Incinerating method and apparatus having selective, controlled movement of materials during combustion

In apparatus for incinerating a combustible material, the combination comprising:

• moving grate means including a plurality of juxtaposed reciprocating grate sections each moving alternately forward and backward in relation to the direction of material advancement on said grate sections, each grate section having a downwardly inclined, upper support surface over which a combustible material moves during combustion;
• reciprocating means successively pushing an incoming combustible material along said upper support surface of each grate section in distance increments substantially less than the full travel distance of the material along the upper support surface of each grate section for imparting moving forces through the material on the upper support surface of each grate section to cause a selective particle movement whereby less dense particles travel faster than more dense particles during the combustion of said particles;
• and
• a succession of a selected number of grate sections in alinement with each of said plurality of juxtaposed grate sections to provide a selected number of groups of juxtaposed grate sections,
• said reciprocating means including a pusher block at the inlet end of each grate section having a width substantially corresponding to the width of the associated grate section, each pusher block reciprocating back and forth over a portion of the upper surface of the associated grate section.

In apparatus for incinerating combustible materials, the combination comprising:

• moving grate means including a plurality of adjacent reciprocating grate sections arranged in a succession of a selected number of alined, downstepped grate sections, each of said grate sections moving alternately forward and backward in relation to the direction of material advancement on said grate sections, each grate section having an upper surface for supporting a combustible material during combustion, said upper surface being inclined downwardly in the direction of material advancement from an inlet end to an outlet end for each of said grate sections;
• a pusher block supported for reciprocating movement on an inlet end portion of each of said inclined grate sections, the pusher block and associated grate section of each succession of alined grate sections and pusher blocks being arranged with an outlet end portion of one grate section overlapping the next succeeding pusher block and an inlet end portion of the associated grate section;
• drive means for successively moving each of said pusher blocks over a portion of the upper support surface at the inlet end of an associated grate section in a forward stroke toward the outlet end a distance substantially less than the full length of each upper surface of each grate section between the inlet end and the outlet end to advance the material along each grate section by forces imparted through the material on each grate section and moving backward in a back stroke after each forward stroke leaving a void in the material on each grate section;
• and
• means for filling said void after each back stroke with incoming material that is advanced by the next forward stroke of each pushing member which in turn advances the previously advanced material further along the upper surface of the associated grate section by forces imparted through the material on each grate section to cause a selectivity of particle movement whereby less dense particles travel faster than more dense particles between the inlet end and outlet end of each grate section during the combustion of said particles.

In apparatus for incinerating combustible materials and generating energy in the form of heat, the combination comprising:

• a support base;
• a plurality of juxtaposed grate sections arranged in a succession of a selected number of alined, downstepped grate sections supported for reciprocating movement on and relative to said support base, each of said grate sections having a downwardly inclined upper support surface on which a combustible material moves from an inlet end to an outlet end during combustion;
• a pusher block supported for reciprocating movement on said support base and on an inlet end portion of each of said inclined grate sections, the pusher block and associated grate section of each succession of alined grate sections and pusher blocks being arranged with an outlet end portion of one grate section overlapping the next succeeding pusher block and an inlet end portion of the associated grate section, the length of each pusher block being substantially less than the length of the associated grate section;
• and
• an adjustable speed, reversible drive means for successively moving each of said pusher blocks over a portion of the upper support surface at the inlet end of an associated grate section in a forward stroke toward the outlet end a distance substantially less than the full travel distance of the material along the upper support surface of each grate section for imparting a moving force applied through said material and retracting the pusher block in the opposite direction in a return stroke after each forward stroke during which an upper support surface portion left void is filled by incoming combustible material causing a selectivity of particle movement whereby less dense particles travel faster than more dense particles between the inlet end and outlet end of each grate section during the combustion of said particles, there being an adjustable escapement coupling means between each of said pusher blocks and the associated grate section whereby a portion of the movement of each pusher block in both a forward and a return stroke is transmitted to the associated grate section for conjoint movement between each pusher block and associated grate section.

In a method of incinerating a combustible material including a plurality of adjacent reciprocally movable grate sections for supporting a combustible material during combustion, said grate sections being inclined downwardly in the direction of material advancement from an inlet end to an outlet end for each of said grate sections, a reciprocally movable pushing member at the inlet end of each of said grate sections, and means for feeding incoming material to the inlet end of said pushing members and grate sections, the steps of:

• moving said grate sections alternately back and forth in relation to the direction of material advancement from the inlet end to the outlet end of each of said grate sections;
• successively moving each of said pushing members forwardly over the downwardly inclined upper surface of each of said grate sections a distance substantially less than the full length of each upper surface of each grate section between an inlet end and an outlet end to advance the material along each grate section by forces imparted through the material on each grate section in a forward stroke and moving backward in a back stroke after each forward stroke leaving a void in the material on each grate section;
• and
• filling said void after each back stroke with incoming material that is advanced by the next forward stroke of each pushing member which in turn advances the previously advanced material further along the upper surface of the associated grate section by forces imparted through the material on each grate section to cause a selectivity of particle movement whereby the less dense particles travel faster than more dense particles during combustion.