Incinerator and method

Claim 2

An incinerator for burning combustible debris and comprising elongate combustion chamber means having an entrance end for receiving debris and an exit end for discharging effluent, burner means adjacent said entrance end for igniting debris received into said chamber means, hollow screw conveyor means extending through the length of said chamber means for moving debris therethrough, and fan means operatively communicating with said screw conveyor means for impelling air flow therethrough, said screw conveyor means and said fan means cooperating for distributing throughout the length of said chamber means air in excess of that required for burning ignited debris so as to facilitate complete incineration thereof as such debris is moved through said chamber means.

Claim 3

An incinerator according to claim 10 wherein said screw conveyor means comprises an elongate hollow shaft means mounted for rotation within said chamber means and penetrated by longitudinally spaced apart air flow openings, drive means for rotating said shaft means, and thread means spiraled about said shaft means for engaging debris upon rotation of said shaft means and thereby for moving engaged debris.

Claim 4

An incinerator according to claim 2 wherein said thread means defines a hollow interior operatively communicating with said shaft means for receiving airflow distributed therealong and for directing air flowing into said chamber means to impinge onto debris engaged by said thread means.

Claim 5

An incinerator according to claim 2 wherein said chamber means defines a generally right circular cylindrical volume and further wherein said shaft means is mounted for rotation about an axis offset from the central axis of said volume for facilitating passage through said chamber means of noncombustible solid debris.

Claim 6

An incinerator according to claim 1 further comprising hopper means adjacent said entrance end of said chamber means for feeding debris thereinto.

Claim 7

An incinerator according to claim 1 further comprising ash pit means adjacent said exit end of said chamber means for receiving solid effluent therefrom.

Claim 8

An incinerator according to claim 1 further comprising gas cleaning means operatively communicating with said exit end of said chamber means for receiving gaseous effluent therefrom and for cleaning such gaseous effluent.

Claim 9

An incinerator according to claim 1 wherein said chamber means defines a generally horizontally disposed right circular cylindrical volume for containing burning debris.

Claim 10

A screw conveyor means for moving debris through an elongate combustion chamber while delivering air for combustion of the debris and comprising an elongate hollow shaft means mounted for rotation and penetrated by longitudinally spaced apart air flow openings, drive means for rotating said shaft means, thread means spiraled about said shaft means for engaging debris upon rotation of said shaft means and thereby for moving engaged debris, and fan means operatively communicating with said shaft means for impelling air flow therethrough, said thread means defining a hollow interior operatively communicating with said shaft means for receiving air flow impelled therethrough and for directing air to impinge onto debris engaged by said thread means and cooperating with said shaft means and said fan means for distributing air flowing through said shaft means therealong and thereby facilitating combustion of debris moved by said conveyor means.

Claim 11

A screw conveyor means for moving debris through an elongate combustion chamber while delivering air for combustion of the debris and comprising an elongate hollow shaft means mounted for rotation and penetrated by longitudinally spaced apart air flow openings, drive means for rotating said shaft means, thread means spiraled about said shaft means for engaging debris upon rotation of said shaft means and thereby for moving engaged debris, and fan means operatively communicating with said shaft means for impelling air flow therethrough, said thread means defining a hollow interior operatively communicating with said shaft means for receiving air flow impelled therethrough and for directing air to impinge onto debris engaged by said thread means and cooperating with said shaft means and said fan means for distributing air flowing through said shaft means therealong and thereby facilitating combustion of debris moved by said conveyor means.

Claim 14

A method according to claim 10 wherein the delivering of air includes supplying an excess of air over the minimum required for combustion and distributing the air throughout the elongate chamber for continuing burning of debris as the debris moves through the chamber.

Claim 15

A method according to claim 10 further comprising receiving in an ash pit solid effluent from the chamber while cleaning gaseous effluent from the chamber and discharging cleaned gaseous effluent into the ambient atmosphere.