Pressurized rotary kiln with thrust containment

A rotary kiln apparatus for the gasification of solid carbonaceous material;

• said kiln having a cylindrical kiln shell with a central axis being inclined downwardly from a material feed end of said kiln shell to a material discharge end;
• means to feed the solid carbonaceous material to said material feed end;
• a nonrotary feed hood having a gas outlet and engaging said material feed end;
• and a nonrotary discharge hood, having gas and ash outlets, and engaging said material discharge end;
• the improvement comprising:
• a. a feed end brace adjacent to said nonrotary feed hood on an end thereof remote from said kiln shell;
• said feed end brace disposed in a plane generally perpendicular to said axis of said kiln shell;
• b. expansion means adjacent said discharge hood on an end thereof remote from said kiln shell;
• said expansion means permitting expansion along the axis of said kiln shell;
• c. a discharge end brace adjacent said expansion means on an end thereof remote from said discharge hood;
• said discharge end brace disposed in a plane generally perpendicular to said axis of said kiln shell;
• d. rigid means for connecting said feed end brace with said discharge end brace;
• whereby said feed end hood and said discharge hood are maintained in fixed and stationary position against said kiln shell by said feed end brace and said discharge end brace;
• said end braces relieve forces on said hoods by transmitting said forces to said connecting means and with said expansion means permitting expansion of said rigid connecting means while maintaining gas-tight connection between said discharge hood and said discharge end brace.