US2577659A

US2577659A - Garbage incinerator

Info

Publication number: US2577659A
Application number: US778819A
Authority: US
Inventors: Rainer H Knipping
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1947-10-09
Filing date: 1947-10-09
Publication date: 1951-12-04
Anticipated expiration: 1968-12-04

Description

\ R. H. KNIPPING GARBAGE INCINERATOR Dec. 4, 1951 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 9,l 1947 www 14% Dec. 4, 1951 R. H. KNIPPING 2,577,659

GARBAGE INCINERATOR Filed oct. 9, 1947 4 sheets-sheet 2 Il INVENTOR: a Regner@ Knip/12mg;

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Dec. 4, 1951 R. H. KNIPPING GARBAGE INCINERATOR 4 Sheets-Sheetl 4 Filed Oct. 9, 1947 tbl INVENTOR: Rainer- J. J(

71T: in BY PFZ ATToR/VEYS,

Patented Dec. 4, i951 UNITED STATES PATET oFFicE GARBAGE INCINERATOR Rainer H. Knipping, San Antonio,- Tex.

Application (ictober 9, 1947, Serial No. 7 78,819 9 claims. (Crim- 15) The present invention relates to an apparatus for disposing of garbage and the like.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a garbage incinerator which will accommodate so-called free garbage in the' condition as collected, without any preliminary processing, separating, or classifying of component' parts thereof. I

A further object ofthe invention is to provide an apparatus which will burnall combustible materials, and which will accommodate large and small non-combustible objects, such as tin cans, boxes, bottles and the like, and which will separate the non-combustibles from theY ash, at the conclusion of the burning operation.

Another important object is toprovide means for dehydrating the garbage, prior to the-burning thereof, to facilitate the burningrand tomake the combustion more efficient. To this end, the

invention provides an arrangement wherein the heatedproducts of combustion are conducted, by countercurrent flow directly into contact and intermingled with and pass through the'incoming garbage, so as to exract the moisturetherefrom, whereby substantially completely dehydrated material is delivered to the combustion zone.

A further objectc of the invention is to provide f an improved infeedsystem, in which the garbage is preheated, prior tothe delivery of the same to the drying zone.

Another important object of the invention is to provide a combustion zone, where the dry material is burned, inA which the material is continuously and slowly moved along a predetermined path as the burning takes place, with substantially continuous discharge of the ash and non-combustibles therefrom. Y

Another object is' to provide improved separating. means, in combination with the traveling bed of combustible materiah tor separate the non-combustible objects from the ash.

A further object is to provideA meansY for' delivering preheated air under pressure to the com- Y bustion chamber at a plurality of points, to promote the most efficient combustion of the material.

Another object of the invention is to provide improved draft controlling instrumentalities, whereby the pressure and temperatureA conditions throughout all portions o-f the apparatus may be controlled at will.

Other and further objects and advantages of the invention will. be apparent from a consideration of the following description. of an illustrative embodiment, shown inthe accompanying drawings, in which,

Figure 1 is a vertical section and partial elevation of an apparatus constructed inaccordance with the invention; L i1 Y Figure 2jis a transverse section and Lpartial elevation, taken. substantially online 2.--2 of, Fig.-

The apparatus shown for purposes of illustra.-

tion in the accompanying drawings is relatively large and massive, and is ofv a size to dispose of the garbage collected by cities` and towns, alithough it should be understood that certain features o-f the invention may be employed in smaller installations- A plurality of' pairs of upwardly extending frame members lo, H', l2, i3 and to support lower and upper platforms le and i6, to which access may be gained by suitable stairways lil-f cr ladders or the like. Above the upper platform i6, there isv an elongated, inclined, cylindrical, rotaryv drier, represented` generally at- Zaai-1d' comprising a metallic outer shell 211, a refractory lin-ingv 22 and a pair of

annular tracks

23, 24, supported by rollers '5 journalled on supports carried by the platform, as is Well understood in the rotary kiln-art, the drier be'- ing driven by suitable means, suchV` as an electric motor and speed reducer 2o havingA a pinion 2lT in mesh with a large annular spur gear 28, encircling the shell?.4

At the upper end of the drier, there is aflarge hopper 30 having a discharge throat 3l communicating with the interior of the drier and supported by appropriate frame members 3-2 positioned onthe upper platform l5. A removable accessand inspection door 'S3 closes an opening the hopper adjacent the dischargev throat, above a walkway 35, carried by the framework.

The-upper end ci the hopper 3d" carries a @over 3'6, which is connected to a forwardly4 extending hood 3l',V constituting the topof' a housing including side wallsA 38 and-bottom wall 39 for an infeed conveyor 4U. Thel latter is constituted by an endless belt or the like 42| having a plurality of wings or flights 42" projecting perpendioularl-y from its surface, the belt being trained about rollersv 473, and d# at the entrance and discharge ends respectively, and being supported by a bed including longitudinally extending frame members. 45, carried by transverse beams 4o, secured at theirl ends` to thel pairsof'vertical. posts. Either roller' may be positively driven, to impart move'- ment to the; conveyor. As indi-cated in Figure 4, a chute 41, which may constitute the bottomv of a hopper, may be positioned to deliver thegarbage toithefupper run of the conveyor.

An elevated platform 5G, at the left or rear end ofr the apparatus, is supportedy upon the' upper ends of theivertical frame members Ill and simi- Y 1art1-.amer members 511, extending upwardly' from the upper platform I 6r. Mounted onthe'platfornr l 50 is a motor driven suction fan housing v52, com.-

municating at its upper end with a discharge stack 53 and at its lower end with an intake chamber 54. The latter is connected by laterally, downwardly and inwardly extending conduits 55 and 56 (Figure 2) to a junction box 51, disposed above the upper end of the rotary drier and below the discharge end of the conveyor 40, and suspended from the oor 39 of the conveyor housing. The conduits 55 and 5B extend laterally around the conveyor housing and enter the box 51 through the sides thereof.

Referring to Figures 1 and 5, the upper surface of the hopper throat 3| is provided with a flange opening 58, to which is connected a flue pipe 59, adapted to lead gases flowing through the rotary drier to the rear end wall of the junction box 51, for iiow through

conduits

55 and 56 to the fan housing 52 and stack 53.

The right-hand end Wall of box 51 is in communication through an opening 60, controlled by a damper 6|, with a forwardly extending bypass conduit 62, positioned above the drier 20 and below the conveyor 40, and communicating at its other end with the combustion chamber, now to be described.

Supported upon the lower platform I is a combustion chamber made up in part of refractory brickwork or the like and comprising vertical side walls 65, a front end wall G6, terminating upwardly in a forwardly curved hood 61, embracing the lower end of the drier and the lower end of the by-pass conduit 62, and a rear top wall 68, terminating at its rear end in a downwardly extending end wall 69. It will be understood that the top wall 68 is maintained at a relatively high temperature by the combustion in the chamber therebelow.

A traveling grate 10, of known construction is trained for movement about rolls 1| and 12, mounted on shafts supported in any appropriate manner, preferably in external bearings carried by the platform I5, movement being imparted to the grate by slowly driving one o r the other of the rollers, to advance the bed of burning ymaterial, indicated at 13, toward the left in Figures 1 and 3.

Above the top wall 68 of the combustion chamber is a housing 15 for a two-stage power blower 16, adapted to supply air to the combustion chamber. The intake of the blower housing is connected to a screened suction chamber 11, positioned in the space between the furnace top wall 68 and the lower end of the drier 20, whereby air, heated by said top wall and by the lower end of the drier, is drawn into the blower and delivered to the combustion chamber. The discharge end of the blower 15 is connected by a downwardly extending conduit 18 to a wind box 8| having a centrally located, forwardly projecting outlet 19, controlled by an adjustable damper 80, and laterally and forwardly extending passages 82, at the lower end thereof, leading to the space 83, below the traveling grate. A plurality of laterally, upwardly and inwardly extending conduits 85 deliver air from this substantially confined space, below the grates, to tuyres 86 in the side walls 65 of the combustion chamber, above the traveling grate.

Extending through the wind box 8| and the forwardly projecting, damper controlled opening 19 is a pipe 81 having a burner nozzle 88 on the inner end thereof, for the delivery of fuel oil or gas to the combustion chamber for initiating the combustion of the garbage, as hereinafter explained. Y

At the discharge end of the chain grate lli.. the combustion chamber end and side walls are shaped to provide a hopper S0, having a throat 9|, delivering the burned material and non-cornbustibles to a double screen shaking grate 92 extending transversely of the combustion chamber and adapted to sift ashes downwardly, but to deliver unburned objects, such as cans, bottles and the like to one side, as indicated by the arrow in Figure 2. In a casing 93, below the shaking screen 92, there is positioned an ash conveyor 94, arranged vto deliver the ash transversely, in the opposite direction. Take-off conveyors, notshown, may receive the ash and noncombustible objects, or suitable receptacles may be employed for this purpose.

The front wall 6B of the combustion chamber has an. opening |00, supporting an outwardly extending conduit IBI, having an adjustable damper |82 in its outer end, communicating with external atmosphere, so that cool air in variable amounts may be drawn into the lower end of the rotary drier 20, to control the temperature thereof.

It should be understood that the fans and blowers in the

housings

52 and 15 are driven by variable speed electric motors and that the speed of rotation of the rotary drier and the speed of movement of the traveling grate can also be varied at will. Similiarly, the dampers 5| and |92 are variable. As a result, the air pressure and temperature conditions at all points in the apparatus may be controlled at all times.

In order that proper control of the pressure and temperature conditions in the apparatus may be effected, instruments are provided for continuously reading and recording these conditions. Electrical temperature taking devices, such as thermocouples are positioned within the apparatus as indicated at H35, |06, |61, and Hi8. Air pressure responsive devices are positioned at ||0 and while draft or sub-atmospheric pressure responsive devices are inserted as indicated at H2, ||3, H4, and H5. All of these devices are preferably connected to actuate external registering or indicating devices.

Referring to Figure 7 showing the control panel, the four temperatures taken by the thermocouples |05, |55, |61, and |58 may be read on the indicator and recorder |20. Toggle switch manipulating handles |2| and 22 may be shifted to close and open the damper |532, to control the admission ofY cooling air to the lower end of the rotary drier, when the temperature conditions indicate that a change is desired.

Controller |25 may be employed to control the speed of the stack exhaust fan in casing 52, while controller |26 may be connected to control the speed of the furnace force draft blower 15. These controllers may be automatic or manual.

IThe device indicated at |21 .may indicate and record the speed of `movement of the infeed conveyor 40 in feet per minute and may have associatedtherewith controlling devices |23, |29, to decrease or increase the speed of movement thereof. Similiarly, the speed of' rotation of the rotary drier 2i)V may be indicated at |30 and decreased or increased by controllers |3I, 1.32.

Finally, the vspeedof movement of the grate 1l! may be indicated at |35 and decreased or increased by controllers :|35 and 131,

It Vis thoughtY that the operation of the ap.- paratus of the present invention will be clear from a consideration ofthe foregoing description.

During normal. operation, garbage, mixed with trash and nonscombustibles, as collected by a city refuse department, for instance is delivered by a clam shell or any appropriate mechanism, to. the conveyor 40, by dropping the same upon the hopper plate i6 (Figure `i). The conveyor moves the material at a substantially constant rate, rearwardly,v toward the left, under the hood 3T and dischargesl the same into the hopper 30. During this movement, the material is somewhat preheated by heat rising from the drier v2l) and the by-pass conduit 62. The garbage falls from the hopper 3i) by gravity into the rear, entrance end of the rotary drier. It passes slowly toward the discharge end thereof, and is constantly tumbled and agitated during this passage. Hot products of combustion simultaneously vflow through the drier, countercurrent 'to the garbage, and thereby dehydrate the same. The moisture laden products oi combustion pass upwardly through conduit m8 to junction box i? and thence, through the lateral pipes 55 and 56v to the suction fan 52 and stack 53.

The dehydrated garbage falls by gravity from the lower end of the rotating drier 22 uponY the traveling grate 10, where it is moved continuously in a rearward direction toward the left, as the burning continues. Air to support this combustion is delivered by ian to Wind box 8 I, from where it flows through inlet 19 above the burning mass and, through passages 82 tothe space below the grate. Some of the air delivered to this undergrate space ows upwardly through the grate and the material thereon and other portions are delivered by side passages 85 to tuyres 86, above the gra-te.

If the temperature in thev rotary drier rises unduly, it may be lowered in two Ways, i. e. by opening the damper l02, to admit atmospheric air for flow through the drier and by opening the damper El, thereby diverting a substantial portion of the hot gases through the by-pass pipe 62, for delivery directly to the stack. By varying the speed of the fans 'l5 and 52 and byV changing the positions of the dampers and' by'varying the speeds of movement of the infeed conveyor, the drier and the traveling grate, nice contro1 of the conditions within the incinerator may be effected.

The rash and non-combustibles are separated by the screen 92 and conveyed to separate points of delivery by the screen and the ash conveyor 9.4, respectively.

During the normal operation ofthe apparatus, the garbage, burning on the traveling grate 1D, supplies suicient heat to dehydrate the incoming garbage, and the operation continues, without the addition of further fuel. However, after the apparatus has been shut down and when it is to be started up again, heat for dehydrating the incoming garbage may be supplied by the burner 88. The `burner may be shut off, as soon as a substantial bed. of burning garbagehas been built up on ther grate 1.0.. n

'y tion, it is tobe understood that the invention is Vnot limitedy to the details of construction shown in the accompanying drawings and referred to above, butincludes all modications coming within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A garbage incinerator comprising an elongated, inclined, cylindrical, rotary drier, means for rotating the same, an elongated housing in superimposed, closely spaced, heat exchange relation above the drier, means within the housing for delivering material to the interior of the upper-end of'said drier, a stack disposed exteriorly of the housing having communication with the interior of the upper end of the drier, a combustion chamber below the lower end of the drier, in direct communication therewith for the delivery of products of combustion thereto, a grate in said chamber positioned to receive material from the drier and meansr for delivering air under pressure to the combustion chamber to support combustion of the material therein, the products of combustion passing through the drier serving to pre-heat the material thereabove on the material delivery means in the housing.

y2. A garbage incinerator comprising an elongated, inclined, cylindrical, rotary drier, means for rotating the same, an elongated housing disposedA above the drier in alignment and in heat exchange relation therewith, a conveyor within the housing Yfor delivering material to the in terior ofthe upper end ofthe drier,` a stack dis,- posed above the upper end of the drier, exteriorly of the housing, having communication with the interior of the ,drier adjacent the upper end thereof, a combustion chamber having direct communication with the lower end ofthe drier, a by-pass conduit extending' from the combustion chamber to the stack and positioned between and in alignment with the housing and the drier, and means for varying the relative proportion of products of combustion passing from the combustion chamber through the drier and through the lay-pass connection, respectively, tothe stack.

3. A garbagev incinerator comprising an elon- -3 gated, inclined, cylindrical rotary drier, means ,for rotating the same, an elongated housing disposed above the drier in alignment and in heat exchange relation therewith, a conveyor within the housing for delivering material to the interior of the upper end of the drier, a stack positioned above. the upper end of the housing and. drier, a junction box between the upper end of the drier and housing, conduit means disposed.' exteriorly ofthe housing extending from the junction box to the stack, means establishing communication from the upper end of the drier to the junction box, acombustion chamber having` direct communication withr the lower end of the drier to receive material therefrom and to deliver products of combustion thereto and having a portion projecting above the drier, a by- Dass. conduit disposed between the drier and the housing and` communicating from the upwardly projecting-,portion of the combustion chamber to the junction box, and means for varying the relative proportionr of products of combustion passing through the drier and through the bypass` conduit, respectively,` to the junction box and thencel to the stack.

4;. A garbage incinerator comprising` anV infeed conveyor, a hopperatthe discharge end thereofl having a laterally directed, rinclined deliverythroat, an elongated, inclined rotary drier having its upper end'registering with the lower end of said throat for the reception of garbage therefrom, a combustion chamber adjacent the lower end of the drier positioned to receive material therefrom and to deliver products of combustion thereto for flow therethrough, said throat having substantially the same. vdiameter as the drier, to receive all of the productsof combustion flowing therethrough, and having an opening in its upper surface for the escape of said products of combustion, a stack, means connecting said opening with said stack, and means for inducing a flow of said products from said opening through said connecting means to said stack, whereby the products do not ow through said hopper.

5. A garbage incinerator comprising an infeed conveyor, a hopper at the discharge end thereof having a laterally directed, inclined delivery throat, an elongated, inclined rotary drier below and in the same vertical plane as the conveyor and having its upper end registering with the lower end of said throat for the reception of garbage therefrom, a combustion chamber adjacent the lower end of the drier positioned to receive material therefrom and to deliver products of combustion to the lower end of the drier for flow therethrough into said throat, a stack above said conveyor at the upper end of the drier, conduit means extending around the'conveyor and communicating with said throat in its upper surface, and a fan associatedV with said stack to induce said products of combustion to flow to the stack from the throat without flow through the hopper.

6. A garbage incinerator comprising an infeed conveyor, an elongated housing substantially enclosing said conveyor, a hopper at the discharge end of the conveyor having a laterally and downwardly inclined delivery throat, an elongated, inclined, rotary drier positioned below and in the same vertical plane as said housing and conveyor and having its upper end registering in substantially sealed relation with said throat for the reception of garbage therefrom, a combustion chamber adjacent the lower end of the drier positioned to receive material from the drier and to deliver products of combustion thereto for flow therethrough into said throat, a stack positioned above said housing at the discharge end of the conveyor, conduit means communicating with the stack, laterally spanning the housing and communicating with said throat through an upper portion thereof, and a fan in the stack whereby said products of combustion flow from the drier through the throat to the stack without passing through the hopper or conveyor housing.

'7. A garbage incinerator comprising an infeed conveyor, an elongated housing substantially enclosing said conveyor, a hopper at the discharge end of the conveyor having a laterally and downwardly inclined delivery throat, an elongated, inclined, rotary drier positioned below said housing and conveyor and having its upper end registering in substantially sealed relation with said throat for the reception of garbage therefrom, a combustion chamber adjacent the lower end of the drier having a traveling grate therein positioned to receive material from the drier and to deliver products of combustion thereto for ow therethrough into said throat, a stack positioned above said housing at the discharge end of the conveyor in the same vertical plane as the drier and housing, conduit' meanscommunicating with the stack, laterally spanning the housing and Vcommunicating with said throat through an upper portion thereof, and a fan associated with said stack whereby said products of combustion ow from the drier through the throat to the stack without passingv through the hopper or conveyor housing.

8. A garbage incinerator comprising an infeed conveyor, an elongated housing substantially enclosing said conveyor, a hopper at the discharge end of the conveyor having a laterally and downwardly inclined delivery throat, an elongated, inclined, rotary drier positioned below said housing and conveyor and having its upper end registeringin substantially sealed relation with said throat for the reception of garbage therefrom, a combustion chamber adjacent the lower end of the drier positioned to receive material from the drier and to deliver products of combustion thereto for flow therethrough into said throat, a stack positioned above said housing at the discharge end of the conveyor, an exhaust fan associated with said stack, and a pair of conduits extending laterally in opposite directions and upwardly to the stack around the outside of said housing and communicating with said throat, whereby said products of combustion are withdrawn therefrom, without entering the hopper or the conveyor housing.

9. A garbage incinerator comprising an infeed conveyor, an elongated housing substantially enclosing said conveyor, a hopper at the discharge end of the conveyor having a forwardly and downwardly inclined delivery throat, an elongated, inclined, rotary drier positioned below and in the same vertical plane Vas said housing and conveyor, and having its upper end registering in substantially sealed relation with said throat for the reception of garbage therefrom and for the flow to said throat of gases from the drier. a combustion chamber adjacent the lower end of the drier positioned to receive material from the drier and to deliver gaseous products of combustion thereto for ow therethrough into said throat, a stack positioned above said housing at the discharge end of the conveyor, conduit means communicating with the stack, laterally spanning the housing and communicating with the vthroat through the upper portion thereof below RAINER H. KNIPPING.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 98,583 Gluck Jan. 4, 1870 366,956 Hogan July 19, 1887 554,453 McGiehan Feb. 11, 1896 985,462 Shepherd et al Feb. 28, 1911 1,800,689 Kerr Apr. 14, 1931 1,809,819 Caller June 16, 1931 1,929,880 Darrah Oct. 10, 1933 1,898,479 Coghlan Feb. 21, 1933 1,974,231 Bighouse Sept. 18, .1934