System for the dynamic movement of waste in an incinerator

A system for dynamic movement of waste through an incinerator, the system comprising:

• a stepped hearth combustion chamber including a drying zone, a combustion zone, and an ash zone, at least one combustible material input nearest the drying zone, and at least one outlet nearest the ash zone to permit egress of a product of combustion;
• a stair-stepped series of hearths arranged in the stepped hearth combustion chamber;
• a plurality of sensing elements including at least one level sensor, each level sensor configured to measure a height of the combustible material on a respective hearth in the series of hearths;
• a plurality of response elements including at least one hydraulic ram, each hydraulic ram configured to laterally force the combustible material onto or off of a respective hearth in the series of hearths;
• and
• a control system programmable to perform the following:
• receiving input from the plurality of sensing elements including the level sensor;
• generating at least one output signal as a function of the received input;
• and
• transmitting the output signal to the plurality of response elements including the at least one hydraulic ram to selectively transfer respective quantities of the combustible material between the stair-stepped series of hearths, to thereby selectively raise or lower the height of the combustible material on at least one hearth.

A system for dynamic movement of waste through an incinerator, the system comprising:

• a stepped hearth combustion chamber including a stair-stepped series of hearths;
• a plurality of sensing elements comprising at least one non-contact temperature sensor, at least one continuous level sensor configured to monitor a height of the combustible material on a respective hearth, and at least one has an oxygen sensor;
• a plurality of response elements comprising at least one loading ram configured to load the combustible materials onto a first hearth in the series of hearths and at least one ash transfer ram configured to laterally transfer the combustible material to a respective downstream hearth;
• and
• a control system programmable to perform the following;
• receiving input from the plurality of sensing elements;
• generating output signals as a function of the received input from the plurality of sensing elements;
• and
• transmitting the output signals to control the at least one loading ram and the at least one transfer ram to control a loading of the combustible materials onto the first hearth and to control lateral transfer of the combustible material between the series of hearths to facilitate an automated movement of the combustible material through the stepped hearth combustion chamber.