. A rotating conveyor is disposed within the hopper for removing ash from the hopper. An air seal divides the hopper into separate air chambers, each of the chambers being independently supplied with a source of pressurized air. The system also includes a means to separately control the air supply to each chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 1990
    Date of Patent: January 29, 1991
    Assignee: Detroit Stoker Company
    Inventors: David C. Reschly, Kenneth D. Alt
  • Patent number: 4960380
    Abstract: Coherent radiation is used to provide the energy, excite and sustain of plasma in which solid waste materials are reduced to a slag-like material from which has been removed the more harmful constituents. The effluvia of the plasma reduction process is scrubbed to remove particulates and the gas is processed by additional heating to eliminate products of incomplete combustion and/or chemically convert harmful constituents. The remaining gas is then safely exhausted into the atmosphere. The solid waste material may be the ash by-product of prior incineration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 1989
    Date of Patent: October 2, 1990
    Assignee: Phoenix Environmental Ltd.
    Inventor: Eric Cheetham
  • Patent number: 4949653
    Abstract: An incinerator and recyclable material recovery apparatus and method for processing refuse. An incineration means is disclosed for loading and shaping a refuse mass on a refractory transport means and conveying the refuse mass through an incinerator to achieve ecologically acceptable combustion of combustible materials, melting and selective separation of metallic and glass components of the refuse mass and removal of non-combustible materials. The novel method and apparatus provides a refuse mass transport means having means to allow removal of water from the refuse mass during the pre-heat and combustion stages of incineration and provides a means to selectively remove glass and metallic portions of the refuse mass as the melting temperature of these materials are reached during the incineration process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 1989
    Date of Patent: August 21, 1990
    Inventor: James P. Rast
  • Patent number: 4945837
    Abstract: A stoker assembly for a solid particulate burning stove that includes a fuel directing flange for directing the fuel to an upper combustion plate and ventilation tubes to prevent the ignition and combustion of fuel stored in remote bins. The fuel directing flange serves to prevent the solid particulate fuel from falling back into the auger conveyor and being ground into smaller particulate matter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 1989
    Date of Patent: August 7, 1990
    Inventor: Oliver J. Whitfield
  • Patent number: 4944236
    Abstract: The present invention provides a tunnel type garbage incinerator, which is characterized that the garbages are first classified into combustible and incombustible materials, then the combustible materials are loaded on a bogie and fed into the incinerating tunnel for incineration, the fore section of the incinerating tunnel is used for drying combustible materials, the middle section of the incinerating tunnel is used for the bleast incineration of the combustible material, the aft section of the incinerating tunnel is used for the cooling and output port of the incinerated materials or ashes. In which, the incinerating tunnel is furnished with blowers, flame igniting device, smoke processing device, and through proper arrangement of the components, the garbages can be completely combusted with minimal fuel oil consumption, furthermore, since the smoke is filtered before it is expelled, it does not produce air pollution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 1989
    Date of Patent: July 31, 1990
    Inventor: Chao-Chin Sheen
  • Patent number: 4913067
    Abstract: A stoker comprising a housing defining first, second and third plenum chambers, a grate unit disposed at an upper end of each plenum chamber, a first residue removal means disposed at a lower end of the first plenum chamber, a second residue removal means disposed at a lower end of the second plenum chamber for receiving residue from the first residue removal means and a third residue removal means disposed at a lower end of the third plenum chamber for receiving residue from the second residue removal means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 1989
    Date of Patent: April 3, 1990
    Assignee: Morse Boulger, Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew J. Gaskin, Stanley W. Kroon, Thomas Tsaveras
  • Patent number: 4895084
    Abstract: A stoker consisting of a support frame, a stationary assembly of longitudinally spaced sets of grates mounted on the support frame, a first movable assembly of longitudinally spaced sets of grates mounted on the support frame, the first movable assembly having first and second pluralities of grate sets, the first plurality of grate sets being disposed in a first set of alternate spaces between sets of grates of the stationary assembly, the second plurality of grate sets being disposed in successive spaces between sets of grates of the stationary assembly, a second movable assembly of longitudinally spaced sets of grates mounted on the support frame, the sets of grates of the second movable assembly being disposed in a second set of alternate spaces between sets of grates of the stationary assembly, and means for reciprocating the first and second movable assemblies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 1987
    Date of Patent: January 23, 1990
    Assignee: Morse Boulger, Inc.
    Inventors: Stanley W. Kroon, Thomas Tsaveras
  • Patent number: 4882903
    Abstract: A combined cycle waste-to-energy plant is utilized to thermally convert municipal and industrial solid wastes into essentially complete products of combustion and use the combustion heat to produce steam and/or electrical power. The plant includes a building enclosure having a waste receiving area, a waste fuel separation and processing area, an incinerator area and a heat recovery and power generation area. Processed waste fuel is delivered to a series of incinerators by an automated conveyor and hopper system, and the waste fuel is burned in the incinerators by hot exhaust gas delivered thereto from one or more combustion turbines located outside the building and drivingly connected to electrical generators. Inlet air to the turbines is drawn from with the building to maintain its interior at a negative pressure, thereby preventing waste odors and pathogens from escaping from the building.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 1988
    Date of Patent: November 28, 1989
    Assignees: CH Guernsey & Company, Maurice G. Woods, Teresa J. Woods, Applied Thermal Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: William L. Lowry Jr., Maurice G. Woods, Charles A. Martin
  • Patent number: 4876971
    Abstract: An incinerator having a funnel shaped burning chamber within a firebox with the chamber being formed of water pipes connected to a water circulation system including a steam chest. The chamber is rotated about its axis which is inclined so that the lower conical portion of the chamber is horizontal. Material for burning is driven up the cylindrical portion of the chamber, and combustion air is forced through a nozzle into the open conical portion of the chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 1988
    Date of Patent: October 31, 1989
    Inventor: Chadwell O'Connor
  • Patent number: 4870911
    Abstract: An incinerator pyrolyzer for continuously burning waste material characterized by a rotating kiln within a furnace chamber for incinerating waste material passing through the kiln. The kiln includes means for introducing reactants for chemically changing ingredients in the waste material. The furnace also including an outlet for dumping the incinerated residue from the kiln and an outlet for any gas generated during the burning.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 1988
    Date of Patent: October 3, 1989
    Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corp.
    Inventors: Robert C. W. Chang, Steven C. Vorndran, Michael F. Joseph
  • Patent number: 4852504
    Abstract: A waste fuel incineration process and system operates at very high temperatures with excess under fire air for high efficiency combustion of waste as a fuel and for decomposition of any toxic waste. The system is applicable for clean burning volume reduction of waste and for power generation and co-generation of heat. The control elements are constructed and arranged and the control circuit programmed for maintaining the primary combustion temperature at a target temperature selected in the range of approximately 1600.degree.-1800.degree. F. (871.degree.-982.degree. C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 1988
    Date of Patent: August 1, 1989
    Assignee: First Aroostook Corporation
    Inventors: James A. Barresi, Kenneth C. Arndt, Michael N. Young, Daniel O. Bridgeham, Howard H. Hede
  • Patent number: 4809620
    Abstract: An apparatus for the combustion of a poorly combustible fuel in a fluidized bed comprises a vertical front wall through which the poorly combustible fuel is delivered in particulate form and two lateral walls extending rearwardly from the front wall. A fixed grate extends from a front input end towards a rear discharge end between the lateral walls, and the two sides and the front input end of the grate define spaces with the lateral walls and the front wall, respectively. The fixed grate is upwardly inclined over at least a portion of its length from the input end to the discharge end whereby the discharge end is disposed above the input end, and the particulate fuel is delivered to the input end for forming a fluidized bed on the grate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 1984
    Date of Patent: March 7, 1989
    Assignee: Fives-Cail Babcock
    Inventor: Paul Cosar
  • Patent number: 4748918
    Abstract: The present invention provides an incinerator capable of completely burning pulverized coal or oil and waste products. The main feature of this invention resides in that a heavy oil or a pulverized coal can be mixed with a primary air flow and injected into the burning furnace so as to introduce a rapidly revolving secondary air flow from tangential air flow inlets on an inner pipe to help combustion and thus completely burn waste products which are sent into the incinerator through a preheating chamber. Tangential air inlets and a radiating whirling sheets are provided on the inner pipe of the incinerator so as to enable a primary air flow and a secondary air flow in the incinerator to continuously revolve the waste products and thus lengthen the time duration of combustion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 1986
    Date of Patent: June 7, 1988
    Inventor: Shien F. Chang
  • Patent number: 4740127
    Abstract: A fuel feeder for feeding refuse fuel to a boiler/incinerator which includes a pair of opposed inclined conveyors defining end boundaries of the conveyor, the conveyors being independently driven so that the fuel required for variable firing rates in plural boilers can independently be supplied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 1986
    Date of Patent: April 26, 1988
    Assignee: Smith & Mahoney, P.C.
    Inventors: Russell J. Galgana, Patrick F. Mahoney, Gordon L. Sutin
  • Patent number: 4739715
    Abstract: A process for reinjecting flown-off particles into a solid fuel fire box of a boiler or furnace of the "projector with back grid" type, in which particulate fuel is projected from a fuel source adjacent a first zone to a grid, with the fuel burned along its trajectory from the first zone to a second zone on the grid. Means are provided for separately collecting both large and small fuel particles thrown off during combustion along the trajectory to the grid, and reinjecting the collected particles with the fine particles continuously reinjected at a rate approximately proportional to the boiler load at said second zone by means of a particle conveying air stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 1986
    Date of Patent: April 26, 1988
    Inventors: Michel F. E. Couarc'h, Roger Bessouat, Marc R. R. Lafaye, Robert R. E. Bernet
  • Patent number: 4715299
    Abstract: A compound resource recovery furnace having a plurality of furnace chambers including an inner product chamber, an outer incineration chamber, and an intermediate chamber in surrounding relation to the product chamber and within the incineration chamber. The inermediate chamber has a slotted wall made from insulating refractory material and movable damper plates which provide closures for the slots. A temperature responsive control system regulates the damper plates to allow heat to escape from the intermediate chamber to the incineration chamber when the temperature in the incineration chamber drops below a predetermined temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 1986
    Date of Patent: December 29, 1987
    Inventor: Steven L. Mann
  • Patent number: 4706578
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 1984
    Date of Patent: November 17, 1987
    Inventor: John N. Basic, Sr.