Pebble heater system and method of operation

Claim 1

A PEBBLE HEATER FOR HEATING A DESCENDING CONTIGUOUS MASS OF PEBBLES COMPRISING A VERTICALLY ELONGATED CYLINDRICAL CLOSED VESSEL; A GAS PERVIOUS REFRACTORY PARTITION DEFINING IN COOPERATION WITH THE WALLS AND BOTTOM CLOSURE MEMBER OF SAID VESSEL A COMBUSTION CHEMBER IN THE LOWER PORTION THEREOF; A PEBBLE PASSAGEWAY COMMUNICATING BETWEEN AN AXIALLY DISPOSED OPENING IN SAID PARTITION AND THE PEBBLE OUTLET HEREINAFTER NAMED; MEANS FOR INTRODUCING A COMBUSTIBLE MIXTURE TO SAID COMBUSTION CHAMBER; A GAS OUTLET IN THE UPPER PORTION OF SAID VESSEL; A PEBBLE OUTLET SUBSTANTIALLY AXIALLY POSITIONED IN THE BOTTOM OF SAID VESSEL; MEAND FOR INTRODUCING TWO SEPARATE STREAMS OF PEBBLES (ONE A RELATIVELY HOTTER AND THE OTHER A RELATIVELY COOLER PEBBLE STREAM) INTO THE UPPER PORTION OF SAID VESSEL, SAID MEANS COMPRISING A PAIR OF CONCENTRIC CONDUITS OF SUFFICIENT DIAMETER DIFFERENTIAL TO FORM AN ANNULUS BETWEEN THE INNER AND OUTER CONDUITS OF SAID PAIR OF SUFFICIENT CROSS SECTION TO PERMIT RELATIVELY FREE FLOW OF PEBBLES THERETHROUGH, SAID INNER CONDUIT ADJUSTABLY EXTENDING INTO SAID VESSEL A SUBSTTIAL DISTANCE FOR DELIVERY OF SAID HOTTER PEBBLE STREAM AND SAID OUTER CONDUIT EXTENDING THEREINTO A LESSER DISTANCE FOR DELIVERY OF SAID COOLER PEBBLE STREAM.