Abstract: A grate bar is provided for use in forming a grate bar assembly of a sintering pallet car. The grate bar comprises an elongate body having top surface for receiving a load, a pair of opposed arms, and a pair of opposed feet, with each arm and foot pair retaining the frame of the car therebetween. Each of a pair of peripheral spacers extends laterally away from the body to distance the body from a body of an adjacent grate bar. Each of a pair of central spacers is located between the peripheral spacers and extends laterally away from the body to distance the body from the body of the adjacent grate bar. At least one of the plane defined by a peripheral spacer top wall and the plane defined by a central spacer top wall is below the plane defined by the top surface of the elongate body.

Abstract: A lateral circulator for generating agitation or circulation in a cultivation pond is disclosed. The circulator comprises at least a drive pulley and a secondary pulley, both oriented vertically and placed in the pond separated from one another along the length of the pond. The drive pulley is coupled to a motor, or to a drive train that is itself coupled to the motor. An endless belt is trained over the drive pulley and the secondary pulley. A plurality of cleats is provided along the exterior of the belt. The cleats are typically angled and serve to drive water as the belt rotates through the water. Typically, the belt would extend over much of the length of the cultivation pond, providing agitation and circulation over an extensive, continuous area of the cultivation pond.

Abstract: The present invention generally relates to a two piece grate clip with first and second grate pieces releasably secured to one another and loosely mounted on a grate bar support. The first piece and the second piece have corresponding transverse notches which form a T-shaped transverse notch when the clip is assembled. The T-shaped transverse notch allows the grate clip to be mounted onto a grate bar support. A fastener, while releasably securing the two pieces together, allows the two pieces to be extended apart and easily mounted on and removed from the grate bar support. The grate clips, when mounted and arranged side by side in rows upon each grate support bar, comprise a traveling grate stoker having a uniform, level grate surface.

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.

Abstract: An improved, long-life grate bar for use in the traveling grate bar mechanism of a solid-fuel-burning furnace apparatus and having hard wear pad inserts which are disposed within the end portions of the grate bar which ride along support rails. The wear pad inserts can be fabricated from a hard nickel-steel alloy material and can be integrally formed in the grate bar.

Abstract: An oscillating damper and air-swept distributor is disclosed for controllably introducing solid fuel into a furnace. The oscillating damper having an oscillating valve member, which oscillates between a first adjustable position and second adjustable position. The air-swept distributor preferably has a pivotably adjustable trajectory plate.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for effecting bidirectional feeding of particulate material, such as in the bidirectional feeding of fuel to a circulating fluidized bed combustor. A feeder has a housing with at least one inlet in the upper portion of the housing and a chain and flight (drag chain) conveyor disposed within the housing. An intermediate plate is disposed between the upper and lower runs of the chain and flight conveyor and cooperates with the flights in the upper run so that the upper run conveys solid material in a first direction along the intermediate plate. A bottom plate is disposed below the lower run and cooperates with the lower run flights to convey solid material in a second direction opposite the first direction. First and second outlets are provided for the solid material, the first outlet at one end of the housing, and the second outlet at the other end of the housing.

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.

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: A continuous thermal treatment furnace for converting hazardous materials into environmentally acceptable materials, including a continuous belt for conveying hazardous materials through a substantially air-tight heating chamber having heating elements to thermally detoxify the hazardous materials on the belt, a charging zone and a discharging zone, each being ducted to convey volatiles to an off-gas handling system in which hazardous volatiles are converted to environmentally acceptable materials, the discharge zone being at least partially water-jacketed to cool discharged solids, the continuous belt being returned to the charging zone outside of the heating chamber in order for the belt to be cooled.

Abstract: A gasifier (10) for particulate combustible material in effect separates the pyrolysis and the oxidation of the flowable fuel material with a traveling grate (40) for advancing a bed of the material from a material feed station (40A) to a material discharge station (40B). A material feed mechanism (60) has fuel and ember chutes (62, 64) for depositing hot embers below combustible material. Discharge transport apparatus 70 separates ash from combustible residue, i.e., embers. A recirculation transport (80) delivers combustible residue to the ember chute (64) where it is reintroduced to the traveling grate (40) for a further transit through the gasifier (10).

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: Method and device for firing solid fuels, substantially in the form of lumps or pieces, in a furnace having a combustion chamber (1) with a sustantially horizontal bottom (10), upon which is maintained a fuel bed (3) with relatively great thickness while supplying fuel within the very bed (3), through which bed primary combustion air is fed from below through mutually spaced primary air passages (18) in the combustion chamber bottom (10), the combustion gas which leaves said chamber (1) furthermore being subjected to a subsequent secondary combustion in a secondary combustion chamber after addition of secondary combustion air.

Abstract: A furnace (10) in which bark or other cellulosic fuel (64) is burned on a traveling grate (24). Char (62) separated (48, 54) from the furnace exhaust gases is reinjected into the furnace beneath baffle plate (40) in such a manner that the raw bark (64) being introduced onto the grate forms a protective cover over the char (62) thus preventing the relatively light char particles from becoming reentrained in the gases before they are completely combusted.

Abstract: A traveling grate for a furnace. The grate is formed of plural pipes through which flows a cooling medium, in particular water. The grate also includes plural movable chains. Grate plate guide flanges are arranged laterally on the pipes. The guide plates, which are connected to the chain rest on the guide flanges. The upper strand of each movable chain is guided in an additional chain guide. The lower strand serves to move ash which has fallen through the grate away to a collection station.Due to the heat discharge through the pipes, the heating performance of the grate can be increased or at a given heating performance an elevated life span can be achieved. Fluid which can be heated up in the pipes can be used profitably, for example to preheat boiler heat.

Abstract: A furnace (10) in which coal and cellulose fuel can both be burned on the same traveling grate (24). First means (36) are provided for introducing coal onto the grate at one end (38), such that it traverses the full grate run before it falls as ash from the other end (56) of the grate. Second means (48, 52) are provided for introducing cellulose fuel onto the grate at a central or middle location (54). Adjustable means (49, 50) are provided for varying the point at which the cellulose fuel is introduced onto the grate. If cellulose fuel having a relatively slow burning rate is being combusted, the adjustable means are set so as to introduce the fuel at a point on the grate further away from the discharge end. If cellulose fuel having a relatively fast burning rate is being combusted, the adjustable means are set so as to introduce the fuel at a point on the grate closer to the discharge end.