US 4,037,543 AGranted

Pollution free combination carbonization apparatus and furnace

OwnerJames F. Angeloinventor

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Abstract

A combination carbonization apparatus and furnace for alternatively reducing cellulosic waste such as wood chips and the like to charcoal, or burning said waste completely to produce furnace heat and ash, from which potash may be produced, as desired, the desired operation being provided simply by regulating the amount of combustion air admitted to the reaction chamber of the device, either insufficient air to produce full combustion of the waste if charcoal is desired, or an excess of air if the production of ash is desired. An afterburner receiving the gaseous products of the reaction chamber is provided with an excess air supply to provide full combustion of the gaseous products in either case, whereby the effluent gases of the device may be pollution-free. Special means are also provided for cooling the reaction chamber and afterburner exteriorly, whereby to increase the efficiency of the reactions occurring therein by permitting higher reaction temperatures therein, and to protect the structural integrity of the device, and for more fully and efficiently utilizing heat produced in the reaction chamber and afterburner as useful heat for external purposes.

Claims22

Dependent claims

A combination device for converting granular cellulosic material alternatively either to charcoal or to ash, said device comprising:

a. a retort including means by which said cellulosic material is continuously introduced thereto, and by which the charcoal or ash in continuously removed therefrom after conversion of said material,
b. means operable initially to start the conversion reaction by heating at least a portion of the introduced material to carbonization temperature to initiate a spontaneous, self-sustaining carbonization reaction in which a combustible hydrocarbon gas is released from said material,
c. means operable to inject air into said retort, and
d. means operably to adjust the rate of injection of air into said retort, whereby said rate may alternatively either be set sufficiently low to add only enough oxygen to support combustion of only enough of said hydrocarbon gas, in spatially separated relation from said cellulosic material, to provide sufficient heat to dry and elevate the freshly added material to carbonization temperature, whereby a continuous carbonization reaction producing charcoal is established independently of said initial heating means, or sufficiently high to add sufficient oxygen to permit relatively complete combustion of said hydrocarbon gas and said material, whereby a continuous ash producing operation is established.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.