US 4,503,783 A · Furnace ash air seal

Abstract

According to the present invention, a sealing chamber is provided into which a noncombustible residue from an incinerator, furnace or the like is moved. The residue may be sprayed with a liquid upon entering the sealing chamber to effect cooling and compaction of the residue. The sealing chamber is provided with a vibratory discharge mechanism which serves to convey the residue out of the chamber and to compact the residue accumulated in a vertical column in the chamber to provide an effective seal against the diffusion and entry of air into the combustion area of the incinerator. Controls are provided in the sealing chamber to maintain the seal and to actuate the vibratory mechanisms for moving the residue. By the time the residue reaches the discharge of the chamber, the liquid in the residue is evaporated by the residual heat in the residue particles. The dried particles are thereafter transported by a transport conveyor from the outlet of the vibratory discharge conveyor to an appropriate point of disposal.

Claims10

Dependent claims

In a combustion apparatus of the type having a combustion chamber for burning solid fuels from which unburned residue is developed, the improvement comprising:

a sealing chamber into which at least a portion of the residue is transferred and having an outlet adjacent the bottom of the sealing chamber;
first means for transferring residue between the combustion chamber and the sealing chamber to form a column of residue in the sealing chamber;
means aligned with the bottom of the sealing chamber for supporting at least part of the weight of the residue in the sealing chamber;
means for vibrating the last named means to compact the residue in the sealing chamber and at the same time to convey some of the residue from the sealing chamber,
a first level detector located in the sealing chamber for detecting the maximum height of the residue in the sealing chamber and for activating the vibrating means;
a second level detector located in the sealing chamber for detecting a minimum height of the residue in the sealing chamber and for shutting off the vibrating means;
and
said column of residue provides resistance to the passage of air from the atmosphere through the sealing chamber so as to maintain a negative pressure in the combustion chamber.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Furnace ash air seal

Life of this patent

Furnace ash air seal

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims10