Materials handling system for feed injection to thermal kiln retorts

A system for feeding material into a thermal unit performing an airless or oxygen starved incineration process, comprising:

• an inlet container for receiving the material;
• an intermediate container;
• a slide gate that when in a closed position forms the base of said inlet container for supporting the material within said inlet container and when in an open position permits the material to move from said inlet container into said intermediate container;
• a ram container comprising a front and back end;
• a ram body within said ram container that when in a forward position towards the front end of said ram container forms the base of said intermediate container for supporting the material within said intermediate container and when in a back position towards the back end of said ram container permits the material to move from said intermediate container into said ram container, wherein said ram body comprises a front face;
• a ram attached to said ram body for driving said ram body within said ram container toward the front and back ends of said ram container;
• a splitter within said ram container at or near said front end of said ram container for splitting the material;
• an outlet at or near said front end of said ram container through which the material may pass to the thermal unit;
• and
• material-level sensors capable of sensing the level of the materials within the system and of sending signals to a control system, wherein said control system is capable of receiving signals from said material-level sensors and capable of coordinating the opening and closing of said slide gate and the positioning of said ram body in either said forward or back positions such that the material itself assists in preventing the ingress or egress of air into the system.