Grate clearing and ash removal system for gasification furnace

An integrated system of fuel grate and fuel movement components and under-fuel air flow directing components for grate clearing and fuel movement in a biomass gasification furnace, the system comprising:

• multiple feed screws to feed biomass fuel material through a biomass fuel feed opening into a gasification chamber of a biomass gasification furnace;
• a fuel grate comprising a series of interconnected grate elements aligned in a linear array having aligned top surfaces, the grate extending from the biomass fuel feed opening into and across the gasification chamber angled downwardly at a slight acute angle from the horizontal so that the feed screws press the fuel material into and across the aligned top surfaces of the grate elements to keep the bottom of the solid fuel moving along the aligned top surfaces of the grate elements in a scraping cleaning action during gasification and to push resulting ash byproduct down the grate and into an ash removal auger for removal;
• each adjacent pair of grate elements having an air space therebetween to receive under fire airflow therethrough, and each grate element further comprising an airflow directing flange extending from one grate element over the air space and over the top of the adjacent lower grate element parallel to the top surface of the lower grate element to direct the airflow over the lower grate element so that the air flow blows across the top surface of the lower grate element to act as a grate sweeper to clean the top surface;
• thereby providing an integrated system of fuel grate and fuel movement components and under-fuel, airflow directing components for grate clearing and fuel movement in the biomass gasification furnace.