Directional control of hot gases from an incinerator or the like

Claim 2

A directional control apparatus for flue gases received from a combustion zone comprising: an upwardly extending stack operatively communicating with the combustion zone and normally aspirating flue gases therefrom to atmosphere; a conduit having a first portion extending transversely to the axis of said stack and opening to said stack and a second portion for discharging flue gases diverted from said stack through said first portion; heat recovery means including heat exchanger means in said first portion of said conduit for recovery of heat from flue gases; and aerodynamic valving means to divert gases from aspirating upwardly and discharging from said stack to go through and discharge from said conduit whereby said heat exchanger means removes heat from said flue gases, said aerodynamic valving means including a first means for discharging an air jet into said conduit in a downstream direction of said conduit, said first means being positioned downstream of said heat exchanger means and a second means for dischaRging air in a downstream direction in said stack, said second means being positioned downstream of the opening of said first portion of said conduit to said stack.

Claim 3

A directional control apparatus for flue gases as claimed in claim 1 wherein said first means of said aerodynamic valving means injects a greater quantity of air into said conduit than the quantity of air injected into said stack by said second means of said aerodynamic valving means.

Claim 4

A directional control apparatus for flue gases as claimed in claim 1 wherein said aerodynamic valving means includes a blower for air and having a source of power and duct means for discharging an air jet in a downstream direction in said conduit downstream of said heat exchanger means and for discharging an air jet into said stack in a downstream direction and spaced downstream of the opening of said conduit into said stack.

Claim 5

A directional control apparatus for flue gases as claimed in claim 3 in which said duct means includes means to proportion the discharge of the air jet in said conduit to the discharge of the air jet in said stack.

Claim 6

A directional control apparatus for flue gases as claimed in claim 4 including means to modulate said proportioning means in accordance with conditions of said heat recovery means.

Claim 7

A directional control apparatus for flue gases as claimed in claim 3 including a valve means on said blower for controlling the amount of air discharged therefrom into said duct means.

Claim 8

A directional control apparatus for flue gases as claimed in claim 6 including means to modulate said control valve on said blower in accordance with conditions of said heat recovery means.

Claim 9

A directional control apparatus for flue gases as claimed in claim 3 in which said duct means includes means to proportion of the discharge of the air jet in said conduit to the discharge in the air jet in said stack and in which said blower includes a valve means to control the amount of air discharged therefrom to said duct means.

Claim 10

A directional control apparatus for flue gases as claimed in claim 8 including means to modulate said proportioning means and said blower control valve means in accordance with conditions of said heat recovery means.

Claim 11

A directional control apparatus for flue gases as claimed in claim 3 including a sensing means for said heat recovery means, said sensing means being operatively connected to said source of power and operable to cut off said source of power to stop said blower when emergency conditions are sensed in said heat recovery means.

Claim 12

A directional control apparatus for flue gases as claimed in claim 1 in which said second portion of said conduit includes an auxiliary stack discharging flue gases to atmosphere.

Claim 13

A directional control apparatus for flue gases as claimed in claim 1 in which said second portion of said conduit includes an auxiliary stack opening into said first-mentioned stack downstream of the opening of said first portion to said first-mentioned stack, said auxiliary stack discharging flue gases therefrom into said first-mentioned stack.

Claim 14

In combination: an incinerator having a main combustion chamber for burning of waste material and a secondary combustion chamber for receiving exhaust gases therefrom and burning waste products in the exhaust gases to produce substantially pollution free flue gases; a generally upwardly extending main stack operatively connected to said second combustion chamber for receiving the flue gases therefrom and normally discharging the flue gases to atmosphere; an auxiliary stack means connected to said main stack at a point downstream of its connection to said second combustion chamber, said auxiliary stack means including at least a first portion extending transversely to the axis of and opening to said stack and a second portion extending generally upwardly and connected to said first portion on an axis transverse to the axis of said portion; heat recovery means for recovering heat from said flue gases whEn flowing through said auxiliary stack means, said heat recovery means including a fluid tank and a heat exchanger connected to said fluid tank and positioned in said first portion of said conduit; aerodynamic valving means to divert flue gases from aspirating normally upwardly in said main stack to flow through and discharge from said auxiliary stack whereby said heat exchanger means removes heat from said flue gases, said aerodynamic valving means including a first aspirating means for discharging an air jet downstream in said second portion of said conduit and a second aspirating means for discharging air in a downstream direction in said main stack at a position downstream of the opening of the first portion of said conduit to said main stack.

Claim 15

In combination: an incinerator having a main combustion chamber for burning of waste material and a secondary combustion chamber for receiving exhaust gases therefrom and burning waste products in the exhaust gases to produce substantially pollution free flue gases; a generally upwardly extending main stack operatively connected to said second combustion chamber for receiving the flue gases therefrom and normally discharging the flue gases to atmosphere; an auxiliary stack means connected to said main stack at a point downstream of its connection to said second combustion chamber, said auxiliary stack means including at least a first portion extending transversely to the axis of and opening to said stack and a second portion extending generally upwardly and connected to said first portion on an axis transverse to the axis of said portion; heat recovery means for recovering heat from said flue gases whEn flowing through said auxiliary stack means, said heat recovery means including a fluid tank and a heat exchanger connected to said fluid tank and positioned in said first portion of said conduit; aerodynamic valving means to divert flue gases from aspirating normally upwardly in said main stack to flow through and discharge from said auxiliary stack whereby said heat exchanger means removes heat from said flue gases, said aerodynamic valving means including a first aspirating means for discharging an air jet downstream in said second portion of said conduit and a second aspirating means for discharging air in a downstream direction in said main stack at a position downstream of the opening of the first portion of said conduit to said main stack.

Claim 16

The combination as claimed in claim 13 wherein said aerodynamic valving means includes a blower for air having a source of power and control means therefor, a manifold extending from an outlet of the blower, said first aspirating means including a duct connected to said manifold and extending upwardly in said second portion of said conduit and having an air jet nozzle on the end thereof, and said second aspirating means including a second duct connected to said manifold and connected to said main stack.

Claim 17

The combination as claimed in claim 14 wherein said second conduit includes a manifold collar extending around said main stack and a plurality of upwardly extending holes in said main stack for directing air in a downstream direction therein.

Claim 18

The combination as claimed in claim 15 including an adjustable splitter valve positioned in said manifold for proportioning air discharged therefrom into said first and second ducts.

Claim 19

The combination as claimed in claim 16 including manually operable means for adjusting said splitter valve.

Claim 20

The combination as claimed in claim 16 including an air valve on said blower, sensor means on said fluid tank for sensing conditions within said tank, and a controller means operatively connected to said blower air inlet valve and to said sensor means for controlling output of air from said blower to said manifold dependent on conditions within said fluid tank.

Claim 21

The combination as claimed in claim 18 including a fail-safe sensor means on said tank for sensing emergency conditions within said tank, said fail-safe sensor means being connected to the control means for the source of power of said blower whereby said blower is stopped when emergency conditions exist.

Claim 22

The combination as claimed in claim 16 including control means for automatically adjusting said splitter valve to modulate the air in said first and second ducts and sensor means on said fluid tank for sensing conditions within said tank, said sensor means being operatively connected to said controller means.

Claim 23

The combination as claimed in claim 20 including a fail-safe sensor means on said tank for sensing emergency conditions with in said tank, said fail-safe sensor means being connected to the control means for the source of power of said blower whereby said blower is stopped when emergency conditions exist.

Claim 24

The combination as claimed in claim 13 including a pressure burner having a burner nozzle positioned within said second combustion chamber, said pressure burner being utilized to assist in burning waste products in the exhaust gases when necessary to support combustion and further being utilized to assist in providing heat for flue gases when said incinerator is providing insufficient heat for use of said heat recovery means.

Claim 25

The combination as claimed in claim 13 wherein the second portion of said conduit of said auxiliary stack means discharges flue gases to atmosphere.

Claim 26

The combination as claimed in claim 13 wherein the second portion of said conduit of said auxiliary stack means opens into said main stack downstream of the opening of said first portion to said main stack and thereby discharges flue gases into said main stack.

Claim 27

The combination as claimed in claim 13 whErein said heat recovery means is for producing steam and wherein said fluid tank is a steam tank having an inlet for water and an outlet for steam.