Low profile kiln apparatus and method of using same
AssigneeSwindell Dressler International Corporation
InventorsJames D. Bushman, Marion A. Rogallo
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A manufacturing method and apparatus is provided for making building and other types of brick. The apparatus requires a minimum of excess (or surge) production, utilizes automated equipment which is highly dependable and which is easily operated and controlled. The apparatus comprises an automated low profile dryer and kiln in conjunction with an automated brick handling system including specially designed lighweight kiln cars.
Claims16
A method of drying and firing bricks having a moisture content above about 1% by weight, comprising:
- a. loading the bricks onto a kiln car adapted to convey the bricks through a dryer and a kiln, the car having an elevated deck for supporting the bricks and an unloaded mass of about 25 to 60 lbs/ft.sup.2 of the deck, the bricks being stacked on the deck to a height of 1 to 8 bricks, the loaded brick having a mass of about 5 to 140 lbs/ft.sup.2 of the deck;
- b. gradually lowering the brick moisture content over a period of about 8 to 27 hours to below about 1% by weight by conveying the loaded kiln car through an interior passage of the dryer, the dryer passage having a low cross-sectional profile;
- e. thereafter, conveying the loaded kiln car through the kiln for a period of about 6 to 20 hours, the kiln comprising a heating zone, a furnace zone and a cooling zone, the kiln having a passage through said zones, the passage having substantially the same cross-sectional profile as the cross-sectional profile of the interior passage of the dryer, the furnace zone having a plurality of fuel burners, and the kiln having a temperature sensor and a pressure sensor;
- d. automatically sensing the temperature in the kiln, comparing the sensed temperature to a setpoint temperature and adjusting a damper in a gas conveying line in response thereto;
- and
- e. automatically sensing the pressure in the kiln, comparing the sensed pressure to a setpoint pressure and adjusting a damper in a products of combustion stack in response thereto.
A method of using an apparatus for drying and firing bricks having a moisture content above about 1% by weight, the apparatus including a dryer having at least one interior passage with a low cross-sectional profile for gradually lowering the brick moisture content of the bricks to below about 1% by weight, a kiln comprising a heating zone, a furnace zone and a cooling zone, the kiln having a passage through said zones, the passage having a cross-sectional profile of the dryer, the furnace zone having a plurality of fuel burners, some of the burners being positioned below the bricks as they travel through the kiln and other of the burners being positioned above the bricks as they travel through the kiln, the kiln further having a temperature sensor and a pressure sensor, a kiln car for conveying the bricks through the kiln, the car having an elevated deck for supporting the bricks, and means for automatically sensing and controlling the temperature and pressure in the kiln, the method comprising:
- a. loading the bricks onto the kiln car for conveying the bricks through the dryer and the kiln, the kiln car having an unloaded mass of about 25 to 60 lbs/ft.sup.2, the bricks being stacked on the deck to a height of 1 to 8 bricks, the loaded bricks having a mass of about 140 lbs/ft.sup.2 of the deck;
- b. gradually lowering the brick moisture content to below about 1% by weight by conveying the loaded kiln car through the interior passage of the dryer over a period of about 8 to 27 hours;
- c. thereafter, conveying the loaded kiln car through the kiln over a period of about 6 to 20 hours;
- d. automatically sensing the temperature in the kiln, comparing the sensed temperature to a setpoint temperature and adjusting a damper in a gas conveying line in response thereto;
- and
- e. automatically sensing the pressure in the kiln, comparing the sensed pressure to a setpoint pressure and adjusting a damper in a products of combustion stack in response thereto.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.