SPECIFICATIONS AND BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Several developers who expended time and money on various burner systems found that their processes either lacked capacity making them uneconomical or they were not efficient from an Environmental viewpoint.

This invention involves amendments to existing oxygen starved Gas Generators by adding a continuous feed auger that delivers a uniform amount of feedstock on to the top step of a specially designed rotating cone shaped burner floor. As the floor rotates at the desired speed with each one third of a round the feedstock is stirred twice and a scraper then moves the ^' burning material down to the next step. The longer exposure to heat greatly increases the conversion rate of solids to gases while causing little or no turbulence that could raise particulate levels.

Existing continuous feed oxygen starved gas generators equipped with this invention including the modified afterburners described herein will generate an increased flow of gas. This system could be the start of a trend to eliminate land fill sites and remove unsightly garbage piles as well as waste tires that are also unsightly, a fire hazard and breeding grounds for mosquitoes and rats. This invention substantially improves the performance of the conversion of solids to gases resulting in better economics - an essential factor in the success of any system.

A second related and important aspect of this invention described herein was developed to handle the increased amount of gases without creating more particulates or SO ₂ emissions. This was achieved by designing an afterburner with more retention time and a more complete mixing of the gases and air. The resulting higher temperature in the afterburner improves its efficiency, while the longer retention time virtually eliminates the combustible particulates and enhances the destruction of unwanted toxins and/or other undesirable elements that may be present in MSW.

These inventions when applied to an oxygen starved burner will increase the conversion rate of solids to gases, be more efficient, at a lower cost per tonne and with less pollution to the air or ground waters.

SUBSTTTUTE SHEET (RULE 26)

DISCLOSURE - DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION AND DRAWINGS.

D(1) Feedstock consisting of Solid Municipal Waste (MSW), tires, wood waste, plastic or other combustible materials are coarse shredded to approximately four inches (1) and conveyed into a hopper (2) that feeds the variable speed auger (3) (FIGURE 1).

D(2) The feedstock material (1) is fed into the primary chamber (4) by the auger (3) on to the larger top step (5) of the rotating floor. In the intense heat of 1600°F to 1700°F the decomposition process commences immediately (FIGURE 1). The material on the top step is stirred twice by teeth (6) and (7) to improve exposure at 1/3 of a turn intervals and is then scraped off each step onto the next lower step by fixed scrapers (8). This procedure is similar on all the steps (9) on the cone shaped rotating floor in the primary chamber (FIGURE^.

D(3) When the feedstock is fully decomposed the ashes are scraped off the lower step (10) into a 24" outlet (11) to fall into the sealed ashes chamber (12) designed to control dust. The accumulation of hot ash in chamber (12) contributes to maintaining a constant temperature in the primary chamber (4) which reduces the amount of gases burned in the said primary chamber to hold the desired temperature level (FIGURE 1).

D(4) The ashes are removed from the ash chamber (12) by an auger (13) that operates intermittently as required to keep the ash chamber from overfilling. At all times a bed of ash is retained to be sure the combustible material is oxidized and the heat is retained (FIGURE 1).

D(5) The gases generated in the primary chamber (4) flow upwards through a throat (14) into the afterburner (15). A damper (16) in the throat regulates the flow of the gases into the afterburner (15) to stabilize the gas/air mixture (FIGURE 1).

D(6) An automated igniter (17) ignites the gas/air mixture which is attained by injecting air with a fan (18). Complete mixing of the gases and air is important and is enhanced by a dispersal cone (19). The flow of the burning gas/air mix is diverted sideways and up and down through a series of deflective barriers (20) in the afterburner that lengthens the travel time of the burning gases without materially reducing the velocity. The higher temperature created by a good mix of gas/air up to 2400°F increases its effectiveness in the destruction of toxic substances as the waste is converted to heat/energy (FIGURE 2).

D(7) The waste heat generated by the burning of the gases can be exhausted out the stack (21) or drawn through steam boilers with an I.D. Fan to provide steam heat or energy to drive a turbine to power a generator. Thus waste to electric energy is achieved (FIGURE 1).

D(8) The inventions set out herein have the ability to economically convert wastes to electricity, one of the most important commodities in use day and night without which no country on earth can develop industries or provide a reasonable standard of living for its people.

D(9) The indirect benefit to both developed and developing countries is that a system utilizing these inventions provides electric power economically while simultaneously contributing to cleaning up the continuous flow of garbage every nation on earth is struggling to control. These benefits are achieved without pollution of the air or waters in excess of current allowable emissions. Every nation that applies the principles of the inventions set out herein converting wastes to heat or energy will realize realistic benefits.