Portable combustion system with first and second air sources

Abstract

A combustion/carbonizing system which comprises a base frame and a combustion chamber frame which is pivotably attached to the base frame. The combustion chamber frame defines an open top combustion chamber having a bottom perforated plate. A plenum is formed below the perforated plate for collecting biochar which passes therethrough. A first source of combustion air is supplied across the top of the combustion chamber while a second source of combustion air passes through the perforated plate into the combustion chamber. The combustion/carbonizing system is capable of operating in a continuous manner for combustion wood or waste material to the desired degree required by the end user for the purpose of reducing the volume of the material as well as the associated emissions while generating valuable char and boichar as an end product. For some applications, the combustion/carbonizing system may be operated to combust completely the wood or waste material.

Wherefore, I claim: 
     
         1 . A combustion system comprising:
 a combustion chamber frame;   a base frame;   a second end of the combustion chamber frame being pivotably attached to a second end of the base frame;   the combustion chamber frame defining a combustion chamber;   a perforated plate forming a bottom surface of the combustion chamber, and the perforated plate having a plurality of openings formed therein;   the combustion chamber being open along at a top thereof to facilitate feeding of waste material into the combustion chamber;   at least one blower for supplying combustion air to the combustion chamber to assist with combustion of the waste material; and   the at least one blower being coupled to an air manifold for supplying a first source of combustion air across the top of the combustion chamber and forming an air curtain across the open top during operation of the combustion system, and the at least one blower being coupled to an air supply duct for supplying a second source of combustion air through a bottom surface of the perforated plate and into the combustion chamber to assist with combustion of the waste material contained within the combustion chamber.   
     
     
         2 . The combustion system according to  claim 1 , wherein a base plate is located below the perforated plate, a plenum is defined between the base plate and the perforated plate, and the plenum receives and distributes the second source of combustion air from the air supply duct through the plurality of openings formed in the perforated plate and into the combustion chamber. 
     
     
         3 . The combustion system according to  claim 2 , wherein sidewalls of the combustion chamber are defined by a plurality of ceramic members, a first end ceramic member and a movable second end ceramic member, the movable second end ceramic member is located adjacent the base plate for normally closing one end of both the plenum and the combustion chamber, and the movable second end ceramic member is movable into a first open position to facilitate discharge of accumulated fine ash, char, biochar, soot and/or small particles from only the plenum, when the combustion chamber frame is pivoted into a discharge position, and the second end ceramic member is movable into a second open position to facilitate discharge of accumulated fine ash, char, biochar, soot and/or small particles from the plenum and discharge of accumulated ash, char, biochar, clinkers, soot, unburnt debris from the combustion chamber, when the combustion chamber frame is pivoted into the discharge position. 
     
     
         4 . The combustion system according to  claim 2 , wherein a plurality of feed augers are accommodated within the plenum, and the base plate of the plenum is shaped to form a plurality of troughs, each one of the plurality troughs accommodates a respective one of the feed augers, and each respective trough directs fine ash, char, biochar, soot and/or particles of unburnt debris, which passes through the plurality of openings in the perforated plate, toward the respective feed auger for conveyance toward the second end of the combustion system;
 a collection auger is located adjacent the second end of the combustion system, and the collection auger receives and conveys the conveyed fine ash, soot and/or particles of unburnt debris laterally toward a first lateral side of the combustion system to a discharge auger or conveyor; and   the discharge auger or conveyor receives and conveys the fine ash, char, biochar, soot and/or particles of unburnt debris away from the combustion system to a collection area.   
     
     
         5 . The combustion system according to  claim 4 , wherein the collection auger and the discharge auger are supported by the base frame;
 the base plate and the plurality of feed augers are releasably connected to the combustion chamber frame so that the base plate and the plurality of feed augers normally pivot with the combustion chamber frame, when the first end of the combustion chamber frame is pivoted away from the first end of the base frame about the horizontal pivot into a discharge position,   when the base plate and the plurality of feed augers are disconnected from the combustion chamber frame, the base plate and the plurality of feed augers remain stationary and do not pivot with the combustion chamber frame so that access to the plurality of feed augers and the troughs is provided, when the combustion chamber frame is pivoted away from the first end of the base frame about the horizontal pivot into the discharge position.   
     
     
         6 . The combustion system according to  claim 5 , wherein sidewalls of the combustion chamber are defined by a plurality of ceramic members, a first end ceramic member and a movable second end ceramic member, the movable second end ceramic member is located adjacent the perforated plate for normally closing one end of the combustion chamber, and the movable second end ceramic member is movable into an open position to facilitate discharge of accumulated ash, char, biochar, clinkers, soot, unburnt debris from the combustion chamber when the combustion chamber frame is pivoted into the discharge position. 
     
     
         7 . The combustion system according to  claim 4 , wherein the plurality of feed augers, the troughs, the collection auger and the discharge auger or conveyor are all supported by the base frame, and when the combustion chamber frame is in a lower position, the perforated plate sealing engages with the base plate to define the plenum, but when the combustion chamber frame is pivoted away from the first end of the base frame about the horizontal pivot into the discharge position, the perforated plate separates away from the base plate and the plurality of augers to provide access to the plurality of augers and the bottom surface of the perforated plate. 
     
     
         8 . The combustion system according to  claim 7 , wherein sidewalls of the combustion chamber are defined by a plurality of ceramic members, a first end ceramic member and a movable second end ceramic member, the movable second end ceramic member is located adjacent the perforated plate for normally closing one end of the combustion chamber, and the movable second end ceramic member is movable into an open position to facilitate discharge of accumulated ash, char, biochar, clinkers, soot, unburnt debris from the combustion chamber when the combustion chamber frame is pivoted into the discharge position. 
     
     
         9 . The combustion system according to  claim 2 , wherein the base frame is supported by a drive assembly which facilitates movement of the combustion system, and the drive assembly comprises one of wheels or a pair of drivable tracks which facilitate movement of the combustion system to a desired location. 
     
     
         10 . The combustion system according to  claim 2 , wherein the base frame is supported by a stationary support assembly which facilitates supporting of the combustion system in a stationary position on a desired surface. 
     
     
         11 . The combustion system according to  claim 2 , wherein combustion system has a viewing device which permits viewing of the combustion chamber by an operator, and the viewing device is attached to a stand which is movable from a storage position to a deployed position, and vice versa, and the viewing device, when in the deployed position, facilitates viewing of the combustion chamber. 
     
     
         12 . The combustion system according to  claim 3 , wherein the air supply duct is located adjacent rear surfaces of the plurality of ceramic members so that the second source of combustion air, which flows through the air supply duct, is preheated prior to the second source of combustion air flowing through the plurality of openings formed in the perforated plate and into the combustion chamber. 
     
     
         13 . The combustion system according to  claim 1 , wherein the perforated plate is fabricated from metal and has a thickness of between ⅜ and 4 inches, and the plurality of openings formed in the perforated plate facilitate fine ash, char, biochar, soot and other small debris passing through the plurality of openings formed in the perforated plate and collecting on the base plate as well as passage of the second source of combustion air through the plurality of openings into the combustion chamber. 
     
     
         14 . The combustion system according to  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of an internal cross sectional area the air manifold tapers to a smaller cross sectional area, from a first end thereof toward a second end thereof where the air manifold terminates, and at least a portion of an internal cross sectional area the air supply duct tapers to a smaller cross sectional area, from a first end thereof toward a second end thereof where the air supply duct terminates. 
     
     
         15 . The combustion system according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one hydraulic frame piston/cylinder couples the combustion chamber frame to the base frame to facilitate lifting of a first end of the combustion chamber frame away from a first end of the base frame and pivoting of the combustion chamber frame, about the horizontal hinge, with respect to the base frame, into a discharge position for discharging accumulated ash, char, biochar, clinkers, soot, unburnt debris. 
     
     
         16 . The combustion system according to  claim 2 , wherein either:
 a Y-coupling couples the at least one blower to both the air manifold and the air supply duct, and an adjustable damper is accommodated within the Y-coupling to control distribution of the combustion air which is supplied by the at least one blower to the air manifold and the air supply duct, and a plurality of air feed ducts are provided along the air supply duct and communicate with the plenum to facilitate supplying the second source of combustion air to the plenum; or   the at least one blower comprises first and second blowers, the first blower is coupled to the air manifold while the second blower is coupled to the air supply duct, and a plurality of air feed ducts are provided along the air supply duct and communicate with the plenum to facilitate supplying the second source of combustion air to the plenum.   
     
     
         17 . The combustion system according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one nozzle is installed within the combustion chamber and connected to a fuel source, an igniter is associated with the at least one nozzle to assist with generating a spark and initiating a flame, when fuel is supplied from the fuel source to the at least one nozzle, thereby ignite the waste material contained within the combustion chamber. 
     
     
         18 . The combustion system according to  claim 9 , wherein a control panel is affixed to the combustion system, and the control panel controls operation of an engine, a pump and a supply of hydraulic pressure to a drive assembly in order to control turning and forward and reverse travel of the combustion system, and
 a handheld remote radio controller communicates wirelessly with the control panel, and the radio controller is also equipped with a display which facilitates displaying images received from a viewing device.   
     
     
         19 . The combustion system according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one engine is supported on the base frame, the at least one engine either directly or hydraulically drives the at least one blower for generating the first and second sources of combustion air, and the at least one engine also drives a hydraulic pump for generating a source of hydraulic pressure for controlling operation of the combustion system. 
     
     
         20 . A method of combusting waste material in a combustion system, the method comprising:
 providing a combustion chamber frame;   providing a base frame;   pivotably attaching a second end of the combustion chamber frame to a second end of the base frame;   defining a combustion chamber on the combustion chamber frame;   using a perforated plate to form a bottom surface of the combustion chamber, and forming plurality of openings in the perforated plate;   leaving a top of the combustion chamber open to facilitate feeding of the waste material into the combustion chamber;   supplying combustion air to the combustion chamber, via at least one blower, to assist with combustion of the waste material, and dividing the combustion air into first and second sources of combustion air;   supplying the first source of combustion air, via an air manifold, across the top of the combustion chamber to form an air curtain; and   supplying the second source of combustion air through the plurality of openings, formed in the perforated plate, and into the combustion chamber, via an air supply duct, to assist with combustion of the waste material contained within the combustion chamber.