Method to feed biomass tablets and logs into burners

Abstract

This invention pertains to a novel new method and device to feed or inject cylindrical fuel elements (logs and tablets), made of biomass and other carbonaceous materials, into burners (furnaces, boilers, stoves or fireplaces) for use as fuel in combustion. The same method and device can also be used in gasification and liquefaction plants to feed cylindrical fuel elements as the feedstock for the gasification or liquefaction reactors. The use of such a method and device to feed biomass and other carbonaceous materials into burners and gasification/liquefaction reactors enhances the use of biomass as a resource for heating, generating electricity, and converting to gaseous or liquid fuels. Increased use of biomass, which is a renewable energy source, reduces the consumption of fossil fuel, and hence reduces detrimental environmental impacts of using fossil fuel including air pollution and global warming.

1 . A method and system to feed cylindrical fuel elements made of carbonaceous materials, including biomass, into a burner, in a controlled manner driven primarily by gravity, using a system comprising: 
 (a) a chamber that contains a straight, curved or zig-zaged channel having a general slope towards the burner, so that the fuel elements will roll down the slope when they are not blocked or restrained to move by a stopper,    (b) an inlet of the channel for loading the fuel elements into the system, with the inlet being either open or covered by a lid,    (c) an outlet of the channel for releasing the fuel elements into the burner, with the outlet being either open or attached to an elbow which helps to direct the fuel elements to an appropriate place of the burner,    (d) a stopper being a device such as a rod or a brake shoe that can either stop the motion of the fuel elements when the stopper is engaged or release the elements and allow them to roll down the channel slope when the stopper is disengaged,    (e) an actuator such as a solenoid or electric motor that drives the stopper,    (f) a programmable logic controller (PLC) to control the motion of the actuator, and    (g) one or more check valves or swing gates mounted near the outlet of the channel to allow free passage of the fuel elements but to prevent smoke and fire from entering the channel.    
   
   
       2 . A system as set forth in  claim 1  further comprising a bypass tube connected between the check valves near the chamber outlet and the chimney or flue of the burner, to allow smoke that entered the feed channel outlet to be vented through the bypass tube for discharge into the chimney or flue.  
   
   
       3 . A system as set forth in  claim 1  except that the PLC is replaced with some other control devices such as a rotary switch that can control the motion of the actuator on a cyclic basis according to preset periods or intervals.  
   
   
       4 . A system as set forth in  claim 2  except that the PLC is replaced with some other control devices such as a rotary switch that can control the motion of the actuator on a cyclic basis according to preset periods or intervals.  
   
   
       5 . A system as set forth in  claim 1  except that the burner is replaced with a reactor either for gasification or liquefaction of fuels.  
   
   
       6 . A system as set forth in  claim 2  except that the burner is replaced with a reactor either for gasification or liquefaction of fuels.  
   
   
       7 . A system as set forth in  claim 3  except that the burner is replaced with a reactor either for gasification or liquefaction of fuels rather than combustion purpose.  
   
   
       8 . A system as set forth in  claim 4  except that the burner is replaced with a reactor either for gasification or liquefaction of fuel rather than combustion purpose.  
   
   
       9 . A system as set forth in  claim 1  except that the outlet is attached to a mobile arm to distribute fuel elements more uniformly in the burner,  
   
   
       10 . A system as set forth in  claim 2  except that the outlet is attached to a mobile arm to distribute fuel elements more uniformly in the burner,  
   
   
       11 . A system as set forth in  claim 5  except that the outlet is attached to a mobile arm to distribute fuel elements more uniformly in the reactor,  
   
   
       12 . A system as set forth in  claim 6  except that the outlet is attached to a mobile arm to distribute fuel elements more uniformly in the reactor.