System for burning bio-mass and synthetic solid fuel

A device for improved burning of bio-mass fuels such as corn wherein the fuel is supported within a fixed combustion chamber upon a continuous track which continuously intermittently moves such that as the fuel is consumed the ash produced thereby is continuously removed from the combustion chamber while new fuel is continuously added thereto so as to greatly increase the operational cycle of the device.

FIELD OF INVENTION 
This invention relates specifically to all bio-mass and synthetic solid 
fuel burning energy producing systems. 
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION 
Concern for the environment is a pre-eminent social issue for the decade of 
the 90's. Emissions from heating with corn pellets have been tested and 
labeled exempt by the Environmental Protection Agency. Other natural fuel 
such as wheat, rice, rye and soy beans for example burn equally as well 
and as clean as corn. Since natural grains burn cleanly without generating 
creosote, an oily residue, there is no need for a chimney. The burning of 
natural grain fuel generates emissions less than ten percents of the 
Environmental Protection Agency's standards for carbon dioxide. Such 
emissions release no other known harmful contaminants or hydrocarbon 
pollutants into the atmosphere. 
Recent announcements by the OPEC Oil Cartel indicates new crude oil price 
increases foreshadowing what many experts are predicting may be the 
beginning of a new oil crises. Present oil, gas and coal reserves are 
being depleted rapidly. Although experts vary in their predictions as to 
when these fossil fuels will become exhausted, the consensus of expert 
opinion is that the supply of such fossil fuels will eventually be 
exhausted. 
Corn, wheat, rye, rice and other natural bio-mass fuels are grown 
commercially in the United States as well as many other countries . In the 
United States, farmers have been paid subsidies not to raise certain farm 
products resulting in much of our cropland lying idle. The burning of 
bio-mass fuel in it's natural condition insures a home for agricultural 
products at a reasonable price thus smoothing out the elasticity curve for 
supply and demand. 
Natural bio-mass fueled energy is both accessible and affordable to homes 
and industry. The costs and taxation of existing sources of energy 
continues to escalate necessitating the end user and taxpayer to seek out 
inexpensive alternative energy supplies. 
A confining restriction of the present bio-mass and synthetic solid fuel 
burning industry is the repetitive requirement to shut down the system 
every twelve to twenty hours. This shut down is to remove a build up of a 
hard crustacous outer layer of ash associated with solid fuels known as a 
clinker. Unless removed, the residue of ash or clinker diminishes the flow 
of highly turbulent combustion air flow directed to the bio-mass fuel 
resulting in the flame being extinguished. 
Accordingly, a primary object of the present invention is to present a fuel 
system which eliminates and/or significantly reduces the need to 
periodically shut down the burning procedure to remove ash and the like in 
a convenient and efficient manner. 
Another object of the present invention is to provide a specifically 
constructed firebox in such an aforementioned system which enables 
continuous ash disposal over a long time period such that short term 
interval periodic shutdown is, in essence, eliminated or reduced to the 
extent that it is no longer a drawback and to accomplish such in a cost 
effective and convenient manner. 
The aforementioned objects of the present invention as well as other 
objects thereof are accomplished by the provision of a stationary firebox 
with a moving floor track which simultaneously forms a portion of the 
firebox on which combustion is supported and the means whereby the ash 
therefrom is automatically and sequentially removed therefrom. 
These and other objects of the present invention are accomplished by the 
provision of a device for the improved burning of bio-mass and synthetic 
solid fuels comprising an outer chamber formed by a plurality of outer 
housing walls, a combustion firebox mounted in said outer chamber, means 
for feeding fuel to said firebox, said outer chamber further including 
means for supplying combustion air to said firebox and means for 
exhausting combustion gases from said outer chamber, said firebox 
including stationary side walls laterally spaced from each other in part 
forming a longitudinally extending trough-like combustion chamber having 
upstream and downstream ends thereof, said combustion chamber further 
defined by a stationary wall at said upstream end and a gate at said 
downstream end and a lower wall disposed between said firebox side walls, 
said gate having a lower edge positioned proximal to but vertically spaced 
from said lower wall, and means for longitudinally moving said lower wall 
between said firebox side walls from said stationary upstream wall towards 
and past said movable gate so as to continually remove ash from said 
firebox and deposit such ash into said outer chamber.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
Turning now to the drawings and particularly FIGS. 1 and 2 thereof, the 
overall construction of the combustion system of the present invention is 
shown. It should be pointed out that while such is specifically depicted 
as a furnace, stove or space heater arrangement such as would be capable 
of heating a room, that other systems as specifically previously suggested 
may also be utilized and that reference to the words "furnace", "stove" 
and the like includes such other systems. 
The furnace 10 of the present invention includes an outer chamber 12 formed 
from a housing 14 in turn including spaced side walls 16, a front wall 18 
and an end wall 20. Such housing 14 further includes a bottom wall 22 all 
of which are suitably attached to each other such as by welding and like 
and which exhibit a peripheral upper flange 24 to which a top enclosure 26 
is attached by suitable means such as aligned openings provided with nut 
and bolt pairs. Suitable fire resistant sealing means 28 is provided on 
the flange 24 prior to the upper and lower housing portions 26 and 14 
being joined together. 
The front wall 18 is provided with hinged access panel 30 such that the 
user of the furnace 10 may open such and remove ash from the outer chamber 
as will hereinafter be more fully explained. Also and as best shown in 
FIG. 2, the housing is provided with an access panel 32 on the left side 
wall 16 which is preferably positioned at a vertical height greater than 
that at which the firebox top in which combustion takes place is 
positioned and as will be hereinafter more fully brought out. The other or 
right wall 17 of the housing includes an opening 36 through which a 
combustion air source such as a blower 38 is positioned. 
Turning now to FIG. 4 of the drawings, the firebox 40 of the present 
invention is of an overall elongated configuration and includes an 
upstream wall 42 with a pair of laterally opposed outer side walls 43 and 
a pair of inner side walls 44 which preferably downwardly inwardly slant 
and terminate at a straight wall lower terminal portion 46 which is 
provided with a series of air openings 48. The downstream end of the 
firebox 40 is provided with opposed end walls 50 laterally spaced from 
each other and along with a bottom wall 51 are joined with the walls 42 
and 44 to, in effect, form a hollow interior portion 52. Opposed plates or 
sub-bottom walls 54 are disposed along the opposed lateral extent of the 
firebox which in part define a trough like combustion chamber 56. In 
addition, the end walls 50 are provided with slots 60 through which an 
endless belt or track 62 may extend. In addition to the slots 60 in the 
end walls 50, the front or upstream wall 42 at the lower portions thereof 
is provided with a similar slot arrangement 64. In this way then, the 
combustion chamber 56 is in part defined by the track or belt 62 and the 
opposed side walls 44 and particularly the lower straight wall portions 46 
thereof. As will hereinafter be more fully brought out, fuel in the form 
of grain such as corn and the like is deposited at the upstream end of the 
combustion chamber 56, burned therein, and then the ash formed thereby 
removed at the downstream end thereof. 
The front wall 42 of the firebox is preferably positioned adjacent to the 
rear wall 20 of the housing and such rear wall provided with a fuel inlet 
opening 70 positioned immediately adjacent the upper extent of such wall 
42. Fuel fed from a hopper 72 through a distribution system including a 
tube 74 and an auger or screw 76 insures that a constant or intermittent 
fuel supply is fed to the opening 72 via a feed shute 78 in turn connected 
to or terminating at inlet 70. A fuel diverting rod or bar 80 extends 
longitudinally from the front wall 42 above the combustion chamber 56 such 
that fuel in the form of corn, etc. as individual pellets is diverted to 
opposite sides of the firebox to evenly distribute such primarily upon the 
upper surface of the belt or track 62. It should also be pointed out that 
initial combustion is normally brought about by the addition of an 
accelerant to a small pile of fuel, access for which is had through panel 
32. After the initial fire is started, the operation of the device takes 
over to insure continuous combustion and operation of the device as 
intended. 
Air such above-indicated combustion is supplied to the combustion chamber 
56 via opening 36 by means of the blower 38--it being understood that 
opening 36 is in communication with the hollow interior of the firebox via 
a plenum 39 such that such combustion air from the blower is forced into 
the combustion chamber via the openings 48 in the side wall portions 46 as 
well as upwardly into the combustion chamber 56 through the openings 63 
provided in the track 62. In addition and as best shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, 
air openings 82 may be provided in the front wall 42 and some of those air 
openings may be in the form of a rotatable or movable cowl element 84 
which, in effect, presents a hood structure 86 to better direct air flow 
across and slightly downwardly along the front surface of the wall 42 and 
in this way insure that combustion gases and heat therefrom are swept from 
or otherwise diverted from the fuel inlet opening 70. As combustion 
proceeds, combustion gases are removed from the furnace 10 via an exhaust 
88 which can be appropriately positioned in the upper cover portion 26 and 
vented to atmosphere as indicated by the arrow. It should be brought out 
that with the combustion of such bio-mass and synthetic solid fuels, it is 
often unnecessary to utilize a chimney structure since creosote and other 
undesirable residues are not formed by such combustion. 
Turning now to FIGS. 3 and 4 of the drawings in particular, the supporting 
mechanisms for the track 62 as well its relationship with the firebox 40 
is better shown. Therein it will be clear that the track 62 is preferably 
made from a plurality of laterally extending metallic strips or segments 
90 which are welded at their ends to links 92 which are in turn 
interconnected by means of pins 94 such that the overall track structure 
62 is adapted to continuously move over a pair of longitudinally spaced 
dual sprocket pairs 96 having radially extending teeth 98 which extend 
between the individual link pairs 92 and in that manner are adapted to 
either continually or intermittently move by means of a suitable motor 99. 
Generally, the track 62 movement is intermittent, that is, it preferably 
moves a fraction of an inch every predetermined time period. Both distance 
movement and time interval are selected depending upon the type of fuel 
being burned and the furnace heat requirements. Similarly, the individual 
fuel pellets are, accordingly, also timed to enter the combustion chamber 
56 via the inlet 70 according to the same criteria. 
As the combustible material is burned, it produces an ash or clinker which 
tends to settle in the lower portion of the material layer being burned, 
that is, immediately adjacent or on top of the track 62. Also dependent on 
the type of material being burned and the thickness of the ash or residue 
layer, the gate 100 positioned at the downstream end of the combustion 
chamber and supported by the end walls 50 as by extension arms 102 in turn 
adapted to be supported in spacer elements 104 attached to the upper edge 
of the side walls 44. Thus the bottom edge 106 of the gate 100 is adapted 
robe positioned a distance above the upper surface of the track 62 such 
that the ash residue remaining thereon passes thereunder while any 
unburned material is retained for a longer time in the combustion chamber. 
Such ash residue simply spills over and is deposited on top of the bottom 
wall 22 of the outer housing as the track moves downwardly about the 
sprocket 96 and at a point within the outer chamber 12 forwardly of the 
combustion chamber 56. In this manner then, the continuous fuel burning 
and the continuous or intermittent ash residue dumping enables extended 
periods of furnace operation and thus enables the furnace to be operated 
for a period of say a week or two without being shut down for servicing, 
cleaning and ash removal which is the case in prior art devices which 
essentially rely on a batch burn method lasting for shorter periods, e.g., 
twelve hours up to one day. 
It can thus be seen by the foregoing description that an efficient and 
improved furnace system has been described which achieves the objectives 
of the invention. Further constructional aspects of the invention are 
provided by the following descriptive matter originally incorporated into 
the parent application hereof. 
The Track 
The track may be manufactured from suitable material such as Type 304 
stainless steel tempered into eleven to sixteen gauge stock thickness. 
Stainless steel was chosen over other heat resistant material as it can 
withstand intense heat while retaining structural integrity and provides 
for the easy removal of ash, residue and clinkers. A single track 
component may be five inches long, one inch wide and 00.125 of an inch 
thick and contains perforated holes which vary in numbers and size to 
accommodate different fuels. Hole measurements vary in size allowing for 
differences in the diverse fuels burned. 
Each track is welded to a standard roller chain link with a continuous loop 
formed around the sprockets on each side of the track. The tracks may be 
individually welded to the chain links providing for separation and 
movement in order to break up unusually hard or adhesive ash and clinkers 
common to some fuels. The track passes over two sprockets on each side 
which move the track on the chain at a predetermined intermittent rate. 
This movement assists separation of residue ash from the track. The 
sprockets may be six inches in diameter as provided in several test 
models. The sprockets are attached by a middle brace containing two axles 
that generate movement of the chain link loop at designated acceleration 
rates. 
Motor 
Each motor has a specially constructed shaft placed directly through its 
drive in order to produce predetermined acceleration by turning of the 
axle and both sprockets. A Merkle Korff motor built with a special driver 
stud may be utilized. The driver stud penetrates directly through the 
motor to be exposed and attached from both sides to a sprocket. The shaft 
moves the sprockets evenly creating momentum to drive the moving track 
floor. The Merkle Korff motor sits between the sprockets under the firebox 
and drives the moving mechanism. The motor is controlled by a time delay 
relay intermittent timer which allows the track to move various distances, 
e.g., 00.0075 of an inch every ten to twenty minutes, depending upon the 
type of fuel being consumed. 
Firebox 
Each firebox shell may be fabricated from stainless steel with perforated 
holes on the sides and walls providing for combustion air to fully feed 
the firebox chamber area. Firebox sides are preferably pitched at forty 
degrees providing for an unobstructed fuel flow into the firebox shell and 
onto the moving track floor. The size of the existing firebox shell is 
8.75 inches long and 7.25 inches wide which is the result of repeated 
empirical and actual tests. The firebox wall located directly below the 
fuel drop chute contains air holes providing forced air to intercept hot 
air seeking to rise into the fuel feed chamber. The side profile of the 
firebox containing the rectangular opening is the point where combustion 
air is fed into the fire chamber. Each combustion blower has a rheostat 
which allows the blower to operate at a variable speed different for each 
fuel type. 
The middle of the firebox has an opening in the center of the firebox that 
provides the moving track floor to pass through. Further rectangular cuts 
on both sides of the firebox provide the chain link loop to advance 
without exposing the chain to foreign matter, ash or residue generated in 
the burn area. 
The fuel separation gate is placed at the end of the firebox shell to 
concentrate the burning area of the bio-mass fuel. As the track leaves the 
combustion zone area of the firebox, it passes under a fuel separation 
gate that separates completely burnt residue from partially burned residue 
allowing the former to pass underneath and into the ash depository and 
provides for the latter to be kept in the combustion zone until consumed. 
While there is shown and described herein certain specific structure 
embodying this invention, it will be manifest to those skilled in the art 
that various modifications and rearrangements of the parts may be made 
without departing from the spirit and scope of the underlying inventive 
concept and that the same is not limited to the particular forms herein 
shown and described except insofar as indicated by the scope of the 
appended claims.