Particulate waste product firing system

Claim 2

A bottom unloading system for particulate material comprising: a particulate material cylindrical storage container including a bottom wall with a central opening therein, a cylindrical side wall having an annular restraining means attached thereto and above said bottom wall and a deflector means axially aligned with and in working relationship to said central opening, a radially free-sweeping, non-arching conveyor screw means extending along said bottom wall from said central opening to said side wall of the storage container, a wheel means attached to an outer end of said conveyor screw means adjacent to said side wall of the container in working relationship thereto for contacting said bottom wall and said restraining means, operable to maintain said conveying means at a substantially parallel distance above said bottom wall of the container and Prevent said conveyor screw means from ascending above said restraining means of said container, an electromotive means connected to the conveyor screw means operable to rotate said conveying means about its longitudinal axis, a sonic control means positioned below said central opening within a discharge area in operable relationship to a discharge from said storage container and communicating with said electromotive means to control the energy input thereto in response to a desired accumulation level of discharged particulate material, whereby the sonic control means generates a signal to said electromotive drive means in response to the level of discharge from said container and the drive means rotates said conveying screw means about its longitudinal axis causing frictional engagement of said wheel means with said bottom wall, resulting in the radially free-sweeping movement of said conveying screw means about the bottom wall of said container and uniform unloading of said particulate material from said container at a rate sufficient to maintain a constant desired level of discharge below said container.

Claim 3

A bottom unloading system for particulate material in accordance with claim 1, wherein said sonic control means comprises: a transmitting means operable to generate and transmit an ultra-sonic wave, said transmitting means being positioned at one side of the discharged particulate material below said central opening, a receiving means operable to receive said ultra-sonic wave, positioned on an opposite side of said discharged particulate material below said central opening of said container in alignment with said transmitting means, and a control means in working relationship with said transmitting means, receiving means and said electromotive drive means, to monitor the signal between said transmitting and receiving means and in response to said signal, control energy input to said drive means, resulting in a controlled rate of unloading by said conveying screw means in response to a selected level of discharge below said central opening in said bottom of the storage container.

Claim 4

A bottom unloading system for particulate material in accordance with claim 2, wherein said ultra-sonic wave is selectively adjustable to various density characteristics of different particulate materials.

Claim 5

A bottom unloading system for particulate material in accordance with claim 2, wherein said transmitting and receiving means are mounted onto a support means located beneath said central opening on opposite sides of said discharge area, said support means includes a plurality of spaced-apart mounting means whereby a selected level of discharged particulate material within said discharge area is attained by relocating said transmitting and receiving means along said mounting means to correspond to said selected level.

Claim 6

A bottom unloading system for particulate material in accordance with claim 1, including a weight-sensitive means located below said deflector means in operable relationship thereto to monitor the presence of particulate material within said cylindrical storage container and in communication with said control means to signal the amount of particulate material within said storage container, whereby said control means will initiate unloading of particulate material only when a sufficient amount of said particulate material is present within said container.

Claim 7

In a waste product firing system which includes: a combination of a storage container bottom unloader for particulate material having a central opening in the bottom of said container; a free-sweeping, non-arching conveying screw located within said container operable to unload stored particulate material through said opening; a screw transporting and compacting means located beneath said central opening of said storage container positioned to receive the particulate material discharged through said opening in the container bottom; said transporting and compacting means beiNg operable to compact and convey a constant amount of said particulate material to a particulate material burning machine; a blower means in working relation with said burning machine to establish a directed flow of air within said particulate material burning machine from one of at least two air inlets to an inlet of a combustion chamber; a valve means within said particulate material burning machine to selectively redirect the intake of air from one of said two air intakes, wherein only the first of said air intakes results in a flow of air over the particulate material discharged into said burning machine by said transporting and compacting means; whereby said particulate material is combined with the flow of air to form a desired air/particulate material mixture and is controllably fed to the inlet of said combustion chamber within said particulate material burning machine, the improvement comprising: an integrating control system means operable to coordinate the particulate material burning process, which includes a sonic sensor unit generating a signal to said control system in response to a selected level of discharged particulate material beneath said central opening whereby said integrating control system selectively operates said free-swinging, non-arching conveying screw to maintain said selected level of discharged particulate material beneath said central opening; a first sensing means located within said burning machine to generate a signal to said integrating control system in response to a selected position of said valve means, whereby said integrating control system operates said screw transporting and compacting means; a second sensing means located within said burning machine to generate a signal to said integrating control system in response to a second selected position of said valve means, whereby said integrating control system operates said blower means; a system initiator-terminator means operable to selectively start and stop the particulate material burning process in a predetermined sequence in response to select parameters in accordance with the availability of particulate material; and a combustion safety and pollution sensing means within said combustion chamber operable to monitor selected parameters relating to said combustion chamber and communicate abnormal conditions to said integrating control system, whereby said integrating control system will terminate the particulate material burning process.

Claim 8

In a waste product firing system which includes: a combination of a storage container bottom unloader for particulate material having a central opening in the bottom of said container; a free-sweeping, non-arching conveying screw located within said container operable to unload stored particulate material through said opening; a screw transporting and compacting means located beneath said central opening of said storage container positioned to receive the particulate material discharged through said opening in the container bottom; said transporting and compacting means beiNg operable to compact and convey a constant amount of said particulate material to a particulate material burning machine; a blower means in working relation with said burning machine to establish a directed flow of air within said particulate material burning machine from one of at least two air inlets to an inlet of a combustion chamber; a valve means within said particulate material burning machine to selectively redirect the intake of air from one of said two air intakes, wherein only the first of said air intakes results in a flow of air over the particulate material discharged into said burning machine by said transporting and compacting means; whereby said particulate material is combined with the flow of air to form a desired air/particulate material mixture and is controllably fed to the inlet of said combustion chamber within said particulate material burning machine, the improvement comprising: an integrating control system means operable to coordinate the particulate material burning process, which includes a sonic sensor unit generating a signal to said control system in response to a selected level of discharged particulate material beneath said central opening whereby said integrating control system selectively operates said free-swinging, non-arching conveying screw to maintain said selected level of discharged particulate material beneath said central opening; a first sensing means located within said burning machine to generate a signal to said integrating control system in response to a selected position of said valve means, whereby said integrating control system operates said screw transporting and compacting means; a second sensing means located within said burning machine to generate a signal to said integrating control system in response to a second selected position of said valve means, whereby said integrating control system operates said blower means; a system initiator-terminator means operable to selectively start and stop the particulate material burning process in a predetermined sequence in response to select parameters in accordance with the availability of particulate material; and a combustion safety and pollution sensing means within said combustion chamber operable to monitor selected parameters relating to said combustion chamber and communicate abnormal conditions to said integrating control system, whereby said integrating control system will terminate the particulate material burning process.

Claim 9

In a waste product firing system as defined in claim 6, including an alternate fuel source means in communication with said combustion chamber and said integrating control system so that when a signal is received by said source from said system, a fuel will be directed to said combustion chamber to burn separately and in cooperation with the burning of said particulate material.

Claim 10

In a waste product firing system as defined in claim 6, including a weight-sensitive means located above said central opening in operable relationship thereto to monitor the presence of particulate material within said cylindrical storage container and communicate with said control system a signal representing the amount of particulate material within said storage container whereby said control system will initiate unloading of particulate material only when a sufficient amount of said particulate material is present within said storage container.

Claim 11

In a waste product firing system which includes: a particulate material storage container including a bottom wall with a central opening therein, a cylindrical side wall having annular restraining means attached thereto above said bottom wall, and a deflector means axially aligned with and in working relationship to said central opening, a radially free-sweeping, non-arching conveying screw means extending along said bottom wall from said central opening to said side wall of the storage container, a wheel means attached to an outer end of said conveying screw means adjacent to said side wall Of the container in working relationship thereto for contacting said bottom wall and said restraining means, operable to maintain said conveying means at a substantially parallel distance above said bottom wall of the container and prevent said conveying screw means from ascending above said bottom wall of the container, an electromotive means connected to the conveying screw means operable to rotate said conveying means about its longitudinal axis, a discharge bin located beneath said central opening, a flexible compactor conveyor screw located along the bottom of said discharge bin mounted off-center within a partially opened-top cylindrical tube having a closed discharge portion wherein said particulate material is compacted, a particulate material burning machine comprised of a duct having an intake and discharge opening, said duct communicating with the discharge portion of said compactor conveyor screw at a point adjacent to said intake opening of said duct, a by-pass aperture located within said duct intermediate said discharge portion of said compactor conveyor screw and said discharge opening of said duct, a blower means having an intake connected to said duct discharge opening for selectively establishing a fast-flowing continuous stream of air through said duct via said intake opening and by-pass aperture to an exhaust of said blower, valve means positioned in the duct in operable relation to said by-pass aperture and intermediate said blower and said compactor conveyor discharge portion, said valve means being selectively movable from a first position of closed by-pass aperture and open-duct to a second position of closed-duct and open by-pass aperture and vice versa, and a combustion chamber attached to said blower means for receiving the exhaust of said blower, the improvement comprising: an integrating control system means operable to coordinate the particulate material burning process, which includes a sonic sensor unit generating a signal to said control system in response to a selected level of discharged particulate material beneath said central opening whereby said integrating control system selectively operates said free-sweeping, non-arching conveying screw to maintain a selected level of discharged particulate material beneath said central opening; a first sensing means located within said burning machine to generate a signal to said integrating control system in response to a selected position of said valve means, whereby said integrating control system operates said compactor conveyor screw; a second sensing means located within said burning machine to generate a signal to said integrating control system in response to a second selected position of said valve means, whereby said integrating control system operates said blower means; a system initiator-terminator means operable to selectively start and stop the particulate material burning process in a predetermined sequence in response to select parameters in accordance with the availability of particulate material; and a combustion safety and pollution sensing means within said combustion chamber operable to monitor selected parameters relating to said combustion chamber and communicate abnormal conditions to said integrating control system, whereby said integrating control system will terminate the particulate material burning process.

Claim 12

In a waste product firing system which includes: a particulate material storage container including a bottom wall with a central opening therein, a cylindrical side wall having annular restraining means attached thereto above said bottom wall, and a deflector means axially aligned with and in working relationship to said central opening, a radially free-sweeping, non-arching conveying screw means extending along said bottom wall from said central opening to said side wall of the storage container, a wheel means attached to an outer end of said conveying screw means adjacent to said side wall Of the container in working relationship thereto for contacting said bottom wall and said restraining means, operable to maintain said conveying means at a substantially parallel distance above said bottom wall of the container and prevent said conveying screw means from ascending above said bottom wall of the container, an electromotive means connected to the conveying screw means operable to rotate said conveying means about its longitudinal axis, a discharge bin located beneath said central opening, a flexible compactor conveyor screw located along the bottom of said discharge bin mounted off-center within a partially opened-top cylindrical tube having a closed discharge portion wherein said particulate material is compacted, a particulate material burning machine comprised of a duct having an intake and discharge opening, said duct communicating with the discharge portion of said compactor conveyor screw at a point adjacent to said intake opening of said duct, a by-pass aperture located within said duct intermediate said discharge portion of said compactor conveyor screw and said discharge opening of said duct, a blower means having an intake connected to said duct discharge opening for selectively establishing a fast-flowing continuous stream of air through said duct via said intake opening and by-pass aperture to an exhaust of said blower, valve means positioned in the duct in operable relation to said by-pass aperture and intermediate said blower and said compactor conveyor discharge portion, said valve means being selectively movable from a first position of closed by-pass aperture and open-duct to a second position of closed-duct and open by-pass aperture and vice versa, and a combustion chamber attached to said blower means for receiving the exhaust of said blower, the improvement comprising: an integrating control system means operable to coordinate the particulate material burning process, which includes a sonic sensor unit generating a signal to said control system in response to a selected level of discharged particulate material beneath said central opening whereby said integrating control system selectively operates said free-sweeping, non-arching conveying screw to maintain a selected level of discharged particulate material beneath said central opening; a first sensing means located within said burning machine to generate a signal to said integrating control system in response to a selected position of said valve means, whereby said integrating control system operates said compactor conveyor screw; a second sensing means located within said burning machine to generate a signal to said integrating control system in response to a second selected position of said valve means, whereby said integrating control system operates said blower means; a system initiator-terminator means operable to selectively start and stop the particulate material burning process in a predetermined sequence in response to select parameters in accordance with the availability of particulate material; and a combustion safety and pollution sensing means within said combustion chamber operable to monitor selected parameters relating to said combustion chamber and communicate abnormal conditions to said integrating control system, whereby said integrating control system will terminate the particulate material burning process.

Claim 13

In a waste product firing system as defined in claim 9, including an alternate fuel source controlled by said integrating control system and selectively directed to said combustion chamber to burn therein.

Claim 14

In a waste product firing system as defined in claim 9, including a weight-sensitive means located below said deflector means in operable relationship thereto to monitor the presence of particulate material within said cylindrical storage container and communicate with said control system a signal representing the amount of particulate material within said storage container whereby said control system will initiate unloading oF particulate material only when a sufficient amount of said particulate material is present within said storage container.