Steam or hot water generator operating by solid fuels having high contents in volatile materials

Claim 1

A generator for the production of steam or hot water operated by fuels having a high content in volatile products, the generator comprising: (a) a loading well having side walls, a floor and a roof; (b) a door in the loading well for the charging thereof with solid fuels; (c) a post combustion chamber positioned adjacent a side wall of the loading well; (d) an opening in the lower portion of the side wall of the loading well so that the loading well and the post combustion chamber are in communication with each other; (e) a partition extending upwardly from the floor of the loading well so as to partially obstruct the opening; (f) a rear grate positioned in the opening substantially vertically so that a lower edge of the rear grate is adjacent an upper edge of the partition with an underlying passage therebetween and an upper edge of the rear grate is adjacent a lower edge of the side wall of the loading well with an overlying passage therebetween; (g) an inclined grate near the floor of the loading well, the inclined grate being inclined with respect to the horizontal so that the lowermost portion thereof is substantially adjacent the lower edge of the rear grate; (h) access means for the admission of carbureting air into the loading well, the access means comprising an aperture in the side wall of the loading well for admitting air below the inclined grate and incorporating a fan member and a regulator means for controlling the amount of carbureting air admitted to the loading well, the air being divided into a first portion which passes through the inclined grate, solid fuels and thereafter the overlying passage and vertical grate, and a second portion which travels under the inclined grate where it is preheated and thereafter passes through the underlying passage, the first and second portions of the air combining in the post-combustion chamber to bring the still unburnt gases rich in volatile products to combustion; and (i) recirculation means for recirculating at least a portion of the combustion gases discharged by the generator back into the loading well, the recirculation means including a return conduit the one end of which is positioned so as to collect at least a portion of the combustion gases discharged by the generator and the other end of which is connected to a suction side of the fan member such that at least a portion of the air pumped into the loading well by the fan member consists of combustion gases previously discharged by the generator.