Device for charging alternative fuels into a rotary kiln and method for charging such alternative fuels and/or waste products

A device for charging one or more of lumpy alternative fuels and waste products into a rotary kiln at a location situated between a charging end of the rotary kiln and a discharging end of the rotary kiln, comprising:

• a closable opening provided in a jacket of the rotary kiln,
• said opening being provided at a location situated between the charging end of the rotary kiln and the discharging end of the rotary kiln, and
• said opening carrying an inwardly opening flap having a closing force exerted upon said flap by springs connected directly or indirectly to said flap, so as to bias said flap in an outward direction of closing of said opening, and
• a lifting device mounted on said rotary kiln that adjoins the opening in a substantially radial direction,
• wherein
• said lifting device is configured to hold the one or more of fuels or waste products to be charged in a position to discharge through the opening into the rotary kiln by the force of gravity acting upon the fuels or waste products to overcome the closing force of the flap, as the rotary kiln rotates.

A method for charging one or more of lumpy alternative fuels and waste products into a rotary kiln at a location situated between a charging end of the rotary kiln and a discharging end of the rotary kiln, comprising the steps of:

• effecting rotation of a rotary kiln which comprises
• a closable opening provided in a jacket of the rotary kiln, said opening being provided at a location situated between the charging end of the rotary kiln and the discharging end of the rotary kiln, and said opening carrying an inwardly opening flap having a closing force exerted upon said flap by springs connected directly or indirectly to said flap, so as to bias said flap in an outward direction of closing of said opening,
• a lifting device mounted on said rotary kiln that adjoins the opening in a substantially radial direction, said lifting device being configured to hold the one or more of fuels or waste products to be charged in a position to discharge through the opening into the rotary kiln by the force of gravity acting upon the fuels or waste products to overcome the closing force of the flap, as the rotary kiln rotates,
• sensors positioned so as to detect an angular position of the lifting device relative to an axis of rotation of the rotary kiln,
• means for detecting one or more of lump sizes and lump weight of the fuels or waste products, said means for detecting being arranged upstream of a site of delivery onto the lifting device, and
• means for actuating one or more of a stationary conveying device and a slide to deliver the fuels or waste products onto the lifting device, according to the detected angular position of the lifting device and to one or more of the detected lump sizes and lump weight of the fuels or waste products;
• detecting the angular position of the lifting device;
• detecting one or more of the lump sizes and lump weight;
• and
• controlling the charging of the fuels or waste products into the rotary kiln in accordance with the detected angular position and with one or more of the detected lump sizes and lump weight.