Solid refuse furnace

Claim 2

A plural-chamber fire box comprising: first refractory means having surfaces defining an upper chamber in which solid fuel may be stored, dried, gasified and partially combusted, at least a portion of said upper chamber converging in a funnel-like fashion to an opening at the bottom of said upper chamber; second refractory means having surfaces defining a lower chamber which communicates with the upper chamber through said opening, additional refractory means forming a structure which surrounds and contains a lower portion of the upper chamber and said opening; means for introducing primary combustion air into the converging region of the upper chamber such that, in the presence of heat, various degrees of partial combustion may take place in said upper chamber; means for introducing secondary combustion air at the periphery of the opening so that complete combustion of gases may take place in said opening and the lower chamber; means located in the lower chamber below said opening for supporting (a) hot char at the bottom of the upper chamber so that the hot char serves as a gas igniter and (b) regulating the velocity and volume of total flow of air and combustion products through the firebox; means comprising at least part of said additional refractory means defining a passageway for exiting unreacted air and hot gaseous combustion products from the lower chamber so that the heat of said unreacted air and gaseous combustion products assists in maintaining the temperature above that required for complete combustion of smoke, creosote, and other noxious emissions; and insulation disposed about said first, second and additional refractory means for thermally isolating the outside surfaces of the upper and lower chambers from surrounding structures in a manner which does not restrict thermal communication between said upper and lower chambers.

Claim 3

A plural chamber firebox according to claim 1 wherein said opening is disposed and arranged so that it is exposed to and surrounded by high temperature flame combustion occurring in said lower chamber.

Claim 4

A plural chamber firebox according to claim 1 wherein said means for supplying air to said upper chamber and said means for supplying air to the periphery of said opening are operable and controllable separately.

Claim 5

A plural-chamber firebox according to claim 1 wherein said upper chamber is provided with a thermally insulated, air-tight door for allowing introduction of fuel to said upper chamber.

Claim 6

A plural-chamber firebox according to claim 1 wherein said lower chamber has an access port for removal of ash and solid residues from said lower chamber.

Claim 7

A plural-chamber firebox according to claim 1 further including an extraction blower for sustaining the flow of primary and secondary air to and through said firebox and for extracting the unreacted air and gaseous combustion products from the lower chamber of said firebox.

Claim 8

A plural-chamber firebox according to claim 6 wherein said passageway is arranged for conducting gases from said lower chamber around the converging region of the upper chamber so as to supply heat to said converging region.

Claim 9

A plural-chamber firebox according to claim 1 wherein said means for introducing primary combustion air comprises a plurality of ports around and connecting with the interior of said upper chamber, and said means for introducing secondary combustion air comprises a plurality of ports around and connecting with said opening.

Claim 10

A plural-chamber firebox according to claim 1 further including separate valve means for individually controlling the flow of air through said first and second plurality of ports.

Claim 11

A plural-chamber firebox according to claim 1 further including a heat exchanger for recovering heat from hot unreacted air and gaseous combustion products exiting from the lower chamber.

Claim 12

A plural-chamber firebox according to claim 1 wherein said means located in the lower chamber comprises a positionally adjustable plate spaced below said opening.

Claim 13

A plural-chamber firebox according to claim 1 wherein said additional refractory means forms a supporting structure for said upper chamber.

Claim 14

A plural-chamber firebox according to claim 12 wherein said additional refractory means is attached to and supported by said second refractory means.

Claim 15

A plural-chamber firebox according to claim 1 wherein said additional refractory means forms first and second walls surrounding a lower portion of said upper chamber and said exit passageway is defined at least in part by said first and second walls.

Claim 16

A furnace for consuming solid carbonaceous fuels for the purpose of space and hot water heating comprising: a refractory firebox comprising first refractory means defining an upper chamber and second refractory means defining a lower chamber, said upper chamber having an opening at its lower end and at least a portion of said upper chamber converging in funnel-like fashion to said opening, said lower chamber connecting with said upper chamber through said opening; an air-tight door for allowing access to said upper chamber for the introduction of fuel; an access port for removal of ash and other solid residues from said lower chamber; means for introducing primary combustion air into said upper chamber at or proximate to said converging portion of said upper chamber so that, in the presence of heat, various degrees of partial combustion may occur in said upper chamber; means for introducing secondary combustion air to the periphery of said opening so that complete combustion can occur in said opening and in said lower chamber; an adjustable burning plate disposed in the lower chamber below and in line with said opening for supporting hot solid fuel at the bottom of the upper chamber and regulating the velocity and volume of flow of air and combustion products through said opening into said lower chamber; a heat exchanger for extracting heat from the hot furnace exhaust gases and transferring said heat to a working fluid such as air or water; means providing an exit passageway for conducting hot exhaust gases from said lower chamber through said heat exchanger; an extraction blower for sustaining the flow of primary and secondary combustion air into and through said firebox and for extracting hot unreacted air and gaseous combustion products from the firebox via said passageway; and valve means for regulating the proportion of primary and secondary combustion air delivered to said firebox so as to regulate the portion of combustion which occurs in the upper chamber relative to that in the lower chamber and for regulating the rate of solid fuel gasification and combustion in said firebox.

Claim 17

A furnace for consuming solid carbonaceous fuels for the purpose of space and hot water heating comprising: a refractory firebox comprising first refractory means defining an upper chamber and second refractory means defining a lower chamber, said upper chamber having an opening at its lower end and at least a portion of said upper chamber converging in funnel-like fashion to said opening, said lower chamber connecting with said upper chamber through said opening; an air-tight door for allowing access to said upper chamber for the introduction of fuel; an access port for removal of ash and other solid residues from said lower chamber; means for introducing primary combustion air into said upper chamber at or proximate to said converging portion of said upper chamber so that, in the presence of heat, various degrees of partial combustion may occur in said upper chamber; means for introducing secondary combustion air to the periphery of said opening so that complete combustion can occur in said opening and in said lower chamber; an adjustable burning plate disposed in the lower chamber below and in line with said opening for supporting hot solid fuel at the bottom of the upper chamber and regulating the velocity and volume of flow of air and combustion products through said opening into said lower chamber; a heat exchanger for extracting heat from the hot furnace exhaust gases and transferring said heat to a working fluid such as air or water; means providing an exit passageway for conducting hot exhaust gases from said lower chamber through said heat exchanger; an extraction blower for sustaining the flow of primary and secondary combustion air into and through said firebox and for extracting hot unreacted air and gaseous combustion products from the firebox via said passageway; and valve means for regulating the proportion of primary and secondary combustion air delivered to said firebox so as to regulate the portion of combustion which occurs in the upper chamber relative to that in the lower chamber and for regulating the rate of solid fuel gasification and combustion in said firebox.

Claim 18

A furnace according to claim 15 having first and second valves for separately and independently supplying primary and secondary air respectively to said firebox.

Claim 19

A furnace according to claim 15 further including insulation disposed about said fire box for thermally insulating the outer surfaces of said upper and lower chambers from surrounding structures in a manner which does not restrict thermal communication between said upper and lower chambers.

Claim 20

A furnace according to claim 17 wherein said refractory firebox comprises refractory means forming an extension of said upper chamber at said opening, and said means for introducing secondary combustion air is adapted to introduce secondary combustion air via openings in said extension.

Claim 21

A furnace according to claim 18 wherein said refractory firebox comprises first and second mutually spaced refractory means surrounding said extension and coacting to at least partially define said exit passageway.

Claim 22

A furnace according to claim 14 wherein said firebox comprises refractory means supporting said first refractory means on said second refractory means.

Claim 23

A furnace according to claim 15 wherein said door is made of a refractory material and is thermally insulated and further including a thermally insulated refractory door for closing off said access port.