US2032412A

US2032412A - Incinerating furnace

Info

Publication number: US2032412A
Application number: US695631A
Authority: US
Inventors: John E Greenawalt
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1933-10-28
Filing date: 1933-10-28
Publication date: 1936-03-03
Anticipated expiration: 1953-03-03

Description

March 3, 1936. J. E. GREENAWALT INCINERATING FURNACE Original Filed Oct. 28, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet l Arroz/Vif March 3, 1936. J, E GREENAWALT 2,032,412

INCINERATING FURNACE Original Filedct. 28, 1953 2 Shee'bs--Shee'l 2 HTTOEIVEK Patented Mu.- 3, 1936 UNITED STATES 2,032,412 INCINERATING FURNACE John E. Greenawalt, New York, N. Y.

Application october 2s, 193s, serial No. 695,631

Renewed August 9, 1935 8 Claims. (Cl. 110-15) My invention has relation to improvements in incinerating furnaces and the method practiced therein, and it consists in the novel features of construction more fully set forth in the speciilcation and pointed out in the claims.

The present furnace is similar to that of my co-pending application, Serial No. 544,973, filed June 17, 1931, in that it is particularly adapted for the burning of refuse including garbage which is charged on an air pervious support and caused to travel through the combustion chamber of the furnace, but in addition to the advantages of the furnace of said application the furnace forming the subject-matter of this application embodies improvements to expedite the ignition of the material and thus insure a longer burning period thereof as the material moves through said combustion chamber. These improvements include means for dividing the combustion chamber into zones through which the material passes successively, the primary zone being subject to a. down draft of the gases from the secondary zone under the influence of air or other supporter of combustion moving upwardly through the support and'material thereon. Thel advantage of the opposing drafts in the combustion chamber is the retarding of the movement of the flaming particles and hot gases that serve to ignite the material in order that they may be momentarily concentrated in the region of ignition so asto effect such ignition. In order to effect this result an igniting furnace, or equivalent device, is so disposed that the ignition gases coming therefrom will be effective on the material between the zones in lthe combustion chamber above mentioned. The advantage of this arrangement, as well as other advantages incident thereto, will be better apparent from a detailed description of the invention in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a top plan of my improved incinerating furnace with parts broken away; Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section taken through a medial plane and indicated by the line 2 2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a vertical cross-section through the furnace taken on a plane indicated by the zig-zag line 3--3 of Fig. 2; and Fig. 4 is a vertical cross-section taken through the furnace on a plane indicated by the line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawings, I,. I represents the side walls of the furnace sui-mounted by the arched roof 2, said walls and roof enclosing along tunnel-like combustion chamber C. 4The furnace walls are carried by-longltudinally extending angle bars 3, 3 structurally secured to the

vertical angle bars

4, 4 equally spaced along the sides of the furnace wall and also serving as buck-stays for the furnace. Bracket members 5, 5 are secured to the bottom flanges of angle bars 3, 3 and w help to carry said walls. Opposite buck-stays 4,

4 are connected at the top by angle bars 6, and

the buck-stays on each side of the furnace are maintained in spaced relation by channels 1. Thus, the walls I, I and furnace roof 2 which together constitute the upper section of the furnace are carried by the

angle bars

4, 4 through the brackets 5, 5 beneath which the traveling section A of the furnace operates.

The traveling section A of the furnace operates immediately below brackets 5, 5. Said section A operates in intimate relation with longitudinally extending channels 9, 9 below the brackets 5, 5 and spaced therefrom, said channels being carried by a series of angle bars Ill extending between opposite buck-

stays

4, 4 and secured thereto.

The combustion chamber C is divided into two zones by disposing the part of the roof 2. at the feed end of the furnace considerably lower than the main roof 2 and dropping down from the inner end of the oof sectionl a baffle b. The zone z below the roof section 2', while a part of the combustion chamber C, acts primarily for preheating the charge prior to combustion, while the zone z' serves as the combustion chamber proper wherein the combustion of the material proceeds for the purpose of completely incinerating the same. At the forward end of the zone z is a feed hopper H for receiving the more finely divided material of graded size, and above the rearward end of the zone e, and utiliziing a platform portion 8 of the roof 2' as a support for the material, is a second hopper H' wherein the coarser, ungraded material is charged. Below the hopper H' there is constructed a suitable throat I I through which the material feeds from the hopper, said throat having a discharge opening I2leading into the combustion chamber zone z', and an opening I3 opposite thereto through which operates a hollow rectangular plunger I4 secured to the end of a piston I5 operable in cylinder I6 of a hydraulic ram. The construction of the ram forms no part of the present invention and, therefore, will not be described in detail, but let it be understood that it follows the conventional arrangement of devices of this kind in that it may be operated either by water or oil under the control of properly located andl actuated valve mechanism. The function of the ram is to carry the plungerA I4 through the throat II of the hopper and thereby eject material therefrom and feed the same into the combustion chamber C. In its operation the top plate of the plunger I4 serves to support the material m' as it moves through the hopper on its forward stroke, the bottom plate riding on the platform 8 andthe end Wall, obviously, ejecting the material from the hopper throat. The hopper H is of conventional form and has its outlet I1 at the bottom so as to discharge the material onto the moving support (about to be described) whereby it is carried into the zone 2. The moving support for the material comprises a series of pallets I9, the

side walls

20, 29 of which are connected by cross bars 2I, said pallets also being provided with suitable grates G, which form the air pervious supporting surface for the charge of material. The construction of the pallets and the construction of the'grates is immaterial as far as the present invention is concerned and will, therefore, not be described in detail. However, adjacent pallets are interconnected through bars 22 at which points they havefree hinge movement so that they may travel around the end sprocket wheels 23 and 2l as an endless conveyor. The chain of pallets are driven by a motor M directly connected with shaft 26 on which sprocket 24 is mounted. An air-box 26, supported by suitable structural members 21, is immediately beneath the pallets I9 and extends almost from one end to the other of the combustion chamber zone z, suitable dead plates 26, 26 being arranged at both ends of the air-box 26 to insure a practically air-tight `ioint around the upper margins of said air-box so that when suction is applied thereto the gases from the combustion chamber will be drawn downwardly through the charge on the pallets I9 into the air-box 26. This suction is induced by a blower 29 connected by a. suit-- able conduit 39 to one side of the air-box 26, said blower also having a connection with the combustion chamber C adjacent to its discharge end through a conduit 3 I. Thus the products of combustion that pass into the air-box 26 are discharged into the zone z of the combustion chamber C. A second air-box 32 is disposed beneath the chain of pallets I9 and extending substantially throughout the length of the zone z' of the combustion chamber. The purpose of the second air-box being to distribute a blast of air to the underside of the pallet grates causing said air blast to pass upwardly through the grates and the material thereon into the zone z' of the combustion chamber. A blower 33 connected to the air-box 32 by means of a conduit 36 supplies the blast to said air-box. Between the two airboxes 26 and 32 I provide an igniting furnace 36 comprising essentially a closed chamber 36 open at the tcp in close proximity to the under side of the pallets I9, and slightly beyond the baille b which separates the combustion chamber into the two zones z and z'. A suitable burner (which is not shown but may be similar to that described in my co-pending application, Serial No. 685,820, led August 19, 1933) feeds a mixture of liquid fuel and air to the combustion chamber 36, and when the same is ignited said chamber is completely filled with flame and hot gases under pressure which forces the products of combustion upwardly through the pallet grates into intimate contact with the material thereon whereby said material become ignited.

In the operation of my invention, the hoppers H and H are charged with material that is to be incinerated. The material m that is charged into the hopper H is more finely divided than that charged into the hopper H' and is graded so that the particles composing the material will be of substantially uniform size, such that w111 pass a 11/2 screen. The material m charged into the hopper H is not graded and is not of uniform size but consists of a mixture of rubbish, garbage, broken boxes and paper. .The bottom of the hopper H is open and the material continuously discharges from said hopper onto the grates of the chain of pallets which comprise the support i for the material as it travels through the furnace. As thepallets move under the hopper H the bottom edge e of the hopper cuts oiI the ow of material so that it arranges itself in the pallets in the form of a layer (as shown in Fig. 2). The layer of the material m is carried through the zone z of the combustion chamber and immediately after passing the bame b the material m from the hopper H' is charged on top of it. Obviously, the feeding plunger Il is operated at the proper speed so that the correct amount of material discharged from the hopper H' will be ejected therefrom into the zone z of the combustion chamber C. When the material comes over the igniting furnace 35 the flaming particles and hot gases therefrom will be forced into the bottom surface of the layer of material m, effecting ignition thereof from one side to the other. As the pallets travel through the zone z' the combustion of the material m will proceed upwardly through the layer and the heat and flaming particles produced by such combustion will of course ignite the material m' superincumbent thereon. The combustion of both components of the material m and m will then continue as the material is carried through the zone 2 of the combustion chamber C. Obviously, as the material is consumed the bulk thereof will decrease until nally as the top of the material reaches the discharge end .of the pallets it will be in the condition of a compact, porous mass of cinder. I have founrd in practice that the eilect of the draft through the combustion chamber C induced by the stack S thereof will draw the naming particles and the heat of the burning mass rearwardly, as shown by the feathered arrows (Fig. 2), so that kindling of the mass of material m' in the zone z' will be retarded unless some means is provided for counteracting the effect of the draft in zone z. I, therefore, have dropped the roof 2 near the feed end of the combustion chamber C closer to the charge of mate` rial and have provided the baille b to create a separate zone z through which only the layer of the material m passes. A suction is maintained downwardly through the layer of material m by means of the air-box 26 and blower 29, under the influence of which the ame and hot gases from the igniter 35 and the combustion of the material immediately thereabove are drawn into the zone e, and to a certain extent opposing and counteracting the effect of the draft through the zone z'. 'I'he plain arrows indicate the flow of the gases through the zone z, thus, the flame and heat incident to the ignition of the material is held close to the baille b so that by the time the material moves any considerable distance into the zone z it will be undergoing rapid combustion. Thus, practically from the very beginning of the zone z the material will be burning, and by the time it reaches the end of said zone will have beenentirely consumed except for the cinder residue. 'I'he gases that are drawn through the zone z and into the air-box 26 are discharged into the zone z' so that these gases will be subjected to the intense heat therein and will be completely oxidized. Therefore, any gases that reach the stack S will already have passed through the purifying heat of the zone z and will be free of any odor.

Another advantage `of the flow of hot gases from the zone z' to the zone z and through the layer of material m is the partial drying and heating of said layer to facilitate the ignition thereof, and at the same time furnishing a quick exit from the mass of material at the feed end of the 75 zone z' for the large volume of gases given off from this material immediately after it is kindled. 'I'he function of the baille b is to deflect the hot gases and flaming particles forced into the material by the ignition furnace 35 downwardly into close contact with the surface of the layer of material m, thus making a more thorough Job of the ignition of the material comprising said layer. In other words, the suction induced by the box 26 cooperates .with the baille b to concentrate the flame from the ignition furnace in the region of said baille so that the material will be thoroughly kindled as it starts on its travel through the zone z'.

After the material has been completely burned the residue is dumped froml the pallets into a hopper H", from which point it may be transported or handled as desired.

Having described my invention, I claim:

l. An incinerating furnace having a combustion chamber and a preheating chamber in alinement and in communication, a traveling grate forming the bottom of said chambers and movable from the preheating chamber through the combustion chamber, means for charging material on the grate at the entrance to the preheating chamber, means for charging additional material thereon at the entrance to the combustion chamber, means in the region of the junction of the chambers for applying flaming particles to the material on the grate, means for causing air and hot gases to travel from the preheating chamber downwardly through the charge, and means for causing air to move upwardly through the charge to the combustion chamber.

2. An incinerating furnace having a combustion chamber and a preheating chamber in alinement and in communication, a traveling grate forming the bottom of said chambers and movable from the preheating chamber through the combustion chamber, means for charging material on the grate at the entrance to the preheating chamber.' a baille between the preheating chamber and the combustion chamber for deflecting the hot gases downwardly as they enter the preheating chamber, means for charging additional material thereon at the entrance to the combustion chamber, means in the region of the junction of the chambers for applying naming particles to the material on the grate, means for causing air and hot gases to travel from the preheating chamber downwardly through the charge, and means for causing air to move upwardly through the charge to the combustion chamber.

3. An incinerating furnace having an elongated combustion chamber, a traveling grate forming the bottom of said combustion chamber, means for feeding material onto said grates, means for discharging material from the grates, a bame within said combustion chamber, means for applying flaming particles to the material in the region of the baule, means for drawing hot gases downwardly through the material between the feeding means and the baille, and means for passing air upwardly through the material between the baille and the discharge means.

4. An incinerating furnace having an elongated combustion chamber, a traveling grate forming the bottom of said combustion chamber, means for feeding material onto said grate,

means for discharging material from the grate, a baille within said combustion chamber, means for forcing hot gases and flaming particles upwardly into the material in the region of the baffle, means for drawing hot gases downwardly through the material between the feeding means and the baille, and means for passing air upwardly through the material between the bafiie and the discharge means.

5. A furnace comprising a combustion chamber and a pervious support forming the bottom of said chamber, means for charging material onto said support, means for discharging material therefrom, means for moving said support through the combustion chamber, a baille in the combustion chamber forming a narrow passage between its lower edge and the material support, an igniter disposed below the pervious support and arranged to project iiaming particles against the charge in the region of the baille, means for causing a supporter of combustion to traverse the support, and means for causing gases to move from the part of the combustion chamber between the baille and discharge end of the chamber to the part of the combustion chamber between the baille and charge end of the chamber.

6. A furnace comprising a combustion chamber and a pervious support forming the bottom of said chamber, a baille in said chamber and spaced from the pervious support, means at one end of the combustion chamber for charging material as a layer on said support, means for causing said support to travel beneath said baille, means for charging additional material on said layer beyond the baille, means for igniting the bottom Surface of the bottom layer in the region of the baille, means for causing hot gases to pass downwardly through said layer between the charging end of the chamber and the baille, and means for causing a supporter of combustion to traverse the material beyond the banie.

7. An incinerating furnace having a combustion chamber and a preheating chamber in alinement and in communication, a traveling grate forming the bottom of said chambers and movable from the preheating chamber through the combustion chamber, means for charging material on the grate at the entrance to the preheating chamber, means for charging additional material thereon at the entrance to the combustion chamber, means in the region of the junction of the chambers for applying flaming particles to the material on the grate, means for exhausting the hot gases from the preheating chamber, and means for causing air to move upwardly through the charge to the combustion chamber.

8. An incinerating furnace having an elongated combustion chamber, a traveling grate forming the bottom ot said combustion chamber, means for feeding material onto said grate, means for discharging material from the grate. means for forming an auxiliary chamber within the combustion chamber near the feed end thereof, means for applying flaming particles to the material as it leaves the auxiliary chamber, means for passing air upwardly through the material in the combustion chamber, and means for maintaining an independent draft through the auxiliary chamber.

JOHN E. GREENAWALT.